israel approves Gush Nitzanim

In a move certain to outrage environmentalists and real estate speculators, the Israeli Cabinet voted almost unanimously to approve the building of a replacement settlement in the Nitzanim national park.

In an attempt to smooth the transition following the pullout, Sharon proposed relocating all settlers to a new location theoretically comparable to Gush Katif, the primary settlement in Gaza. With only 2 months until the pullout, the government is attempting to rush through a plan designed to provide housing for the settlers and their families, so to deflect further criticism. I would not be surprised if the government is unable to finish construction on this new housing, and thus delays the pullout further. Something to watch for.

200 families must join the plan by 20 July for it to go into effect. Given the current level of resistance and claims of unity, it will be interesting to watch as defectors accumulate. I would surmise that once a trickle begins, it will become a flood. There will of course be rejectionists, but the vast majority of the settlers are presumably pragmatic people, and will recognize this as their best option to remain enfranchised as a group. The more cohesive they are during and following withdrawal, the more likely they will be to extract greater benefits from a government leery of violent conflict.

Environmentalists are outraged, given that Nitzanim is one of the few unspoilt stretches of coast remaining along the Israeli Mediterranean shore. It is home to a variety of species of fish and fowl which live along a largely unpolluted coast and nest in the rolling windswept dunes. It is yet unclear how much of this reserve will be allocated for development.

There is also controversy about the proposed land due to its exceedingly high property value. As any real estate agent can tell you, this oozes location, location, location. The settlers will already be receiving compensatory packages for their relocation in the range of $200-300,000 USD per family. The land at Nitzanim is expected to be offered at well below what the market would bear, leading many to criticize what is seen as a cynical attempt by the government to rid themselves of future difficulty by essentially buying the settlers off. There is also a fair amount of indignation directed at the proposal, given that such an offer is only valid for former settlers and not to the Israeli public at large.

According to Ha'aretz, "The purchase price of a 320-square-meter lot will be about NIS 175,000; a lot of 500 square meters will be NIS 225,000; and a lot of 1,000 square meters (one dunam) will cost NIS 360,000. "

Only two Cabinet ministers voted against the proposal, including Environment Minister Shalom Simhon, who protested the decision on both environmental and fiscal grounds. Shimon Peres abstained. The other nay vote belonged to Labor Party member Ophir Pines-Paz.

Further coverage here through Ha'aretz.