Some Gaza settlers willing to waive citizenship

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A number of Gush Katif settlers have come out with a new initiative: They want to remain in their communities despite the disengagement plan and are even willing to forfeit their Israeli citizenship for this purpose.

The initiative comes from Avi Farhan, a resident of Elei Sinai in the northern Gaza Strip and a Yamit evacuee. Farhan has been joined by another two Elei Sinai families.

Farhan met Thursday with members of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee who were on a tour of Gush Katif and told them of his initiative.

"If it comes to a situation in which the government of Israel gives up on me, I will give up on it," Farhan said. "Despite the fact that I am a reserve colonel and the flag and state are very important to me, with deep sorrow I will ask to hand back my Israeli citizenship
and remain in Alei Sinai as a refugee. We will also ask the UN to recognize us as such so that the state won't have feelings of guilt or security responsibility for me. I have no problem with living as a minority in a Palestinian state."

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Farhan added, however, that if a national referendum came out in favor of the disengagement plan, he would agree to leave the settlement without resistance.


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