Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza was sold as a path to peace. Instead, it unleashed rockets, terror tunnels, October 7 atrocities—and today, the same failed assurances are being recycled to push for a Palestinian state.
They said: Leave Gaza, and it will be fine.
Twenty years later, the truth is undeniable—it was a catastrophic illusion.
On August 15, 2005—the 10th of Av—Israel tore down its thriving Gaza communities, expelling over 10,000 Israelis from homes and businesses built with sweat and vision. The synagogues, greenhouses, and enterprises worth millions—left behind in goodwill—were torched and destroyed within days. Gaza was handed an opportunity for nation-building, but instead it chose jihad.
The Empty Assurances
The disengagement was championed with endless promises:
- “Withdrawal will bring calm.”
- “Rocket fire will cease.”
- “Israel will gain international support to respond if attacked.”
Even Prime Minister Ariel Sharon believed that quitting Gaza would grant Israel “deterrent balance” and “higher moral ground.” U.S. officials echoed the mantra: State Department spokesman Richard Boucher claimed disengagement would “reduce conflict and friction.” At the UN, James Cunningham called it “the wisdom of Israel disengaging.”
The left in Israel joined in chorus. Meretz MP Zehava Gordon insisted withdrawal would lessen Palestinian motivation for terror. Later, Ehud Olmert urged “patience” as rockets continued to fall, trusting the Palestinian Authority to restrain its own “renegade” militias.
All these assurances collapsed under the weight of reality.
The Reality After Withdrawal
What followed was a nightmare foretold by the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who marched in protest:
- Rockets never stopped—they multiplied.
- Terror tunnels spread for miles, built with international aid.
- Israeli soldiers and civilians kept dying from Gaza-launched attacks.
- Media outlets like the BBC amplified Hamas propaganda, fueling anti-Israel bias worldwide.
- UNRWA schools indoctrinated Gazan youth with hate, turning classrooms into Jihad camps.
- And on October 7, 2023, Hamas unleashed its most horrific assault in Israeli history.
The disengagement’s legacy is written in blood and fire.
Today’s Déjà Vu
Now, Western governments—pressured by Muslim constituencies and progressive voters—are once again offering recognition of a Palestinian state, insisting it is the “solution.” But just as in 2005, the assurances are hollow.
When an enemy openly proclaims that its goal is your destruction, you must take it at its word. Jihadist ideology is not tempered by concessions; it is fueled by them.
The Only Assurance That Matters
Israelis learned the hard way that disengagement from Gaza was not a step toward peace, but a green light for terror. The lesson of the last 20 years is crystal clear:
Appeasement invites bloodshed. Strength ensures survival.
