Peretz vows support for settlers

Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz on Monday vowed to support settlers evacuated from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, saying that Labor plans for evacuated settlers will be a model for future evacuations.

“No one is ready to listen to us, they evacuated us by force from Elei Sinai and no one is ready to find us a solution. It took little time to evacuate us from the Gaza Strip, but it take a lot of time to transfer us to places we want to live in,” Arik Harfez told Peretz, who visited evacuated settlers at a tent camp near Kibbutz Yad Mordechai.

Peretz reassured: “When I am in government, I will do everything to solve your problem. I believe the solution for you will also be a model for other settlements in the Judea and Samaria that will be moved.”

Settlers told Peretz that they are about to move to Kibbutz Palmachim. Evacuees said the government abandoned them since the disengagement.

Peretz told evacuees it is government manipulation: “If the finance minister needs someone to mediate between him and the evacuees I am willing to help him. It is a stupid and evil move that someone planned.” Peretz said he will seek to fasten the evacuees’ moving to permanent housing in Palmachim.

After the visit, evacuees said Peretz did not cause them to be optimistic, but some said the visit is important. Peretz and senior Labor officials continued the tour, which started yesterday, part of a week-long election campaign across the country entitled “My Truth is with Labor.”