Over 5,000 people were on hand Tuesday afternoon, the third day of chol hamoed Pesach in northern Shomron, taking part in the special yomtov event on the grounds of the former community of Chomesh. The yishuv was expelled in 2005 as part of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Disengagement Plan along with neighboring SaNur.

Guests of honor included Israel Prize recipient Rabbi Chaim Druckman Shlita and Minister Yuli Edelstein. Shomron Regional Council leader Gershon Mesika told the participants that “today it is clear to all that the disengagement was a mistake and we must rebuild the community to its former glory”.

A siyum and seudas mitzvah was held on the location as well. The day’s events were in coordination with IDF forces.

In the summer of 2005, the administration of Ariel Sharon uprooted the Jewish communities of Gush Katif and northern Shomron. In Gush Katif close to 10,000 people became refugees as a result of the government’s plan, which included the exhumation of the beis hachaim in Gush Katif as well as handing over shuls and batei medrashim to the terrorist entity, which used those buildings for training of terrorists and the launching of rocket attacks into southern Israel.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)