Yesha settlement council head announces his intention to resign

Yesha Council of West Bank Settlements Chairman Bentzi Lieberman on Monday informed the council that he intends to resign.

Lieberman, who has served in the position for five years, said he is exhausted after "a period full of ups and downs, the most difficult period in the history of the settlement enterprise in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza - the Oslo war, which is the so-called second intifada, and the expulsion of Jews from northern Samaria and Gush Katif."

Yesha council sources said they believe Lieberman will try to see through efforts to reach an agreement with the government on the fate of the unauthorized West Bank outposts prior to his resignation taking effect.

Lieberman, who is also chairman of the Samaria Regional Council, is stepping down during a period in which various discussions are taking place within the Yesha council on proposals to expand and diversify its leadership. In recent months, the council has been criticized for comprising solely West Bank regional council heads, and therefore excluding the younger generation, rabbis, spiritual leaders and academics.

"After much thought, in order to be relevant, we must implement a number of essential changes in the Yesha council's structure, through expansion of the leadership by incorporating additional important leaders from throughout Judea and Samaria, and through a new strategic initiative that takes advantage of the window of opportunity resulting from the second Lebanon war," said Lieberman in a statement on his resignation. "Unfortunately we are not spending enough time on these areas."

It is still unclear who will replace Lieberman. One candidate whose name has come up is Zviki Bar-Hai, the chairman of the South Hebron Hills Regional Council. Bar-Hai also headed Yesha council's operational committee on resisting the evacuation of settlements in the disengagement.