Some of the Gaza evictees find themselves in better situations than others, but all are dealing with logistical and bureaucratic obstacles preventing them from moving forward with their lives.
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"I have said many times – when we left Gush Katif I realized that the blocks and the red roofs were not really our homes. Our homes were the spirit that built Gush Katif and the value system and the communities – and that we were taking with us," former Netzer Hazani resident Anita Tucker told Israel National Radio's Yishai Fleisher and Alex Traiman. "We left with a strong feeling that this was horrible, but that we were going to rebuild. Our desire to rebuild was very strong."
"Since then, it seems that every obstacle is being put in our path to make this rebuilding as difficult and hard as possible and that is something that is making life difficult for a lot of the people from Gush Katif. The will was there to rebuild, to build anew rather – I can’t say rebuild because unfortunately we can’t rebuild in Gush Katif, which would make us happiest. So we want to build anew in a new location, but the government is being very difficult and not cooperating.
"Yesterday I went to the surveyor's office who is dealing with the houses, farms and businesses from Gush Katif. My personal case is not moving forward – we haven’t received compensation and are always being asked for more proof. I asked him how many people from Gush Katif have actually received compensation for their greenhouse businesses. He opened up the files and there was one person who had received compensation. It is often shown on television that everyone is OK and has gotten their lives back together, but it is simply untrue.
"People are keeping their heads held high. There are so many people in Am Yisrael who care, but we are not being allowed to move forward.
"The community of Netzer Hazani is still sitting in hotels. In order to stay as a community we had to wait for the completion of our caravillas, which will be near Kibbutz Ein Tzurim. We have people in guest houses in the Golan, in Kibbutz Chofetz Chayim and in the guest houses in Kibbutz Ein Tzurim.
"The temporary housing was supposed to have been ready a long time ago, we were then told it would be ready this coming Passover, now they are talking about Shavuot. After that, it means we will be waiting at least another two years until we can move into our permanent locations.
"Our possessions are still in the containers are the Zim cargo site in Kastina. The people who have moved into caravillas – like my sister of N’vei Dekalim – had four containers, which she moved to the piece of grass near her home in Nitzan. She found she had room for one and a half containers. Now she has the other containers sitting in her yard and was forced to pay 7,000 shekels for each container. Soon she is going to be asked to remove it from the living area. I am always so amazed that people still have their heads held up so high.
"I very often say to people: 'We have to put all our energies toward keeping our families and our lives together. People who are comfortable and sitting in lovely homes are the ones who have to go out and demonstrate for us. They still have energy left. We are focused on surviving and keeping our families together.'
"There are many, many people who are very helpful and supportive and there are many people who are just going on with their lives as if this type of a thing will never touch them. But I think that the fact that a law of he Knesset is not being acted upon, but is being totally ignored, is something that should frighten every single citizen of the state. It is not a matter of Gush Katif, but a matter of law and order being totally ignored. Decision made by the Supreme Court, such as the law that every family must receive compensation within seven days, is just being ignored.
"Writing a check alone is not the answer. It is about people getting involved and coming to the places people from Gush Katif are living – to say hello and say you care. People think we think it is a bother. It is not a bother. People want to see that Am Yisrael is there and that they care. Money solves many problems, but being there to show you care is far more important."
(Photos: Josh Shamsi, Arutz-7)
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In Kibbutz Ein Tzurim, southeast of Ashkelon, "caravillas" [double-trailers] remain uninhabitable as construction continues.
"I have said many times – when we left Gush Katif I realized that the blocks and the red roofs were not really our homes. Our homes were the spirit that built Gush Katif and the value system and the communities – and that we were taking with us," former Netzer Hazani resident Anita Tucker told Israel National Radio's Yishai Fleisher and Alex Traiman. "We left with a strong feeling that this was horrible, but that we were going to rebuild. Our desire to rebuild was very strong."
Anita Tucker, a former residents of Netzer Hazani, remains upbeat, with her grandson in the Ein Tzurim Dining Hall.
"Since then, it seems that every obstacle is being put in our path to make this rebuilding as difficult and hard as possible and that is something that is making life difficult for a lot of the people from Gush Katif. The will was there to rebuild, to build anew rather – I can’t say rebuild because unfortunately we can’t rebuild in Gush Katif, which would make us happiest. So we want to build anew in a new location, but the government is being very difficult and not cooperating.
Until her caravilla is completed, Anita stays in a small Ein Tzurim guest room.
"Yesterday I went to the surveyor's office who is dealing with the houses, farms and businesses from Gush Katif. My personal case is not moving forward – we haven’t received compensation and are always being asked for more proof. I asked him how many people from Gush Katif have actually received compensation for their greenhouse businesses. He opened up the files and there was one person who had received compensation. It is often shown on television that everyone is OK and has gotten their lives back together, but it is simply untrue.
Some rooms in the Kibbutz's guest house are occupied by entire families.
"People are keeping their heads held high. There are so many people in Am Yisrael who care, but we are not being allowed to move forward.
The projected completion date has continuously been pushed back and now stands tenuously at Shavuot. Much work remains to be done at Ein Tzurim before the new homes are completed.
"The community of Netzer Hazani is still sitting in hotels. In order to stay as a community we had to wait for the completion of our caravillas, which will be near Kibbutz Ein Tzurim. We have people in guest houses in the Golan, in Kibbutz Chofetz Chayim and in the guest houses in Kibbutz Ein Tzurim.
There are two sizes of caravillas. Pictured is an unfinished "large" one.
"The temporary housing was supposed to have been ready a long time ago, we were then told it would be ready this coming Passover, now they are talking about Shavuot. After that, it means we will be waiting at least another two years until we can move into our permanent locations.
Nitzan, another relocation site just south of Ashkelon, is an example of a community closer to completion than Ein Tzurim, though a synagogue and other communal infrastructure have still not been built.
"Our possessions are still in the containers are the Zim cargo site in Kastina. The people who have moved into caravillas – like my sister of N’vei Dekalim – had four containers, which she moved to the piece of grass near her home in Nitzan. She found she had room for one and a half containers. Now she has the other containers sitting in her yard and was forced to pay 7,000 shekels for each container. Soon she is going to be asked to remove it from the living area. I am always so amazed that people still have their heads held up so high.
Longing for home is evident as an old sign from the Gush Katif community of N'vei Dekalim welcomes visitors and refugees alike at the entrance to Nitzan.
Despite the reduction in living space, the residents have made the best of the situation. Chana Picard, a Nitzan resident, is seen in the kitchen of her completed caravilla.
One of the childrens' bedrooms in the caravilla.
Space in the caravillas is limited and often cramped, with little place to put furniture.
"I very often say to people: 'We have to put all our energies toward keeping our families and our lives together. People who are comfortable and sitting in lovely homes are the ones who have to go out and demonstrate for us. They still have energy left. We are focused on surviving and keeping our families together.'
A drawing in the Picard's home reads: "Life is like riding a bicycle - when it is hard, it means we are ascending."
"There are many, many people who are very helpful and supportive and there are many people who are just going on with their lives as if this type of a thing will never touch them. But I think that the fact that a law of he Knesset is not being acted upon, but is being totally ignored, is something that should frighten every single citizen of the state. It is not a matter of Gush Katif, but a matter of law and order being totally ignored. Decision made by the Supreme Court, such as the law that every family must receive compensation within seven days, is just being ignored.
Partially completed backyards with shipping containers and piles of possessions are a common sight in Nitzan.
"Writing a check alone is not the answer. It is about people getting involved and coming to the places people from Gush Katif are living – to say hello and say you care. People think we think it is a bother. It is not a bother. People want to see that Am Yisrael is there and that they care. Money solves many problems, but being there to show you care is far more important."
A former resident of Gush Katif plants new roots in Nitzan.
Yad Binyamin, a third site meant to temporarily house Gaza residents about 20 km east of Ashkelon.
As in all of the sites, much work remains to be done in Yad Binyamin before it can become a suitable home.
(Photos: Josh Shamsi, Arutz-7)