Staying in the tent camp
Photo: Roni Sofer
Evacuees: State trying to trick us
Gaza evacuees living in tent encampment claim State plans on moving them permanently to Ashkelon apartment building instead of offering them permanent residence in Kibbutz Palmahim
Evacuees from the Gaza settlement of Elei Sinai, who have been residing at a tent encampment in the Yad Mordechai junction, claimed Thursday that the Disengagement Authority tried to trick them into permanently moving into an apartment complex in the southern town of Ashkelon, contrary to an agreement between the families and the Authority.
The evacuees were scheduled to see an apartment building in Ashkelon, where they were meant to be housed temporarily until permanent residences in Kibbutz Palmahim, south of Tel Aviv, were ready. The settlers however cancelled the meeting after discovering that the State allegedly planned to have them stay in Ashkelon permanently.
More than half a year ago, 45 evacuee families reached a basic agreement with the Authority, according to which they would be offered permanent residence in Kibbutz Palmahim and their stay in temporary residence in the meantime would be financed by the government.
However, despite the fact that the agreement was approved by the attorney general, the move to Palmahim was suspended for two reasons. First, because about 30 young Kibbutz members are also interested in the apartments destined for the evacuees, and the kibbutz has yet to decide which group will receive the territory.
The second reason is a committee established by the Israel Land Administration regarding the Haber Committee report in order to examine the rights on the residence territories in agricultural communities. The committee is meant to set a measure for distributing lands in the kibbutzim, and until its activity is not completed the lands cannot be transferred to the Elei Sinai evacuees.
"This entire issue is stuck until a decision is made on the issue. The kibbutz is very interested in absorbing us," the tent encampment's spokesperson Sarita Maoz said.
The evacuees claimed that the Disengagement Authority tried to get them to move to an apartment building in Ashkelon, assuming that it was a temporary solution, and then not to ultimately transfer them to Palmahim as according to the deal.
Disengagement Authority rejects claims
Yonatan Bassi, head of the Disengagement Authority, visited the tent encampment Wednesday and discussed the Palmahim project with the evacuees, but the evacuees still believe they are being tricked.
"Their aim was in fact to remove us from this tent encampment, house us in Ashkelon, and thereby achieve the goal of evacuating the tents without fulfilling the agreement of moving to Palmahim," Maoz said.
Following the discovery, the residents cancelled their meeting with the Authority's representative who was meant to show them the Ashkelon apartment building.
The Disengagement Authority said in response: "The Authority sought to rent apartment buildings for the Elei Sinai evacuees, but throughout the entire period the evacuees refused to leave the tents and move to a temporary residence. About a week ago, the State offered them the apartment building in Ashkelon, which is supposed to absorb about 30 families, but the evacuees cancelled the meeting."
The Authority denied the evacuees' claim that it was trying to move them to live in Ashkelon permanently.
"The Disengagement Authority is doing all it can to advance the move of the families to permanent residence in Kibbutz Palmahim. We discussed the issue in March with all the elements dealing with it, and the Authority is also working to bring the communities together and help the families individually," officials at the Authority said.
