Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the evacuation of some West Bank settlements deemed illegal under Israeli law, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Sunday. "To my knowledge, Netanyahu has given the instruction to evacuate" certain settlements, AFP quoted Smotrich as saying. He added that he did not approve of the measure. While all Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law, some established without government approval -- often consisting of just a few prefabricated homes -- are also considered illegal by Israel. It was not immediately clear when the operation would begin. UN bodies and most governments deem all Israeli settlements illegal under international law and consider the West Bank to be occupied territory under military control. Israel argues the territory is disputed, not occupied. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Saturday denounced violent settlers as terrorists and called for them to face severe consequences following a meeting with several Palestinian Americans in a West Bank Palestinian town. Israeli website Ynet earlier reported the orders targeted around 100 outposts across the occupied territory.
