Two decades after Israel’s Disengagement, Anita Tucker says the dream of rebuilding Jewish life in Gaza is alive — and the only real path to security.
Twenty years after the forced evacuation of Gush Katif, Anita Tucker, one of Netzer Hazani’s founding pioneers, says the wound has never healed — and neither has the vision of a thriving Jewish Gaza.
“I lived in Netzer Hazani for thirty years. My children and grandchildren were born there. I thought our great-grandchildren would be too. I was a farmer — I grew every vegetable and flower you can imagine,” Tucker told Arutz Sheva–Israel National News.
She recalls the golden days of life in Gaza: the endless sand, the rolling sea, the tight‑knit community bound by kindness and faith. “Ten of my grandchildren fought in Gaza during the war. One of them, who was just three during the Disengagement, sent a message from the battlefield saying, ‘I’m home.’ That’s how deep the connection runs.”
🛡️ “We Protected Israel — Not the Other Way Around”
Tucker rejects claims that October 7 would have been worse had Gush Katif still existed.
“That’s simply not true. We were the shield. We had serious-minded emergency response teams. The Arabs respected our strength. Once weakness was sensed, we were trampled.”
She says the Hamas massacre has forced a painful reckoning in the Gaza envelope communities — many of whom once pushed for Gush Katif’s removal.
“They used to protest against us. Now they know you can’t survive there without real, permanent security. The only way to defend Israel is for Gaza to be Jewish again.”
🏗️ “The Plans Are Ready”
Tucker says the return to Gush Katif isn’t a dream — it’s already on paper.
“One of our youth, now a respected engineer, has teamed up with a city planner to design the entire Gaza Strip anew — full of Jewish life. Not just Gush Katif, but all of Gaza. We’re going back because that’s the only way to be strong.”
Her voice hardens with resolve.
“I’m ready to go back tomorrow. This is our land. Always was. Always will be.”
