BICOM

Israel’s High Court ordered a temporary injunction yesterday on building new homes for residents of the Amona outpost, renewing fears of a potential violent standoff with authorities.

The High Court yesterday issued the injunction on relocating Amona residents following Palestinian claims of ownership to the land they are slated to move to. Last month, the court granted a “last, final extension” to evacuate Amona’s residents from 25 December to 8 February, regardless of “whether an arrangement [with Amona residents for an alternative location] is reached or not”. The High Court had originally ruled that Amona residents must be evicted, as the outpost was built illegally on private Palestinian land.

Yesterday’s ruling will complicate any relocation by the 8 February deadline to a plot marked for this purpose adjacent to Amona, known as “Parcel 38”. The land is classified as “absentee” property, abandoned by their landlords before or during Israel’s capture of the West Bank in 1967, and whose identities are unknown. This classification is now being challenged by Palestinians via a petition from the Israeli NGO Yesh Din.

However, no work appears to have yet begun at Parcel 38, angering Amona residents, who agreed prior to the original 25 December deadline to be removed peacefully so long as new homes were built.

In a statement addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett, the Amona residents said: “We, the residents of Amona, feel that you have deceived us and the entire community, particularly the right-wing and the nationalist camp.”

They added: “As things stand, we have no option but to renew the public struggle in full force.”

The Amona residents also called on the government to pass the so-called “Regulation Bill,” which would retroactively legalise homes built on private Palestinian property, and to include Amona in the legislation. Although pledging support for the bill, ministers have so far opted not to introduce the draft legislation.