Proposed bill would stop demolitions in Migron

Twenty MKs promote legislation to stop courts from ordering destruction of outposts existing over four years.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Mitzpe Yitzhar demolition 311 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
Mitzpe Yitzhar demolition 311
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
The demolition of homes in Migron and Givat Assaf could be stopped if a new bill proposed by MK Zevulun Orlev (Habayit Hayehudi) and sponsored by 19 MKs from six other parties is enacted.
According to Orlev’s bill, which will be brought to a vote at the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Sunday, petitions claiming private ownership of land in Jewish settlements may not be followed with demolition orders if the buildings are standing for over four years and the settlement has at least 20 families.
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“Destroying homes is pointless and, even worse, immoral and unjust, especially when the owners [of the land] do not present evidence and wait so long to submit their petition,” Orlev explained.
The legislation calls for a balance between the landowner’s interest – by providing monetary compensation to landowners – and the public interest by preventing the “unnecessary destruction of innocently established settlements.”
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni (Kadima) slammed the bill, saying it sought to “launder” illegal outposts and sent a clear message to “rock throwers” – a clear reference to settlers and right-wingers who have been involved in attacks against the IDF, police and Palestinians – that the coalition was giving in to their demands.
Following the vote in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, the initiative will undergo a preliminary Knesset reading, followed by three more readings, because it is a privately-drafted bill. The legislation could be brought to a plenum vote regardless of the Ministerial Committee’s position, but should the government approve the bill it is much more likely to pass.
Among the MKs sponsoring the initiative are coalition chairman Ze’ev Elkin (Likud), Israel Beiteinu faction head Robert Ilatov, National Union leader Ya’acov Katz, as well as others from those parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas.