According to the agreement, only structures built on private Arab-owned land in Judea and Samaria will be removed. This is a departure from what has been Defense Minister Peretz's stance until now. As he has publicly declared repeatedly over the past month, he favored a blanket removal of all unauthorized outposts in Yesha - even using force, if necessary.
The new compromise decision appears to be connected with the entry of Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) party into the coalition. The party is strongly opposed to the removal of outposts.
It thus appears that the presently-endangered Jewish structures are now limited to several in the Maon Farm, south of Hevron; others in the Ronen Farm, near Har Bracha in the Shomron; and four on the outskirts of Psagot.
As in the case of the nine structures that were demolished in Amona nine months ago, the police are to carry out the actual destruction, with the army merely providing protection. Hundreds of youths protesting the Amona destruction were injured by police.
Within Labor, the new Peretz decision has already elicited strong criticism. MK Ami Ayalon, a strong opponent to Peretz's leadership and who sees himself as a potential contender for Peretz's position, said that the removal of outposts is important for Israel under all circumstances and should not be linked with other diplomatic procedures.
MK Esterina Tartman (Yisrael Beiteinu) says she sees the new Olmert-Peretz agreement as a welcome initial result of her party's influence in the government. She told Arutz-7's Itzik Wolfe today that she understood from Lieberman that the destruction of the illegal structures was the "bone" that Olmert had to throw to Peretz in order to calm down Labor's objections to Yisrael Beiteinu's entry into the coalition.
On the other hand, it was still being reported this morning from the office of Defense Minister Peretz that he plans to "act with determination" to remove the outposts in Judea and Samaria. A statement released by the office notes that time will be given for dialogue with the "settlers," but that the destruction will take place forcefully if necessary.
The new compromise decision appears to be connected with the entry of Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) party into the coalition. The party is strongly opposed to the removal of outposts.
It thus appears that the presently-endangered Jewish structures are now limited to several in the Maon Farm, south of Hevron; others in the Ronen Farm, near Har Bracha in the Shomron; and four on the outskirts of Psagot.
As in the case of the nine structures that were demolished in Amona nine months ago, the police are to carry out the actual destruction, with the army merely providing protection. Hundreds of youths protesting the Amona destruction were injured by police.
Within Labor, the new Peretz decision has already elicited strong criticism. MK Ami Ayalon, a strong opponent to Peretz's leadership and who sees himself as a potential contender for Peretz's position, said that the removal of outposts is important for Israel under all circumstances and should not be linked with other diplomatic procedures.
MK Esterina Tartman (Yisrael Beiteinu) says she sees the new Olmert-Peretz agreement as a welcome initial result of her party's influence in the government. She told Arutz-7's Itzik Wolfe today that she understood from Lieberman that the destruction of the illegal structures was the "bone" that Olmert had to throw to Peretz in order to calm down Labor's objections to Yisrael Beiteinu's entry into the coalition.
On the other hand, it was still being reported this morning from the office of Defense Minister Peretz that he plans to "act with determination" to remove the outposts in Judea and Samaria. A statement released by the office notes that time will be given for dialogue with the "settlers," but that the destruction will take place forcefully if necessary.