The Israeli government unanimously approved the retroactive recognition of the West Bank outpost of Havat Gilad, in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared was a ‘response to the deadly drive-by shooting that claimed the life of Jewish Rabbi Raziel Shevah,’ some three weeks ago. PM Netanyahu said, “Anyone who thought that through the heinous murder of a resident of Havat Gilad, father of six, that he will break our spirit and weaken our hands made a bitter mistake. The government will regulate the status of Havat Gilad today, in order to enable the continuation of regular life at that place. In front of the murderers – extraction of justice. In front of those who sanctify death – we sanctify life. This is the essence of the government’s policy,” the Prime Minister asserted.
The Israeli leader further vowed that Israel’s security forces will continue to operate until Rabbi Shevah’s murderers and their collaborators will be brought to justice. Netanyahu revealed, “Yesterday our forces operated again, in an attempt to apprehend the last murderers and collaborators to the murder of Rabbi Shevah, may he rest in peace. And we will not rest until we will bring them to justice and we will bring all of them to justice,” the Prime Minister declared.
The government’s decision was passed by means of an “executive vote,” the first stage of a long and complex process to legalize the West Bank outpost. It is important to note, however, that an “executive decision” is mostly declarative in nature, which in effect announces the government’s intention to legalize the outpost, but without detailing the manner in which it will be done. While the Jewish outpost of Havat Gilad is made up of lands privately owned by Jews, Palestinian officials condemned the move, as the outpost is deep within the West Bank, far from the major settlements bloc, and is viewed as territory that will be handed over to Palestinian control under any final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.