IDF, police forces dismantle three illegal outposts in West Bank

Israel Defense Forces troops dismantled three West Bank outposts early Friday that had been erected by settler youths earlier this week. An military spokeswoman said troops and police officers removed two makeshift outposts near Ramallah and another one outside the settlements of Shvut Rachel and Beit El before dawn.

"The IDF will continue to act to enforce law and order in the West Bank," the IDF spokeswoman said.

Settlers erected fourteen new outposts this week, each occupied by several dozen youths. Army and police sources initially dismissed the move as part of a "Hanukka camp" that they should not waste time on. The settlers said some 300 boys came to man the largest outpost, near Beit El, and most of them left the outposts before dark and returned to their homes, while only some of them remained at the site overnight.

Datya Yitzhaki, a spokeswoman for the ultra-nationalist group behind the outposts, the Land of Israel Faithful, said 21 outposts - mostly small shacks made of stones and wood panels - went up since Tuesday, and vowed to rebuild those that had been dismantled.

"Our aim is to expand and build settlements. We will do nothing against the Israeli forces. If they try to expel us, we will return," Yitzhaki said.

"We'll stay here until a settlement is built. We have already built stone structures and several families are waiting to make it their home," said Pinchas Roth, one of the boys who set up the outpost near Beit El. Roth promised that the youths would take turns manning the outpost after the Hanukka holiday ends.

The new outposts were set up near settlements in order to serve as buffers, later to become permanent neighborhoods in the settlements. The operation's organizers handed out instruction pamphlets calling on the youths to avoid confrontations with IDF troops ordered to evacuate them from the outposts.

According to the instructions, the outposts should be left without resisting evacuation and resettled once the armed forces leave the area. The organizers say their goal is to bring a constant military presence that would eventually help establish a neighborhood and expand the existing nearby settlement.

All of the new outposts were erected on state-owned lands rather than land privately owned by Palestinians, in the hope that this will make it easier to obtain legal permits for the outposts.

"After the Gush Katif defeat, we had to show that we did not despair. We needed a new spirit - not one of despair and depression. After the elections we will have to face another attempt at giving away parts of our homeland. We must deliver the message that we won't be as naive as we were in Gush Katif," Nadja Matar, from Women in Green, said.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has vowed to keep major West Bank settlements, but has said some isolated communities may one day be removed. Under the road map peace initiative, Israel is required to dismantle all unauthorized outposts.