It was determined today that the Knesset Finance Committee will not be meeting tomorrow to vote on the transfer of seven million shekels to the Disengagement Evacuation Authority. No money has yet been allocated to the Authority, and it has not begun work.
The money would facilitate advance payments to residents slated to be uprooted from their homes in Gush Katif and northern Shomron. The Knesset committee was to consider a request for the transfer of this money tomorrow. Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, however, has reportedly not given his OK for the session; his permission for a committee meeting is necessary when a Knesset plenum session is held the same day.
An attempt was made to have the transfer approved last week, when only minutes before the committee convened, a request for the sum was placed on the committee's agenda in the name of Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. MK Nissim Dehan (Shas) noticed the attempted "grab," raised a hue and cry, and the session was postponed.
The precise scheduling of the committee session may be irrelevant, in the long run - if Evacuation Authority Director Yonatan Bassi stands by his word. Bassi has said that he will not begin his work until the government makes a decision to approve advance compensation payments. Prime Minister Sharon said last week that the Cabinet ministers would receive a memo detailing the principles of the "Law for the Implementation of the Disengagement Plan, including guidelines for compensation and evacuation of the evacuees" - and that the vote would be held "by October 24." If Bassi adheres to his promise, therefore, no advance payments will be made before seven weeks from now.
Several months ago, MK Nissan Slomiansky (NRP) said that the very preparations for a unilateral withdrawal and expulsion of residents bordered on the illegal. Speaking with Justice Ministry Director-General Abramovitch during a Knesset Law Committee session, Slomiansky said, "Would you ever agree to prepare a working paper for the evacuation of the thousands of Arabs in Um el-Fahm? How can you prepare a plan that stands in blatant contrast to the Basic Law on Human Rights and Dignity?"
The money would facilitate advance payments to residents slated to be uprooted from their homes in Gush Katif and northern Shomron. The Knesset committee was to consider a request for the transfer of this money tomorrow. Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, however, has reportedly not given his OK for the session; his permission for a committee meeting is necessary when a Knesset plenum session is held the same day.
An attempt was made to have the transfer approved last week, when only minutes before the committee convened, a request for the sum was placed on the committee's agenda in the name of Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. MK Nissim Dehan (Shas) noticed the attempted "grab," raised a hue and cry, and the session was postponed.
The precise scheduling of the committee session may be irrelevant, in the long run - if Evacuation Authority Director Yonatan Bassi stands by his word. Bassi has said that he will not begin his work until the government makes a decision to approve advance compensation payments. Prime Minister Sharon said last week that the Cabinet ministers would receive a memo detailing the principles of the "Law for the Implementation of the Disengagement Plan, including guidelines for compensation and evacuation of the evacuees" - and that the vote would be held "by October 24." If Bassi adheres to his promise, therefore, no advance payments will be made before seven weeks from now.
Several months ago, MK Nissan Slomiansky (NRP) said that the very preparations for a unilateral withdrawal and expulsion of residents bordered on the illegal. Speaking with Justice Ministry Director-General Abramovitch during a Knesset Law Committee session, Slomiansky said, "Would you ever agree to prepare a working paper for the evacuation of the thousands of Arabs in Um el-Fahm? How can you prepare a plan that stands in blatant contrast to the Basic Law on Human Rights and Dignity?"