Prime Minister Naftali Bennett inched into the battle for Area C, as the IDF approved the first slate of settlement projects since he took office and razed homes in the small Oz Zion outpost.
Bennett’s Yamina Party is to the Right of the Likud and he is a former director-general of the Yesha Council. But he is tied to a coalition with left-wing parties and its unclear how his right-wing policies will interact with the political necessity of maintaining a coalition.
Settlers and right-wing politicians had already complained of a de facto freeze on the advancement and approval of settler plans under former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Council for Judea and Samaria last met in January just prior to US President Joe Biden’s entry into office. Netanyahu has already warned that Biden is demanding a settlement freeze.
On Wednesday a Higher Planning Council subcommittee advanced and approved building issues relating to 31 separate projects, including public projects such as schools and a mall in Mishor Adumim’s industrial park. But when it came to apartment units, only five homes were under discussion.
The Yesha Council spoke of its frustrations with Bennett’s government on this matter. “What was approved today was plans for housing units. We have been waiting for six months for approval of housing plans and that has not happened yet.
“The planning council should be convened immediately to approve the construction of housing units throughout the region. We’ve waited long enough,” the Yesha Council said.
Separately, security forces destroyed six temporary structures at the small Oz Zion outpost which has faced the wrecking ball multiple times since its inception some 15 years ago. It is located in the Binyamin region, near the Givat Assaf outpost. It is small in size compared to the Evyatar outpost built last month which already has 50 families and paved roads.
Netanyahu during his time in office also removed homes at that outpost and in other small fledgling communities.