A ministerial committee decided on Monday that the government can increase the price of land designated for Jews who were expelled from Gaza under the 2005 “Disengagement” plan, despite previous agreements fixing a lower price. According to the earlier agreement, those Gaza residents who did not own their own home and wished to join their Gush Katif communities in the Lachish region would be required to pay NIS 148,000 for half a dunam of land (approximately 1/8 of an acre). They will now be forced to pay NIS 225,000 for the same land, an increase of 52 percent.
The poorly-attended ministerial session was designed to comply with a High Court ruling on a petition by Gush Katif expellees demanding that the government honor its original agreement. Despite the committee's decision, attorney Yossi Fuchs, who filed the petition, was hopeful, implying that the High Court may overrule the government and require it to abide by its previous commitment. He noted that the court had not looked favorably at the price increase when addressing his initial petition.