Retired Justice Eliyahu Matza
Photo: Alex Kolomoysky
Caravans built for evacuees
Photo: Yinon Kadri
Committee to probe status of Gush Katif evacuees
Former Supreme Court justice to head committee investigating authorities charged with resettlement of Gaza evacuees three years ago
Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish appointed a atate commission of inquirty to investigate the progress made by authorities charged with taking care of Gush Katif evacuees during the Gaza pullout three years ago.
The commission will be headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Eliyahu Matza.
Matza and his fellow committee members will investigate the authorities' handling of the evacuees and provide recommendations, if needed, regarding their resettlement.
The commission will also probe the evacuees' employment and welfare situation in line with reports filed by the state comptroller in March 2006 and January 2009.
According to the more recent report, filed more than three years after the pullout, 95% of the evacuated families who asked to join other evacuees in order to resettle in a community still remain without permanent residence. The comptroller's report criticized authorities on this matter.
The Gush Katif Committee praised Beinish's announcement on the appointment of the investigation committee and expressed hope that it would find solutions for evacuees who remain without permanent homes.
Matza was appointed justice at the Magistrates' Court in 1978, and in May of 1991 was appointed to the Supreme Court, where he served as a judge as well as a deputy to the Supreme Court president until 2005, when he retired.
Other members of the committee include Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern, a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), and Dr. Shimon Ravid, retired joint managing director of Bank Hapoalim group.
