The interministerial committee on illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank held its first meeting in nearly two years yesterday, but the session was notable mainly for the argument that erupted between Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

"These aren't illegal outposts," claimed Lieberman. "Everything was done with the government's permission, even if it was with a wink; therefore everything is legal. You can't pave roads and transfer water and electricity lines in the dead of night. It is inconceivable that today, people are suddenly denying this."

"There's a government commitment [to remove the outposts], so we have to remove them," Livni retorted.