Religious Zionist Party: We won't enter gov't unless outposts legalized

Religious Zionist Party head Bezalel Smotrich promised to place legalization of the outposts into the text of any coalition agreement his party would sign should it enter the government.

JANUARY 21, 2021 19:47

MK BEZALEL SMOTRICH speaks during a Knesset plenary session on August 24. (photo credit: OREN BEN HAKOON/FLASH90) — MK BEZALEL SMOTRICH speaks during a Knesset plenary session on August 24.

(photo credit: OREN BEN HAKOON/FLASH90)

Religious Zionist Party promised to make legalization of the West Bank outposts a condition of their entry into the next government after the campaign to authorize some 49 of the fledgling communities folded on Thursday.

"The current struggle... has unfortunately failed," said the Young Settlements Forum, which represents the outposts.

The Forum, along with the Knesset Land of Israel Caucus and the Yesha Council, called for the government to issue a legalization declaration in advance of US President Joe Biden's inauguration on the understanding that Biden's opposition to the outposts would make such a move impossible after he was in the White House.

"This is a sad day for the state of Israel when its leaders turn their backs on the settlements in Judea and Samaria," it exclaimed.

"The encampment has been taken down, but we are not going away," it stated. "We will continue our stubborn and uncompromising battle until the communities are legalized," the Forum said.

It called on all Zionist parties to ensure that an agreement to legalize the outposts is part of the next government's guidelines.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had tried to put the issue on the government's agenda but had been blocked from doing so by Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

Religious Zionist Party head Bezalel Smotrich promised to place legalization of the outposts into the text of any coalition agreement his party would sign should it enter the government.

"Netanyahu and Gantz chose politics over humanity and justice," it said.

"Religious Zionism will not give up on regulation [legalization]," it said.

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"We have a path and we are committed to it," he added.

The Land of Israel Caucus, whichhe co-chairs along with MK Haim Katz (Likud), promised to seek authorization of the outposts through parliamentary legislation once a government was formed.

Prior to the Knesset's dispersal, it had given initial approval to a bill to grant de fact legal status to the outpost during the authorization process. Smotrich, New Hope Party head Gideon Sa'ar and Yamina Party head Naftali Bennett all voted for the bill. Netanyahu and Gantz were absent.

Despite the loss of the overall drive to legalize outposts en mass, the Right celebrated a small victory Thursday when the first public bus entered the Nofei Nehemia outpost, which is located in the Samaria Regional of the West Bank.

On Sunday, the Higher Planning Council advanced a building plan for the outpost, thereby pushing it forward on the path to the legalization as a new neighborhood of the Rehelim settlement.

As a sign of its new status, it was added to the public transportation route.

"This is what normal life should look like," said Dagan, who came to the outpost to witness the historic moment.

"We expect this to be the case with all the young communities [outposts]," he added.

Smotrich and Transportation Minister Miri Regev Likud were also present.