The deputy commander of the expulsion of the Jewish community of Gush Katif, Meir Ben-Yishai, now retired from Israel Police, visited the Gush Katif Museum in Yerushalayim on Tuesday, 2 Menachem Av 5773. For the man who supervised and commanded much of the eviction of Jews from their homes; today, on the eighth anniversary, he wishes to express regret for his actions, seeking a measure of understanding and compassion. He admits that he and many others cried as they carried out their orders, and while it made it more difficult at the time he knew what his responsibility was. He explained that major-generals and senior police commanders cried alongside subordinates, adding “one’s rank does not leave on emotionally insulated to this type of situation.”

Spending three hours in the museum he spoke of his feelings and regrets, sharing a recent story of how he stopped in Yad Binyamin, which today is home to many former Gush Katif residents. A young lady recognized him and began crying hysterically, telling him “you don’t bring me a good feeling. You must leave immediately” in a hysterical tone. Ben-Yishai admits that he feels this pain daily, the pain of his actions eight years ago.

He recalls that when he supervised the eviction of residents from the N’vei Dekalim Shul he personally protected Rabbi Chanan Porat z”l to make sure the expulsion force did not harm him in any way. He felt compelled to share the fact that when he visits the kever of his father on the yahrzeit, he is haunted by the melodies, the tunes that were sung by the expellees at the time.

He told Arutz-7 that while some of his fellow colleagues have put a stone wall in front of their emotions. They get on with life as if nothing occurred but he admits he does not act this way and he prefers to live with the emmes, the truth regarding what occurred, painful as it may be.

Ben-Yishai is certain there are hundreds of officers who live with the same pain, those who took part in the expulsion. He blames the politicians for lying regarding the promises of peace and tranquility that would result from the expulsion.

In the visitor’s book Ben-Yishai wrote, “The wound is still open and painful. From an officer who defended the residents of the Gush since 1987 and as a commander of the area, I found myself removing you from your homes and your land. You have served as a personal example for me and Am Yisrael regarding your true love of Eretz Yisrael. You continued to raise and educate your children under fire. The experience of the expulsion accompanies each and every day, the enormous pain. It is my hope that we did it with sensitivity and determination. Your work regarding the museum is important for Am Yisrael’s history. Am I sorry if I hurt you.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)