Government Cuts off Outpost Funding

The Israeli government announced that it is no longer going to give any funding to “illegal outposts.” Major, government sanctioned settlements will go more or less unaffected.

While I am disappointed in the decision, I am not surprised by it. Recent violence between settlers and Palestinians (most sources blame the settlers) and violence between settlers and the police probably weighed in heavily in the decision.

If the Israelis living in the West Bank want to keep their homes and towns, they must consolidate their efforts into larger areas. It in unfortunate and inevitable that most of the West Bank will ultimately become under PA control. Larger settlements are going to be safe, so people in “illegal outposts” should concentrate their efforts on smaller settlement blocs.