The Defense Ministry has approved a master plan for the construction of 1,450 housing units in the Shomron community of Adam, located in the Benjamin Regional Council district. The announcement comes as Defense Minister Ehud Barak departs for the United States, where he will be meeting with special envoy George Mitchell. Barak is expected to announce a limited construction freeze in settlements towards complying with White House demands.

The information is contained in an affidavit submitted to the High Court of Justice, in which ministry official Eitan Baroshi explains that the new neighborhood in Adam has been approved but for now, planning and other efforts will focus on a small area, an area that is intended to serve as the new home for residents of Migron, a small community nearby that has been ordered removed by the High Court. The construction at present will involve 50 housing units and no more.

The ministry also explains to the court that high tension electric connectivity has already been ordered in the hope of expediting the new neighborhood towards complying with the High Court ruling to remove Migron.

The residents of Migron and officials in the regional council have rejected the government’s plans to relocate the community to accommodate the High Court ruling. Adding to their objections on Monday was MK (Ichud HaLeumi) Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, who called on Migron residents not to accept the alternative living option since in essence; the court and the prime minister are working to destroy the entire settlement enterprise.

The radical left-wing Peace Now organization, which filed the High Court petition, insists the neighborhood of 50 homes is only the first stage, insisting the government plans a major increase in the size of the community as indicated in the master plan. It was Peace Now’s efforts that led to the court decision to expel the resident of the community of Migron, which despite the fact that it has homes, a shul and paved roads, is classified as an illegal outpost.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)