In a move that most would describe as ‘pouring salt on the wound’, Gilad Sharon, a son of the architect for the destruction of Gush Katif and portions of northern Shomron with his so-called 2005 Disengagement Plan, praises the act on the 10th anniversary.

Despite uprooting close to 10,000 people and destroying the vibrant Jewish life in Gaza, bringing Hamastine to the world and leaving southern Israeli residents victim to rocket attacks from Gaza, Gilad Sharon on the tenth anniversary of the expulsion feels his later father’s police was a “major success for the nation”. The young Sharon questions “If it was a mistake why is it that no one wishes to return to Gaza?” He adds that his father would deal with the Gaza rocket fire with a hard handed policy after the expulsion.

Gilad Sharon feels “Looking back ten years later, the actions taken saved Israel”, speaking with Galei Tzahal (Army Radio). The young Sharon cites that now, ten years later, clearly no one really wants to return, adding “Even among the expellees I am not sure the majority wishes to return. After all we have returned to all of these places in operations in Gaza like Protective Edge and with the exception of a fringe element, no one wishes to remain there”.

Sharon adds that not only doesn’t anyone wish to return, no one favors leaving the IDF presence in Gaza. “No want wishes to do miluim (reserve duty) there just like no one wants to see their sons serving there”.

Sharon is certain that the expulsion saved hundreds of lives despite the fact the situation compelled a number of operations in Gaza since 2005. “It was a painful, difficult and necessary move” he insists.

“My father was not naïve and he was well acquainted with our neighbors. He knew that every time that were able to choose between a good life or terror and suffering they opted for the latter. My father expected there to be terror attacks following the expulsion too but he would have responded with all our might”.

“I believed that we would not rule over Gaza but this does not prevent us from responding mightily. He moved artillery batteries close to the border…On the night he was hospitalized I heard him speaking with the IDF Chief of Staff and instructed him to order naval shelling in response to fire. One thing can be said, my father knew how to deal with terror”.

Gilad took advantage of the interview to attack Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, citing that he tries to distance himself from the expulsion but only a few really objected at the time, with good reason, but Mr. Netanyahu cannot be counted among those them since he separated himself from them as he does time after time”.

He explained Netanyahu backed the expulsion time and time again, as he was among those who worded the resolution presented to the cabinet on the Disengagement Plan, and he voted for it in the cabinet, and supported it on four separate occasions in Knesset. “Netanyahu stood at the podium in Knesset, opposite the cameras, calling on MK Uri Ariel ‘don’t make a mistake for in a national referendum I am supporting the plan”.

“There must be a limit to the cynicism”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)