The government has shut off water and power to towns in Gush Katif, despite the possibility that some residents might have evaded expulsion and remained behind.
The cutoff of vital utilities violates the government’s promise to the High Court of Justice that water, electricity, and telephone services would not be shut down so long as some residents stayed behind in Gush Katif.
A group called “Lawyers for the Land of Israel” has renewed its petition to the High Court, demanding that the court order the government to restore utilities to Gush Katif. The lawyers claim that shutting off utilities endangers the lives of those left behind.
Last Wednesday, the High Court rejected the lawyers’ petition requesting the court to order the government not to shut down essential utilities until all the residents had been expelled. The court rejected the petition because the government had promised the court it would not shut off utilities until the expulsion of all communities is completed.
Justices Barak, Beinish, and Rivlin said in their decision, however, that shutting off utilities after the expulsion, while the homes were being destroyed, or due to safety or some exceptional need, would be acceptable.
INN has learned that a number of Gush Katif residents have been given permission to return to their homes in order to ship out their belongings. Such a task would be rendered more difficult, perhaps inhumane, if residents are unable to use the bathroom, drink water, turn on a light, or use the phone while they pack up their possessions and leave their homes behind for the last time.
The cutoff of vital utilities violates the government’s promise to the High Court of Justice that water, electricity, and telephone services would not be shut down so long as some residents stayed behind in Gush Katif.
A group called “Lawyers for the Land of Israel” has renewed its petition to the High Court, demanding that the court order the government to restore utilities to Gush Katif. The lawyers claim that shutting off utilities endangers the lives of those left behind.
Last Wednesday, the High Court rejected the lawyers’ petition requesting the court to order the government not to shut down essential utilities until all the residents had been expelled. The court rejected the petition because the government had promised the court it would not shut off utilities until the expulsion of all communities is completed.
Justices Barak, Beinish, and Rivlin said in their decision, however, that shutting off utilities after the expulsion, while the homes were being destroyed, or due to safety or some exceptional need, would be acceptable.
INN has learned that a number of Gush Katif residents have been given permission to return to their homes in order to ship out their belongings. Such a task would be rendered more difficult, perhaps inhumane, if residents are unable to use the bathroom, drink water, turn on a light, or use the phone while they pack up their possessions and leave their homes behind for the last time.