Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces a series of punitive steps he has ordered in response to the recent spate of Palestinian terror attacks.
The first of which is a directive to accelerate the demolition of terrorists homes to be carried out within 48 hours of an attack. It is not immediately clear how such a policy would be legal given the court’s requirements to allow the affected families to appeal the decision.
Netanyahu ordered the army to seal off the town of al-Bireh near Ramallah, revoke the permits of relatives of Palestinian attackers, and increase administrative detentions of Hamas operatives in the West Bank.
The prime minister also announced that he would be legalizing thousands of illegally built Israeli homes beyond the Green Line that were said to have been built “in good faith.” The statement did not elaborate on what legal ground Netanyahu is able to make such a decision.
In addition, the statement from the PMO said Netanyahu had directed Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to take steps to enable the construction of 82 new homes in the Ofra settlement near where Sunday’s terror attack took place.
Netanyahu will also promote the establishment of industrial zones in the Beitar Illit and Avnei Hefetz settlements.
“They are thinking of uprooting us from our land, but they will not succeed,” says Netanyahu at the conclusion of the statement.
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, December 13, 2018
