Giv'at Asaf

Giv'at Asaf גִּבְעַת אָסָף
Giv'at Asaf, fall 2011
Council	Mateh Binyamin
Region	West Bank
Founded	May 2001

Giv'at Asaf (Hebrew: גִּבְעַת אָסָף or Givat As(s)af, lit. Asaf Hill) is an Israeli outpost in the West Bank. Located 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) from the settlement of Beit El, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. It has about 30 structures and is home to some 30 families. It was established in May 2001 after the murder of Asaf Hershkovitz, a resident of Ofra, for whom it was named. Its establishment, by blocking the way from the village of Burqa to Route 60 and the village of Beitin, has made life for the inhabitants of Burqa difficult.^[1]

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.^[2] In Giv'at Asaf's case, according to the 2005 Sasson Report, the outpost was built on privately owned Palestinian land,^[3] and is therefore also illegal under Israeli law.^[4][5] A case involving the forging of documents for a land sale at Givat Assaf led to an indictment for illegal land transference from Palestinians to Israelis. ^[6]

A demarcation order was issued in 2004, and renewed in 2006, to establish the boundaries of the outpost, but building beyond it went on despite the order.^[7]

In 2004, then Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz issued an order to evacuated illegal outposts, including Giv'at Asaf. In 2006, his successor Amir Peretz extended the evacuation order by two years following a petition filed by the settlers, announcing that at the end of that period the settlers would be evacuated by force if needed. In 2008, Defense Minister Ehud Barak announced that the order would be extended for an additional year, during which the state would attempt to negotiate with the settlers. In May 2009, in response to a petition filed by Peace Now, the Supreme Court issued an order demanding that the state explain within 90 days why the illegal outposts have not yet been evacuated.^[8]

In March 2011, in response to another petition by Peace Now, the Israeli government announced its decision to dismantle all illegal outposts built on private Palestinian land by the end of 2011, including Giv'at Asaf.^[4] Clashes are expected, as the residents of Giv'at Asaf have vowed "a violent struggle" against their removal.^[9] In November 2011, the government asked the Supreme Court to give them an extension for the Giv'at Asaf razing, affirming that it is in talks with the outpost's representatives, and is asking them to clear out by 1 July 2012.^[10]

In May 2013, the Israeli government announced it intends to legalize Giv'at Asaf, along with three other settlements. According to the state, while Givat Assaf had originally been deemed problematic, the land on which it sat had since been purchased. The other three outposts, the state said, were located on state land, and not private Palestinian-owned land.^{[11] [12]}

References

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Coordinates: 31°54′41″N 35°14′56″E / 31.91139°N 35.24889°E / 31.91139; 35.24889