Migron settlers keep watering gardens

Migron, an outpost whose evacuation American diplomats demand every time they discuss the outposts with their Israeli counterparts, ceased to be an outpost a long time ago. Seven years after it was established, Migron now looks like a full-fledged settlement: two permanent houses and more than 60 prefabricated homes, where 50 families with 150 children live.

At Migron there are no hilltop youth or ecological settlers, and no "shanty" settlers. There is a varied population with an urban-communal orientation: young couples, veterans, students, social workers, teachers, nurses, academics, yeshiva students from Har Hamor, and rabbis. But mostly there is a rich community life, which in recent years contributed to transforming Migron into one of the most desirable communities among young settlers.

More than 100 families would like to live there, but because Migron was established without formal permission on private Palestinian land, its future is uncertain and a freeze has been put on construction and absorption of new settlers.

Most of the people living in Migron moved there from Jerusalem, but still work in the capital. Yehoyida, an industrial design student at the Bezalel academy, is married to Noa, an optometrist from Jerusalem. They live in Migron with three children in a home of 45 square meters. Like many of his friends in the outpost, Yehoyida cannot conceive that the visit by U.S. President George W. Bush and talks between the Yesha Council and Defense Minister Ehud Barak will result in an evacuation.

Yehoyida describes the population in Migron as "mainstream settlers." His neighbor, Ezra, thinks that the media interest in the old outpost and its residents is ridiculous. "We are not settlers all the time. Most of the time we are just living: earning a living, happy, sad, doing reserve duty. Our children fight, laugh, cry, and do many of the same things that 'non-settlers' do," Ezra said.

Even though officially, no one in Migron is talking about an evacuation, the outpost's leadership is closely monitoring the talks between the Yesha Council and the office of Defense Minister Ehud Barak regarding the future of the settlement.

The Yesha Council has agreed in principle to move Migron to an alternate site if Barak authorizes the new location. It appears that Barak is willing to move Migron but is unwilling to authorize the documents for a new Migron.

The settlers are trying in parallel to purchase some of the lands on which Migron sits. If Barak insists on evacuating the outpost, and not through an agreed evacuation, Migron is expected to become the site of a major fight, particularly because the community has become a symbol for the settlers.

The rabbis have already made it clear that they plan to bring to the site thousands of people who will try to prevent the evacuation.

Migron is 748 meters above sea level, and 12 kilometers from Jerusalem on Route 60. Pinhas Wallerstein and his friends in the Yesha Council set up Migron in an effort to create a contiguity of communities between Ofra and Beit El.

Migron is a name mentioned in the Bible, in 1 Samuel, as the place where King Saul was based during his war against the Philistines. According to the version of the residents, "Migron was created as an excavation site" a year and a half before the deadline of May 2001. Any outpost set up after that date will be evacuated, Israel promised the United States.

According to the Sasson report, Migron was set up in May 2001, while Peace Now maintains that it was established in early 2002.

The gardens are small but well kept: There are trees, swings, benches and jungle gyms. There is a daycare center in the community, a kindergarten, and for school, kids are bused to Michmash The state has invested nearly NIS 4 million in Migron: in a paved road, a synagogue, infrastructure, lighting, greenery, a safe room and a water tower. The Peace Now petition for evacuation of Migron is still being evaluated by the High Court of Justice.