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The state controller on Monday lashed out at a West Bank regional council for using public funds to finance construction projects at illegal outposts, in cooperation with various government departments, as well as the National Fund. Jewish.
"The activities of the Binyamin Regional Council must be considered with great severity," writes Yosef Shapira in a new report, castigating the largest regional body in the West Bank, which governs more than 50 settlements in the central West Bank.
"A public body charged with protecting the law acts to allow the construction of illegal outposts," he added. "The council … authorizes the illegal construction in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and promotes it even".
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While the international community considers illegal any settlement activity, Israel makes a distinction between the settlements built and authorized by the Ministry of Defense on state-owned land and the illegal outposts built without permits required.
State Comptroller Yosef Shapira reports on the 50-day war between Israel and Hamas in the summer of 2014, at Yuli Edelstein (not shown), on March 14, 2018, at the Knesset in Jerusalem. (AFP PHOTO / MENAHEM KAHANA)
Monday's report proposed several examples of outposts where the Binyamin regional council was encouraging construction, even with the help of the ministries.
In July 2015, the regional council began settling Talmon at the neighboring Neria outpost which cost NIS 1.25 million ($ 345,175).
Two months later, the civilian administration – the Ministry of Defense body that authorizes the construction of the West Bank issued demolition orders against the project. But this did not prevent the Regional Council and the Ministries of Agriculture and the Interior from investing 1.25 million new shekels in the alley.
The council insisted that the promenade be built for security reasons – a pretext to expropriate Palestinian land in the past – the state controller rejected the request. Citing outdoor fitness facilities and picnic benches, Shapira said the purpose of the project was to promote tourism, although it is unclear whether a legitimate need for security would have changed its approach, anyway.
Outpost near Talmon settlement in the West Bank after an attack on local Palestinians (YouTube / Haaretz)
In February 2016, the Regional Council allocated 3.5 million shekels ($ 960,000) to build a bike path for the Talmon colony.
Almost half of the funds came from the Ministry of Transport, while the other half was funded by KKL-JNF.
The money ministries was transferred to the regional council after the Civil Administration issued stop work orders, according to the report.
"Government ministries continue to invest directly in illegal construction, they must refrain from this and ensure that money is not transferred if construction does not occur. is not made legally, "warned Shapira
. the posts of Harel and Esh Kodesh, the latter of which does not even fall within the competence of the municipality.
Responding to the report, the Regional Council stated that the controller "was unaware of the legal and political complexities of Judea and Samaria.
The municipal body said that the errors made in good faith were corrected since then and do not reflect the current reality.
Regarding his conduct, the financing of illegal construction has been corrected.Outside, the regional council insisted that he has the responsibility to provide for the basic needs of its residents, no matter where they choose to live, and also pointed out that the government, during the past year, has been working to legalize such communities perched on the hills [19659003] In addition, the regional council baderted that it only finances the installation of modular homes in such outposts. 19659023] A settler's house in the Esh outpost Kodesh in Cisj ordnance, July 20, 2015. (Garrett Mills / Flash 90)
In his own response to the report, the watchdog now calls the government departments "to exert their authority and stop the illegal construction in the settlements . "
" It is time for those responsible for these methods to be tried and pay their debts to the public, "added the leftist NGO.KKL-JNF rejected the request for comment from the Times of Israel
In November 2017, Shapira published another report criticizing the conduct of the Binyamin Regional Council.
He then accused of rigging bids. Shapira accuses the council Binyamin Regional, led by the former chairman of Yesha Colony, Avi Roeh, to deliver hundreds of thousands of shekels to two organizations close to Jewish MP Bezalel Smotrich.The report was published just two days after the legislature introduced legislation to limit the authority of the state controller.
In his report, Shapira said the Binyamin Regional Council had "adapted the conditions" body "so that only specific NGOs can benefit. "
Jewish MP Bezalel Smotrich at his party's weekly Knesset party meeting on December 25, 2017. (Miriam Alster / Flash90)
The report does not mention the two NGOs, but on the basis of conversations with various settler leaders, the Times of Israel was able to establish their identity. The first is Regavim, an organization that monitors Palestinian and Bedouin construction in Israel and the West Bank. The second is a small group called Horizon for Settlement, which works to buy land in the West Bank for settlement construction.
According to the report, the West Bank council receives about two-thirds of its government budget. Like all local councils, the Binyamin Regional Council is allowed to use a segment of its budget to fund NGO activities. However, such support is contingent on proper submissions and funds are "equally distributed", according to the report.
Asked why the controller chose to focus again on the Binyamin Regional Council in Monday's report, an official in Shapira's office said the controller had not been convinced that substantial changes had been brought to the conduct of the municipal body.
