On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, Israel’s outgoing attorney general Avichai Mandelblit has approved the construction of a new settlement outpost in Beita town south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank.
Israeli media reported that the move was pushed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, and Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked.
The move will be followed by the construction of a Jewish school, a step earlier declared by Gantz.
Palestinian residents of Beita town were given only 45 to appeal against the decision, otherwise, the construction process will kick off in the near future.
The residents of Beita and the surrounding villages have been holding weekly Friday rallies for months to protest the construction of a new Jewish-only settlement, known as Evyatar, at the expense of Palestinian land in Jabal Sobeih area.
Palestinians say the outpost was built on their land and fear it will grow and merge with larger settlements nearby.
Nearly 666,000 settlers live in more than 145 settlements that are authorised by Israel, as well as 140 outposts Israel views as unlawful across the West Bank territories.
