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Photo: Daniel Elior
Naftali Bennett
Photo: Daniel Elior

New solution to keep Amona on the mountain

Netanyahu and Bennett formulate new solution circumventing comprehensive evacuation of Amona by transferring homes to a different location while remaining on the Amona mountain itself; Solution’s success depends on acquiescence of residents to evacuate peacefully; Bennett: ‘This is a new plan with greater longevity on a massive space.’

Naftali Bennett announced a new solution to the Amona evacuation on Monday afternoon, formulated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that would require the residents to relocate while remaining on the mountain. 

 

 

According to the new solution, which was presided over during the last few days in a bid to quash the risk of matters escalating out of control as authorities prepare to implement court orders to remove the residents, homes belonging to 40 families will be transferred to available land in a different area in the outpost on condition that their owners acquiesce in the evacuation of their original location.

 

Naftali Bennett (Photo: Daniel Elior)
Naftali Bennett (Photo: Daniel Elior)

 

The solution is set to be put before the residents who will be required to approve the newest development. Politicians have said that a pragmatic solution to the debacle now hinges upon the decision of the residents. “If they agree, we will go with this solution,” one official said.

 

“After a lot of effort we succeeded in formulating a good plan to use absentee landowners’ land and we stuck to the targets we set for ourselves—to keep Amona on the mountain,” Bennett delighted. “This is a new plan with greater longevity on a massive space, with huge potential for the future,” he added.

 

Last week, the government considered a solution in which the forty families from the outpost would be transferred to temporary caravans in the adjacent settlement of Ofra and perhaps relocated to a new settlement.

 

As part of the old proposed solution, a new settlement was set to be established for the evacuated residents near Shvut Rachel in the Binyamin region.

 

If the latest solution is countenanced by the residents however, they will be enabled to maintain their presence on the Amona mountain, albeit in new location on its peaks.

 

Amona residents (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
Amona residents (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

 

The Bayit Yehudi party leader promised that the solution would be put before the residents for their consideration. “I believe that we will obtain their approval for the new land on the mountain of Amona in the way of peace,” he optimistically continued. “This way we can appeal to the High Court to grant an extension.“

 

Reiterating remarks made last week as he praised the passing of the first Knesset reading of the Regulation Bill, Bennett implored Amona residents or supporters to refrain from resorting to violence.

 

Amona (Photo: Eli Mandelbaum)
Amona (Photo: Eli Mandelbaum)

 

“Most importantly I want to state unequivocally—it is totally forbidden, in any situation, under any condition, to act violently for any purpose,” he said.

 

According to initial evaluations, the new solution will implement a project by which Area 30— containing some 25 dunams of available space— will be freed up in the outpost making way for the transfer of the homes while remaining on the mountain. If the residents agree to the proposal, Bayit Yehudi, the chief advocates of the Amona outpost, will request a 30 day extension.

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.12.16, 17:22
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