The State informed the High Court of Justice Monday that the Defense Ministry granted permits for the construction of 50 housing units in Adam, a settlement located near Jerusalem, as part of the relocation efforts for the families residing in illegal West Bank outpost of Migron.
The ministry's permit allocation, however, contradicts its previous consent tobuild 1,450 housing units in the area. The State claimed that the number of permits issued now coincides with the number of settlers in Migron.
Itzik Shadmi, of the Benyamin settlers' council said in response to the State's court brief: "We will not accept any arrangement that implies we do not have the right to settle anywhere in the Land of Israel, and therefore the arrangement struck between the Defense Ministry and the High Court in unacceptable.
"The only thing we are willing to do it to move Migron 300 meters (980 feet) and build it as a permanent settlement. There is no reason we cannot be on this hill."
Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan added, "The State's brief to the High Court reflects the understandings reached with the Defense Ministry and former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government.We stand by our commitment and the State should so the same."
Knesset Member Michael Ben Ari (National Union )called on the Migron settlers to reject the Defense Ministry's proposal, saying that "the prime minister wants to decimate the settlement movement and dismantle the smaller settlements. There is no room from compromise."
Efrat Weiss contributed to this report