Settler leaders leave Sharon's office
צילום: גיל יוחנן
'We want to evacuate as one unit'
Prime Minister Sharon meets with West Bank leaders to discuss evacuation as one unit; leaders request more compensation
JERUSALEM - In a meeting with Prime Minster Ariel Sharon at his office on Tuesday, representatives from the West Bank settlement of Homash requested to be evacuated as one community once the pullout plan is implemented.
"If the plan is eventually realized, we'll want to
leave as one unit," Homash leader Reuven Tabib said. "We came to voice our gut-feelings and discomfort, our love of the land and our investment in the place."
He said the settlers are faced with two options should the pullout plan be implemented.
"We could either continue to oppose disengagement in a democratic way, or leave the settlement together as a community," he said.
Tabib also added that Sharon did not discuss with them the possibility of delaying the disengagement.
More money
In addition, West Bank settler leaders are trying to alter the evacuee-compensation law.
Prior to the meeting, they said
they hoped to persuade Sharon to increase the amount of compensation earmarked for settlers in the framework of the planned pullout.
Earlier, representatives from the neighboring Sa-Nur settlement, also slated for evacuation, voiced their opposition to the meeting with Sharon.
"Even if Sharon personally invites us, we would refuse," one representative said. "It's as if the hangman is telling us to make one last wish before the death sentence is carried out."
