NRP to petition High Court against compensation advances

The National Religious Party announced Monday that it will submit a petition to the High Court of Justice on Tuesday to protest last week's government decision to distribute advance compensation payments to Gaza Strip and West Bank residents due to be evacuated under the disengagement plan.

The diplomatic-security cabinet last week approved the general principles of a bill to implement the disengagement plan, as well as the payment of advances to settlers in the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank who wish to evacuate voluntarily. The motions passed with nine ministers in favor and only one, Labor and Social Affairs Minister Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party), opposed.

NRP chairman MK Effi Eitam said Monday he would submit the petition in the name of the party. The NRP considers the cabinet decision illegal because the government has not yet decided which settlements will be evacuated, or even voted on the actual evacuation itself. In addition, the NRP says it is opposed to the compensation payments because the Knesset has not yet authorized them, as is legally required.

A final draft of the disengagement bill will be given to the ministers on September 26, after which the Ministerial Committee on Legislation will meet to approve it. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to bring the bill to the Knesset for a first reading on November 3, and sometime before this date he will ask the legislature to endorse the cabinet's June 6 decision approving the disengagement plan.

Last week's decision authorizes Sela, the government agency responsible for paying compensation to evacuated settlers, to begin paying advances to people who wish to leave early, and to grant loans to businesses that want to relocate. In practice, however, Sela will not be able to start work until the Knesset Finance Committee approves funding for this purpose.

While the committee approved funding to cover Sela's administrative expenses, it has not yet approved funds for the advances.

Sela director Yonatan Bassi said that he expects to be ready to start paying advances in about two weeks, and has already received inquiries from some 100 families.

The cabinet's decision also states that before the involuntary evacuation begins, the area around the settlements to be evacuated will be closed to all Israelis except those who live there. The decision authorized Sharon to decide when this closure will be imposed, after consulting with the defense and public security ministers.