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 to this end.

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

Farhan met yesterday 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."

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. He had already been in touch with legal advisers to review the option of waiving his Israeli citizenship.

Earlier this week, 12 families from Alei Sinai signed a deal with the Disengagement Administration to leave the settlement and resettle in Bat Hadar, near Ashkelon. (© Copyright 2005 Haaretz. 02/04/05)