Gush Katif evictees, 2010
Gush Katif evictees, 2010Israel news photo: Flash 90

Seven years have passed since the "Disengagement" and an estimated 350 families remain without permanent housing.

On Wednesday, Minister of Science and Technology and Head of the Ministers Committee for assisting evacuees of Gush Katif, Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz (Jewish Home Party) met with the Dr. Ophir Cohen, head of the Tenufah administration – in charge of helping evacuees of Gush Katif, along with Diaspora Minister Yuli Edelstein (Likud) and Welfare Minister Moshe Kachlon (Likud), to discuss this problem.

The Ministerial Committee mentioned that there are two types of families still in need of assistance. The first group is comprised of about 120 families who have not received property to build permanent housing.

They are expected to receive land at some point in the current year. The second group, comprising of about 240 families, have received land with which to build their houses, yet are unable to begin the process economically and emotionally.

Their situation will almost certainly worsen when the Tehufah administration closes down during the next year, and they will beleft without assistance and permanent housing.

Another issue that was discussed at the meeting was a 2,500 shekel monthly rental fee that the evacuees are required to pay for their temporary housing. These families will be pressed to pay this fee as they are among the weakest economically of the evacuees. The Minister’s Committee has ordered Tenufah to come up with a temporary solution that will prevent these families from further economic troubles.

At the close of the meeting, the ministers commented that while Tenufah has made progress in the past two years, there is still a significant number of families who remain in need of assistance. Every effort must be made to ensure that their situation is dealt with in the near future.