What was the human cost to Israel of the disengagement from Gaza and northern Samaria?
Reaching a democratic decision to implement disengagement – even one overwhelmingly supported by national public opinion – demanded finding answers to some extremely difficult questions. Could Israel leave Gaza without seeming to signal this was a victory for terrorism? Was the country ready to uproot citizens who had lived in the area for decades? Did redeployment mean giving up a negotiating asset without getting anything in return? Despite the highly emotional issues involved, the public debate was predominately peaceful, even with demonstrations involving tens of thousands of Israelis on both sides of the issue. Israel’s watershed disengagement initiative was a demonstration of faith in the eventual attainment of peace. With reciprocation from the Palestinians, it could have served as a breakthrough toward this goal. The disengagement from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria (northern West Bank) clearly demonstrated that Israel backs its words with action and is willing to pay a ma
