Court asked to postpone Migron trial

State responds to Peace Now petition calling for end to illegal settlement.

By DAN IZENBERG
high court 298.88 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
high court 298.88
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
The state on Sunday asked the High Court of Justice to postpone hearing a petition calling for the dismantling of the illegal outpost of Migron for up to five months, while it negotiates an agreement with settlement leaders to leave the outpost voluntarily. "The minister of defense intends to deal with the evacuation of Migron in the near future," the state's representative, attorney Aner Hellman, told the High Court in response to a petition submitted by Peace Now and Palestinians who own the land upon which the outpost was built. "It is understandable that our preference is to reach agreement with the settlers for a voluntary evacuation and the dismantling of the buildings." The state confirmed the petitioners' allegation that the settlers had built Migron, located northeast of Ramallah, on land that was owned by Palestinians and registered in their names. The site is not included in the territorial boundaries of any Jewish local or regional council. Today, there are 62 caravans, three prefabricated buildings, a permanent building under construction and other facilities on the site. Construction began towards the end of 2001, when a request was made to erect a cellular antenna on a hilltop located about half a kilometer from Highway 60, the Jerusalem-Nablus highway. Soon afterwards, settlers brought the first five mobile homes to the site. The army did not remove them even though the settlers did not have permission to park them there. Today, more than 40 families live in the outpost.