Netanyahu: No new W. Bank settlements
May. 24, 2009 THE JERUSALEM POST

Amid a flurry of comments among politicians regarding the possible evacuation of numerous unauthorized outposts in the West Bank, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday not to build new settlements while assuring that "natural growth" will not go unanswered.

"We are obliged to protect the law," he said during the weekly cabinet meeting. "We won't establish new settlements, but there is no logic in not providing an answer to natural growth."

Prior to the meeting, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that nearly two dozen illegal outposts in the West Bank will be dismantled, with force if necessary.

"There are 26 illegal outposts - declared as such by the Talia Sasson Commission - which the [Ariel Sharon] government promised the Americans would be evacuated," he told ministers. "But this isn't the issue between us and the Americans, and us and the Palestinians, rather first and foremost amongst ourselves.

"This is an issue of the rule of law in the state, and the authority of the law over its citizens," Barak continued. "We have evacuated three outposts, come to an understanding with another, and have not allowed any additional outposts to be constructed.

"The 22 additional outposts must be taken care of now, and in a responsible and correct way," the defense minister said, "first by trying to work something out with negotiations, and if that's not possible, through unilateral means, including the use of force."