- Title: Israel may face international criticism over settlements bill-analyst
- Date: 6th December 2016
- Summary: AMONA, WEST BANK (DECEMBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT AMONA OUTPOST MAN ENTERING HUT YAIR FRANK, RABBI OF AMONA, WALKING FRANK TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) YAIR FRANK, RABBI OF AMONA, SAYING: "We plan a large popular legitimate protest here. We will not harm any security officer or soldier, God forbid. But there will be many people here who will express the huge pain for the land of Israel. We hope that those who make the decisions will understand that the public will not let that after 20 years, a Jewish community will God forbid be demolished. It's possible to legitimize the community and that's what we demand." YOUTHS IN OUTPOST VARIOUS OF YOUTHS BUILDING HUT TO HOUSE SUPPORTERS GREENHOUSES FOR HOUSING SUPPORTERS MEVASERET ZION, ISRAEL (DECEMBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) PROFFESOR RUBY SEIBEL, INTERNATIONAL LAW EXPERT, SITTING IN OFFICE SEIBEL WRITING SEIBEL TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROFESSOR RUBY SEIBEL, INTERNATIONAL LAW EXPERT, SAYING: "(legalisation of Israeli settlements built on private Palestinian land) It certainly will harm Israel internationally. The mitigating factor is if, and this is the government's decision, full compensation is paid to the Palestinians. And Israel has expressed its willingness to have international observers on a committee or tribunal that would decide what is full and adequate compensation." MORE OF SEIBEL TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROFESSOR RUBY SEIBEL, INTERNATIONAL LAW EXPERT, SAYING: "Evicting thousands of people from land is a problem, again, as I said, it includes children and families. Therefore, the compromise will be apparently that they will be allowed to remain on the land but again, I'll repeat, full compensation will be paid to the Palestinian land owners." AMONA, WEST BANK (DECEMBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING IN AMONA PLAYGROUND PALESTINIAN VILLAGE AS SEEN FROM AMONA AMONA AS SEEN FROM AFAR
- Embargoed: 21st December 2016 12:37
- Keywords: Israel Palestinians Settlements West Bank Amona
- Location: AMONA, WEST BANK/MEVASSERET ZION, ISRAEL
- Reuters ID: LVA0015BQXMX3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A day after Israel's parliament gave initial approval to a revised bill that would legalise Israeli settlement homes built on private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, angering residents of an outpost that was excluded from the bill, an international law expert said Israel would likely be harmed internationally unless a compromise is reached.
The proposed law has already drawn sharp international condemnation and strained relations within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing right-wing coalition.
Israeli critics and Palestinians have called it a land grab that would further distance prospects for a two-state solution that would end the long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The original bill, approved by parliament last month, had contained a clause that challenged a ruling by the Supreme Court that dozens of families at the illegal outpost of Amona must evacuate homes built on private Palestinian land by Dec. 25.
Far-right members of Netanyahu's coalition, who oppose the creation of a Palestinian state, had pushed for that version of the bill's advancement through parliament, but a centre-right partner in the government balked at defying the court.
After many hours of talks within Netanyahu's coalition to find a compromise, the so-called Amona clause was scrapped and a new bill was submitted without mentioning the outpost, effectively paving the way for its removal.
Under the deal, the 330 Amona settlers are to be moved to a nearby site on land that Israel considers abandoned by its Palestinian owners, but land-ownership claims by Palestinians have already been filed with Israeli authorities.
"We plan a large popular legitimate protest here. We will not harm any security officer or soldier, God forbid. But there will be many people here who will express the huge pain for the land of Israel. We hope that those who make the decisions will understand that the public will not let that after 20 years, a Jewish community will God forbid be demolished. It's possible to legitimize the community and that's what we demand," said Yair Frank, the Rabbi of Amona, as youths were preparing huts and greenhouses to house dozens of expected supporters.
In a stormy session on Monday (December 5), Israel's Knesset voted 60-49 in favour of the revised bill. It must pass three more votes at unspecified future dates before becoming law.
Netanyahu is concerned the bill, if it becomes law, could lead to prosecution at the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
It is not unlikely that human rights groups would appeal against the law at the Supreme Court, which has in the past struck down legislation it deemed as violating human and civil rights.
International law expert Professor Ruby Seibel said he believed Israel would be harmed internationally but an agreed compensation to the Palestinian land owners could serve as a mitigating factor.
"(legalisation of Israeli settlements built on private Palestinian land) It certainly will harm Israel internationally. The mitigating factor is if, and this is the government's decision, full compensation is paid to the Palestinians. And Israel has expressed its willingness to have international observers on a committee or tribunal that would decide what is full and adequate compensation," he said.
"Evicting thousands of people from land is a problem, again, as I said, it includes children and families. Therefore, the compromise will be apparently that they will be allowed to remain on the land but again, I'll repeat, full compensation will be paid to the Palestinian land owners," he added.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war. In the five decades since, it has built about 120 settlements, which most of the world deem illegal and an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians.
As well as the formal settlements, which Israel fully supports, settlers have established more than 100 outposts.
The Palestinians want the West Bank, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, for a future state.
Netanyahu has said that the Palestinian refusal to recognise Israel as a Jewish state, and not the presence of settlements, is the main obstacle for a peace deal. Peace negotiations collapsed in 2014, with settlements a key bone of contention.
Israeli right-wing politicians have voiced hope that U.S. opposition to settlement-building will soften, or even disappear, under the presidency of Republican Donald Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
