Police issue eviction notices to settlers in West Bank outpost

Police officers delivered warrants on Monday for the immediate evacuation of settlers from nine structures at the Itzhar Darom outpost, south of Nablus.

The warrants were signed by the commander of Israel Defense Forces in the West Bank, Brigadier General Yair Golan, on behalf of Defense Minister Amir Peretz.

The delivery of the warrants is part of preparations for evacuating the outpost.

The settlers are being asked to leave the structures and remove their personal property, but the army does not specify when they would be forcefully removed if they do not leave on their own accord.

While Monday's step is part of the defense minister's declared policy of forcefully and speedily dealing with the outposts, the warrants deal with just nine of 86 buildings, including 39 that were built by Palestinians without permission.

The relative lack of urgency with which the matter is being handled - Peretz approved the list of illegal structures to be destroyed more than a month ago - has led to accusations by some Defense Ministry personnel that the army is intentionally dragging its feet.

The IDF is not eager to deal with the issue, partly because it fears that relations with West Bank settlers may sour after significant improvement was achieved following the war in Lebanon. Relations between the IDF and settlers became tense after the razing of nine buildings at the Amona outpost near Ofra in February.

Tension has grown over the last two weeks due to the issuing of warrants against 16 settlers. Issued by GOC Central Command, Major General Yair Naveh, the warrants instruct the settlers, most of whom reside in illegal outposts, to leave the area. Some have already announced they will oppose the evacuation.