Peace Now: Migron Aerial Photos and Legal Docs Revealed

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Peace Now today released the 'Migron File' - a comprehensive dossier containing all the facts and figures, aerial photos and copies of legal documents related to the illegal outpost of Migron (which the Netanyahu government is working frantically to find a way to legalize).

The "Migron File" can be viewed online or downloaded here.

Regarding recent developments and Migron, Peace Now notes:

The agreement proposed to the Migron settlers this week by the Israeli Prime Minister has set a new precedent in the settlement enterprise.

For the past 20 years the government has kept to its national and international commitments not to build any new settlements in the West Bank. Outposts that were set up in the West Bank were deemed illegal even under Israeli law, the state has consistently claimed they are to be evacuated and that the settlers in these outposts had no authorization or assistance from the state.

In recent years we have witnessed expansion in settlements and the retroactive authorization of some outposts.

Never in the past 20 years have we seen the Israeli government purposely plan and construct a brand new settlement deep inside the West Bank.

It is clear that the Netanyahu government has succumbed to the political pressure of Likud stalwarts and settler threats of violence, and has now offered the Migron residents an authorized government sponsored settlement 2 kms from the original site, in return for cooperation in evacuating Migron.

The evacuation of Migron ordered by the Israeli High Court to be implemented by March 2012, would likely only take place when such a new settlement is fully constructed, in many years' time.

Not only is Netanyahu rewarding settlers for clearly breaking Israeli law, establishing illegal outposts on Palestinian private land - but the reward he is to pay the settlers will be at the expense of a viable Palestinian state.

Peace Now will not allow this to happen, and will oppose at with every possible means the postponement of the evacuation of Migron and the establishment of a new settlement for its residents.

In addition we will continue to demand that the government complies with the decision of the High Court without further delay.