Two decades after Israel’s withdrawal from Gush Katif, Tzvi Hendel declares that only renewed Jewish settlement in Gaza can guarantee security — and vows that Israel will return.
Twenty years after the 2005 Disengagement from Gush Katif, former Knesset Member and current Head of the Gaza Coast Regional Council Tzvi Hendel remains steadfast in his belief that Israel’s future security depends on returning to the very land it gave up.
Speaking to Arutz Sheva – Israel National News, Hendel reflected on the painful past, but made it clear that his eyes are fixed firmly on the future.
“Thank God, I do not remember the evacuation — I remember Gush Katif,” he said. “It was a place of beauty, a place of goodness, filled with breathtaking landscapes and remarkable people. There was struggle, certainly, but my heart chooses to remember its greatness.”
Hendel did not shy away from pointing to what he sees as the right‑wing’s greatest political mistake: supporting Ariel Sharon for Prime Minister.
“The great error of the national camp was backing Arik Sharon, of blessed memory. We failed to realize that he would one day uproot the very communities he built.”
He recalled how Sharon, once a frequent guest at his home and a champion of the coastal communities, abruptly cut ties when the Disengagement plan surfaced.
“When the plan came, suddenly I could no longer reach him. That’s when I understood the truth.”
💥 Gush Katif and October 7: A Direct Connection
Reflecting on the horrors of the October 7 Hamas massacre, Hendel was unequivocal:
“If Gush Katif had not been dismantled, October 7 would not have happened. With a permanent Jewish presence, the IDF and Shin Bet would have continued operating. Gaza would never have become the terror fortress it is today.”
He stressed that the only real solution for Gaza is robust and thriving Jewish settlement.
“We will return. With God’s help, we will rebuild — and I believe this will be done with the consensus of the nation and the understanding of the wider public.”
🌍 Looking Ahead
Hendel envisions an Israel that not only returns to Gush Katif but also secures regional acceptance of its presence.
“I believe we will persuade some nations to accept those who once lived alongside us, so that we may return to this extraordinary region, which is rightfully ours.”
