Israel’s PM orders West Bank settler outposts to be removed, sources say

Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the evacuation of certain illegal West Bank settlements, finance minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Sunday. Smotrich acknowledged he disagreed with the decision. Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the West Bank are deemed illegal, but some without government approval are also considered illegal by Israel.

Reports emerged from Israeli media sources on Sunday that the order came under US pressure. In August, Netanyahu had vowed to continue building settlements in the West Bank despite international criticism. Settlements have surged under his administration, with Smotrich boasting about leading a revolution by legalizing villages, farms, roads, and homes in the occupied territory since 1967.

His office has not commented on the reports. Violence has risen in the West Bank since Hamas's Oct 7 attack on Israel, resulting in over 500,000 Israelis residing among three million Palestinians in the territory. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee visited the West Bank on Saturday to support Palestinian citizens affected by settler attacks, emphasizing that crime, terror, and consequences are universal.