Most of the factories are expected to be relocated to Pithat Shalom in the Negev.
Hebrew daily “Yediot Ahronot” reports that preparations for the disengagement plan are quickly moving forward. The owners of 100 factories in the Erez industrial zone will be the first recipients of advance payments from the state. Within a month, factory-owners will receive advance compensation payments for leaving the Gaza Strip.
Two former minister of justice, Adv. Dan Meridor and Adv. Yaakov Neeman, are representing most of the factory-owners. Meridor and a representative for Neeman met Ministry of Justice director-general Dr. Aaron Abramovich on Monday to hear from him the plan for advances to ease the distress of factory-owners, most of whom went bankrupt during the intifada
The advances are due to come from the state budget reserve. Factory-owners at Erez will use the money to move their businesses to site within Israel. Most of the factories are expected to be relocated to Pithat Shalom in the Negev. A senior legal source said yesterday that a committee was now completing the amount of the advance. Distribution of the advance will be submitted to the political security cabinet for approval within three weeks, after which it will be submitted to the Knesset Finance Committee.
Paralleling the negotiations with the factory-owners at Erez, settlers in northern Samaria have opened negotiations for compensation.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on July 28, 2004