Israeli West Bank settlements opposed

JERUSALEM, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- An illegal outpost was created outside of Jerusalem Saturday by leftist protesters, who strongly oppose proposed Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

The nearly 40 Israeli and foreign protesters who set up the concrete outpost said their goal is to point out how the Israeli government's approval of the West Bank settlement plan contradicts previous promises, Ynetnews reported.

Demonstrator Yonatan Pollack said the new Israeli effort would assist Jewish citizens, without offering aid to Palestinian residents in the area.

"The country has decided that these lands are state lands, but it doesn't think at all about building residential buildings for the Palestinians residents," Pollack said, "They are for settlers only.

"This is apparently Israel's way to preserve and widen the settlement blocs while (at) the same time claiming at Annapolis (Md.) that Israel wants peace."

Just as nine of the protesters were detained by police, Ynetnews said plans for additional illegal outposts in the future were announced by the right-wing organization Ne'emanei Eretz Israel.