Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, has delayed the evacuation of four illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank, which was scheduled to take place “voluntarily” by the settlers on Friday. This decision was issued in an attempt to avoid the involvement of Israeli Defense Forces in the evacuation process.

Barak’s written agreement with the Settlements Council, which was signed last Wednesday to evacuate the outposts, is, in itself, detrimental to the peace process; such an agreement places unjustifiable legitimacy on the existence of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

The Prime Minister’s accommodation of illegal settlement activities is unacceptable; all legal, political, and moral implications of Israeli settlements embody a grave violation of Palestinian rights and must be dealt with immediately and comprehensively.

Barak’s actions raise several question marks; is he really not up to facing the settlers, or is he using their radicalism as a tool for his own policy of non-compromise?