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Yehuda Weinstein
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AG: State fails to handle settlement construction violations

Yehuda Weinstein urges defense minister to ensure criminal enforcement of planning and construction violations in West Bank, which he says go largely unpunished

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein sent a letter to Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on Tuesday accusing the defense establishment of dragging its feet in relation to supervision of illegal construction in West Bank settlements, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

 

"There is hardly any criminal enforcement of planning and construction violations in Judea and Samaria, this largely due to the absence of an investigative body charged with handling the issue," Weinstein wrote.

 

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He is demanding that Ya'alon ensure criminal enforcement of planning and construction violations in the West Bank without delay.

 

In his letter, Weinstein noted that last year the State had testified in the High Court of Justice that defense forces are working to reinforce the Civil Administration's inspection unit.

 

"The absence of an investigative body has led to a situation where barring a relatively small number of cases being dealt by local authorities, there is hardly any criminal enforcement of planning and construction violations in Judea and Samaria, despite the great importance attributed to the issue by the relevant parties, particularly the army," Weinstein wrote.

 

"In my letter to the previous defense minister, I expressed my view that the unit charged with overseeing construction at the Civil Administration, which operates on the administrative level, should take on investigative duties on the criminal level."

 

The attorney general noted that the issue has also been raised by the State Comptroller in a report issued last year. The report suggested that the lack of criminal enforcement in the area of planning and construction violations in Judea and Samaria helps perpetuate the status quo where people are free to do as they wish.

 

 

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פרסום ראשון: 05.22.13, 09:59
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