Netanyahu delays law restricting outpost evictions

Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu delayed consideration of a bill to block eviction of settler outposts on occupied Palestinian land scheduled for a Sunday committee meeting, Israeli media reported. The law would require a final court order proving private Palestinian ownership of the land before Jewish settlers and their property can be removed, Israeli daily Haaretz reported. Sponsored by right-wing legislators from Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu and National Union, the bill was set to go before the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday, the news site said. Peace Now director Yariv Oppenheimer said the measures would allow any Israelis to seize land in the West Bank and block forces' ability to promptly evict them, according to the Israeli daily. The international community regards all settlements built on occupied land to be illegal, while the Israel government distinguishes between state-sponsored settlement and unauthorized outposts. The Likud-led coalition government has sought to calm violent confrontation with radical settlers after an Israeli high court ruled against a number of outposts in August. Citing the 'price tag' policy of revenge against settlement restrictions, extreme settlers clashed with troops and vandalized military bases in the West Bank, and rampaged through four Palestinian mosques in December, covering them in racist slogans and burning interiors. Settler attacks in the West Bank against Palestinians have increased by more than 50 percent this year, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. In December, Hebrew press said the Israeli government had asked the Supreme Court for a delay in evacuating the outposts in order to resolve the issue "peacefully".