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1000 DAYS WITHOUT A HOME

by Dror Vanunu

The people from Gush Katif have been struggling for now 1000 days in order to find suitable solutions for the restoration of the families and communities lifework, to rebuild homes and villages, to establish anew farms and businesses. In a word: to live the routine life that every citizen strives for. Unfortunately, until now the government has been stagnating and the evacuees have to engage in bureaucratic foot- dragging processes.

As a consequence of the efforts of the Gush Katif Committee and its parliamentary activity, significant amendments have been brought to the initial compensation law, allowing suitable indemnities to the families and enabling most of them to rebuild their home.

Nevertheless there are unbearable inequities in the monetary compensations to farmers and small business, for the implementation of new communities, for the restitution of the former means of production and the compensation for distress and grief.

During the period since the uprooting from Gush Katif we were fortunate to have the emotional and financial support of many individuals, groups and organizations Jews and Christians in Israel and throughout the world. We owe them our fortitude and our sincere gratitude for accompanying us in these painful moments.

There is still much work to accomplish and we look ahead in hope and pray for the restoration of our spiritual, social and communal structures in the permanent locations, the building of public buildings in the permanent communities and the establishment of the Legacy Center for Gush Katif.

We would like to see you as faithful partners in all our endeavors for our full rehabilitation and restoration of our all our previous life settings.

IT'S BEEN 1000 DAYS SINCE THE "DISENGAGEMENT" -- a pleasant word to hide an ugly deed.

IN U.S.A.:
Contact Friends of Gush Katif
P.O.Box 1184 Teaneck, NY 07666.
Toll free number in US: 1 800 410 1502

This article was distributed May 29, 2006 by AFSI -- Americans For a Safe Israel. AFSI is a pro-active pro-Israel advocacy group. AFSI may be contacted by mail at 1623 Third Ave., Suite 205, New York, N.Y. 10128 (Tel: 212-828-2424; Fax: 212-828-1717); by email at afsi@rcn.com; or by accessing its website: www.afsi.org. Barry Freedman is Executive Director.