Smotrich aims to legalize 68 outposts in Judea and Samaria

(JNS) — Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich aims to legalize 68 outposts in Judea and Samaria and has instructed various ministries to prepare to provide them with public services.

Smotrich is also a minister in the Defense Ministry with broad authority over civilian issues in the disputed territories.

“We welcome the progress on the approvals for 68 ‘young communities’ in Judea and Samaria. These are communities established years ago and sanctioned by the country,” Yesha Council Chairman Shlomo Ne’eman said.

The council is the umbrella organization for Israeli municipal authorities in Judea and Samaria.

“This is definitely a strategic move for the entire enterprise of Judea and Samaria and an important step towards correcting the injustice for thousands of residents who have been living in these communities for years without proper infrastructure. This is an important answer, especially at this time, to those who don’t want to see us here,” Ne’eman added.

The coalition agreement between Smotrich’s Religious Zionism Party and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud calls for the legalization of these “young settlements” and connecting them to the electricity and water grids.

Smotrich has also instructed ministries to plan to establish educational institutions in the outposts, construct roads leading to them and open state-funded clinics therein.

The outposts were built in the 1990s and early 2000s with the assistance of ministries but without formal government approval.

Some 25,000 Israelis reside across the 68 communities.