Binyamin Regional Council Buys Land at Evacuated Amona Outpost Site

The Binyamin Regional Council's development company has purchased land at the site of the former Amona outpost, approximately ten years after its evacuation. The outpost was dismantled in 2017 following a High Court ruling that its homes were built on private Palestinian land. The council's move aims to re-establish a presence in the area.

This development follows the recent establishment of a new point near the Migron outpost, which was also evacuated in 2012 due to land ownership disputes. Proponents of settlement expansion view land acquisition in disputed areas as a strategy to prevent future legal challenges and evacuations.

These actions align with a significant expansion plan for the settlement of Amichai, which was originally established for those displaced from Amona. The expansion includes approximately 1,200 housing units and public infrastructure, expected to bring over 6,000 new residents and create a contiguous settlement bloc between Amichai and Shvut Rachel.

Amona faced legal challenges starting in 2006 when nine permanent structures were demolished after the High Court determined they were built illegally. Residents claimed security forces used excessive violence during the evacuation. After further legal battles, the entire outpost was evacuated on February 1, 2017.

In the past three years, 104 new communities have been established or formalized in the West Bank, with nearly 20 in the Binyamin region. The Binyamin Council stated its commitment to building new settlements, farms, and neighborhoods, and to rectifying past injustices by returning settlement to areas from which it was removed. The council emphasized its role in land acquisition and development for settlement purposes, vowing to continue these efforts.