— The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee approved the construction of three new settlements on the West Bank today, overriding objections by Deputy Premier Yigael Yadin who argued that the settlements had no strategic value. In the case of one of the sites, known as Tekoah-B, three committee members of the opposition Labor Party joined the coalition majority in rejecting Yadin’s appeal.
Agriculture Minister Ariel Sharon, chairman of the Ministerial Settlement Committee, is expected to press ahead with the settlements now that he has a green light from the Knesset. Sharon has made no secret of his intention to plant as many settlements as possible on the West Bank before this spring’s elections which could bring the Labor Party into power with a more moderate settlement policy.
GIVON SQUATTERS REMAIN ON THE SITE
Fears that a Labor-led government might call a halt to many settlement projects prompted some 200 members of the Betar movement to take over Givon, a hilltop on the West Bank just north of Jerusalem, yesterday without authorization.
The squatters, reinforced today by 70 yeshiva students, were busy erecting tents and huts on the site. They were backed by Sharon although their action is illegal. They rejected demands by Housing Minister David Levy that they evacuate the hill where the Ministry plans to build a new town.
The settlers claim that by the time work begins, the elections will have been held with results that could mean shelving the plans. They warned that they would not leave peacefully unless they were offered a “concrete” alternative site to settle. The army has been ordered to protect the squatters, not to remove them.
Late this evening it was reported that the Givon settlers might be considering accepting an alternative government scheme for building their homes in the area. Their leaders negotiated through the afternoon with Matityahu Shmuelevitz, Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office. It was not clear whether the deal would enable them to leave their cold and desolate hill top before the frosty night sets in.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
