Department of Chutzpah

Israel okays settlement freeze, approves new settlement construction

Gregg Carlstrom | November 27, 2009 11:23 AM | 0 | recommend (0) |   |      

I'll let the lede of this Ha'aretz story speak for itself.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday ordered the IDF to issue a temporary freeze order, but at the same time allowed the construction of 28 new public buildings in settlements.

Barak approved the permits because the freeze order does not apply to "public buildings" like schools and synagogues, according to the Ma'an news agency.

In fairness: Barak also said today is taking aerial photographs of settlements to monitor for illegal new construction. The central government has started issuing orders to regional councils requiring them to stop issuing construction permits to settlers.

Ha'aretz also reports that the Israeli government will ask the Supreme Court to delay a demolition order for nine "illegal outposts" in the West Bank, including Horsha and Netiv Ha'avot. The IDF is currently required to evacuate the outposts by next week.

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Categories: Israel, Israel & Palestine, Palestine, Regional News

Tags: Ehud Barak, Israeli Defense Forces, settlement freeze

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