Israel Evacuates Another Illegal West Bank Outpost
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Israeli security forces have dismantled another illegal outpost in the West Bank, local news service Ynet reported on Sunday.
The security forces evacuated the outpost of Shvut Ami overnight Saturday, said the report, adding that the forces demolished two wooden structures and evacuated 11 teens from the outpost by declaring the area a closed military zone.
The evacuation of Shvut Ami, located near the Kedumim settlement, was carried out without incident, but Jewish settlers said they plan to rebuild it, which has been rebuilt a number of times in the past by teens belonging to the Land of Israel Faithful Movement.
Several small-sized illegal outposts that had been dismantled throughout the West Bank over the past few days were rebuilt shortly afterwards.
On Wednesday, Israeli security forces dismantled two illegal West Bank outposts in the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba, which is near the West Bank city of Hebron.
However, settlers have already begun rebuilding Givat Avichai (Hill 18), one of the two outposts, according to Ynet.
Wednesday's evacuation came a week after Israeli security forces took down the West Bank outpost of Maoz Esther. Nevertheless, just hours after being evacuated, the outpost was rebuilt by settlers who returned to the site.
On May 24, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak declared that Israel will dismantle 22 illegal outposts in the West Bank, warning that settlers will be evicted forcefully if they resist.
Some 100 outposts, set up independently by Jewish settlers without formal government approval, are scattered throughout the West Bank, said local daily Ha'aretz, adding that these outposts exist next to the 121 authorized West Bank settlements, which are legal under Israeli law.
(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2009)