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Last update - 02:13 08/02/2009 A shady deal on the West Bank By Haaretz Editorial Tags: ehud olmert, settlements  The Olmert government was elected on the basis of its promise to advance a "realignment" in the West Bank, at the center of which stood the evacuation of dozens of settlements. But it concludes its term without having upheld one of the commitments its predecessor made to the U.S. administration - the promise to dismantle all outposts built since March 2001. The fate of Migron, the largest illegal outpost, which was built on private Palestinian land near Ramallah, becomes clearer when considering the High Court of Justice's sluggishness. The state promised to evacuate it, but repeatedly asked to postpone the evacuation in an attempt to reach a deal with the settlers, which would prevent a violent confrontation. An affidavit the state submitted to the High Court last week said the Defense Ministry continues "to hold discussions" with the Yesha Council on settlements over the fate of 26 illegal outposts. The affidavit was signed by Eitan Broshi, Defense Minister Ehud Barak's adviser on settlements, who noted that so far "a few outposts" have been evacuated, listing three relatively minor sites. Advertisement A protocol of discussions with settler representatives on the terms of evacuating Migron, the contents of which were reported in Haaretz last Wednesday, reveals that in exchange for the promise of evacuating the outpost without striking soldiers or abusing police officers, Barak is offering an incentive as a reward for this group of criminals. Instead of mobile homes, the 45 squatter families will be given 50 proper houses in "a community settlement" to be built especially for them within the municipal confines of the Adam settlement, east of the separation fence. Until the homes are built, the defense minister is requesting that the evacuation of "the mother of the outposts" be postponed for another two to three years. The Migron affair is a double mark of Cain on the forehead of this government: contempt for law and justice domestically, and an erosion of its credibility in foreign eyes. What value can be attached to our leaders' declaring their willingness to make far-reaching territorial concessions, which will necessitate the evacuation of tens of thousands of settlers, at a time when they are afraid of a few families? If this were not enough, the deal with the settlers includes the approval of plans to build at least 250 housing units. By law, this will require the approval of a detailed plan for the construction of an additional 1,400 housing units. If this is true, the price for evacuating Migron will be a substantial expansion of a different settlement. One must hope that the High Court will not cooperate with this shady deal, and will instruct the state to evacuate Migron immediately. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Israeli Spiderman Police arrest man in super-hero costume harassing commuters. One man, 32 women Exposed: Tel Aviv man has 32 partners and 89 children.   1.   land thieves 13:11  |  natterer 08/02/09   2.   Build, build, build! 15:11  |  Stein 08/02/09   3.   Unless 16:14  |  rm 08/02/09   4.   Build ! Build! Build! Best Guarantee for WAR 18:17  |  Redrum 16/02/09

Read & React West Bank settlement gets green light for major expansion Responses: 135 Officials: Israel may authorize terms for Shalit deal Wednesday Responses: 32 Editorial: Israel must end Turkey crisis, not make it worse Responses: 50 Akiva Eldar: What is left of Livni's peace message? Responses: 10 Tel Aviv women fight back against free pornography Responses: 35 More Headlines 21:47 Netanyahu: Palestinians should be sovereign, but not at Israel's expense 21:50 Livni: Israel must give up land to remain Jewish and democratic 21:39 Officials: Israel may authorize terms for Shalit deal on Wednesday 22:14 Netanyahu: I want wide coalition, beyond the 'nationalist camp' 21:42 Nasrallah: Hezbollah has the right to shoot down Israeli planes 20:22 Israeli Arab MK: Livni is 90% Lieberman, 10% Netanyahu 20:33 Lebanon arrests man suspected of spying on Hezbollah for Israel 20:06 UN nuclear watchdog: Israel's 'perceived double-standard' hurts NPT 19:33 Maccabee-era tablets found near Jerusalem shed light on ancient Jewish warriors 15:42 Sure the Israeli right won? Peace lost? Look closer 18:14 Auschwitz blueprints to be put on display in Berlin 17:14 IDF bombs smuggling tunnels in Gaza after 2 Qassams hit Negev 22:02 N.Y. toy fair markets Smash-Me Bernie - a $99.95 Madoff look-alike doll 14:08 100 people hurt as `dangerous substance` leaks at Eilat hotel 19:25 'Politics and sports don't mix,' Israeli tennis player says after UAE ban 19:35 First-term Meretz MK to present bill for gay and civil marriages 09:10 ANALYSIS / For Livni and Netanyahu, rotating government could be the only option 20:41 Yad Vashem posthumously honors Nazi officer made famous in The Pianist 08:55 West Bank settlement gets green light for major expansion 11:29 Muslim comics superheroes battle radical Islam 11:15 South Korea to buy Israeli radar system in $215 million deal Previous Editions Select Day 15 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 09 feb 08 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 02 feb

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