The High Court of Justice on Monday ordered the state to demolish five stone apartment buildings housing 30 families in the West Bank Ulpana outpost by July 1.

Right-wing politicians immediately called for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to support legislation in the Knesset that would authorize the homes and prevent their destruction.

But news of the court’s decision came as parliamentarians had already gathered to debate a bill to dissolve the Knesset, a move that would send it almost immediately into recess until after the September 4th elections.

Unless its dissolution is delayed, it is unlikely that such legislation could be passed in time to prevent the demolitions of the homes, located on the outskirts of the Beit El settlement.

Left- and right-wing politicians immediately politicized their comments, turning the Ulpana into an election issue with minutes of the court’s announcement.

MK Danny Dannon (Likud) blamed the court for the decision, which he noted ran counter to the will of his party.(© 1995-2011, The Jerusalem Post 05/07/12)