Chapter Fourteen | The price of disengagement 200 201 Third, a�er a community suffers trauma and crisis, the public some�mes seeks new leadership unrelated to previous events. This also happened with regard to some parts of se�lement secretariats, leadership teams, the Yesha Council and even elements within the spiritual leadership. Fourth and final, a�er the expulsion, each community chose its new path. At �mes, the community's decision on its following loca�on, composi�on and character did not suit the rabbi, causing him to venture elsewhere. For these reasons, some of the rabbis agreed with the members of their communi�es a�er years of incredible spiritual and prac�cal leadership under impossible condi�ons of terror and the prospects of deporta�on - to conclude their du�es and move on. Of course, in other communi�es, both par�es felt the need and desire to con�nue marching forward together to build the next chapter of their lives. I hope and pray that as �me goes by, all the aforemen�oned rabbis, those who re�red and those who persisted, will be acknowledged and appreciated for their meaningful spiritual leadership in everyday life, the spiritual and mental strength they all demonstrated in the days of murderous terror and the days of storm and turmoil. Everyone must understand that during these catastrophic days, the rabbis func�oned as "servants of a holy people," literally. Public spiritual leaders, guided by the Torah, have been beacons of hope even on the darkest days. Their interpreta�on and applica�on of the scriptures have given the public the strength to con�nue on the path toward the light, with God's help."74 Undoubtedly, the decision to leave the Gaza Strip seriously hurt the residents who lived there. S�ll, the fact that 85% of the evacuees stayed together within their community frameworks and set themselves a goal to con�nue cul�va�ng the same values and ideals that existed in Gush Ka�f helped them regrow. Most Gush Ka�f residents chose to push forward despite the many obstacles and are trying with all their might to return to being a strong, produc�ve, ac�ve and contribu�ng society. The effect of disengagement on Israeli society The disengagement was not just the story of Gush Ka�f residents. It is an event of na�onal magnitude that has been etched into the collec�ve consciousness and has had a considerable impact on the con�nued shaping of the lives of all of us in the State of Israel. Beyond the personal price paid by the people of Gush Ka�f, ques�on marks surfaced regarding the price paid by the state in terms of values, security, Zionism and democracy. Many studies have discussed, and more will further deliberate on that issue, and perspec�ve of the events, from the distance of �me, is yet to be obtained. The value of Zionist se�lement The disengagement plan led to the destruc�on of en�re se�lements that had maintained a fabric of life for 35 years and were established following a government decision that perceived them as an inseparable part of the State of Israel. This decision represented a significant perceptual change in the value of the Zionist se�lement and reference to the right of the state - the Jewish na�on - to establish se�lements in places where there has been a historical and existen�al affilia�on. As men�oned, it is too early to comprehend the magnitude of this change and its implica�ons for the country's Zionist and na�onal nature and the value of a se�lement in the future. Poli�cs and security The impact of the disengagement on the poli�cal-security situa�on is a complicated issue that requires a broad perspec�ve to observe it properly. Even a�er three opera�ons in the Gaza Strip, held a�er the disengagement, there is s�ll a bi�er dispute about the contribu�on of the disengagement process to the increasing terrorism or improving the State of Israel's security situa�on. Most of those who supported the disengagement at the �me s�ll think it was a move that benefited the State of Israel. Those who opposed it are convinced that it was a par�cularly grave mistake, given the increase in Hamas terrorism in the Gaza Strip. To quote Moshe ("Bogie") Ya'alon, one of the gravest opponents, who served as Israel's Defense Minister when these lines were wri�en: "As Chief of Staff and army veteran, there is no doubt the disengagement failed. This failure was an�cipated. The unilateral disengagement plan set the expecta�on for further withdrawals in the West Bank without an agreement and compensa�on. It deprived the State of Israel of its assets without giving it any in return." 75 Democracy and na�onal cohesion These dilemmas are also evident in Yair Sheleg's words, quoted on the posi�on paper of the Israel Democracy Ins�tute: "The main problem in the democra�c conduct pertaining to the decision on the disengagement was Sharon's breach of trust towards his cons�tuents. Although a leader cannot be faithful to every policy statement he expressed in the past, especially when circumstances change, there was a key issue here: — a breach of trust shortly a�er the elec�ons, which increased the suspicion that this was not due to a fundamental change in circumstances. Such a breach of trust damages the voters' long-term confidence in their leaders and the en�re democra�c system. It is more destruc�ve than any poli�cal gain that the promise-breakers sought to achieve, to begin with."76 Sheleg further recommended that any similar decision on the evacua�on of se�lements be made in the Knesset without fac�onal discipline and by a special majority or one that the public will decide on in a referendum or re-elec�on. Human rights' viola�on The disengagement tested the state's duty to respect the human rights of the se�lers it had sent to establish the se�lements. In the opinion of Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern, a member of the State Inves�ga�ve Commi�ee to oversee how Gush Ka�f evacuees were handled: "The disengagement was the biggest viola�on of human rights in the State of Israel since its establishment. Displacing thousands of people from their homes and destroying their communi�es is one of the most difficult and cruel acts that a society and a state can inflict on its people."77 The implica�ons for religious Zionism and its rela�onship with Israeli society The disengagement threw religious Zionism into upheaval. A�er the disengagement, intense feelings of fear and anger, pain and frustra�on, humilia�on and persecu�on, aliena�on from state ins�tu�ons, distrust in democracy and the ability to make a difference, and sinister loneliness were evident. According to Dr. Anat Roth, who studied some of these influences, the many ques�ons that surfaced formed new outlines within the religious Zionist camp. The disengagement prompted a profound re-examina�on of the core tenets of religious Zionism, sparking turbulent internal processes regarding the spiritual and prac�cal leadership of the struggle, its stance, and the appropriate a�tude toward the state and government. Religious Zionism never broke away from Israeli society. One may safely say that precisely because of the disengagement, religious Zionism figured it should become a more significant player in shaping the country's path.78 The decision-making process of the disengagement plan was accompanied by delibera�ons as to the appropriate way to make decisions that cross public opinion in Israel. Officially, the decision was passed following the rules of the democra�c regime. S�ll, two key cri�cisms were ar�culated: 1. Can such a cri�cal decision be officially made using various tools that are not in the democra�c spirit? and 2. Should a simple majority suffice to pass such a crucial decision in parliament, or should other ways be found to resolve a dispute of this magnitude?
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