Israeli outpost

In 1993, the Rabin government committed itself to freezing the construction of new settlements. However, settlers built new settlements without a government decision, but often with the involvement of Israeli government and other government bodies and ministries, such as the Israeli Ministry of Construction , the settlement department of the World Zionist Organization and the Israeli civil administration. ^[8]

The population of outposts, as a rule, is from a few people to 400 people. They usually consist of modular homes , such as caravans. However, they can also be modified into permanent housing. In addition, there are “paved roads, bus stops, synagogues and playgrounds.” ^[9]

According to Sasson's report, there are four main characteristics of unauthorized outposts:

1. There was no government decision to create it.
2. An outpost was created without the status of legal planning.
3. An unauthorized outpost is not tied to an existing settlement, and is at least a few hundred meters in a straight line.
4. The outpost was created from the mid-nineties and later.

Sasson defines an outpost as a (unauthorized) settlement that is not tied to an existing settlement. Otherwise, it is regarded as an unauthorized area (quarter). In addition, outposts can be built within or outside the officially defined boundaries of municipalities. Although the Government of Israel recognizes that settlements built on land privately owned by Palestinians are illegal, it generally provides them with military protection, access to public services and other infrastructures ^[10] .

Outposts and neighborhoods

Outposts differ from neighborhoods in that they are built at a considerable distance from full-fledged settlements. Like outposts, neighborhoods (such as Ulpan in Beit El ) can be built without permission. Due to the vagueness in concepts, disputes often arise whether new homes are considered an extension of an existing settlement or the beginning of a new outpost. According to Shalom Akhshav , the Israeli government is trying to mislead by legalizing outposts as areas of existing settlements ^[11] .

Outposts on state land and private lands

Israel distinguishes between outposts built on state land and those built on private lands. After the case of Elon More, in 1979, the Israeli government officially pursues a policy of inadmissibility of the construction of new settlements on private Palestinian lands ^{[12] [13]} .

The Netanyahu government seeks to legitimize outposts on state land and to liquidate outposts of private lands ^[14] . Since this state land is part of the occupied territories, permission can make them legal under Israeli laws, but it does not change their legal status in accordance with international law.

There are two types of state ownership of land in the West Bank:

1. Land registered as state land under the Jordanian rule, seized in 1967 and declared as state property by military order No. 59 (1967);
2. Land declared state after a change in law in 1979.

Most of the state land belongs to the latter type. According to Betzel , the declaration of state land was doubtful in many cases ^[15] . Israel officially applies Ottoman land law, but uses an interpretation of the law that is different from Ottoman, British mandate, and Jordanian rule. ^[16] International law prohibits the occupying Power from changing local legislation in force in the occupied zone (which was in force on the eve of its occupation), unless such a change is necessary for defense needs or for the benefit of the local population.

Fake Outposts

Some fictitious outposts were used to divert the Israeli army to prevent the evacuation of real outposts ^[17] . Others were intended to improve negotiations and show the world that the state is dismantling outposts ^[18] . The idea of ​​fictitious outposts is attributed to Zeev Hever, a former leader of the Jewish underground . Sasson’s report notes that most of the evacuated settlements were uninhabited.

Military Outposts

Theoretically, military outposts are temporarily occupied for strategic military purposes, and not for the settlement of civilians. However, in the occupied territories they became the main way to start civilian settlements. ^[19] .

There are currently several hundred outposts. The report estimates the number of unauthorized outposts as of March 2005 at 105. It was found that 26 outposts were built on public lands, 15 on private Palestinian lands and 7 on border lands. Due to the different interpretations of the terms “outpost” and “quarter”, the number of outposts (and settlements) may vary.

In 2012, four new outposts were created with 317 new residential buildings built without a building permit: Tsofin Zafon near Kalkiliya , Nahli Tal near Talmon settlement near Ramallah , Nahalat Yosef near Nablus and Hill 573 as part of the expansion of the Itamar settlement, according to the organization of Shalom Ahshav ^[20] .

List of dismantled outposts

• Kerem Atzmon (dismantled in 2005)
• Alon Sea Darom (built in 2002, dismantled in 2003)
• Sewer Shomron Maarav (built in 2001, dismantled in 2003)
• Shaharit (built in 2003, dismantled in 2003)
• Guinot Arie (built in 2001, dismantled in 2004)
• Tal Benyamin (built in 2002, dismantled in 2004)
• Tipheret Israel (built in 2004, dismantled in 2005)

Legalized outposts

Some settlements were built illegally, but were later officially recognized by the government. Some of them:

• Rachelim - legalized in 1998 as part of Netanyahu's coalition agreement with the Moledet party
• Ha Nekuda - legalized in 2001 as part of the Itamar settlement
• Givot-Olam
• Ginot-Shomron
• Ramat Gilad

• Wall and tower
• Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza

• BLACKBERRYS Outposts (Maahazim) in Judea and Samaria