Israelis expelled from flashpoint West Bank outpost after resettlement vow

Israeli security forces began evacuating an illegal outpost near Nablus in the occupied West Bank on Monday morning after hundreds of settlers occupied the site the day before.

The Evyatar hilltop settlement was reoccupied on Sunday night by settlers who vowed to take over the vacant outpost following the killing of two Israelis in a shooting near Nablus earlier that day, leading to a rampage by settlers who torched Palestinian homes and vehicles.

Israeli forces tried twice to remove the settlers from the outpost, which has been vacant since 2021, who camped at the site overnight the Times of Israel reported.

On the third attempt, the settlers were driven from Evyatar in buses, only for some to return to the site on foot.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir condemned the removal of the settlers, saying that according to an agreement made during the formation of the far-right coalition government, the outpost was to be legalised and the settlers allowed to remain.

Other Israeli ministers also defended the settlers' takeover of the site.

Israel elected the most right-wing government in its history at the end of last year, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and which includes far-right settler leaders, such as Ben Gvir.

That government has since vowed to legalise thousands of settlements in the occupied West Bank, despite international uproar.

There was a brief glimpse of hope that settlement approval and construction would be temporarily paused after Israeli and Palestinian officials met in Aqaba on Sunday.

However, a number of Israeli ministers said new settlements would continue to be built and existing settlements legalised.