Minister Bennett. Wants the bill to go forward.
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Netanyahu calls for postponement of Amona regulation bill until after court ruling
The prime minister said Sunday that he would like to avoid the new bill coming before the Ministerial Committee for Legislation quite yet; Bayit Yehudi party leader Naftali Bennett opposes PM on the matter.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday in a meeting with Likud party ministers that he is interested in postponing a government vote on what is known as the Regulation Bill – a bill that would regulate the status of the settlement outpost Amona, as well as several other Israeli settlements in the West Bank under Israeli law.
Netanyahu said he would like to postpone votes on the bill, which is set to be discussed within the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday, until the High Court of Justice (HCJ) gives its ruling on the matter.
PM Netanyahu. Desires postponement of discussion on the Regulation Bill. (Photo: AFP)
The Regulation Bill's purpose is to prevent the forced eviction of Amona, which was ruled to have been built on privately-owned Palestinian land. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has expressed his opinion that the constitutionality of the bill in its current form would be nearly indefensible in the courts.
Bayit Yehudi party leader and Education Minister Naftali Bennett opposes the PM on this matter. His party members intend on bringing the bill up for discussion in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation's Sunday meeting, despite Netanyahu's opposition to the move.
Bayit Yehudi MKs claim that the eviction of Amona may be followed by that of other settlements due to court orders, and so there is a need for legislation to clarify and regulate the matter.
