Official: Jews Expelled from Gaza ‘Victims’, by Aaron Klein (World News Daily)
Excerpts;
Withdrawal Authority Says Israel Owes them ‘Almost Anything.’
The thousands of Jews evacuated last summer from the Gaza Strip are “victims” of a government policy and are owed “almost anything” by the state of Israel, said the chief of the withdrawal authority in charge of evacuees’ compensation.
…Leaders from Gush Katif have been turning to mainstream American Jewish organizations for immediate assistance, outlining to them a “humanitarian crisis.” But so far the organizations largely have refused to help.
“The state of Israel owes the (Gaza) evacuees almost anything. I think that they are the victims of a government decision, which, while it was taken democratically, still hurt them badly. I laud them,” said Yonatan Bassi, head of the Disengagement Authority.
Olmert: Expulsion Victims’ Plight ‘Dragged Out’ Too Long
Full Text;
02:32 Oct 30, ’06 / 8 Cheshvan 5767
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a Cabinet committee Sunday that although he “was a major supporter of the disengagement,” the unsettled issues of the victims have been dragged out too long.
He told a meeting of the Ministerial Committee and Disengagement Authority Director Tzvia Shimon, “We must take all measures…to prevent excessive bureaucracy that lacks compassion” for those expelled from their homes in the Gush Katif and northern Gaza region. “I hope that my remarks will get things moving on the ground,” he added.
The above are excerpts of the statement communicated by the Prime Minister’s Office.
For context on Olmert’s recent statements, click Brazen and Hateful Olmert to GK Refugees: At Least You’re Not Dead; “Promising to Evacuate More communities,” 24 Out of 25 Proposed Permanent Katif Towns Still Not Final, Sharon Gov’t Slammed Over ‘Disengagement’ Failures.
Commentary;
So why is it that two of the three main expulsion protagonists
now change their tunes about the 9,000 Jews that they made refugees?
Olmert’s sudden change from “At Least You’re Not Dead” is somewhat easy to understand; his government just lost a war and he’s scuffling about trying to skirt formation of a state investigation committee and trying to maintain power in any way he he can. But just remember that “consolidation, convergence, realignment” is “no longer relevant.” If he manages to get his ducks are in a row, realignment will be brought from the freezer to thaw.
But why is Jonathan Bassi whistling a different tune about the Gush Katif Refugees after his resignation, now saying that they are “‘victims’ of a government policy and are owed ‘almost anything?'” Why the attitude change when his prior blatant cruelty to them was so obvious during his tenure as head of SELA?
As for the 3rd major protagonist, he’s had nothing to say for the past 10 months. MB