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photo id   82784
photographer   Benedicte Kurzen
place   neve dekalim
date   01 May, 2005
Israel Settlers
Mawasi Palestinian workers cross an Israeli check point at 6 a.m. beside the Neve Dekalim settlement, in Gush Katif, Southern Gaza Strip, Israel in May 2005. This check point stands in the middle of the block of Israeli settlements in Gaza, to screen the Palestinian people who enter from the Gaza Strip into the block of settlements. Almost all of the settlement's workers are Palestinian. The disengagement will take place by mid-August, 2005. Beginning in July, 2005, at least 41,000 Israeli soldiers and police are to be deployed in order to evacuate 9,000 settlers from part of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Shmuel Abuav, the director of the Construction and Housing Ministry, gave a detailed outline on relocation solutions for the settlers. The ministry is preparing 1,500 units, 530 of which are prefabricated homes. Evacuees have also been encouraged to use the government’s website to find rental apartments. There are approximately 1,800 families that will be uprooted, the largest community, Nitzan, is expected to become the new home for most of the evacuees.