Ministers pass Amona bill over PM’s objections

Ministers unanimously approve a contested bill to recognize illegally built West Bank outposts, over the objections of the prime minister and attorney general.

The vote comes after Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked brought the legislation to a Ministerial Committee of Legislation vote after the leaders of the coalition parties and the prime minister failed to come to any agreements.

Ahead of the vote, Shaked was summoned to discuss the move with the party leaders and Netanyahu.

The talks were reportedly heated, with Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman accusing Bennett of imperiling the settlement movement as a whole.

The bill, which is designed to prevent the court-ordered demolition of the Amona outpost on December 25, gets the backing of seven ministers on the panel.

The approval means that the measure will now recieve coalition backing as it moves through the Knesset.

The vote came Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit urged the ministers not to support the proposal, saying it would be indefensible in the High Court of Justice, and is against international law.

Reacting to the vote, Bennett hails the “historic process of regulating the settlements in Judea and Samaria.”

And he thanks the prime minister — who was opposed — and Likud ministers “for taking the responsibility required by a right-wing government and voting in favor of the national dream.”

The bill will likely be brought to its first reading on Wednesday.

— Marissa Newman