Israeli activists establish new settlement in wake of Itamar massacre [View All]

[Jefferson23]

Settlers are waking up ahead of the Palestinian attempt to declare unilateral statehood in September and in light of indication that Netanyahu may be launching a diplomatic move in near future.

By Chaim Levinson

Five hundred people wearing white shirts gathered Wednesday on the hills facing the West Bank settlement of Itamar to establish a new settlement, named Regev.

Veteran settlement leaders Daniella Weiss, Rabbi Dov Lior, and the aged and ailing Rabbi Moshe Levinger, spoke. Young people erected a tent and a wall of rocks as bored Border Police soldiers watched the proceedings.

Regev's fate will probably be no different than the other outposts Daniella Weiss has established: it will either be repeatedly evacuated and re-established or abandoned after a short time.

But the importance of today's event is in the process underway among the settlers now, ahead of the Palestinian attempt to declare unilateral statehood in September.

After the settlement freeze ended last September, the settlement leaders briefly launched campaigns to depose Defense Minister Ehud Barak and to publish more construction tenders in the settlement blocs. But these plans did not strike resounding chords, and were shelved. Now that there are indications that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be launching a diplomatic move in the near future, the settlers are waking up.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israeli-activists-establish-new-settlement-in-wake-of-itamar-massacre-1.357123