Issues covered include 'Natural Growth', Settlement 'Blocs', Internal vs. External Expansion, Previously
approved construction, and Subsidies and incentives...
June 19, 2009
A settlement freeze is good for Israel and good for peace. Settlements are bad for Israel. They constitute a burden toIsrael's security services. They create points of friction between Israelis and Palestinians. They drain Israel's financial resources. They create a false impression that Israelis are not interested in a two-state solution.
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.
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.
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.
The term "Etzion" is rooted in the name of the early settlement of Kfar Etzion (see below for
details). "Gush Etzion" (literally, "Etzion Bloc") refers to the group of settlements located south of
Jerusalem, between Bethlehem and the present-day settlement of Kfar Etzion.