Israeli Minister Chikli calls to ‘wean off’ Oslo model at repeatedly evacuated West Bank outpost

Iraeli settlers bathe in an irrigation ditch near the West Bank Palestinian Village of Qusra, April 2026

Matan Golan reports in Haaretz on 13 April 2026:

Days after Israeli security forces evacuated a violent unauthorized Israeli outpost in the West Bank’s Area B, Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli visited the site Thursday, expressing support for a continued Jewish presence there while calling to “completely wean off” the Oslo-era division of the territory.

Chikli, a member of the Likud party, toured the Binyamin region and posted a video on X from the outpost at Jabel Ein Haniya, near the Palestinian village of Qusra, located in Area B – the part of the West Bank under Israeli security control but Palestinian civilian control.

In the video, he said Israel should abandon distinctions between Areas A, B and C, describing the settlement point as strategic. “We’ve had some bad incidents in recent weeks,” the minister said, “We came here to speak with the youth and also hear from them about what’s going on.”

Under the Oslo Accords, the West Bank was divided into three administrative areas. Area A, which includes major Palestinian cities, is under full Palestinian Authority civil and security control. Area B falls under Palestinian civil control with Israeli security responsibility. Area C, which comprises about 60 percent of the West Bank, is under full Israeli civil and military control and includes most Israeli settlements.

Chikli’s visit came several days after security forces evacuated the outpost following another violent incident in the outpost’s area that included the arson of commercial chicken coops. A worker injured in the attack was initially reported missing and later found unconscious with a head injury. According to residents, he remains in a coma.

“Every negative incident like those we’ve seen in recent weeks plays against us and harms us greatly; we must not give weapons to the enemy,” Chickli said at the outpost. “Anyone who has a problem with the concept of settling the land – good day to him,” he concluded.

The outpost visited by Chikli is one of dozens established without formal government authorization. In January, the IDF said that 42 such outposts account for roughly 90 percent of nationalist crime in the West Bank.

Despite repeated evacuations by security forces, the outpost at Jabel Ein Haniya has remained a focal point of ongoing friction and violence involving both Israeli settlers and Palestinian residents.

In March, Amir Odeh, a resident of a nearby village, was shot and killed. According to local accounts, the shooting occurred hours after settlers were seen throwing stones at a truck and moving near homes, some masked and at least one armed. Residents called security forces to the scene. An IDF force arrived and later left. About 30 minutes later, the shooting took place.  The day before, settlers were documented attacking a man on the hilltop in front of his family.

Additional incidents have been reported in recent weeks, including clashes near homes on the hilltop and damage to property. Palestinian residents say several families have left the area amid repeated confrontations.

In one incident in late February, Israeli activists who had arrived on a rare visit to assist Palestinian residents were attacked by masked settlers near the outpost. Two of the activists were seriously injured and evacuated. One of them, a 72-year-old woman, suffered a brain hemorrhage and multiple fractures and remains in rehabilitation.

Although Odeh was fatally shot by outpost settlers and IDF forces have since avoided using crowd-control measures against residents during clashes with settlers, the outpost remains in place.  On Saturday, following the attack on chicken coops near Qusra that left a worker in a coma, according to local reports, settlers said security forces evacuated the outpost and confiscated equipment. Footage shows Israeli settlers later returning and setting fire to vehicles in a nearby village.

The IDF said in a statement that forces detained several Israeli suspects, who were released shortly afterward. “The IDF strongly condemns incidents of this kind and will continue to act to enforce law and order in the area,” it said.

While most outposts have been established in Israeli-controlled Area C, there are currently about 10 such outposts in Area B. About 150 outposts have been established in the West Bank since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks. Approximately 100 of them are farm outposts, meaning they were established in coordination with Israel’s political and security leadership.

There are now more than 300 outposts across the West Bank, including those in various stages of legalization or already formalized, though many began as unauthorized outposts.

Earlier in April, a report in the Israeli daily Maariv said the security cabinet recently decided, under U.S. pressure, to step up enforcement against Israeli construction in Area B, including demolitions and possible economic sanctions.

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