The Israeli parliament on Monday he voted an amendment that will allow Israeli citizens to return to live in four settlements in the northern West Bank evacuated in 2005. According to the bulk of the international community, the West Bank belongs to the Palestinians, and should be governed by the Palestinian authority. In reality, Israel militarily controls part of those territories, and over the decades the Israelis have built settlements (or colonies) there which constitute a serious obstacle to any attempt at reconciliation.
In 2005, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon signed a law that initiated Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and ordered the evacuation of the West Bank settlements of Sa-Nur, Ganim, Kadim and Homesh to ensure territorial continuity for the Palestinian community. However, the amendment voted on Monday cancels part of the 2005 law: it was promoted by the new government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the most right-wing in Israel’s history, which is adopting increasingly repressive policies towards the Palestinians. To enter into force, it will still need to be signed by the military authorities of the country.
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