Netanyahu vows to build new settlement ‘as soon as possible’ after Amona evacuation

The Israeli prime minister's government tried to block the evacuation of the Amona settlement but was overruled by the country’s Supreme Court, which determined the outpost was built two decades ago on private Palestinian land

An Israeli policeman walks inside the synagogue in Amona where hardline settlers and their supporters had barricaded themselves before being evicted on February 2, 2017. Thomas Coex / AFP

AMONA // Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Thursday to build a new West Bank settlement “as soon as possible” following the court-ordered demolition of an unauthorised outpost.

Mr Netanyahu spoke as Israeli forces were completing the evacuation of the Amona outpost on Thursday.

His government, which is dominated by settler allies, tried to block the evacuation but was overruled by the country’s Supreme Court, which determined that Amona was built two decades ago on private Palestinian land.

Mr Netanyahu assured those attending a ceremony in the West Bank settlement of Ariel on Thursday that “we will establish a new settlement on state land”.

“We will act so that it happens as soon as possible,” he added, without elaborating on when or where the new settlement would be established.

All Israeli settlements are considered illegal by the international community but many are authorised by the Israeli authorities. Others, like Amona, are unauthorised but built with tacit support from the Israeli government.

During efforts to evacuate Amona on Thursday, several hundred Israeli police broke into a synagogue where about 200 protesters had barricaded themselves in.

Wearing goggles and wielding plastic shields, officers broke through the doors and sprayed water to push back defiant protesters. They later began dragging young protesters out of the building.

Israeli police say protesters have lightly injured at least 24 officers throughout the evacuation of Amona, which began on Wednesday, and that 13 young protesters have been arrested.

The evacuation of Amona comes amid bold new settlement moves by Israel’s government, which has been buoyed by the election of US president Donald Trump.

* Associated Press