TEL AVIV, Israel _ The Israeli government reached agreement to move members of a West Bank settlement scheduled to be torn down this month.
Leaders of the settlement, known as Amona, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who presented an offer to move some members to adjacent land, and others to a nearby community, Netanyahu's spokesman confirmed in a text message.
Members of the settlement approved the plan 45-29, according to a community Twitter post.
The government has been seeking to find a way to avoid a forced evacuation of the community, which the Supreme Court ruled was built on private Palestinian land and would have to be removed. The issue had split Israel's pro-settlement camp, with some wary of irritating U.S. President Barack Obama in his last months in office and of breaching international law. Others others saw dismantling of the community as a betrayal of Israeli settlers.
Some settlers see an opportunity to increase building on Israeli-occupied land. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Friday said lawyer David Friedman was his choice to become ambassador to Israel. Friedman is a staunch supporter of settlements who opposes a two-peace deal with the Palestinians. Naftali Bennett, leader of the pro-settlement Jewish Home party, praised the nomination, calling Friedman a "great friend of Israel."
