One-week 'ultimatum' to settlers
Gaza settlers have one week to decide whether they wish to relocate to Nitzanim area, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni says. Meanwhile, close to 450 Gush Katif families have reportedly already expressed willingness to relocate
JERUSALEM - Gaza Strip settlers must decide within a week whether they wish to relocate to the Nitzanim area following the upcoming pullout, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said at a press conference Wednesday.
Earlier, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told members of the ministerial committee on disengagement he intends to issue an ultimatum to would-be evacuees regarding their post-evacuation plans.
Addressing the proposal to relocate settlers to the Nitzanim area, Sharon said settlers must make up their mind until a certain date whether they wish to move there.
“There are other people who are also willing to settle there,” he said. “We cannot prevent them from doing so or limiting them.”
The prime minister spoke after Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said most settlers have not declared where they intend to move after the pullout.
Quarter of Gush Katif families willing to move
On Tuesday, Sharon toured the Nitzanim area and urged developers and Housing Ministry officials to speed up their efforts ahead of the expected arrival of settlers to the area.
“We need to work immediately and quickly,” he said. “Start working in full force, run forward.”
The government has already presented settlers with an ultimatum earlier this month, telling would-be evacuees that by May 10 they must provide a final answer regarding the number of people genuinely interested in moving to Nitzanim.
Meanwhile, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that about 450 families, comprising approximately a quarter of all Gush Katif families, expressed their willingness to leave their homes. However, Minister Livni said 436 families have said they would agree to mvoe to Nitzanim.
The Disengagement Administration reportedly views the latest figures as a dramatic change and is protecting the identity of the families.
In order to further encourage voluntarily evacuation, officials decided to issue an invitation in the coming days, calling on settlers to choose the plot of land they wish to move to on a first-come first-serve basis.
Knesset members to be allowed into evacuated zones
Meanwhile, official IDF sources informed Knesset member Yitzhak Levy that parliamentarians would be allowed into areas slated for evacuation.
“The free movement of Knesset members in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, including in areas to be closed for military needs, would be allowed, unless there is a fear for their life,” the army’s announcement said.
The IDF initially opposed the move, but changed its position after it became clear that a bill on the matter submitted by Levy would have gained the required majority.
