For the former residents of the Jewish communities of Gaza and N. Shomron it was another government committee, another statement, perhaps, for the optimistic ones, a ray of hope – but after 4 years since being avulsed from their homes, the thousands of evacuees are indeed 21st century Jewish refugees, a creation of the State of Israel, the result of government policy.

The interim report released on Tuesday by the commission responsible for probing the treatment of former Gaza and Shomron residents has determined that government agencies and expellees themselves in some cases share the blame. While government agencies failed to meet responsibilities vis-à-vis the evacuees, some of the victims themselves are to blame for not preparing for the day after as the interim reports puts it.

Committee chair, retired Supreme Court Justice Eliyahu Matza warned if his commission’s recommendations are not implemented, there may be a need for yet another interim report which will target individual failures, not just agency inadequacies.

Matza added that he opted to release a moderated interim report to permit the new government to address the needs of the evacuees as it should, sparing the harsh criticism due to the realization the current administration has not had the time to fill the voids left by its predecessors.

The state has failed to fulfill its moral obligation and the victims have not been fairly treated, agencies have not met the challenge and the lives of evacuees have not been rehabilitated and many continue to live unsettled lives with all the accompanying complications. Unemployment among expellees is a staggering 16.2%, with Matza demanding the state find a solution to address the problem. A recommendation was made to immediately allocate NIS 17 million for Job Katif, which continues to seek an employment solution for the evacuees.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)