Praying at Kisufim
Photo: Reuters
Gush Katif evacuees: Return is a matter of time
Former residents of Jewish settlement bloc mark two-year anniversary of Gaza pullout with rallies in Kisufim, Netivot, Sderot. Many still feel abandoned by government
Some 1000 of Gush Katif's former residents marked the two-year anniversary of the Gaza pullout Wednesday
in a series of events, beginning at the Kisufim checkpoint and ending at Sderot.
In a rally held in Netivot, many of them said they feel abandoned by the government, which even after two years had failed to find them permanent residence. Most still share one dream: to go back Gaza.
"Sure, a part of me wants to say 'the hell with everything', but at the end of the day, this is my country – not the politicians'. It important to me to change this country's values," Smadar Golan told Ynet.
Netivot rally (Photo: Reuters)
"I miss my home, miss my life… The State should have made sure we had somewhere to go," said Hagit Yaron at the rally. Yaron didn't blame the government for evacuating Gush Katif – she said she saw it as divine intervention – but did blame it for not handling the evacuees properly.
"Young people of Gush Katif, swear me this - be I an old man or be it my bones, you will take me with you upon your return," said Ami Shaked, the former chief of security of Neve Dekalim, in a second rally held at Kisufim checkpoint.
Wednesday's events, which started with rally at Netivot and Kisufim checkpoint and ended with the induction of a Torah book at the Sderot synagogue, were organized by the Gush Katif Committee.
Most of Gush Katif's former residents remained optimistic. They said they had no doubt their return there was just a matter of time. All they had to do now, they said, was just convince the rest of the country.
