On Wednesday, COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories), a.k.a. the Civil Administration, which is now firmly in the hands of the Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism), completed its professional work and published a new blue line for the settlement of Nachal Heletz in Gush Etzion.
A blue line delimits and defines the area of a new settlement’s building plan.
The publication of the blue line makes it possible to initiate the procedures for establishing the settlement of Nachal Heletz, one of the settlements that the Netanyahu cabinet decided upon as part of the five new settlements to be erected in response to the PA’s measures against the State of Israel and the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state by several countries.
Today the territory slated for the new settlement features a farm called Neve Ori, established some five years ago in memory of Ori Ansbacher Hy’d. The farm is located a few kilometers from the place of her murder, on the ridge above Nachal Heletz. The settlement actually connects Gush Etzion to Jerusalem.
Needless to say, Smotrich was having a field day, proclaiming:
“The connection of Gush Etzion to Jerusalem by establishing a new settlement is a historic moment. As you may recall, about two months ago, the political and security cabinet approved my proposal for the establishment of five new settlements in Judea and Samaria. Since then, the Settlement Directorate in the Ministry of Defense and the Civil Administration have been working hard to implement the decision and, among other things, promoted the new blue line of Nachal Heletz that will allow the continued momentum and construction of the settlement.
“No anti-Israeli and anti-Zionist decision will stop the continued development of the settlement enterprise. We will continue to fight the dangerous idea of a Palestinian state and establish facts on the ground. This is my life’s mission and I will continue it as long as I can.
“I thank the people of the Civil Administration and the Settlement Administration for their hard and dedicated work. Together we will continue to pursue Zionism. We will build, develop, fight and win.”
Head of the Gush Etzion Council Yaron Rosenthal said: “After the exciting news of the establishment of the settlement, and after jurisdiction was given to the council, now the area of the settlement has increased to hundreds of acres. We are excited by the news that a new, established, and large settlement will be built in the Land of Israel. Thanks to Minister Smotrich, the professionals in his office, and the Gush Etzion Regional Council. The new settlement will create the link between the Gush and Jerusalem, between Etzion and Zion.”
