Bill to legalize settler-outposts advances in Israeli legislature
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS | Wed Nov 16, 2016 | 7:21am EST
Bill to legalize settler-outposts advances in Israeli legislature
Israel's parliament gave preliminary approval on Wednesday to a bill that would enable the retroactive legalization of Jewish settlement outposts built on privately-owned Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.
The United States has described the measure, promoted by far-right members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition, as "troubling" and said it could pave the way for the legalization of dozens of outposts, built without Israeli government authorization, deep in the West Bank.
Israel's attorney general has said the legislation does not tally with international law and he would struggle to defend it in the Supreme Court, which has ordered the destruction of an outpost of 40 families built on Palestinian-owned land.
The bill must pass several future votes in parliament to become law, a process that could be lengthy.
(Reporting by Jeffrey Heller)
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-settlements-idUSKBN13B1FH