Settlers set fire to Palestinian field in West Bank

Haaretz, 3 June 2009

Settlers set fire to a Palestinian field and blocked a junction Wednesday just hours after security forces re-evacuated nearby illegal West Bank outposts.

The settlers also returned to the site of the evacuated outposts, Maoz Esther and Ramat Migron, and erected two new outposts close by.
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Maoz Esther, which lies in the Binyamin regional council in the northern West Bank, was dismantled by authorities last week. Since then, nearby settlers have rebuilt and reestablished their presence in the area.

Fire fighting crews were able to douse the flames and prevent further harm.

In response to the incident, Palestinians hurled stones at the settlers near Havat Gilad; no one was hurt and no arrests were made.

Right-wing activist Meir Bartler told Army radio that the settlers would "not yield to security forces."

"Not only will we renew and even double the construction in Maoz Esther and Ramat Migron in response to the evacuation, but by today new outposts will come up all across Judea and Samaria, and specifically in the Binyamin region."

Earlier Wednesday, in an effort to facilitate unfettered movement of Palestinians in the West Bank, the Israel Defense Forces removed two roadblocks in the Ramallah area.

In addition, the army said it would man an additional West Bank checkpoint around the clock in order to permit Palestinian passage 24 hours a day.

But Palestinians said the removal of the roadblocks didn't address the broader need to ease the movement of people and goods in the Palestinian territories.

Israel maintains hundreds of roadblocks throughout the West Bank, saying they are needed to prevent the movement of militants.

The Obama administration attaches great importance to a cessation of Israeli activity in the settlements in advancing the peace process. In talks with Israeli officials, the U.S. administration has made it clear it expects Israel to follow through on previous pledges to remove illegal West Bank settlement outposts.

Last week, Defense Minister Ehud Barak denied that pressure from the United States brought about the evacuation Maoz Esther.

"There is no connection to American pressure, and I have clarified this to the settler leaders," Barak said.

The evacuation of the outpost came only a day after Defense Ministry sources told Haaretz that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Barak have agreed on a plan to evacuate illegal outposts in the West Bank, mainly those located on Palestinian land.