Negotiations to prevent the demolition of the Migron outpost in the West Bank appeared in danger of falling apart on Sunday evening, according to reports from parliamentarians.

MK Uri Ariel (National Union) and MK Danny Danon (Likud) reported that talks broke down over the conditions under which the homes would be relocated.

Danon said that the state insisted that the outpost must be relocated within two-and-a-half years, irrespective of whether new homes have been built for the Migron residents.

Ariel added that the state balked at accepting a condition by the settlers that the status of the land be adjudicated first, before the homes are destroyed.

The High Court of Justice has ordered the state to demolish the Migron outpost, which is home to 50 families, by the end of March. It ruled that the homes, most of which are modular, were constructed without the necessary permits on land classified by the state as belonging to Palestinians.

To avert a forced demolition of the outpost, the state has looked to find a compromise by which the outpost would be relocated two kilometers away to state land near the Psagot winery on the same hilltop in the Binyamin region, where Migron is now located.

Ariel called on the government to resist caving in to pressure from the Left and to sign an agreement with the Migron residents.

Danon said that, although the two sides appeared to be at an impasse, he was hopeful that the differences between them would be overcome.

The Knesset Lobby for the Land of Israel, which is led by coalition chairman MK Ze’ev Elkin (Likud) and MK Arye Eldad (National Union), called on the government to stand by its promise to the Migron settlers. (© 1995-2011, The Jerusalem Post 02/27/12)