Chaim Levinson
Haaretz
February 15, 2010 - 1:00am
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1149899.html


Security sources have found and made public 28 incidents of settlements violating the ten-month building freeze in the West Bank declared by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Haaretz learned on Monday.

Responding to an appeal made by Meretz MK Haim Oron to clarify alleged settlement freeze infringements, deputy defense minister, Matan Vilnai, responded by that saying "The court order to halt construction has been given out. The implementation of the building freeze will be examined."

On Monday, Vilani released a list of settlements violating the building freeze, which included Tekoa, Etz Efraim, Revava, Alfe Menashe, Ma'ale Shomron, Psagot, Beit Arye, Emanuel, Kedumim, Barkan, Beitar Illit, Ma'ale Addumim and Kfar Etzion.

The left wing group Shalom Achshav claims there are building violations also in the settlements of Kokhav HaShahar, Nili, Kiryat Arba, Elazar.

These violations are in addition to outpost building, which has continued at a steady pace.

On Sunday, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation discussed a privately sponsored bill on compensating settlers hurt by the recent construction freeze. The bill, initiated by MK Danny Danon (Likud), is supported by 16 MKs from different parties and suggests setting up a compensation system modeled on the one used for the evacuees of the disengagement from Gaza in 2005.

"This bill requests a claims committee be set up, in order to assist and transfer compensations to the settlers of Judea and Samaria," the introduction to the bill read.

"The committee would have four members: A representative from the Prime Minister's Office, a representative of the Interior Ministry, a representative of public interest to be appointed by the justice minister in consultation with chairmen of local councils the area, and a magistrate judge - appointed by the justice minister in consultation with the director of the courts - who will chair the committee."

"The committee would be responsible for determining a claimant's eligibility for compensation, the scope of his eligibility and the sum of his compensation," the document continues. "It will be set up no later than 60 days after the date marking the beginning of the construction freeze, and it will operate a Web site that provides access to contact the committee and see its details, schedule and decisions."

The bill sets the deadline for claims at five years after the beginning of the freeze, and says the committee will be obliged to pay out the compensation no later than 60 days after its decision. Compensation claims would be filed either in writing or through the committee site, the proposition said.




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