Army says structures planned in secular community would have threatened route of security barrier.
By YAAKOV LAPPIN, TOVAH LAZAROFFsettlement Building248.88(photo credit: )
The IDF has banned settlers from building on land adjacent to the Bet Aryeh settlement, east of Rosh Ha'ayin, saying proposed construction in the area would have threatened the future route of the West Bank security barrier.
In a statement released on Thursday night, the army said: "On May 27, OC Central Command [Maj.-Gen. Gadi Shamni] signed an order forbidding construction... to prevent the building of structures that would have interfered in the construction of the security fence."
"The IDF stresses that building on state lands allocated for the security fence is illegal," the statement continued.
Bet Aryeh had been notified of the decree, the army added. The secular settlement could not be reached for comment.
It has some 3,600 residents and is located 3.8 km. from the pre-1967 Green Line, within the boundaries of the security barrier.
This is the second time this week that news has been released regarding a ban on new construction projects in the settlements. On Wednesday it was reported that the Defense Ministry had put a stop to an infrastructure project in Shilo.
