Israel legalises Jordan Valley outpost

The Israeli government recently legalized a Jordan Valley outpost, making it part of another nearby settlement, a regional council official said. David Lahiani head of the Jordan Valley Regional Council told The Jerusalem Post Tuesday the Givat Salit outpost was legalized several months ago. He said legalizing the outpost some 330 yards from the Mehola settlement is meaningful because it was named for Salit Sheetrit, who was killed in September 2001 at the age of 28 by a Palestinian terrorist who sprayed at least 20 bullets into her car as she drove near Mehola, the paper said. Peace Now, a rights group that opposes Israel's settlement activities, published details of the outpost Monday. The organization accused the government of a cover-up, saying a 2005 report indicated the settlement was built with government funds.