Netanyahu speaking during cabinet meeting October 30, 2016
Netanyahu speaking during cabinet meeting October 30, 2016Flash90

Supporters and residents of the town of Amona in Samaria reacted furiously after Prime Minster Binyamin Netanyahu shut down discussion of the so-called “Amona law” on Sunday at the weekly gathering of the ministerial committee, just minutes before the bill was set to be voted on.

The 'Headquarters for the Struggle for Amona' released a statement saying "It is time for those who claim to be the leaders of the national camp to understand that their responsibility towards Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria must be expressed through deeds, and not just words."

"The population of Judea and Samaria is fed up with all of these disappointments and betrayals. If the Likud and Jewish Home parties do not pass the 'Amona Law'during this Knesset session, then the national camp will make them pay for it in the next elections." the statement continued.

Netanyahu held a meeting with Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home), two of the bill’s strongest advocates, before the bill was scheduled to be voted upon.

When no agreement could be reached on the handling of the legislation, the Prime Minister raised the issue with the coalition party leaders, a majority of whom gave their backing to his request to push off a vote on the bill by one week.

Supporters of Amona seek to save the town from a Supreme Court-ordered demolition. The court ruled that the land on which Amona is built belongs to Arab owners even though no owners have come forward to claim the land.

The 'Amona Bill' would normalize Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria such as Amona, providing compensation in money or alternative land to claimants, shielding the residents from ex post facto claims on the land where their homes were built.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit opposes the legislation, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has called for alternative solutions to save Amona. Deputy Attorney General Avi Licht has said that the Knesset does not have the authority to make the changes the 'Amona Law' stipulates, as Judea and Samaria are under the jurisdiction of the military commander.

Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) blasted both the Prime Minister and the Attorney General for their positions on the Amona law.

"I regret the Prime Minister's decision to postpone the discussion about the normalization of the settlements." Ariel said. "This decision is unjust and runs contrary to the Prime Minister's stated intentions from two and a half months ago."

"The statement of the Attorney General that he is unable to defend the government's position is unacceptable, and I hope that he will retract his position. If the Attorney General will refuse to defend the law to the Supreme Court then we will seek private representation. We will not give up this just fight." Ariel added.