Israel’s security cabinet agreed to restrict construction in Judea and Samaria, according to Trump’s position, with an exception granted to the former residents of Amona.
According to an agreement reached Thursday night by the security cabinet, Israel will restrict construction in Judea and Samaria to within the existing communities, with an exception made for the former residents of Amona, who will be relocated to a new site.
The decision was made as a gesture to the Trump administration, which is hoping to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. President Donald Trump’s special representative for international negotiations, Jason Greenblatt, has been meeting with both sides over the past three weeks.
At the same time, the former residents of the community of Amona in Samaria will be given a new location near Shilo – the first new “settlement” since 1993 – according to a previous commitment made by Netanyahu. They were evacuated following a ruling by Israel’s High Court of Justice, saying it had been built on private Palestinian property, although no evidence was provided by the claimants.
“I promised to create a new community and we are going to respect that commitment and create it today,” Netanyahu said ahead of the cabinet meeting.
The former Amona residents issued a statement Thursday, saying they “welcome the decision,” hoping to “recreate the special way of life that characterized Amona during its two decades.”
By: United with Israel Staff