Thousands of right-wing activists mark Hanukkah with new outposts
Police allow pro-settlement activists to march from Ma'aleh Adumim to neighborhood on outskirts of E-1 land swath. Ma'aleh Adumim deputy-mayor: 'Condoleezza Rice won't tell us what to do in our own country.' Meanwhile settler leader Pinchas Wallerstein called in for questioning by police
Several thousand settlers and right-wing activists gathered at various points throughout the West Bank on Sunday to mark the Hanukkah holiday by erecting new outposts.
Despite having declared all of the areas in question closed military zones, the IDF refrained from interfering with the gatherings.
A small portion of the activists are planning to spend the night in the new places of settlement. IDF officials have said security forces would evict those who choose to do so.
Youths set out to outpost sites (Photo: Gil Yochanan)
Boris Grossman, deputy mayor of Ma'aleh Adumim, also took part in the march. "We came here to say that we want to build in E-1 (an area adjacent to Ma'aleh Adumim, which Palestinians contend belongs to the West Bank). It's inconceivable that (US Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice can tell us what we can or cannot do in our own country.
"Over 3,500 planned housing units, that were authorized by Rabin and later by Netanyahu and Barak, have been put on hold of Annapolis. The State approved this project, the Housing and Construction Ministry greenlighted the program," he said.
"The youth here today are the people who fought for this country, the ones who built it and it is this youth that will lead the change . All that we're doing, we're doing according to the law and it must be remembered that this area is within the boundaries of the Ma'aleh Adumim municipality and we're here today, taking a walk in our territory."
MK Eldad: Israel surrendering to America
MK Arieh Eldad (National Union-National Religious) also took part in the gathering. "This is about Jews expressing their right to settle the Land of Israel. With reference to E-1, there is no argument about the legality of settling it, it is a neighborhood of Ma'aleh Adumim and what is happening now is the Israeli government is surrendering to American dictates."
Far-right activist Baruch Marzel also spoke at the event. "It is impossible to destroy our spirit, our spirit will emerge victorious. The best defense is offense and as long as Olmert promises the whole world that he will evacuate the outposts, they are only increasing in spite of his opposition and that is our principal message," Marzel told the assembled crows.
Around 40 left-wing activists from Israel and abroad erected a mock outpost in the E-1 region
on Saturday to protest the settler's intentions. The demonstration was broken up by police and a handful of activists were detained.
Wallerstein taken for questioning
But while settler youth are busy erecting new outposts, Ynet learned that former Binyamin Regional Council head Pinchas Wallerstein was been called in for questioning regarding his involvement in
establishing illegal outposts.
Officers from the National Fraud Unit interrogated Wallerstein for three-and-a-half hours on Sunday. After being released to him home, Wallerstein told reporters he was "happy to be caught for important things such as this."
He will be questioned again this Thursday.
