Israel's army issues eviction order to Jewish West Bank outpost

The Israeli military on Tuesday ordered the residents of the illegal outpost of Amona in the West Bank to evacuate within 48 hours, local media reported.

A photo on the Ynet news site showed a notice signed by Maj. Gen. Roni Numa, the commander of the Israeli forces in the West Bank.

The notice was posted at the entrance of the outpost, Ynet and other Israeli outlets reported.

The military spokesperson unit did not have an immediate comment.

In 2014, Israel's top court ruled that Amona must be evicted because it was built on private Palestinian land. The court later set the final date for the eviction on Feb. 8.

The court was reportedly scheduled to rule later Tuesday on the government's proposal to allow Amona's settlers to relocate to an adjacent plot. However, the settlers already announced they reject the plan.

Amona, east of Ramallah city, is the largest of about 100 outposts which far-right settlers have erected in the West Bank without official permissions from the Israeli authorities.

The Israeli governments have often turned a blind eye to their construction.

Some 40 families live in Amona, which has become a symbol of Israel's defiance to the international pressure to halt the expansion of the settlements.

There are about 100 unauthorized outposts and 120 settlements that Israel considered as legal.

Both outposts and settlements are illegal under international law as they were built on lands occupied by Israel in the 1967 Mideast War, where the Palestinians wish to build their future state. Endit