The Agency's Executive convened yesterday for "extensive deliberations" and announced the following decision: It will "involve itself in planning, at this stage, and if the need arises in the future, also in building new communities and expanding existing communities in the Negev, Galilee and Gilboa funded by the Government of Israel."
The Agency was responding to a request by Prime Minister Sharon to help in the resettlement of residents from Gaza and northern Shomron who will have to be "relocated" as a result of the withdrawal. Neither the government nor the Knesset has yet approved the withdrawal, and Sharon can therefore not ask them for funding for the not-yet-legal plan.
The Jewish Agency Executive further decided that the Agency's Director-General, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Giora Romm, will coordinate the establishment of the needed apparatus and its operation. It was also determined that the Jewish Agency "will not be involved in any other activities related to the Government's decision on the issue of disengagement."
During the deliberations the participants noted the Jewish Agency's role in the area of settlement following the peace treaty with Egypt over 20 years ago.
The Jewish Agency Executive comprises representatives of Israel's Zionist political parties, Jewish communities in the Diaspora within the framework of the United Jewish Communities (UJC) - the Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod - United Israel Appeal, and Israeli public figures.
Mr. Michael Matar of Women in Green, one of the organizations that is protesting Sharon's request to the Jewish Agency, is not happy with the decision. "If it has any connection whatsoever with what Sharon's doing, then it should be deplored," he told Arutz-7's Yosef Meiri today. "The Jewish Agency should have been planning long ago for developing the Negev and the Galilee, but that has nothing to do with what they've now decided to do. They've now decided to assist and abet the transfer of Jews from part of the Promised Land, and the ethnic cleansing of Jews from Gaza, and this is not something that the Jewish Agency should be involved in whatsoever."
The Agency was responding to a request by Prime Minister Sharon to help in the resettlement of residents from Gaza and northern Shomron who will have to be "relocated" as a result of the withdrawal. Neither the government nor the Knesset has yet approved the withdrawal, and Sharon can therefore not ask them for funding for the not-yet-legal plan.
The Jewish Agency Executive further decided that the Agency's Director-General, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Giora Romm, will coordinate the establishment of the needed apparatus and its operation. It was also determined that the Jewish Agency "will not be involved in any other activities related to the Government's decision on the issue of disengagement."
During the deliberations the participants noted the Jewish Agency's role in the area of settlement following the peace treaty with Egypt over 20 years ago.
The Jewish Agency Executive comprises representatives of Israel's Zionist political parties, Jewish communities in the Diaspora within the framework of the United Jewish Communities (UJC) - the Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod - United Israel Appeal, and Israeli public figures.
Mr. Michael Matar of Women in Green, one of the organizations that is protesting Sharon's request to the Jewish Agency, is not happy with the decision. "If it has any connection whatsoever with what Sharon's doing, then it should be deplored," he told Arutz-7's Yosef Meiri today. "The Jewish Agency should have been planning long ago for developing the Negev and the Galilee, but that has nothing to do with what they've now decided to do. They've now decided to assist and abet the transfer of Jews from part of the Promised Land, and the ethnic cleansing of Jews from Gaza, and this is not something that the Jewish Agency should be involved in whatsoever."