Barak to Settler Leaders: Evacuate Outposts

Some 23 unauthorized outposts will be evacuated, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told settler leaders. Barak met with leaders of the Yesha Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria Monday at the main Israeli army base in Tel Aviv.

He said the outposts, which the governments of Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert and Benjamin Netanyahu have said should be evacuated, will be emptied.

“A law-abiding state cannot accept a situation in which every person does what he wants,” Barak told settler leaders during the 90-minute meeting, which he called. Asked by the leaders to end the de facto construction freeze in the West Bank, Barak said construction in the settlements had slowed, according to Ynet, which quoted settler leaders.