Defying Netanyahu, settlement leaders rip up freeze orders

Ma'an
Bet El settlement leaders publicly ripped up military orders outlining the terms of the 10-month partial construction freeze on Friday, Israeli media source reported.

The freeze applies only to West Bank settlements, where about 60% of Israel's settler population lives, seen as a move to appease demands from the American administration. In an attempt to placate settlers in the move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised all existing construction permits would be honored - about 3,000 in all - and that the construction of public buildings like schools and synagogues would continue as usual.

...Moshe Rosenboim of the Bet El settlement council tore up the orders in front of the soldier who delivered them, screaming in the officer's face that he did "not respect" the order...

...Israeli Minister of Information Yuli-Yoel Edelstein - the only minister in the Security Cabinet to vote no during the session that saw 11 out of 14 ministers support the freeze plan - will meet with settler leaders in the coming week to devise strategies to get around the new order. Full story