Netanyahu’s bureau begins reaching out to Ulpana settlers

With the political opposition safely quashed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has begun laying the groundwork for what will likely be a fraught evacuation of 30 families from the Givat Ulpana outpost.

Representatives of the Prime Minister’s Bureau have begun reaching out to settler leaders from the outpost, which is slated to be evacuated and demolished within a month, according to Israel Radio.

Settler leaders have vowed to fight the evacuation, saying efforts to move them from their homes could turn into Amona II, a reference to violent clashes between settlers and police that took place in 2006 when the Amona outpost was evacuated.

Contacts between the government and Netanyahu’s bureau are expected to continue for several days, according to the report, as the government attempts to reach a deal with the settlers for a peaceful evacuation.

With the blessing of attorney general Yehuda Weinstein in hand, Netanyahu is hoping to take apart and move the five buildings slated for destruction onto a nearby piece of land once intended for military use. The process is expected to take a year, during which the families will live in nearby trailers.

On Wednesday, a bill which would have retroactively authorized the outpost was defeated in the Knesset. Supporters of the outpost protested and burned tires outside the Knesset after the vote.