Ministers rave over court's outpost legalization decision

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of the pro-settler Jewish Home party says the Jerusalem District Court’s decision to legalize the Mitzpe Kramim outpost was an “important achievement” for the settler movement.

The court ruled late Tuesday that settlers acted in “good faith” and were unaware they were building on privately owned Palestinian property. Analysts say the ruling may pave the way for more outposts to be legalized.

A general view shows the Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Kramim , near Ramallah in the West Bank, on August 29, 2018. (AFP / THOMAS COEX)

Culture Minister Miri Regev (Likud) also praises the court for “strengthening Jewish settlement and not just dismantling it via judicial activism in complete defiance of the spirit of the legislature.”

Both Shaked and Regev say the ruling proved outpost evacuations are unnecessary and express hopes they won’t be repeated.

— with AP