5 7 6 4 1 2 3 24 25 Chapter Four | The 1968 Government Plan for the Renewal of the Se�lements to locate vacant lands and, in coordina�on with the IDF, monitor what is happening on the ground and prevent the invasion of Arabs into these vacant lands. In addi�on to these, a Welfare Department was established. The educa�on department was divided into two: Department of Educa�on and Department of Culture, and a special security coordinator was appointed. The Regional Council began to assume the characteris�cs and appearance of a genuine municipal council. It championed the development of Gush Ka�f at various levels - se�lement, agriculture, tourism, economy, and more. On the 2nd of Shevat 5739 (02/07/1979) the Inter-Ins�tu�onal Se�lement Commi�ee, joint to the Government and the Zionist Organiza�on, decided to convert three Nahal strongholds into civilian se�lements as of April 1st. Ka�f D, which was renamed 'Gadid' - was one of them.26 Later on, this stronghold would be turned into Neve Dekalim, and the nearby Coopera�ve Moshav would be named 'Gadid.' The First Government Se�lement Plan and the Last One In Tishrei of 5740 (October 1979) the Ministerial Commi�ee for Se�lement Affairs led by Ariel Sharon, completed preparing its 'Annual Se�lement Plan in Judea, Samaria, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights.' It was the first �me any government official prepared a comprehensive se�lement plan in Israel, and the last one, too.27 The complete document of the plan, including the maps, was shelved for many years. For unclear reasons, the government classified it as 'Reserved,' as if it were a military paper; although not 'Secret,' it was not deemed 'Unclassified' (for all to read). The document detailed the ac�on plan for 5740 (1979-80), including the expansion of exis�ng se�lements, the establishment of new ones, consolida�on of exis�ng blocks and further development of se�lements under construc�on. The plan also contained a breakdown of popula�on targets for se�lements in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, with thousands of residents per each se�lement block.28 Regarding the northern part of the Gaza Strip, the establishment of "Gush Zikim" was emphasized, intended to "serve as a buffer against uncontrolled use of State lands in the sand dunes north of Gaza" as stated in the plan,29 where three se�lements were later established: Elei Sinai, Nisanit and Dugit. 1 Arik Sharon's se�lement plan map 2 Earthworks in Moshav Gadid 3 Entering into the first houses in Bedolah, Winter 1986 4 The sand dune in Atsmona 5 Yitzhak Shamir laying the cornerstone in Neve Dekalim 6 The council building in the beginning 7 The scroll of Neve Dekalim cornerstone In the list of se�lements under construc�on, Ka�f D is men�oned - the Gadid stronghold, which would later become Neve Dekalim - and in the list of new se�lements, to beef up the exis�ng blocks, Ka�f E is men�oned (later on: Gan Or), and Ka�f F (Bedolah). A�er the withdrawal from the Yamit Region, in 1982, a construc�on boom began in the Gaza Strip, to compensate for the uproo�ng. On the 21st of Tevet 5743 (01/06/1983) a ceremoney announcing Neve Dekalim as a se�lement was held, simultaneously with laying its cornerstone and inaugura�ng the school. Neve Dekalim was the largest se�lement in Gush Ka�f and became the urban, municipal and educa�onal center for all residents of the block. The se�lement included the council offices, religious and health services, schools, yeshivas, an all-girls religious school and other educa�onal ins�tu�ons, a commercial center and an industrial area. The First Decade - Gush Ka�f Florishes The years 5736-5746 (1976-1987), the first decade of civilian se�lement in the Gaza Strip, were also the flourishing period of Gush Ka�f. From one civilian locality - Netzer-Hazani - the se�lement increased to 14 civilian locali�es where 3500 people resided. The main development of the Gush Ka�f stemmed from the desire of young couples and single men and women to come and live in a special place. Agriculture, which was the main source of livelihood, prospered. For example, in 5747 (1986-87), the total agricultural export of the se�lements reached USD 13 million. In addi�on to this industry, the tourism sector boomed. The 80-room resort accommodated hundreds of families each year, and in the summer of 5747 (August 1987), the 115-room Palm Beach Hotel was also opened. Horseback riding, Jeep trips in the dunes, boa�ng in the lake, tours to get to know the new and old agriculture - Modern greenhouses vis-a-vis the Muasi crops - and golden, clean beaches - all these a�rac�ons awaited visitors and vaca�oners. "I wish and the whole country would be in our situa�on," Handel said proudly, having re�red his senior posi�ons in the council and became the CEO of the 'Nofesh Ka�f' Company. We would go to Ganei Tal to make a phone call I remember an image of us standing on one of the dunes: Reuven Rosenbla� the head of the council, Avraham, Moshe Ozeri and I, and Reuven poin�ng: "Here we will have a school, and here - a yeshiva." There wasn't even a phone back then. We used to walk on the gravel path to Ganei Tal to make a phone call. Zvulun Kalfa
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