A/HRC/22/63 It excludes East Jerusalem and ―natural growth‖ in existing settlements, which grow three times as fast as ―natural growth‖ in Israel. (November) • The Government approves Decision No. 1060 ―Defining Towns and Areas with National Priority‖, following request of additional time to implement the Supreme Court rulings HCJ 2773/98 and HCJ 11163/0 on 1998 decision on National Priority Areas (NPAs). The new decision falls under the new ―Economic Arrangements Law‖ and classifies various settlements in the OPT as NPAs further designating settlements under the criterion of ―level of security threat.‖ In addition, every settlement in the OPT defined as a NPA is also entitled to receive on an individual basis the associated additional budgetary grants and benefits in fields to be defined by ministers. In contrast, towns and villages located within the Green Line and also defined as NPAs receive smaller benefits at the district and regional level only. 64 (13 December) 2010 • Israel joins the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). During the discussions of accession, Israel indicates that the Government applies the investment incentives under 1984 Law of Encouragement of Capital Investment (which is also reported as not covering the OPT) to certain industrial areas in the West Bank. Israel indicates that foreign-owned enterprises may be established in those areas of the West Bank and are eligible for grants under that Law. 65 (10 May) 2011 • A letter signed by 38 members of the Knesset (out of 120 members) is addressed to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. The letter refers to orders to ―demolish tens or hundreds of (…) outposts in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]‖ and indicates that ―[t]his directive must be changed‖. The letter further stresses that ―we should openly declare that Judea and Samaria are ours‖.66 (11 October) 2012 • Israeli Government retroactively legalises three outposts. (April) • The findings of the Levy Committee, established to investigate the legal status of the unauthorized settlements in the West Bank (―outposts‖), are published. The report documents that settlements built with no formal Government authorization were established with the knowledge, encouragement and tacit agreement of Government Ministers, including the Prime Minister, public authorities, the Civil Administration and the regional councils. It goes on to recommend, that given the real true will of the Israeli Government was to establish outposts, it should therefore legalise them. No in-depth analysis is made on the methods used to establish the so-called 64 65 66 Adalah Position Paper ―On the Israeli Government‘s New Decision Classifying Communities as National Priority Areas‖, February 2010, Adalah - The Legal Center for the Arab Minority Rights in Israel OECD ―Accession of Israel to the OECD: Review of international investment policies‖ http://www.oecd.org/israel/49864025.pdf Foundation for Middle East Peace ―MKs to Bibi - Keep the Outposts‖ Settlement Report, Vol. 21 No. 6, November-December 2011 37