JERUSALEM, 02 July 2021, (TON): Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has announced a deal for Jewish settlers to leave an illegal outpost in the occupied West Bank by Friday, with a possibility of returning.

Settlers had built the Eviatar outpost near Nablus over recent weeks in defiance of both international and Israeli law, sparking fierce protests from Palestinians in neighbouring villages.

Bennett, who previously led a key settler lobbying group, on late Wednesday released details of the deal, which calls for Eviatar’s inhabitants to leave by 4:00 pm Friday (1300 GMT).

A letter outlining the terms of the previously reported arrangement confirmed that the settler’s homes will remain at the site and the Israeli army ,which has occupied the West Bank since 1967, will establish a presence in the area.

The letter said “following the evacuation, the defence ministry “will perform a process of land survey on the site as quickly as possible” to determine whether it can be labelled Israeli state land.

The letter added “if the study declares it to be Israeli land, a religious institution will be allowed to be built and accompanying residential quarters for it and for the yeshiva staff’s families.

All Jewish settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal by most of the international community.