Gary Fitleberg, July 17, 2005

Will Israel be safer if it leaves Gaza and Gush Katif?

Let’s be honest. The answer is clearly and definitively No.

In an interview, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the lion-hearted of late and mastermind behind Israel’s "disengagement" plan or "withdrawal" boldly and coldly told NBC’s David Gregory, "My Gaza pullout will lead to violence" yet he continues down the path of destruction and fate of a "final solution to the Jewish problem" to proceed forth at risk to the safety and security of those he has taken an oath to protect. A plan that allows Arab/Islamist political pressure and succumbing to terrorism to have victory.

Most military and security experts agree about surrender to terrorism. We have been warned wisely.

According to former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon, "Immediately after the disengagement, we can expect a burst of terrorism." Ya’alon warned very bluntly, clearly, and honestly, "The Gaza disengagement plan will blow up in our faces." Ya’alon’s warning can be taken figuratively and literally. By coincidence, Ya’alon was forced into early retirement for expressing his concerns and views publicly. His term could have been extended easily, especially during a period of extreme need for safety and security.

Major General Aharon Ze’evi Farkash, Chief of Israeli Military Intelligence, said the expulsion plan would promote much more violence because it will be seen as rewarding terrorism.

Former Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence Yaacov Amidor, wrote a paper for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, which said the expulsions, evacuation, and eviction plan will turn Gaza into a Hamas terror state.

An IDF Report noted that Arab Terror groups, who view the plan as a victory, plan to launch a major terror offensive the day after "disengagement" is complete.

Ahmed Al-Bahar, a spokesman for Hamas, proclaimed the plan "a victory for resistance" adding "The painful and qualitative blows which the 'Palestinian' resistance dealt to the Jews and their soldiers over the past four and a half years led to the [Israeli] decision to [unilaterally] withdraw from Gaza. We believe that the resistance [terrorism] is the only way to pressure the Jews."

Avi Dichter, former Director of the Shin Bet security service stated, "In the Gaza Strip, an army of thousands of people, who belong to Hamas, are building on the model of Hizbullah in Lebanon." Dichter also was forced into early retirement by the bulldozer Sharon.

Former Defense Minister Moshe Ahrens and Former Minister of Diaspora Affairs Nathan Shrank, who resigned to Sharon’s surrender to terrorism, also echoed this assessment and sentiments.

Nathan Sharansky, dissident and human rights activist under the Soviet totalitarian regime, resigned under Sharon. His message and statement clear. More terror is what we fear for giving up Gaza and Gush Katif.

"A tragic mistake will exacerbate the conflict, increase terrorism, and dim the prospects of genuine peace," Sharansky warned. Clearly a case for democracy.

Here are a few startling and unsettling facts about the so-called "settlements" (a term falsely used in a negative context by the media and others) in Gaza and Gush Katif.

The world believes falsely that Israel’s choice is due to demographics. Either give up all of Gaza and its Jews, the rightful residents, or keep it with approximately one million Arabs living there.

In fact, 88% of Gaza, where virtually all of the Arabs live, was given completely over to the control, domination and occupation of the Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization in 1994 by then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Since Oslo, only 12% of Gaza remains under Israel’s control, this 12% is the Jewish section of Gaza, a beachside community where 9,000 Israeli citizens and Jews reside together with 2,000 Arabs. In this section from which Israel is planning to withdraw, 82% of the residents are Jewish.

The so-called "settlers" in the so-called "settlements" are not gypsies or "wandering Jews" living in caravans, covered wagons, tents, trailers, or other temporary housing and shelter but are firmly entrenched in cities and towns.

The 9,000 Jews of Gaza reside in a beautiful beachside community development with modern homes and gardens, schools and libraries -- not to mention beautiful synagogues and schools as well as libraries, organic farms, plant nurseries and manufacturing plants.

Let’s take Gush Katif for example. An exemplary place in the Promised Land.

The pioneer families of Gush Katif comprise 21 beautiful towns, 36 elegant synagogues, 70% of the entire organically grown agriculture for the whole State of Israel, 60% of all herbs grown in Israel, and most importantly a crucial defense system and security buffer zone against Arab attacks in southern Israel.

Gush Katif miraculously has withstood, by the grace of G-d Almighty, almost 6,000 rocket attacks in five years without any devastating damage.

Although one can remind the world that G-d gave the gift of the Holy Land, Promised Land, Eretz Yisrael, Zion, or today, Medinat Yisrael or the modern State of Israel to the Children of Israel, the descendants of Jacob, in eternal covenant that can never ever be broken or given away by anyone, we will focus on other reasons why Israel and the Jewish people can not and should not be forced to give away their gift this very precious gift. The Deed of Trust to the land is set forth in the Bible, Chumash, Five Books of Moses, Pentateuch or Torah. G-d also gave the Children of Israel this precious gift as well. One can not deny this fact genuinely or honestly.

What does the uprooting of so-called "settlements" mean for Israel and its Jewish citizens?

Clearly defined "disengagement" means denial, destruction, disaster for Israel and the Jewish people. We are in complete denial of facts, reality, and truth if we believe "disengagement is the answers to our problems and prayers. Another more apropos name for the pan might be the Railroad Plan.

"Disengagement" or "Withdrawal simply stated is really first chapter the "Beginning of the End" of the story of Israel and the Jewish people and its fall from finally standing tall. Call it what it truly is. Ethnic cleansing and genocide. Evacuation and Eviction. Self Suicide. Surrender to Terrorism. Transfer of Jews by Jews. Let’s be honest and not hide from the facts, reality and truth.

God Help Us!

If American President George W. Bush is a true believer and born-again Christian, he cannot allow the clear moral choice to be forgotten or ignored. If he truly believes in freedom and democracy, he will never allow the dismantling of not only the so-called "settlements" but all of Israel under political pressure from the entire world. Bush cannot morally choose to dismantle the only true blue ally and beacon of freedom of democracy and freedom the Americans have amongst the 22 Arab/Islamist corrupt dictatorships, human rights violators, ruthless repressive regimes, state sponsors of terrorism, and tyrannies that comprise the very bad neighborhood known as the Medieval Middle East.

Is giving up Gaza and Gush Katif a fait accompli?

Anything is possible. The Lord works sometimes in mysterious ways.

We have witnessed Arafat turn his back and walk away from a "land for peace" deal which would have given him the eastern portion of the Holy City of Jerusalem as capital, 100% of Gaza, and 97% of Judea & Samaria, without even a counter offer, without the necessity and prior to the bloody campaign of hatred, incitement, terrorism and violence launched against the State of Israel.

At the end of the day "disengagement" means the beginning of the end of Israel and the Jewish people’s downfall and destruction forever and ever.

There is absolutely no honest or moral "disengagement" plan. The Arab Final Solution.

One cannot allow Israel to fall to a perpetual political propaganda ploy of a fictitious Arab "Palestine" nation and "Palestinian" people fostered by the entire Arab League of Nations as a fifth column designed to destroy the only Jewish State of Israel in the entire world. Arabs could not defeat the tiny little sovereign state with all of its aggressive attacks to annihilate it with all their numbers and might militarily.

One cannot negotiate with or reward terrorists and terrorism and place one’s citizens at risk for their safety and security.

We simply need not create another hostile State of Terrorism. One right in our very back yard.

Nearly 10,000 Jews live and stand on the frontlines in Gaza and Gush Katif for Israel’s security. Let’s stand together united with them in Israel’s war for survival against succumbing to terrorism.

Let our people stay. The Jewish people.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2005 Gary Fitleberg