Israeli security forces on Monday evacuated the northern West Bank outpost of Nahalat Yosef as Israel pressed on with its plan to remove the illegal outposts, Israel Army Radio reported.

The site, near the settlement of Elon Moreh, contained three caravans and had been described by its residents as a farm, said the report, adding that one of the caravans was moved into Elon Moreh during the evacuation, which took place without incident.

Gershon Mesika, head of Shomron Regional Council, said structures that were destroyed would be rebuilt.

"The nation of Israel elected a government that is supposed to care for the settlements and not destroy them, using hypocritical legalities as an excuse," Mesika said.

Monday's evacuation came after renewed calls by the United States for Israel to honor past commitments to remove the outposts.

In the past two weeks, Israeli security forces have dismantled several illegal outposts in the West Bank. However, many of them were rebuilt shortly afterwards by Jewish settlers.

On May 24, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak declared that Israel would dismantle 22 illegal outposts in the West Bank, warning that settlers would 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 June 2, 2009)