7 8 5 6 46 47 Chapter Five | The Se�lements their third 1/10 of a hectare, they set up plas�c greenhouses without glass, becoming pioneers at that before everyone else. In those days, the idea of irriga�on through a dripping system had started to be developed. Ganei Tal was one of the first se�lements to use that new inven�on. It soon became evident that growing crops on dunes could not have had a be�er inven�on than this, especially inside greenhouses, which protected the dripping system from winds. Tomatoes, peppers and all kinds of flowers grew in the sand dunes thanks to the development of Kibbutz Hatzerim. The results were proof: between 15 and 22 tons per 1/10 of a hectare, compared to similar cul�va�on in an open field, which yielded 8 tons per 1/10 of a hectare at best.10 All the farms in the Ganei Tal were privately owned. The se�lers grew vegetables, spices and flowers for export, organic vegetables, insect-free vegetables, domes�c plants and more. In Av of 5765 (August 2005), 90 families lived in Ganei Tal, of which about 65 were members, totalling around 370 people.11 The moshav members were evacuated from their se�lement on Wednesday, 12th of Av 5765 (08/17/2005). This is how the fight for the third 1/10 of a hectare transpired Zvi Hendel: The first struggle of Ganei Tal was for the third 1/10 of a hectare. Un�l then, the economic-se�lement concept prevailed, according to the worldview of the Head of the Se�lement Department, Ra'anan Weitz, that the economic basis of the moshavim would be based on 2/10 of a hectare of export tomato greenhouses, using a specific cul�va�on method imported from New Zealand. We soon realized that making a living from 2/10 of a hectare would be impossible. The third 1/10 of a hectare naturally required external workers, which contradicted the principle that everyone earns their own living. Reality dictated the demand for a larger plot because profit margins decreased, and produc�on ability grew. Ganei Tal was the first se�lement to fight for a third 1/01 of a hectare. A�er many struggles, it was also the first se�lement to receive approval for a third 1/10 of a hectare, as a standard. Once the dam broke, other se�lements also received the third 1/10 of a hectare. Nisanit A mixed religious-secular communal se�lement in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. It belonged to the 'Amana' Se�lement Movement On the eve of Passover, 13th of Nisan 1982 (04/06/1982), a spearhead force went up to a new Nahal stronghold in the northern part of the Gaza Strip - Nisanit.1 The stronghold's name was given to it a�er the perennial plant, Nisanit, which grows in stable sands and blooms in the month of Nisan.2 Three years earlier, on the 3rd of Iyar 5739 (04/30/1979), a month a�er the peace treaty with Egypt was signed, the Ministerial Commi�ee on Se�lement Affairs decided to establish two outposts in the Northern part of the Gaza Strip between Beit Lahia and the Green Line. Two weeks later, on Lag B'Omer (05/15/1979), representa�ves of the Se�lement Division conducted a tour of the area and found dune areas suitable for establishing the outposts. The first to be established there was the Nisanit stronghold.3 On the 27th of Shevat 5744 (01/31/1984), the Ministerial Commi�ee on Se�lement Affairs decided that Nisanit would be civilianized as a communal se�lement.4 Three separate popula�on groups were formed to se�le in the northern Gaza Strip: Career soldiers of the South Command, workers of the 'Elta' factory in Ashdod, and a group from Ashkelon. Yaakov Cohen, who served as District Officer on behalf of the Ministry of Interior in Ashkelon, organized the cohesive groups to migrate to Nisanit, and the recep�on of families began. Mee�ngs were held, during which it was proposed that the first ten families move to the place as soon as possible and form the ini�al nucleus of the planned se�lement.5 At noon on Sunday, the 22nd of Tamuz 5744 (07/22/1984), the day before the elec�ons to the 11th Knesset, the civilianiza�on ceremony was held at Nisanit,6 but instead of ten families, only six moved to the new stronghold. Even later, it was difficult to consolidate the se�lers' nucleus, and for five years, the number of families there was at most ten. Only in 5749 (1989), the se�lement numbered 15 families.7
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