Site of Gush Katif
Committee Index
33%
Percent of settlers
in permanent housing
in permanent housing
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Shvat 5772 status report
Houses in the Permanent Sites:
Employment
The unemployment rate among the Gush Katif people following Disengagement is about 16% (high percentages in Nitzan and Ashkelon) compared with the 5% in Gush Katif. Currently, the only
organization that deals with this is Jobkatif which is a private organization. It has managed to lower the post-Disengagement
unemployment rate by 30%, and help many small businesses start anew. Also, the Tnufa administration has succeeded in raising government funding by 75% in aiding businesses.
Agriculture
There were about 380 agriculture farms in Gush Katif (of which about 240 were active).
• About 30% of the farmers have started to farm again.
• Because of their advanced age and their economical and emotional situation after Disengagement, there are farmers
who are not able to return to the work force. These farmers cannot retire nor do they have a pension.
• Hundreds of law suits from former Palestinian workers were submitted two years ago against employers from Gush
Katif, most of which were farmers. They demand compensation and minimum wages. After extended efforts of the Gush
Katif Committee and long legal work most of these law suits were turned down in the last weeks.
The Conclusions of the State Investigation Committee’s Report
The final report regarding how the authorities dealt with the Gush Katif people declared that “the State failed in fulfilling its duty to care for the evacuees of the Gaza region…as an urgent national mission...” and recommended:
1. Swift legislation changes for structural changes in order to grant just compensation in the areas discussed in the report.
2. Committee work and preparation of government decisions for implementation within three months in all of the subjects where legislation is not needed.
(This report was adopted by the Israeli government on July 15th, 2010)
Following the State Investigation Committee a number of government suggestions were
approved regarding compensation. These legislation corrections were another stage in
realizing the conclusions of the above mentioned report and in partially rectifying some of
the disaster brought about by the original law.
We finished -with the backing and the effort of the head of the Prime Minister’s office,
the Ministers’ committee, the MKs and the Tnufa administration- the legislation of the
compensation with the government about four months ago. We also managed to have the
government officially declare that they would continue to consider the issue one of national
priority.
Our Future Goals:
a. The advancement and establishment of the permanent sites including fundraising for public buildings.
b. Socially support the communities till the arrival on the permanent sites.
c. Support the weak links: “No family is left behind” project for families that cannot afford a house of their own
without additional support.
Six and a half years after the Disengagement from Gush Katif we are starting to feel the
building development; permanent sites are being built. Out of the nearly 1,450 families who
remained in the Gush Katif community structures:
- About 2/3 are not yet in their houses.
- About 100 families haven’t yet started with their infrastructure (Karmi Katif, Palmachim,
Neve Yam and Nir Akiva).
- About 200 families are in financial difficulties and cannot build their homes without help
(among them the Bnei Menashe community, young couples and families who have lost
their employment following Disengagement).
building development; permanent sites are being built. Out of the nearly 1,450 families who
remained in the Gush Katif community structures:
- About 2/3 are not yet in their houses.
- About 100 families haven’t yet started with their infrastructure (Karmi Katif, Palmachim,
Neve Yam and Nir Akiva).
- About 200 families are in financial difficulties and cannot build their homes without help
(among them the Bnei Menashe community, young couples and families who have lost
their employment following Disengagement).
Employment
organization that deals with this is Jobkatif which is a private organization. It has managed to lower the post-Disengagement
unemployment rate by 30%, and help many small businesses start anew. Also, the Tnufa administration has succeeded in raising government funding by 75% in aiding businesses.
Agriculture
There were about 380 agriculture farms in Gush Katif (of which about 240 were active).
• About 30% of the farmers have started to farm again.
• Because of their advanced age and their economical and emotional situation after Disengagement, there are farmers
who are not able to return to the work force. These farmers cannot retire nor do they have a pension.
• Hundreds of law suits from former Palestinian workers were submitted two years ago against employers from Gush
Katif, most of which were farmers. They demand compensation and minimum wages. After extended efforts of the Gush
Katif Committee and long legal work most of these law suits were turned down in the last weeks.
The Conclusions of the State Investigation Committee’s Report
The final report regarding how the authorities dealt with the Gush Katif people declared that “the State failed in fulfilling its duty to care for the evacuees of the Gaza region…as an urgent national mission...” and recommended:
1. Swift legislation changes for structural changes in order to grant just compensation in the areas discussed in the report.
2. Committee work and preparation of government decisions for implementation within three months in all of the subjects where legislation is not needed.
(This report was adopted by the Israeli government on July 15th, 2010)
Following the State Investigation Committee a number of government suggestions were
approved regarding compensation. These legislation corrections were another stage in
realizing the conclusions of the above mentioned report and in partially rectifying some of
the disaster brought about by the original law.
We finished -with the backing and the effort of the head of the Prime Minister’s office,
the Ministers’ committee, the MKs and the Tnufa administration- the legislation of the
compensation with the government about four months ago. We also managed to have the
government officially declare that they would continue to consider the issue one of national
priority.
Our Future Goals:
a. The advancement and establishment of the permanent sites including fundraising for public buildings.
b. Socially support the communities till the arrival on the permanent sites.
c. Support the weak links: “No family is left behind” project for families that cannot afford a house of their own
without additional support.
