The left-wing Peace Now organization has started to zero in on the town of Kochav Yaakov, a religious community of some 450 families nestled in the hills of Samaria a few miles north of Jerusalem, in the Binyamin region.
The group, which recently succeeded in its High Court action forcing the government to issue orders to destroy the community of Migron, has now begun to focus on stopping construction in nearby Kochav Yaakov.
Peace Now director Yariv Oppenheimer demanded that the head of the Civil Administration and Defense Minister Ehud Barak issue orders stopping construction in a new neighborhood within the town limits. He is also demanding that they remove homes already built.
Oppenheimer cited "information we have obtained, originating in the Civil Administration -- we mean aerial photographs" to support his contention. "The expansion of construction is being carried out without an authorized building plan and on private Palestinian land belonging to residents of the village of Akeb," he claimed.
Families in the community represented by activist Aryeh King say they purchased the land in 1972, and say they have produced documents proving their ownership.
Oppenheimer said he would file a petition in the High Court, if necessary, to force the government to put a stop to the building and remove the homes.
The new neighborhood, Migronim, is located on the eastern side of the town, directly adjacent to an existing neighborhood. Within the past two months, Peace Now said, 15 caravans have already been moved into place. Some of the families have already hooked up their caravans to infrastructure for permanent housing, including water, sewage and energy systems. A children's playground has been built as well.
The Civil Administration said it is investigating the matter, and that orders were issued several days ago to block construction in the area. The Defense Ministry has said the new neighborhood is "unauthorized." It has not yet been determined whether or not the neighborhood actually falls within the bounds of illegal construction.
Avi Roeh, head of the Binyamin Regional Council, told the Hebrew-language newspaper Yediot Acharanot in response, "The caravans were moved in with the authorization and support of the town."
Peace Now: Focus on Settlements, Not Outposts
Oppenheimer urged the government to stop being distracted by small outposts being established on hilltops and focus instead on "illegal" activity in larger Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
"While the 'hilltop youth' are building tiny outposts out of spite, the settler leaders continue their extensive illegal activity for expansion purposes," Oppenheimer told Yediot Acharonot.
"Barak must stop turning a blind eye to the criminal activity of settler leaders and stop the construction before we are forced to turn to the High Court," he warned.