Israel evacuates illegal buildings in West Bank outpost

JERUSALEM - Israeli security forces evacuated residents and demolished several structures in an illegal West Bank outpost early Wednesday, with no clashes reported.

The Maoz Esther outpost, located in the Benjamin regional council, was founded in 2007 on a private Palestinian land. It was dedicated to the memory of Esther Galia, resident of a neighboring settlement who was killed by Palestinian militants.

Local settlers told the Walla news site that around midnight on Tuesday large forces of troops and policemen demolished five structures, including a local synagogue, and evacuated a family of settlers.

This is not the first time the outpost has been evacuated. It has been repeatedly demolished and rebuilt since its founding. The last attempts were made in 2009 and 2010.

"They took our cellphones in order to prevent us from calling for help," Efi Bauer, the settlement's resident, told local media.

"Then they brought in workers that took out all of our belongings from our homes," he said.

Superintendent Amnon Friedman, spokesperson for the Benjamin police station, said forces are prepared for potential "price tag" vandalism attacks against Palestinians following the evacuation.

According to a July report, Israel spent $275 million on settlements in 2011, and as of July 2012 there are 350, 150 Jewish settlers living in over 120 towns and villages throughout the West Bank.

Much of the international community, as well as peace and left- of-center groups in Israel, vehemently oppose settlement expansion and growth.

In 2009, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel would impose a 10-month freeze on the construction of West Bank settlements in a bid to restart stalled peace talks with the Palestinians.

However, at the end of the moratorium in September 2010, the Palestinians suspended direct peace talks, citing renewed settlement building in West Bank. They resist to renew the talks with Israel until the construction comes to a complete halt.