the best decision at the time. the world was clamouring for Israeli withdrawals to the 67 lines and what happened in Gaza is a useful counterpunch against calls for withdrawals in the West Bank. Besides, Arik Sharon couldn't have foreseen the sweeping changes in the Arab world since 2011.

Poor Sever Plocker has a bleeding heart.

Gaza arabs to be relocated to the vast empty lands controlled by the 21 native arab homeland states.

The state of Israel must undo the disengagement. The disengagement was a great error, because it is written in the Torah, in Numbers 33:50-53 and Deuteronomy 1:8 and 30:5, that God commanded Israel to possess all the Land of Canaan, in which is included the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. So, the state of Israel must correct this error, and undo the disengagement, and rebuild Gush Katif and the settlements in Northern Samaria.

The state of Israel must immediately declare null the Oslo Accords and annex the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to its territory and dismantle the Palestinian Authority. The Oslo Accords are null, because they are against the Law of God (Written Torah), because it is written in the Torah, in Numbers 33:50-53 and Deuteronomy 1:8 and 30:5, that God commanded Israel to possess all the Land of Canaan, that is the Land of Israel, that includes all the Palestine. And the state of Israel must not give Israeli citizenship to the Arabs, because Israel is a Jewish state, so that only Jews can be citizens of Israel. This is not racism, because any person, of any race or ethnicity, may convert to Judaism.

The state of Israel must expel the Arabs from its territory, which includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, because it is written in the Torah, in Exodus 23:31-33 and in Numbers 33:52, that God commanded Israel to expel the other inhabitants of the Land of Canaan, which is the Land of Israel, which includes all the Palestine. The Arabs invaded the Land of Israel in the year 635 CE, so that they are invaders, and must leave Israel, and return to their own land, which is Arabia. This is not racism, because any person, of any race or ethnicity, can convert to Judaism. Moreover, the Palestinian Arabs are killing the Israeli Jews, so that the Israeli Jews need to expel the Palestinian Arabs from the Land of Israel (Palestine), as self defense, in order to save their lives.

The state of Israel must undo the disengagement. The disengagement was a great error, because it is written in the Torah, in Numbers 33:50-53 and Deuteronomy 1:8 and 30:5, that God commanded Israel to possess all the Land of Canaan, in which is included the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. So, the state of Israel must correct this error, and undo the disengagement, and rebuild Gush Katif and the settlements in Northern Samaria.

The state of Israel must immediately declare null the Oslo Accords and annex the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to its territory and dismantle the Palestinian Authority. The Oslo Accords are null, because they are against the Law of God (Written Torah), because it is written in the Torah, in Numbers 33:50-53 and Deuteronomy 1:8 and 30:5, that God commanded Israel to possess all the Land of Canaan, that is the Land of Israel, that includes all the Palestine. And the state of Israel must not give Israeli citizenship to the Arabs, because Israel is a Jewish state, so that only Jews can be citizens of Israel. This is not racism, because any person, of any race or ethnicity, may convert to Judaism.

The state of Israel must expel the Arabs from its territory, which includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, because it is written in the Torah, in Exodus 23:31-33 and in Numbers 33:52, that God commanded Israel to expel the other inhabitants of the Land of Canaan, which is the Land of Israel, which includes all the Palestine. The Arabs invaded the Land of Israel in the year 635 CE, so that they are invaders, and must leave Israel, and return to their own land, which is Arabia. This is not racism, because any person, of any race or ethnicity, can convert to Judaism. Moreover, the Palestinian Arabs are killing the Israeli Jews, so that the Israeli Jews need to expel the Palestinian Arabs from the Land of Israel (Palestine), as self defense, in order to save their lives.

Could the disaster have been averted had it not been done unilaterally, but with US security guarantees, under a safe, staged transfer involving Egypt, Jordan? Could it have been transfered to a joint Egyptian-PA entity with US guarantees?

This fallacy, that violence and radicalism is because of a lack of foreign investment has been debunked over and over again. Violence and radicalism, in gaza, just like in the west is perpetrated by upper and upper-middle class youth, brainwashed by the romanticism of fighting for the downtrodden, who in reality they despise, and who ultimately pay the price for their follies.

In the west it's marxist university scum (i.e. professors) leading the charge, in gaza it's islamist scum (i.e. preachers). Either way it's the same scum painted differently.

Same old Plocker, useless drivel talk. Give him a soap box and send him to Hyde Park!

Now the Imbecile has a change of heart.

Too late Idiot!

Next time listen to True Zionists, not the Fake ones you mingle with on the Left.

same thing will happen there if we leave. should annex Area C

into our society the way we did!
We'll be paying the price many years down the road.

Removing the settlements wasn't a mistake, but taking the IDF out at the same time and leaving the results to chance was.

The power vacuum of a unilateral withdrawl without coordination with the PA led to the Hamas takeover. As the PA wasn't strong enough to maintain control especially as the territory is non contiguous, what we have is a continuing occupation (by blockade) without any actual power to influence what happens. The status quo is not sustainable.

Hamas has been very smart to make re-occupation politically difficult for Israel, as they play games with IDF hostages and skillfully manipulate public opinion to avoid land operations (avoid soldiers being taken hostage). In this way Hamas does what it wants but can blame humanitarian conditions on the continued blockade.

Hamas is playing Israel for a fool. Israel needs to either give up on removing Hamas from power, or Israel needs to re-occupy (but not resettle) Gaza.

If Mohamed was remaining Ishmael is still come to huh Izhack?Philosophical question??? Now you have deep political problem, as philosophy not able to solve it remaining two option based on total separation as coexistence with people which philosophical hate you is impossible.
This parody disclosure the consensus before retreat as majority of commentators have been for retreat, and now WHAT IFis irrelevant, same mistake which see only military aspect and security concern for time being????
How many ex-general, Mossad are for retreat now fro Jehuda and Shomron? Same What If waiting you to write again?????God forbid!!!!!

allow EU or any future USA Presidents to bully Israel into giving up Judea/Samaria or even GOLAN in exchange for promises,"deals" or that type of letter Bush gave to Sharon.(Remember how Obama disowned that letter and Congressional approval of it).Gaza will never be a Singapore . It will ALWAYS be a festering wound of misery and destruction as the Hamas and its allies need to keep it that way for the $$$ to roll in.. The world loves Gaza as it is that Cancer that harasses Israel-ICC UNSC demonstrations . Hamas and its allies are the dream team for any Jew Hater or Israel haters

There is no looking back only acknowledging the present and going forward.

Israel has pulled out, despite all the warnings and is now living with the lessons & consequences.

Israel's politicians and journalists (pushing the politicians 24/7 with their 'expertise & opinions in the media) who claim to understand the Arabs should have known what was coming.

The expulsion would not have happened if not for the support of the left and the media.Will they learn from their mistakes. I doubt it.

The pullout was George W Bush's idea. Not Sharon's. He put the best face
possible on it.

Monday morning quarter-back. To defend 21 settlements required the presence of thousands of soldiers. The victory Of Hamas in the municipal elections was unpredictable.

The Sharon government plan was to save money to be spent expanding Israel in the West Bank. The Disengagement was a unilateral move, not a move towards peace. The Sharon Government never spoke to the PA or PLO about the Disengagement until it was done and the gate was locked.

and because he didn't want to keep wasting soldiers lives on living in a Leaving Gaza showed not only the world the Palestinians true colours, it also showed the Palestinians themselves what their country will look like. There was absolutely no reason to remain in Gaza and thank god we left when we did. At least once a week for the last 30 years someone has called for massive economic aid into Gaza to turn it into Switzerland. There are billions of people living in abject poverty in thousands of places around the world that could really make use of such economic aid....but no-one is going to give them a single dollar. Instead they pour billions of dollars into the cesspit of Gaza, a place that doesn't deserve any aid, any sympathy or even any attention. Gazans have actively destroyed everything given to them, are parasites by choice and have never stopped biting the hand that feeds. Stop all aid immediately! Give it to someone who deserves help, someone who will respect and cherish the aid. They want to live in a sewer?? Let them...give them nothing but the iron fist everytime they attack

Simply withdrawing doesn't bring peace when the enemy wants everything.

Never pull out prematurely...

I applaud the writer of this article, aside from his clear-headed evaluation of the results of the disengagement, for his honesty and willingness to admit his mistake in supporting the disengagement at the time. So few of the enthusiastic disengagement's supporters have the courage and honesty to do so.

Sharon disengaged from Gaza and locked the doors of the open air prison and started an economic blockade or siege as announced by Dov Weisglass, Sharon's adviser.
Israeli standard hasbara tells you that after the greenhouses (where mainly Palestinians worked) were handed over to the PA the Palestinians trashed them. Yes, in the beginning some of the poor stole copper pipes etc., but the damage was soon restored and the Palestinians farmers who worked in the greenhouses before, now became independent growers.
I travelled around Khan Younis where most of the greenhouse complexes are and saw the Palestinian growers at work.
The Dutch government made an agreement to buy strawberries and cut flowers grown in the greenhouses. The reason it all came to nothing is because of deliberate Israeli stalling tactics, that resulted in the flowers and strawberries being ruined. A dirty tactic used for many by Israel since many years.
If you want to learn, Plocker, what happened to Gaza's economy, read the work of Sara Roy or go to the Gisha website.