West Bank: Israeli Supreme Court orders destruction of Mitzpe Kramim settlement

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Israel's highest judicial body believes that this settlement was built on private Palestinian land that must be returned to its owners.

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With our correspondent in Jerusalem ,  Guilhem Delteil

This is only the third time in Israel's history that a colony has to be destroyed. Mitzpe Kramim is a wild colony, therefore illegal in the eyes of international law as an Israeli, created in 1999 on the heights of the Jordan Valley, in the center of the occupied West Bank. Today, it is home to around forty families living in pre-fabricated buildings and a few solid buildings.

These structures must be destroyed within three years, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered this Thursday, August 28, giving the authorities time to propose rehousing solutions to the families concerned.

The decision is the culmination of a nine-year legal battle for Palestinians from the nearby village of Deir Jarir. For the court, the structures could be legalized retrospectively although a majority are on private Palestinian land, if the error had been made "  in good faith  ". But she believes that in the case of Mitzpe Kramim, good faith cannot be accepted.

A "  mistaken judgment  " for Benjamin Netanyahu

The anti-colonization organization Peace Now welcomed the ruling, saying it recognized that the settlers of Mitzpe Kramim "  stole private Palestinian land  ." But this judgment has been strongly attacked by right-wing politicians, starting with Benjamin Netanyahu.

Benyamin Netanyahu, who has already had to suspend his project to annex part of the West Bank , denounced him a "  wrong judgment  ". And the Prime Minister has promised to "  do everything possible  " so that the inhabitants can stay put.

► See also : Israel: Washington no longer considers the colonies to be contrary to international law 

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• Palestinian territories
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