Israeli activists establish new settlement in wake of Itamar massacre

[Jefferson23]

Settlers are waking up ahead of the Palestinian attempt to declare unilateral statehood in September and in light of indication that Netanyahu may be launching a diplomatic move in near future.

By Chaim Levinson

Five hundred people wearing white shirts gathered Wednesday on the hills facing the West Bank settlement of Itamar to establish a new settlement, named Regev.

Veteran settlement leaders Daniella Weiss, Rabbi Dov Lior, and the aged and ailing Rabbi Moshe Levinger, spoke. Young people erected a tent and a wall of rocks as bored Border Police soldiers watched the proceedings.

Regev's fate will probably be no different than the other outposts Daniella Weiss has established: it will either be repeatedly evacuated and re-established or abandoned after a short time.

But the importance of today's event is in the process underway among the settlers now, ahead of the Palestinian attempt to declare unilateral statehood in September.

After the settlement freeze ended last September, the settlement leaders briefly launched campaigns to depose Defense Minister Ehud Barak and to publish more construction tenders in the settlement blocs. But these plans did not strike resounding chords, and were shelved. Now that there are indications that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be launching a diplomatic move in the near future, the settlers are waking up.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israeli-activists-establish-new-settlement-in-wake-of-itamar-massacre-1.357123

[oberliner]

1. New settlement founded, dismantled

NABLUS (Ma'an) -- The newest illegal settlement in the West Bank was dismantled overnight on Wednesday, hours after hundreds of settlers had gathered to announce the land grab.

Settlers had arrived Wednesday afternoon at a patch of land east of Itamar, and named the outpost "Regev", according to reports in the Israeli press.

The newest illegal settlement, however, was dismantled by Israeli forces overnight, a spokesman for the country's Civil Administration told Ma'an.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=380859

[azurnoir]

2. I see Itamar extending it's fences soon

"Regev is not part of Itamar. It is outside of the fences ... overlooking the city of Shekhem ... Idealistic people are joining us ... people with a strong feeling for the land of Israel," Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz quoted settlement leader Daniella Weiss as saying at the event opening the outpost.

then it will be an extension of Itamar