Government representatives and representatives of residents of the Ulpana neighborhood reportedly are close to a deal under which the families would leave voluntarily.

Chief Rabbi of Beit El, Rabbi Zalman Melamed, told Israeli media that a deal is close to completion. Meetings were set to continue on Tuesday.

Melamed told Ynet that if finalized the deal would include “significant achievements” for settlers.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in September that at least five apartment buildings in the neighborhood should be razed, siding with a lawsuit filed by Palestinians who said they owned the land. A deadline of July 1 is set for the evacuation.

Under the terms of the agreement reported in Israeli media, 10 apartment buildings each housing 30 families will be built in Beit El on the grounds of a Border Guard base at the entrance to the settlement. In addition, the government reportedly will ask Israel’s Supreme Court for a three-moth postponement of the eviction, in order to remove the five buildings intact to land that is not contested.

Melamed last week called for a “decisive struggle” against the evacuation of the five apartment buildings housing 30 families. In a public letter issued last week, Melamed called for “dedication and sacrifice,” and said the struggle should consist of dialogue as well as protest.

During the meeting at Melamed’s home in Beit El, the cars of Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan the director-general of the Amana housing company Ze’ev Hever were vandalized.

The meeting came on the same day as Israel police participated in a large-scale drill in preparation for the evacuation of the neighborhood.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount