Three years ago, the Sharon-Olmert government expelled the Jewish residents of Gaza from their homes and handed their land and much of their property to Arab residents. Included in the handover was $14 million in hothouses courtesy of Jewish-American philanthropists, which Palestinians promptly
destroyed in an orgy of looting.
Now, the Jews who were expelled have a new problem on top of their 50% unemployment rate, their continuing mortgage obligations on expropriated houses, etc. Former Palestinian hothouse employees are suing them for unfair termination. Expulsion is, in their eyes, no justification not to keep paying them.
And
the Israeli government has shirked responsibility:
According to an Israel TV Channel One report, the SELA Administration, which was set up to assist Disengagement evictees to rebuild their lives and communities, told former Gush Katif residents, employers and businessmen that the Arab claims are "your problem."
The government has claimed that compensation funds paid to former Gush Katif residents included a fund to be used for former employees of the Jewish industries kicked out of Gaza. However, compensation payments thus far have not covered the basic needs of the evictees themselves, Gush Katif activists say.
Yossi Schwartz, a former owner of a clothing factory interviewed for the Channel One report, said that former workers' claims could be more than one million NIS in his case alone. Mr. Schwartz, like so many of his former neighbors, is still unemployed.
