Elisha Efrat | Routledge (2006)
Book Review (AbeBooks) | CampusBooks

Ahmed Qurie | I. B. Tauris (2006)
Book Review (The Free Library) | CampusBooks

Settlements in Focus

Behind the Barrier: A Profile of Elon Moreh (Vol.1, Issue 10)
A publication of Americans for Peace Now

Where exactly is Elon Moreh?

Elon Moreh is an isolated settlement located on the northeastern outskirts of the Palestinian city of Nablus ("Shechem" in Hebrew). It is located 18 miles east of the Green Line and 13.5 miles west of the Jordan River (i.e., closer to Jordan than the Green Line). It is 32 miles from the center of Jerusalem.

Providing detailed background and comparison to the various types of illegal construction.

Acting Prime Minister Olmert is being accused by some of his opponents of using a double standard - demolishing illegal settler construction but ignoring illegal "Arab" construction. Is this accurate?

Opponents of the settlers both inside and outside the government - including Peace Now - have long been accused, usually by settlers and their supporters, of caring only about illegal construction being carried out in the settlements, and ignoring illegal construction by "Arabs." This accusation generally reflects efforts to divert the public's focus from the manifest illegality of settlers' actions.

Update on the first illegal outpost with permanent housing to be demolished as a result of Peace Now's petition to the Israeli court.

What is the timeline of legal decisions that led up to the recent demolitions at the illegal outpost of Amona?

The illegal outpost of Amona was first constructed in late 1995. Demolition orders for nine structures at Amona - all built illegally on land that is privately owned by (and appropriately registered to) Palestinians - were issued in October 2004 by the Civil Administration.

Shlomo Ben-Ami / Oxford University Press (2007)
Book Review (Foreign Affairs) | CampusBooks

S. Daniel Abraham | Newmarket (2006)
Book Review (Publishers Weekly) | CampusBooks

To review, what exactly is an "outpost"?

An outpost is a new Jewish settlement - or a proto-settlement - built in the occupied territories without prior legal approval from the Israeli government. For years settlers have used the establishment of outposts as a mechanism to stake out new territory, expand settlement boundaries, create contiguity between veteran settlements, and establish facts on the ground that will make it more difficult to reach a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

It recently came to light that one of the West Bank's largest ongoing construction projects - indeed, one of the largest construction projects in Israel - is illegal.

There have been recent press reports about a large illegal construction project in a West Bank settlement. What is the story?

It recently came to light that one of the West Bank's largest ongoing construction projects - indeed, one of the largest construction projects in Israel - is illegal.