VOA标准英语2009年-Israeli Ministers Pay Solidarity Visit to

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Israel's leader is coming under growing pressure from hardliners in his coalition¹ to reject American demands for a halt to settlement expansion.
　
Jewish settlers and Ultra Orthodox Jewish men pray to support Israeli settlements in the West Bank (File)

A delegation² of four hawkish³ Israeli Cabinet ministers toured controversial settlement outposts in the West Bank Monday in solidarity⁴ with Jewish residents there.

It was a direct challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed⁵ to dismantle⁶ about two dozen outposts in response to pressure from the United States. Washington has demanded a complete freeze on settlement expansion, saying Israel is creating facts on the ground on territory the Palestinians seek for a future state.

There are about 100 outposts in the West Bank, most of them consisting of makeshift structures and trailer homes. Residents are young, religious settlers, who seek to expand the Jewish presence in all the biblical Land of Israel.

Mr. Netanyahu has declared the outposts illegal, but the Cabinet delegation denied that, saying they are legitimate⁷ because previous Israeli governments had approved them.

Cabinet Minister Yuli Edelstein of Mr. Netanyahu's Likud party noted⁸ that Israel just marked the fourth anniversary of the withdrawal⁹ from the Gaza Strip, where 21 Jewish settlements were dismantled¹⁰ and 8,000 settlers evacuated¹¹. He said there should be no further evacuations because, when Israel pulled out, the Islamic militant¹² group Hamas took over.

"We removed all the settlements out of the Gaza Strip. We have a terrorist entity¹³ there, shooting rockets at the Israeli civilians¹⁴. The whole area is insecure," Edelstein said.

While Mr. Netanyahu supports the settlements ideologically¹⁵, he is prepared for concessions¹⁶ because he wants to heal a growing rift¹⁷ with Washington. Edelstein is hoping that Israel and the U.S. can find common ground.

"There are misunderstandings, there are disagreements on certain issues; and at the same time, we always have to keep in mind that it's still possible to bridge the gaps," said Edelstein.

But bridging the gaps won't be easy as long as Mr. Netanyahu's nationalist coalition partners try to tie his hands and prevent any significant action against the settlements.