Israel Matzav

State won't oppose petition to keep Migron in place

The government's new Ministerial Committee on 'settlements' decided on Tuesday that the government will not oppose a petition to the High Court of Justice by the Jewish residents of Migron asking that the Court cancel its order that they be expelled from their homes no later than August 1.

Last summer, the High Court of Justice issued a binding order mandating the state to evacuate the outpost by August 1, because it was built without proper permits on land classified by the state as belonging to private Palestinians.

But early this month, outpost residents announced that they had purchased 2.5 out of 5 hectares on which the outpost is located from its Palestinian landowners.

Migron residents then petitioned the court to rescind its order given that they had documents proving recent proof of purchase.

The court agreed to hear their petition next Sunday. In advance of that hearing, the Ministerial Committee on Settlements – headed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu – met for over an hour Tuesday to decide on the state’s position, which the prosecutor’s office is scheduled to submit to the court on Wednesday.

According to a participant in the meeting, the ministers stood by the policy that homes built without permits on private Palestinian property, such as in the case of Migron, must be removed. But the ministers believe if the court authenticates the land purchase, than there was no reason to remove the homes.

They noted that the state was not party to the petition, nor had it initiated it. But that if it is asked to give its opinion, the state does not plan to oppose it.

And a reminder of the neighborhood in which we live....

After Migron residents filed their petition, the court placed a gag order on any details, which might identify the Palestinian property owners.

The Palestinian Authority imposes a death sentence on Palestinians who sell property to Jews.

Maybe the State will get its act together and pay for the land on which it told people to build after this one.

Labels: Judea and Samaria, Migron, outposts, Supreme Court

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:09 AM