The Ministerial Committee for Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria met Tuesday to discuss legal issues in the towns of Beit El and Migron in the Binyamin region, and the city of Hevron in Judea. State prosecutors attended the session and revealed their views.
In Migron, Israeli residents were to be evicted after an Arab man claimed the sale of the land to Jews was invalid, and that he was the true owner. However, residents attempted to circumvent the ruling by purchasing much of the community’s land from the new Arabs now claiming ownership. The land sellers are residents of the Palestinian Authority.
State prosecutors said putting the purchase into effect would be legally problematic. Three tracts of land were purchased, they said. One was purchased from just one of four people claiming ownership, they said, and the other ownership claims would be a legal barrier to settlement.
The other two tracts of land can only be accessed via land still claimed by PA residents, they said.
Regarding Beit El, they said there are legal problems with construction in a western part of the town. However, prosecutors said they would defend Beit El residents’ views in court at the request of the government, which promised Beit El community leaders that more homes would be built in their town to replace 30 that are to be removed.
In Hevron, there is a lawsuit against Jews living in the Beit Ezra building. State prosecutors said they believe the Jewish residents entered illegally and must be evicted. Ministers did not object to the eviction, but called to ensure that the building is made available for Israeli use.
Residents of Migron were angered by the attorneys’ description of the issue. “The State Prosecution officials’ unnecessary philosophizing proves two things again and again: 1. that the sales were good and believable, 2. that the prosecution is motivated by a desire to see destruction, not justice,” they charged.