Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have reached an agreement by which Barak will begin removing ‘unauthorized outposts’ throughout Yehuda and Shomron. Currently, there are 26 communities classified as such.

DM Barak earlier in the week announced that the issue of the removal of unauthorized areas is not just to appease the White House, stating Israel is compelled to conduct herself as a law-abiding nation and this compels his actions. No mention was made regarding widespread illegal Arab construction.

Netanyahu is believed to have agreed to permit Barak to act, “the price he must pay” to exhibit his genuineness following his meeting with US President Barak Obama, the daily Haaretz explains.
 
Quoting a source in the Defense Ministry, Haaretz adds the prime minister is leaving the matter up to Barak entirely, and he alone will decide which of the 26 outposts are to be removed.
 
In a related matter, during a meeting on Wednesday with settlement leaders, Barak explained that the outposts are going to be removed, voluntarily “or by force” if need be.
 
During that meeting, the representatives of the yishuvim expressed their opposition to such a move in addition to America’s calls to freeze all construction in all communities throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)