Asael in Mt. Hebron
Asael in Mt. HebronLehi Noi

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation decided today (Sunday) to postpone for four months the discussion of the bill to regulate the 'Young Settlements' which was submitted by the chairman of the Land of Israel lobby, MK Orit Struck (Religious Zionism).

The law, which is expected to reach the Knesset plenum in parallel with the continued promotion of the Electricity Law by the United Arab List (Ra'am), will seek to regulate the young settlements in Judea and Samaria as promised by the Yamina and New Hope parties prior to the last elections.

Earlier Sunday, the heads of the Land of Israel lobby, MKs Yoav Kish (Likud) and Orit Struck, sent letters to the Yamina and New Hope parties reminding them of their commitments to the 'young settlements.'

"As you may recall, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett promised to regulate the young settlements in Judea and Samaria at his first cabinet meeting, a promise that has not yet been fulfilled," onw of the letters reads.

The leaders of the lobby reminded Interior Minister Shaked that "Yamina is committed to any coalition agreement on the issue of regulating young settlements and it will be at the top of the list of priorities." Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar was reminded that he said "I consider this a moral obligation of the State of Israel to its citizens."

In addition, in a letter to Minister Ze'ev Elkin, they mentioned that only a year ago he prevented the legalization of Bedouin settlements without the concomitant regulation of the "young settlements" and stated: "I am not prepared to accept a policy of discrimination. Jews also deserve rights in the Jewish state."

In letters that were also sent to Minister of Religious Affairs Matan Kahana, Minister of Education Yifat Shasha-Biton, Minister Pnina Tamano Shata, Minister Avigdor Liberman, Minister Meirav Cohen and Minister Yoaz Handel, the heads of the lobby wrote that "these days about 20,000 residents of the young settlements, the pioneers of our generation, including about 12,000 children, [have no heat] for the coming winter, and at the same time they hear how the government is to regulate the Bedouin outposts on the one hand, and will enact the Electricity Law to launder illegal construction in the Arab sector on the other."

The leaders of the Land of Israel lobby called on ministers to approve the bill: "We call on you not to allow this severe discrimination, and to vote in favor of the bill."