The growing community of Netzarim in Gaza celebrates its 30th anniversary today. Haggai Huberman, an expert on Israeli geographical history, explains why the IDF needs Netzarim exactly where it is:
\"In 1994, during the Oslo Accord negotiations over exactly what areas would remain under Israeli control [during the withdrawal from most of the Gaza Strip], then-Southern Command Gen. Matan Vilnai insisted on something very interesting. He said that Israel\'s control of Netzarim must not be limited only to the community itself, but should extend two kilometers to the west - all the way up to the sea. He did this so that the IDF could have a foothold on the coast from where to oversee the goings-on in the PA port in Gaza. Therefore, when people complain about the need to use IDF soldiers to protect Netzarim, they should know that really the opposite is true: The presence of Netzarim is what allows the IDF to have a presence in the Gaza Strip for its own security needs.\"
Huberman explained that Netzarim was established in 1972 by the government of Golda Meir, \"who saw Jewish settlement in Gaza as an important value... Netzarim was designed to prevent the Arab cities of Dir el-Balah [to the south of Netzarim] and Gaza City [to the north] from becoming one giant metropolis. Up to this very day, the plan has succeeded - although the plan was to have a block of communities in Netzarim, and not just one town. It\'s true that today Labor leader Binyamin Ben-Eliezer says that he now regrets his party\'s policies, but many left-wing Laborites of that time spoke very warmly of Jewish settlement in Gaza...\"
Netzarim spokeswoman Shlomit Ziv told Arutz-7 that though Israeli control of the area goes extends to the Mediterranean Sea,
\"we don\'t go swimming there, both for security reasons and also for ecological - all the sewage of Gaza flows directly there. Environment Ministry, take note.\"
Asked about the accomplishments of Netzarim in its 30 years, Ms. Ziv said, \"We are making the desert bloom, in the simplest sense. We have many dunams [acres] of agriculture - and especially cherry tomatoes that we export abroad, bringing in important foreign currency. Now that there are no Arab workers, thousands of volunteers from around the country help out. Every week different groups arrive to help us make the desert bloom... We also have many educational institutions.\" She said that the town numbers almost 60 families, with five more considering making their home there: \"Ten years ago, when my family arrived, we were the 14th family. This means that, considering the security situation, there has been very impressive growth...\"
Celebrations in Netzarim today include lectures from rabbis and army officers on \"The Role of Youth During Wartime,\" family entertainment with Avshalom Kohr, and a gala concert of modern Jewish music including Chaim David and his band.
\"In 1994, during the Oslo Accord negotiations over exactly what areas would remain under Israeli control [during the withdrawal from most of the Gaza Strip], then-Southern Command Gen. Matan Vilnai insisted on something very interesting. He said that Israel\'s control of Netzarim must not be limited only to the community itself, but should extend two kilometers to the west - all the way up to the sea. He did this so that the IDF could have a foothold on the coast from where to oversee the goings-on in the PA port in Gaza. Therefore, when people complain about the need to use IDF soldiers to protect Netzarim, they should know that really the opposite is true: The presence of Netzarim is what allows the IDF to have a presence in the Gaza Strip for its own security needs.\"
Huberman explained that Netzarim was established in 1972 by the government of Golda Meir, \"who saw Jewish settlement in Gaza as an important value... Netzarim was designed to prevent the Arab cities of Dir el-Balah [to the south of Netzarim] and Gaza City [to the north] from becoming one giant metropolis. Up to this very day, the plan has succeeded - although the plan was to have a block of communities in Netzarim, and not just one town. It\'s true that today Labor leader Binyamin Ben-Eliezer says that he now regrets his party\'s policies, but many left-wing Laborites of that time spoke very warmly of Jewish settlement in Gaza...\"
Netzarim spokeswoman Shlomit Ziv told Arutz-7 that though Israeli control of the area goes extends to the Mediterranean Sea,
\"we don\'t go swimming there, both for security reasons and also for ecological - all the sewage of Gaza flows directly there. Environment Ministry, take note.\"
Asked about the accomplishments of Netzarim in its 30 years, Ms. Ziv said, \"We are making the desert bloom, in the simplest sense. We have many dunams [acres] of agriculture - and especially cherry tomatoes that we export abroad, bringing in important foreign currency. Now that there are no Arab workers, thousands of volunteers from around the country help out. Every week different groups arrive to help us make the desert bloom... We also have many educational institutions.\" She said that the town numbers almost 60 families, with five more considering making their home there: \"Ten years ago, when my family arrived, we were the 14th family. This means that, considering the security situation, there has been very impressive growth...\"
Celebrations in Netzarim today include lectures from rabbis and army officers on \"The Role of Youth During Wartime,\" family entertainment with Avshalom Kohr, and a gala concert of modern Jewish music including Chaim David and his band.