An Israeli source reported, on Tuesday, that settlers of the former Gaza Strip settlement of Gush Katif will begin a sit-down strike close to the government complex in Jerusalem in protest to what was described as “the terrible disregard” towards hundreds of settler families who have been “evacuated, abandoned and neglected”.
Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that the strike was initiated by Tzvi and Rachel Slonim of the Eretz Israel College in Qadumim settlement. They said that the Israeli government is practicing “shameful humiliation and cruelty” to the evacuees to an extent which can no longer be stood for.
The strike organizers published a statement ahead of the strike saying that it is not intended for young people, since their place is educational facilities, and not for members of Knesset, since they have excellent tool for action in their place of work, “but this action is for men to remain their, and for women to be there during the day, “but not to spend the night there”.
The strike, which was described by the organizers as “nonpolitical”, might also become a hunger strike.
Recently, a report have been circulated in Israel revealing that 2200 evacuated settlers are unemployed, 105 settler families living in tents, dozens of young settlers without proper educational framework.
Also, Haaretz reported that during the evacuation, 24 containers of possessions have disappeared; four settler homes were destroyed with their contents.
According to Haaretz, children above the age of seven started wetting the bed again, four girls’ ages 16-19 were hospitalized after disengagement in psychiatric wards, in addition to heart attacks and suicide attempts by settlers following disengagement
Since Disengagement was announced, and then carried out, settlers significantly increased their attacks against the Palestinian residents, and their properties, including their orchards.
The attacks were not only carried against Palestinian residents in the occupied territories, but also against Arab residents of Israel. Settlers repeatedly attacked a mosque in Haifa, in addition to the terrorist attack carried out by a settler-soldier, Eden Natan Zada, who stage on a bus heading to the Arab Shfa-Amr and opened fire at the passengers, killing four including two sisters.
The assailant, Natan-Zada was a military deserter who was residing in the evacuated Tapoah settlement, north of the West Bank.
Another settler, opened fire at Palestinian workers, in the industrial area in the West Bank settlement of Shilo.
The terrorist Asher Weisgan, a 38-year-old driver from Shvut Rahel settlement, in the West Bank used to transport the workers to and from the industrial zone on daily basis.
