Israel to postpone legalisation over illegal Evyatar outpost until after Ramadan

Israel's government has decided to postpone legalising the illegal Evyatar settler outpost near Nablus until after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Israeli media reported on Sunday.

The decision also delayed the demolition of the Palestinian Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar and the expulsion of its residents, according to Israel’s Kan 11 channel.

A senior government source cited by the Israeli broadcaster said the move was to prevent further escalation in the Palestinian territories following Netanyahu's pledge to Washington that he would calm the situation.

The illegal outpost of Evyatar was first established in 2013. It was evacuated in July 2021 following a compromise agreement between the settlers and then-prime minister Naftali Bennet, who agreed to move forward with the outpost’s legalisation.

The settlement has been evacuated several times, however, a group of around 450 settlers briefly occupied the site earlier this month amid escalating violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Among them was far-right settler leader and Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot, who earlier this week called for donations made for Palestinian victims of the settler rampage on Huwara to be confiscated.