Knesset Member Ariel, together with Yesha Council senior leaders Ze'ev Chever (Zambish) and Pinchas Wallerstein, spoke with Ramon - who serves as Chairman of the government's Outposts Committee - in his office for close to two hours. The discussion centered around the recently renewed orders to demolish 12 outpost communities, and the government's ultimate plans to raze dozens more.
Among the outposts slated for imminent removal are Givat Assaf near Beit El, Givat HaRoeh near Eli, Givat HaDegel near Karnei Shomron, Hazon David near Kiryat Arba, and Maaleh Rehavam in eastern Gush Etzion. Many of them have great strategic and other importance.
Givat Assaf, for example, occupies a critical junction along the Jerusalem-Beit El-Shilo highway, and is populated by 14 families. Givat HaRoeh, opposite Eli, has 17 families.
As frequently occurs before meetings of this nature, rumors abound of a possible compromise agreement. Gush Etzion Regional Council chief Sha'ul Goldstein said this morning that he would be willing to agree to the removal of all 24 outposts built since March 2001, on condition that all of the other ones receive the long-awaited signature of the Defense Minister that would permanently legalize them.
Pinchas Wallerstein recently denied ever agreeing to such an arrangement. Similarly, before the meeting with Ramon, MK Ariel told Arutz-7 that no such compromise has been reached.
"The purpose of the meeting with Minister Ramon," Ariel said, "is to present him with the facts about the outpost communities," in light of the anti-outpost government-requested report issued last year by Prosecutor Talia Sasson.
Yesha Council spokesperson Emily Amrousi said that no meeting between Yesha leaders and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is currently planned.
Among the outposts slated for imminent removal are Givat Assaf near Beit El, Givat HaRoeh near Eli, Givat HaDegel near Karnei Shomron, Hazon David near Kiryat Arba, and Maaleh Rehavam in eastern Gush Etzion. Many of them have great strategic and other importance.
Givat Assaf, for example, occupies a critical junction along the Jerusalem-Beit El-Shilo highway, and is populated by 14 families. Givat HaRoeh, opposite Eli, has 17 families.
As frequently occurs before meetings of this nature, rumors abound of a possible compromise agreement. Gush Etzion Regional Council chief Sha'ul Goldstein said this morning that he would be willing to agree to the removal of all 24 outposts built since March 2001, on condition that all of the other ones receive the long-awaited signature of the Defense Minister that would permanently legalize them.
Pinchas Wallerstein recently denied ever agreeing to such an arrangement. Similarly, before the meeting with Ramon, MK Ariel told Arutz-7 that no such compromise has been reached.
"The purpose of the meeting with Minister Ramon," Ariel said, "is to present him with the facts about the outpost communities," in light of the anti-outpost government-requested report issued last year by Prosecutor Talia Sasson.
Yesha Council spokesperson Emily Amrousi said that no meeting between Yesha leaders and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is currently planned.