Welcome to an abbreviated version of FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, this week providing you a list of resources that cover everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week. The Settlement Report will return to its normal format next week.  To subscribe to this report, please click here.

Jerusalem

Reports this week suggest that the Bennett government has (for now) tabled the E-1 settlement plan, due largely to U.S. pressure. At the same time, the Israeli government continued to advance other major new settlement projects across East Jerusalem (most notably Givat HaShaked, and “Silicon Wadi”). And all of this comes, of course, in addition to the looming mass displacement of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan, as the result of the joint efforts of Israeli settlers, Israeli courts, and the Israeli government. 

• E-1 tabled (?): “Israel freezes plans to connect Jerusalem to Maale Adumim due to US, Meretz pressure” (Israel Hayom)
• Advancing new settlement of “Givat HaShaked”: “District Planning Committee to Discuss Settlement Plans for ‘Givat HaShaked’ and Pisgat Ze’ev” (Ir Amim)
• Demolition Orders in Wadi Joz to pave way for Silcon Wadi: “Dozens of Palestinian commercial facilities in Jerusalem receive demolition orders from the Israeli municipality” (WAFA). For Background on the “Silicon Wadi” project, see here.
• Looming mass displacement in Sheik Jarrah/Silwan: PODCAST: “Sheikh Jarrah Showdown” (Terrestrial Jerusalem)

The Evyatar Outpost

With the legal backing of the Israeli Attorney General’s office and the reported support of Defense Minister Gantz, the drive to retroactively legalize the Evyatar outpost continues to advance, despite opposition from leaders of the Yesh Atid and Meretz parties. For detailed background on the Evyatar outpost, see here. For further info on recent developments, see:

• “Bennett’s gov’t bent on legalizing Evyatar outpost, Minister says” (Jerusalem Post)
• “Top Israeli Official Explains Why Evyatar Won’t Be Legalized” (Haaretz)
• “Settlers Score Decisive Win Against Israeli Government” (Haaretz)
• “Israeli Attorney General’s ‘Parting Gift’ to Government: A Land Mine” (Haaretz)
• “Opinion | Legalizing the Illegal Pretense of Evyatar” (Zvi Bar’el in Haaretz). 

The Homesh Outpost & Yeshiva

Facing a court-mandated deadline to state its position on the unauthorized Homesh outpost and yeshiva, the Israeli government told the Court last week that it is “working hard to enforce the law” but that Defense Minister Gantz is ultimately responsible for what happens. A few days later, the IDF removed *some* of the illegally built structures that settlers have been using for many years as a yeshiva at the site of the former Homesh settlement (which was dismantled by the Israeli government in 2005, but the land was never returned to its Palestinian owners). However, the main yeshiva building was left intact (the buildings that were removed had been used as dormitories). For background on the Homesh outpost and yeshiva, see here. For further info on recent developments, see:

• “Israeli Government Says Fate of Illegal Outpost of Homesh in Gantz’s Hands” (Haaretz)
• “IDF razes settler buildings at West Bank’s Homesh, yeshiva remains” (Jerusalem Post)
• “Security forces demolish structures at Jewish outposts in West Bank, Negev” (The Times of Israel)
• “Yamina MK Nir Orbach supports repeal of Disengagement Law” (Arutz Sheva)

More on Outposts

Significantly, the Knesset this week rejected a bill that would have connected some 70 West Bank settlement outposts (illegal even under Israeli law) to the Israeli power grid. Naftali Bennett’s Yamina party (which had previously backed the bill when it was in the opposition, back when Netanyahu was still Prime Minister) voted against the bill. For more details, see:

• “Opposition bill on connecting illegal West Bank outposts to power grid shot down” (The Times of Israel)
• “Security forces demolish illegal outpost named for teen killed in police chase” (The Times of Israel)
• “Vehicles Vandalized in Palestinian Village Hours After Israel Evacuates Outpost” (Haaretz)

More Developments – Quick Hits

Khan Al-Ahmar

• “Binyamin Council rejects establishment of Khan al-Amar on its territory” (Arutz Sheva)

Settler Violence

• “Illegal Outpost Resident Arrested After Attack on Left-wing Activists” (Haaretz)
• “Charges Are Pressed Only in 4% of Settler Violence Cases” (Haaretz)
• “Israeli minister keeps up campaign against growing settler violence” (Al-Monitor)

Radar-Worthy

• “Approved Monday, relatively unknown AG will take office amid falling trust” (The Times of Israel)