After destruction comes building: Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich met last night (Sunday) with the chairperson of the Nir Oz kibbutz committee, Osnat Perry, the chair of the kibbutz and widow of Chaim Perry who was kidnapped and murdered, along with senior kibbutz officials. Also present were the CEO of the Ministry of Finance Shlomi Heizler, representatives from the budget department, representatives from the accountant general’s office, and Ami Plamor who is assisting in the kibbutz’s reconstruction.
“Committed to Developing the Kibbutz and Ensuring its Flourishing”
During the meeting, the kibbutz members discussed with senior finance officials the promotion of rehabilitation efforts, development, and growth of the kibbutz, as well as the challenges and opportunities for integrating additional residents in the future.
In this context, the minister expressed his great appreciation for the resilience and determination displayed by the kibbutz members, stating, “The determination and bravery of the people of Nir Oz inspire us all. My full commitment is to continue taking all necessary measures for the development of the kibbutz, to ensure its flourishing, and to assist in restoring the community to a life full of creativity and prosperity.”
The previous visit: “It’s not a given that you opened your door and heart”
Two weeks earlier, the minister toured the kibbutz, where he was exposed to the scenes of destruction and devastation, the painful stories experienced on October 7, the major challenges, and the steadfast spirit of the community.
During the visit, he met, among others, with Sigi Yehud, the widow of Dolav Yehud who was murdered on October 7 and Dolav’s sister-in-law, who is still held captive. In her remarks, she said, “I think that when you leave here after what you saw and heard, and you’ve heard quite a few stories, you need to know how to take everything you see and hear and be able to give everything you have to everyone who sits here, especially those who need to return here, not later and not in a few years. The struggle is now, it is daily.”
Osnat Perry added, “It’s not just that mental rehabilitation is no less important; it is more important. Ultimately, when you see the homes, you need to understand that the lives of people here have shattered, it’s not just the loss of someone dear. We need to see how we return people to live in some way.”
In her meeting with the minister, Sharon Konio, who was released in a hostage deal last November, said: “What security is there before they are returned? Come to me one day and see my daughters and tell me if that is victory. I am grateful that they returned to us, but my husband is there, and I have daughters who are currently fatherless. We are two kilometers from Gaza, a two-minute drive. Imagine a situation that is now so close to here and we have nothing to do about it.”
Smotrich thanked the kibbutz members for their ability to host him despite the anger and pain. “I thank you for opening your door and your heart; it is not a given. It is not trivial, and I am not sure that if I were in your place I would have been able to invite, receive, and look into the face of one who is ultimately part of those responsible for a terrible and horrific failure. On a personal level, I live with this; I go to sleep with it and wake up with it for a year. This is a different experience than yours but with a sense of responsibility and guilt, and primarily with a commitment to correct what can be.”
The minister added: “With you, the kibbutz members, I have admired you as settlers, agriculturalists, and Zionists long before the disaster, and now it is much more about the nobility, the resilience, the courage to envision a future here
