Plans that have been on the drawing board for at least ten months were reportedly finalized this week between Jewish refugees from Gaza and senior officials in the Prime Minister’s Office.
According to a report by Channel 2 television news, Olmert is expected to announce the creation of the new communities in the Lachish region.
The seven communities are planned for the area along a north-south 15-kilometer corridor east of the Be'er Sheva-Kiryat Gat area, west of Hevron. Six of the seven are designated to house specific relocated former Gush Katif communities.
While some of the residents of the 21 communities evacuated 17 months ago have found permanent homes, the large majority of those expelled still live in temporary communities. The refugee camps are constructed with caravillas - pre-fab trailer homes designed to look permanent but with an expected lifespan of 2-5 years.
Most of the residents insist on being permanently resettled together in brand new communities after watching their former homes demolished.
National Union MK Uri Ariel, chairman of the lobby for the former Gush Katif residents, was not yet ready to celebrate the news. He expressed his doubts about whether the agreement was once again just talk, or something more.
“It is already almost a year that we are battling with government ministries to build these communities,” he said. “Our faith will return when we see the tractors at work."
Too many promises by the government have been broken, he added. Until ground is actually broken at the sites, the Jewish refugees will not believe the project will be carried out.
According to a report by Channel 2 television news, Olmert is expected to announce the creation of the new communities in the Lachish region.
The seven communities are planned for the area along a north-south 15-kilometer corridor east of the Be'er Sheva-Kiryat Gat area, west of Hevron. Six of the seven are designated to house specific relocated former Gush Katif communities.
While some of the residents of the 21 communities evacuated 17 months ago have found permanent homes, the large majority of those expelled still live in temporary communities. The refugee camps are constructed with caravillas - pre-fab trailer homes designed to look permanent but with an expected lifespan of 2-5 years.
Most of the residents insist on being permanently resettled together in brand new communities after watching their former homes demolished.
National Union MK Uri Ariel, chairman of the lobby for the former Gush Katif residents, was not yet ready to celebrate the news. He expressed his doubts about whether the agreement was once again just talk, or something more.
“It is already almost a year that we are battling with government ministries to build these communities,” he said. “Our faith will return when we see the tractors at work."
Too many promises by the government have been broken, he added. Until ground is actually broken at the sites, the Jewish refugees will not believe the project will be carried out.