JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s Supreme Court ordered the state to explain why it has yet to evacuate six West Bank outposts.
The illegal outposts were ordered evacuated in 2004. Wednesday’s hearing was in response to a petition filed by the Israeli organization Peace Now.
Peace Now petitioned the court in 2006 and again in late 2007 to enforce the evacuation orders. Each time the current defense minister extended the validity of the order for up to two years.
In 2008, Defense Minister Ehud Barak extended the order for a year in order to reach agreement with settler leaders, Ha’aretz reported.
Three court justices ordered that the state update the court within 90 days about talks with the settlers and to explain why the outposts have not been evacuated.
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