Sasson, who authored the famous 2005 report on unauthorized outposts in the West Bank, says that enforcement would be extremely difficult and laments that the new government policy on settlements does not include any reference to the outposts.

Listen here to my full interview with Sasson:

Enforcing the moratorium on settlement construction, Sasson points out, requires a documenting effort, an ongoing monitoring effort, a security effort (protecting the government inspectors who will fan out in the West Bank to enforce the new orders), a judicial effort (preparing and pursuing indictments against violators), as well as a political effort. Prime Minister Netanyahu will have to confront the settler leaders, many of whom are members of his Likud party.

In the several days that passed since Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he will not approve any new residential buildings in the settlements - or new plans for such construction - the settlers have mounted a mini-rebellion. They are not allowing inspectors into the settlements. In some cases they used violence against the inspectors and the police officers who are protecting them. They snubbed Defense Minister Ehud Barak's invitation to discuss their civil disobedience. Those familiar with the way in which the settlers escalate reactions to government law-enforcement efforts would not be surprised to witness a wave of attacks on West Bank Palestinians as well in the coming days and weeks.

Binyamin Netanyahu's government is facing a real test. If it doesn't stand up to the settlers' challenge, its welcome move to curtail settlement construction would be discredited. If it does, it may, at last, reopen the path toward peace negotiations, toward Israeli-Palestinian peace.