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Unilateral Disengagement
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This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

Israel's unilateral disengagement plan (Hebrew: תוכנית ההתנתקות (the official name) or תוכנית ההנתקות; also known as the "disengagement plan", "Gaza Pull-Out plan," and "Gaza Expulsion plan" by its opponents) is a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to remove all permanent Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip and from northern Samaria (the northern part of the West Bank). The Gaza Strip contains 21 civilian Israeli settlements, and the area to be evacuated in Samaria contains four; these areas also contain numerous IDF installations. Sharon says the plan is designed to improve Israel's security and international status, in the absence of political negotiations to end the conflict. Large Flag of Israel File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Main article: Israel. ... For other meanings, please see Zionism (disambiguation) Zionism is a political movement among Jews, although supported by some non-Jews and not supported by some Jews, which maintains that the Jewish people constitute a nation and are entitled to a national homeland in Palestine, the location of the ancient Kingdom... Timeline of Zionism in the modern era: 1861 - The Zion Society is formed in Frankfurt, Germany. ... Main article: State of Israel. ... Theodor Herzl, in his middle age. ... The Sykes-Picot Agreement of May 16, 1916 was a secret understanding between the governments of Britain and France defining their respective spheres of post-World War I influence and control in the Middle East and remains much of the common border between Syria and Iraq. ... The Balfour Declaration was a letter dated November 2, 1917 from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour, to Lord Rothschild (Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild), a leader of the British Jewish community, for transmission to the Zionist Federation, a private Zionist organization. ... Map of the territory under the British Mandate of Palestine. ... Map showing the UN Partition Plan. ... Yom Haatzmaut (יום העצמאות yom hā-‘aṣmā’ūṯ), Israeli Independence Day, commemorates the declaration of independence of Israel in 1948. ... The Land of Israel (Hebrew: ארץ ישראל Eretz Yisrael) is the land that made up the ancient Jewish Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. ... There are six main districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (singular: mehoz) and thirteen sub-districts known as nafot (singular: nafa). ... Cities in Israel, by district: // Northern District See also North District of Israel. ... Jerusalem (31°46′ N 35°14′ E; Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... Tel Aviv at night Dizengof Center Allenby Street Tel Aviv-Yafo (Hebrew תל אביב-יפו; Arabic تل ابيب-يافا Tal Abīb-Yāfā) is an Israeli city on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. ... For the Lebanese singer, see Haifa Wehbe Haifa (Hebrew חֵיפָה Ḥefa, Ḥeyfa; Arabic حَيْفَا Ḥayfā) is the third-largest city in Israel, with a population close to 300,000. ... Israeli contributions to science and technology have been significant, even strangely out of proportion for a country of roughly six million with continuous security challenges. ... ‹The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... There are eight official universities in Israel, listed below (followed by their English acronym, if commonly used): Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) Tel-Aviv University (TAU) University of Haifa Bar-Ilan University (BIU) Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) Technion - Israel Institute of Technology Weizmann Institute of Science Open... This is a list of prominent Israelis (including Arab citizens of Israel). ... This article discusses the demographics of Israel. ... The culture of Israel, also called Israeli culture, is inseparable from long history of Judaism and Jewish history which preceded it (i. ... The great majority of citizens in the State of Israel are Jewish; the great majority of Israeli Jews practice Judaism as their religion. ... Israeli Arabs, or 1948 Palestinians, are those Arabs who remained inside the borders of what would become Israel after 1948, when most Arabs fled the country in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War (see also Nakba). ... Kibbutz Dan, near Qiryat Shemona, in the Upper Galilee, 1990s A kibbutz (Hebrew: קיבוץ; plural: kibbutzim: קיבוצים, gathering or together) is an Israeli collective community. ... Modern Israeli music is heavily influenced by its constituents, which include Palestinians (see Palestinian music) and Jewish immigrants (see Jewish music) from more than 120 countries around the world have brought their own musical traditions, making Israel a global melting pot. ... The archaeology of Israel is a national passion that also attracts considerable international interest on account of the regions Biblical links. ... Israeli literature is literature of the nation of Israel. ... This is a list of prominent Israelis (including Arab citizens of Israel). ... Basic Laws of Israel function as Israels uncodified constitution. The State of Israel has no formal constitution. ... Politics of Israel comprises of several interwoven components: // Laws Israels governmental system is based on several basic laws enacted by its unicameral parliament, the Knesset. ... Political parties in Israel: Israel has a multi-party system, with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition governments. ... Elections in Israel gives information on election and election results in Israel. ... The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for assembly) is the Parliament of Israel. ... The Prime Minister of Israel is the elected head of the Israeli government. ... President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel, but has a largely ceremonial, figurehead role with real power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister of Israel. ... The Law of Return (Khok ha-Shvut) is Israeli legislation that allows Jews to settle in Israel and gain citizenship. ... Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. ... Foreign relations of Israel deals with some of the following issues: In addition to seeking an end to hostilities with Arab forces, against which it has fought five wars since 1948, Israel has given high priority to gaining wide acceptance as a sovereign state with an important international role. ... Israel and the United Nations have had very mixed relations, since the states founding on May 14, 1948. ... The Israel Security Forces (ISF) are several organizations collectively responsible for Israels security. ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ×”×”×’× ×” לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces, comprising the Israel army, Israel air force and Israel navy. ... Israel is very widely believed to possess a substantial arsenal of nuclear weapons and intermediate-range ballistic missiles to deliver them. ... Official seal of the Mossad Ha-Mossad le-Modiin ule-Tafkidim Meyuhadim (Hebrew: המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, Institute for Intelligence and Special Tasks) is an Israeli intelligence agency, commonly referred to as Mossad. ... Shabak emblem Defender who shall not be seen The Shabak (in Hebrew, שבכ Shabak an acronym of Sherut ha-Bitachon ha-Klali שירות ביטחון כללי) known abroad as the Shin Bet or the GSS (General Security Service), is the Internal General Security Service of Israel. ... Aman badge Aman (אמן) is the Hebrew abbreviation for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Directorate of Military Intelligence (אגף מודיעין), Israels central, overarching military inteligence. ... Sayeret (Hebrew סיירת, pl. ... The YAMAM ( יממ ) is the elite civilian counter-terrorism unit of Israel. ... MAGAV (in Hebrew מגב ) is an acronym for Mishmar Ha-Gvul ( מישמר הגבול ), which in Hebrew means Frontier Guard. MAGAV is the combat branch of the Israeli Police and its composed from professional officers on payroll and field policemen redirected from the IDF (men at the age of 18... Mashaz logo The Mashaz (משאז) is the abbreviation for the Israeli Civilian guard (המשמר האזרחי: Ha-Mishmar ha-Ezrachi), a voluntary organization of citizens which assists in daily police work. ... Israel and the Arab League states The Arab-Israeli conflict is a long-running conflict in the Middle East regarding the existence of the state of Israel and its relations with Arab states and with the Palestinian population (see Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ... // The 1948 Arab-Israeli War, called the War of Independence (Hebrew: מלחמת העצמאות) by Israelis and al Nakba (Arabic: النكبة, the catastrophe) by Arabs, was the first in a series of wars in the Arab-Israeli conflict. ... The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and its neighbors Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. ... HM Ships Eagle, Bulwark, and Albion of the British Royal Navy. ... The Six-Day War (Hebrew: מלחמת ששת הימים transliteration: Milhemet Sheshet Hayamim), also known as the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Six Days War, or June War, was fought between Israel and its Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. ... // The War of Attrition was a limited war fought between Egypt and Israel from 1968 to 1970. ... The Yom Kippur War (Hebrew: מלחמת יום הכיפורים; transliterated: Milhemet Yom HaKipurim; Arabic: حرب أكتوبر; transliterated: Harb October), also known as the October War, the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, and the Ramadan War, was fought from October 6 (the day of Yom Kippur) to October 24, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Egypt and... Operation Litani was the official name of the Israel Defense Forces 1978 invasion of Lebanon up to the Litani river. ... The 1982 Invasion of Lebanon, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee (Shlom HaGalil in Hebrew), began June 6, 1982, when the Israel Defence Force invaded southern Lebanon purportedly in response to the Abu Nidal organizations assassination attempt against Israels ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov, and to halt... From the time it was established in March 1945, the Arab League took an active role in the Arab-Israeli conflict. ... Anwar Sadat (left), Jimmy Carter (center), and Menachem Begin (right) shake hands in celebration of the success of the Camp David Accords The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978, following twelve days of secret negotiations at... The Israeli peace camp is a collection of political and non-political movements which desire to promote peace, mainly with the Arab neighbours of Israel (the Palestinians, Syria and Lebanon) and encourage co-existence with the Arab citizens of Israel. ... Geneva Accord October 20, 2003 Road Map for Peace April 30, 2003 The Peoples Voice July 27, 2002 Elon Peace Plan 2002 ... // Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip are at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ... This is a incomplete timeline of events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The wreckage of a commuter bus in West Jerusalem after a suicide bombing on Tuesday, 18 June 2002. ... The Peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has taken shape over the years, despite the ongoing violence in the Middle East. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Ongoing events • Abramoff-Reed gambling scandal • Angola Marburg virus outbreak • Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes of 2005 • Bagram torture and prisoner abuse • Cindy Sheehan Crawford Protest • Downing Street memo • Edinburgh Festival • European Constitution ratification • Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan • Fuel prices • Gomery Comm. ... A prime minister may be either: the chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives... Ariel Sharon, the eleventh Prime Minister of Israel, spent many years in the Israel Defense Forces before being elected in March 2001. ... Samaria, Sumaria or Shomron (Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹן, Standard Hebrew Å omÉ™ron, Tiberian Hebrew ŠōmÉ™rôn, Arabic سامريّون SāmariyyÅ«n, in the New Testament Greek Σαμαρεια) is a term used for the mountainous northern part of the West Bank. ... One of the most contentious issues in the Arab-Israeli Conflict has been the Israeli policy of sponsoring, supporting, and/or tolerating the establishment of Jewish communities in areas that came under Israeli control as a result of the 1967 Six Day War. ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces (army, air force and navy). ...

Under the disengagement plan [1] as adopted on 6 June 2004 (see below), the IDF will remain on the Gaza-Egypt border and may engage in further house demolitions to widen a 'buffer zone' there (Art 6). Israel will continue to control Gaza's borders, coastline, and airspace, and reserves the right to undertake military operations at will (Art 3.1). Gaza will also remain dependent on Israeli water, communication, electricity, and sewage networks (Art 8); existing customs arrangements with Israel (whereby imports from Israel to Gaza are not taxed, exports from Gaza to Israel are taxed, and Israel collects customs duties on foreign products entering Gaza) will remain in force and the Israeli currency will continue to be used (Art 10). For these reasons, and because Israel will not accept a Palestinian sovereign authority in Gaza at this time, foreign observers have argued that legally speaking, the disengagement will not constitute an end to Israeli control (see, for example, the statement by Human Rights Watch [2] and extensive legal analysis by the Harvard International Humanitarian Law Research initiative [3]) Human Rights Watch is an international NGO based in New York City, USA, that works with human rights issues. ...

Positions of foreign governments

US Government position

U.S. president George W. Bush endorsed the plan, saying: The President of the United States is the head of state of the United States. ... George W. Bush signature (2005) George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the current President of the United States. ...

As part of a final peace settlement, Israel must have secure and recognized borders, which should emerge from negotiations between the parties in accordance with UNSC Resolutions 242 and 338. In light of new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli population centers, it is unrealistic that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949. (emphasis added)

However, in his May 26, 2005 joint press conference with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, in the Rose Garden, President Bush stated his expectations vis-a-vis the Roadmap Plan as follows: A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 (S/RES/242) was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on November 22, 1967 in the aftermath of the Six Day War. ... The three-line UN Security Council Resolution 338, adopted on October 22, 1973, called for the ceasefire in the Yom Kippur War in article 1 and for implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 242 in article 2. ... The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and its neighbors Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. ... Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: محمود عباس) (born March 26, 1935), commonly known as Abu Mazen (ابو مازن), was elected President (Raees) of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on January 9, 2005 and took office on January 15, 2005. ... See: The White House Rose Garden. ...

Any final status agreement must be reached between the two parties, and changes to the 1949 Armistice lines must be mutually agreed to. A viable two-state solution must ensure contiguity of the West Bank, and a state of scattered territories will not work. There must also be meaningful linkages between the West Bank and Gaza. This is the position of the United States today, it will be the position of the United States at the time of final status negotiations.

While initially President Bush stated that "a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949" would be an "unrealistic" "outcome of the final status negotiations", the most recent position is that "changes to the 1949 Armistice lines must be mutually agreed to." Essentially, a Palestinian demand that Israel withdraw to the 1949 lines would become "the position of the United States". The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and its neighbors Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. ...

European Union position

Similarly, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen (Ireland having Presidency of the EU at the time), announced the European Union's disapproval of the plan's limited scope in that it does not address withdrawl from the entire West Bank. He said that the EU "will not recognize any change to the pre-1967 borders other than those arrived at by agreement between the parties." However, Europe has given tentative backing to the Disengagement plan as part of the Road Map for Peace. The Irish Minister for Finance Brian Cowen, TD Brian Cowen (born January 10, 1960) is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician. ... The Six-Day War (Hebrew: מלחמת ששת הימים transliteration: Milhemet Sheshet Hayamim), also known as the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Six Days War, or June War, was fought between Israel and its Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. ... The road map for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a quartet of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. ...

Chronology

A map illustrating the four planned phases of the Gaza disengagement plan. Israel plans to withdraw about 9,500 settlers and the troops that protect them from the Gaza Strip in mid-August 2005. Israel will maintain control of Gaza's borders, coastline and airspace. Four villages in the West Bank will also be evacuated.

Ariel Sharon first announced his plan at the Herzlia Conference, 2004, sponsored by the Institute for Policy and Strategy. Failing to gain public support from senior ministers, Sharon agreed that the Likud party would hold a referendum on the plan in advance of an Israeli cabinet vote. The referendum was held on May 2, 2004 and ended with 65% of the voters saying no to his disengagement plan despite most polls showing approximately 55% of Likud members supporting the plan before the referendum. Image File history File links A map illustrating the four planned phases of the Gaza disengagement plan. ... Image File history File links A map illustrating the four planned phases of the Gaza disengagement plan. ... Likud party logo Likud or ליכוד literally means consolidation. The Likud is a right-wing Israeli political party. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Likud party logo Likud or ליכוד literally means consolidation. The Likud is a right-wing Israeli political party. ...

Commentators and the press described the rejection of the disengagement plan as a hard blow to Sharon. Sharon himself announced that he accepts the Likud referendum results and will take time to consider his steps. He ordered Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz to create an amended plan which Likud voters could accept. Israeli Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz Shaul Mofaz (b. ...

On June 6, 2004, Sharon's government approved the amended disengagement plan but with the reservation that dismantling of each settlement should be voted separately. The plan was approved with a 14-7 majority after the National Union ministers and cabinet members Avigdor Liberman and Benny Elon were sacked and a compromise offer by Likud's cabinet member Tzipi Livni was achieved. June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... National Union (Hebrew: Haihud HaLeumi איחוד הלאומי) is a right-wing Israeli political party formed from the merger of three parties: Moledet (homeland), Israel Beytenu (Israel is our home), and Tkuma (resurrection). The three parties still operate somewhat independently, but run as one party list in Israeli elections. ... Avigdor Liberman was born in 1958 in Moldova, and emigrated to Israel in 1978. ... Binyamin Benny Elon (1954-) is a Member of Knesset. ...

Following the approval of the plan and the intensive terrorist attacks on the Erez crossing and the Erez industrial zone, it was decided to close the Erez Industrial Zone and move its factories to development towns such as Ashkelon, Dimona, Yeruham and Sderot. Many factories were shut down earlier, because of increased attacks and attempts by Palestinian employees to murder their Jewish employers. The Israeli Gaza Strip barrier is a separation barrier along the armistice line of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War between the Gaza Strip and Israel. ... Ashkelon or Ashqelon (Hebrew אַשְׁקְלוֹן; Standard Hebrew AÅ¡qÉ™lon; Tiberian Hebrew ʾAÅ¡qÉ™lôn; Arabic عسقلان Ê¿Asqalān; Latin Ascalon) was an ancient Philistine seaport on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea just north of Gaza. ... Dimona is an Israeli city in the Negev desert, 36 kilometers to the south of Beer-Sheva and 35 kilometers west of the Dead Sea in the Southern District of Israel. ... Sederot (שדרות; unofficially also spelled Sderot) is a city in the Southern District of Israel in Israel. ...

As a result of the passing of the plan (in principle), two NRP (Mafdal) ministers (Effie Eitam and Yitzhak Levy) resigned, leaving the government with a minority in the Knesset. Later the entire faction quit after their calls to hold a national referendum were ignored. The grammar in this article needs to be checked. ... The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for assembly) is the Parliament of Israel. ...

Sharon's pushing through this plan has alienated many of his supporters on the right and has garnered him unusual support from the left-wing in Israel. The right believes that Ariel Sharon had ignored the mandate he was elected on, and has instead adopted the platform of his Labor opponent, Amram Mitzna, who was overwhelmingly defeated when he campaigned on a similar disengagement plan. At that time, Ariel Sharon referred to the Gaza communities such as Netzarim, as "no different than Tel Aviv." Many on both sides remain skeptical of his will to carry out a withdrawal beyond Gaza and Northern Samaria. Sharon has a majority for the plan in the government but not his own party. This has forced him to seek a National-Unity government, which was established in January of 2005. Opponents of the plan, and some ministers, such as Benjamin Netanyahu, former minister Natan Sharansky,along with other ministers, have called on Sharon to hold a national referendum to prove that he has a mandate; as of April 2005, these plans have failed to materialize for various reasons. Amram Mitzna is an Israeli politician who served as the mayor of Haifa from 1993 to 2003. ... Netzarim: Netzarim may relate to members of Nazarene Judaism, which is a religious sect. ... Samaria, Sumaria or Shomron (Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹן, Standard Hebrew Šoməron, Tiberian Hebrew Šōmərôn, Arabic سامريّون Sāmariyyūn, in the New Testament Greek Σαμαρεια) is a term used for the mountainous northern part of the West Bank. ... Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ (without niqqud: בנימין נתניהו), transliteration: Binyamin Netanyahu, nicknamed Bibi) (born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel. ... Natan Sharansky (Hebrew: נתן שרנסקי, Russian: Натан Щаранский, born January 20, 1948) is a notable former Soviet anticommunist, Zionist, Israeli politician and writer. ...

Javier Solana, European Union High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), stated on June 10, 2004: June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

I welcome the Israeli Prime Minister's proposals for disengagement from Gaza. This represents an opportunity to restart the implementation of the Road Map, as endorsed by the UN Security Council.

On September 14, 2004, the Israeli cabinet approved plans to compensate settlers who are due to leave the Gaza Strip in 9-1 majority, with only Mafdal's Zvulon Orlev opposing. September 14 is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... The grammar in this article needs to be checked. ... Zevulun Orlev זבולון אורלב is an Israeli politician. ...

On October 11, 2004, at the opening of the Knesset winter session, Sharon outlined his plan to start legislation for the disengagement in the beginning of November. In a symbolic act, the Knesset voted 53-44 against Sharon's address: the Israeli Labor party voted against, while Mafdal and 10 member of Likud refused to support Sharon in the vote. October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in Leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for assembly) is the Parliament of Israel. ... November is the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... Labour (העבודה HaAvoda) is an Israeli political party. ... The grammar in this article needs to be checked. ... Likud party logo Likud or ליכוד literally means consolidation. The Likud is a right-wing Israeli political party. ...

On October 26, 2004, the Knesset gave preliminary approval for the plan with 67 for, 45 against, 7 abstentions and 1 member absent. Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and three other cabinet ministers from Sharon's ruling Likud government threatened to resign unless Sharon agreed to hold a national referendum on the plan within 14 days. October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for assembly) is the Parliament of Israel. ... The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government. ... Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ (without niqqud: בנימין נתניהו), transliteration: Binyamin Netanyahu, nicknamed Bibi) (born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel. ... Likud party logo Likud or ליכוד literally means consolidation. The Likud is a right-wing Israeli political party. ...

On November 9, 2004, Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lifted his resignation threat, saying "In this new situation [the death of Yasser Arafat], I decided to stay in the government". Following the vote 14 days earlier, and Sharon's subsequent refusal to budge on the referendum issue, the three other cabinet ministers from the Likud party backed down from their threat within days. November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government. ... Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ (without niqqud: בנימין נתניהו), transliteration: Binyamin Netanyahu, nicknamed Bibi) (born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel. ...

On February 16, 2005, the Knesset finalized and approved the plan with 59 in favor, 40 opposed, 5 abstaining. A proposed amendment to submit the plan to a referendum was rejected (29-72). The approval of the Disengagement Law now only leaves the formality of a cabinet decision before the plan comes into effect. February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ...

On March 17, 2005, the IDF Southern Command issued a military order prohibiting Israeli citizens who do not reside in the Gaza Strip settlements from relocating to that area. March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... IDF or idf may refer to: the International Diabetes Federation the Israel Defense Forces the AIDC Ching-kuo Indigenous Defence Fighter of Taiwan. ...

On March 28, 2005, The Knesset again rejected a bill to delay the implementation of the disengagement plan by a vote of 72 to 39. The bill was introduced by a group of Likud MKs who wanted to force a referendum on the pullout. [4] March 28 is the 87th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (88th in Leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

On April 8, 2005, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said that Israel should consider not demolishing the evacuated buildings in the Gaza Strip, with the exception of synagogues (due to fears of their potential desecration) since it would be more costly and time consuming. This contrasted with the original plan by the Prime Minister to demolish all buildings which are vacated after the disengagement plan. April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

On May 9, 2005, the beginning of the evacuation of settlements was officially pushed back from July 20 to August 15, so as to not coincide with the Jewish holidays of the Three Weeks and Tisha B'Av, traditionally marking grief and destruction. May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (130th in leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Jewish holiday, (or Yom Tov or chag or taanit in Hebrew) is a day that is holy to the Jewish people according to Judaism and is usually derived from the Hebrew Bible, specifically the Torah, and in some cases established by the rabbis in later eras. ... The Three Weeks are days of mourning commemorating the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem within Judaism. ... Tisha BAv (תשעה באב tish‘āh bə-āḇ) is a major annual fast day in Judaism. ...

On June 9, 2005, a poll on Israeli Channel 2 showed that public support for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan had fallen below 50 percent for the first time. [5] June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Ariel Sharon, the eleventh Prime Minister of Israel, spent many years in the Israel Defense Forces before being elected in March 2001. ...

On July 13, 2005, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon signs closure order of Gush Katif. This makes Gush Katif a closed military zone. At that point, only residents who presented Israeli ID cards with their registered address in Gush Katif were permitted to enter. Permits for 24-48 hours were given to select visitors for a few weeks before the entire area was completely sealed off to non-residents. Despite this ban, supporters of Gush Katif have managed to sneak in by foot through fields and dirt. Estimates range from a few hundred to a few thousand people are currently in Gush Katif illegally. At one point Ariel Sharon was ready to send in the border police (Magav) to remove non-residents, but decided against it because the manpower requirement would've been too great. July 13th is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

On August 7, 2005, Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resigned just prior to the cabinet ratification of the first phase of the disengagement plan by a vote of 17 to 5. Netanyahu blamed the Israeli government for moving "blindly along" with the disengagement by not taking into account the expected upsurge in terrorism. Netanyahu said, "I don't know when terrorism will erupt in full force - my hope is that it won't ever. But I am convinced today that the disengagement will eventually aggravate terrorism instead of reducing it. The security establishment also expects an increase in terrorism. The withdrawal endangers Israel's security, divides its people and set the standards of the withdrawal to the '67 border". [6] August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ (without niqqud: בנימין נתניהו), transliteration: Binyamin Netanyahu, nicknamed Bibi) (born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel. ...

On August 10, 2005, in response to calls from Jewish Religious leaders, including former Chief Rabbis Rabbi Avraham Shapira, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, and Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, between 70,000 (police estimate) and 250,000 (organizers' estimate) Jews gathered for a rally centered at the Western Wall in prayer to ask that the planned disengagement be cancelled. The crowds that showed up for the rally overwhelmed the Western Wall's capacity and extended as far as the rest of the Old City and surrounding Jerusalem neighborhoods. The prayer rally was the largest of its kind for over 15 years, when a prayer rally was held in opposition to the Madrid Conference. [7][8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Rabbi Ovadia Yosef voting during an Israeli election Ovadia Yosef (born 1920) is an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, Talmud scholar and a recognized authority in halakha (Jewish Law). He is the former Sephardic chief rabbi of the State of Israel and is the current spiritual leader of the Shas political party... Western Wall by night The Western Wall (Hebrew: הכותל המערבי Kotel HaMaaravi), or simply The Kotel, is a retaining wall from the time of the Second Temple. ... Jerusalem (31°46′ N 35°14′ E; Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... The Madrid Conference of 1991 was an early attempt by the international community to start a peace process through negotiations with Israel and the Palestinians. ...

On August 10, 2005, in his first speech before the Knesset following his resignation as Finance Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of the necessity for Knesset members to oppose the proposed disengagement. Netanyahu said: "Only we in the Knesset are able to stop this evil. Everything that the Knesset has decided, it is also capable of changing. I am calling on all those who grasp the danger: Gather strength and do the right thing. I don't know if the entire move can be stopped, but it still might be stopped in its initial stages. [Don't] give [the Palestinians] guns, don't give them rockets, don't give them a sea port, and don't give them a huge base for terror."[14] August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for assembly) is the Parliament of Israel. ... Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ (without niqqud: בנימין נתניהו), transliteration: Binyamin Netanyahu, nicknamed Bibi) (born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel. ...

On August 11, 2005, between 150,000 (police estimates) and 300,000 (organizers' estimates) people massed in and around Tel Aviv's Rabin Square for an anti-disengagement rally. Organizers called the event "the largest expression of public protest ever held in Israel."[15] According to a police spokesman, it was one of the largest rallies in recent memory.[16] [17][18] [19] August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Tel Aviv at night Dizengof Center Allenby Street Tel Aviv-Yafo (Hebrew תל אביב-יפו; Arabic تل ابيب-يافا Tal Abīb-Yāfā) is an Israeli city on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. ...

At midnight between August 14 and August 15, the Kissufim Roadblock was shut down, and the Gaza Strip became officially closed for entrance of Israelis. This began the last 48 hours of voluntary evacuation. August 14 is the 226th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (227th in leap years), with 139 days remaining. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ...

Public opinion about the plan

Palestinian opinions

The Palestinian Authority, in the absence of a final peace settlement, has welcomed any military withdrawal from the territories, however many Palestinian Arabs have objected to the plan, stating the plan aims to "bypass" past international agreements, and instead call for an overall withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Their suspicions were further aroused when top Sharon aide Dov Weisglass was quoted in an interview with Israeli newspaper Haaretz on October 6, 2004 as saying that the purpose of disengagement was to destroy Palestinian aspirations for a state for years to come. "The significance of the disengagement plan is the freezing of the peace process and when you freeze that process, you prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and you prevent a discussion on the refugees, the borders and Jerusalem." This incident has bolstered the position of critics of the plan that Sharon is intentionally trying to scuttle the peace process, an accusation denied by the Prime Minister's camp. [20] The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ... The Palestinians are a mainly Arabic-speaking people with family origins in Palestine. ... Haaretz (הארץ, The Land) is an Israeli newspaper, founded in 1919. ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in Leap years). ...

On August 8, 2005, Haaretz quoted a top Palestinian Authority religious cleric, Sheikh Jamal al-Bawatna, the mufti of the Ramallah district, in a fatwa (a religious edict) banning shooting attacks against Israeli security forces and settlements, out of concern they might lead to a postponement of the pullout. This is the first time that a Muslim cleric has forbidden shooting at Israelis. [21] August 8 is the 220th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (221st in leap years), with 145 days remaining. ... A Mufti (Arabic: مفتى) is an Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia), capable of issuing fataawa (plural of fatwa). See also Grand Mufti Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Mufti also refers to ordinary clothes, especially when worn by one who normally wears, or has long worn... Mughtaribeen Circle in downtown Ramallah Ramallah (Arabic: رام الله) is a Palestinian city of approximately 57,000 residents. ... A fatwa (Arabic: ) plural fatāwa (Arabic: ) , is a legal pronouncement in Islam, issued by a religious law specialist on a specific issue. ...

Israeli opinions

A September 15, 2004 survey published in Maariv showed the following results: September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years). ... Maariv (Hebrew evening) is a daily newspaper in Israel. ...

69% supported a general referendum to decide on the plan; 26% thought that approval in the Knesset would be enough. A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for assembly) is the Parliament of Israel. ...

• If a referendum were to be held, 58% would vote for the disengagement plan, while 29% would vote against it. (Maariv), [22]

Recent polls on support for the plan have varied widely, though consistently showing support for the plan in the 50-60% range, and opposition in the 30-40% range. A June 9, 2005 Dahaf Institute/Yedioth Ahronoth poll showed support for the plan at 53%, and opposition at 38%.[23] A June 17 telephone poll published in the daily Maariv newspaper showed 54% of Israel’s Jews supporting the plan. A poll carried out by the Midgam polling company, on June 29 found support at 48% and opposition at 41%,(Arutz Sheva) but a Dahaf Institute/Yedioth Ahronot poll of the same day found support at 62% and opposition at 31%.[24] A poll conducted the week of July 17 by the Tel Aviv University Institute for Media, Society, and Politics shows that Israeli approval of the disengagement is at 48%. 43% of the respondents believe that Palestinian terrorism will increase following disengagement, versus 25% who believe that terrorism would decline.[25] June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Yedioth Ahronoth (Hebrew: ידיעות אחרונות, meaning latest news) is a major daily Israeli newspaper, written in Hebrew. ... June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (169th in leap years), with 197 days remaining. ... Maariv (Hebrew evening) is a daily newspaper in Israel. ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... The Palestinians are a mainly Arabic-speaking people with family origins in Palestine. ... The term terrorism is controversial and has many definitions, none of which are universally accepted. ...

On July 25, 2004, the "Human Chain," a rally of tens of thousands of Israelis to protest against the plan and for a national referendum took place. The protestors formed a human chain from Nisanit (later moved to Erez crossing because of security concerns) in the Gaza Strip to the Western Wall in Jerusalem a distance of 90 km. [26] On October 14, 2004, 100,000 Israelis marched in cities throughout Israel to protest Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan under the slogan "100 cities support Gush Katif and Samaria". (Jerusalem Post) July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... The 228 Hand-in-Hand Rally human chain was 500-km long. ... The Israeli Gaza Strip barrier is a separation barrier along the armistice line of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War between the Gaza Strip and Israel. ... Western Wall by night The Western Wall (Hebrew: הכותל המערבי Kotel HaMaaravi), or simply The Kotel, is a retaining wall from the time of the Second Temple. ... Jerusalem (31°46′ N 35°14′ E; Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

On May 16, 2005, a nonviolent protest was held throughout the country, with the protesters blocking major traffic arteries throughout Israel. The protest was sposored by "HaBayit HaLeumi", and was hailed by them as a success, with over 400 protestors arrested, half of them juveniles. Over 40 intersections throughout the country were blocked, including: May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (137th in leap years). ... HaBayit HaLeumi is an organization based in Israel dedicated to stopping the disengagement plan of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. ...

• The entrance to Jerusalem
• Bar Ilan/Shmuel Hanavi Junction in Jerusalem
• Sultans Pool Junction outside the Old City of Jerusalem
• Geha Highway
• Golumb St. corner of Begin Blvd. in Jerusalem

On July 18, 2005, another nonviolent protest was held. The protest began in the Israeli city of Netivot in close proximity to Gaza. An independent media organization, WorldNetDaily, estimated that the crowd in Netivot numbered close to 70,000, most of whom walked to Kfar Maimon [27]. The protest march ended July 21 after police prevented protesters from continuing to Gush Katif. Jerusalem (31°46′ N 35°14′ E; Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... Jerusalem (31°46′ N 35°14′ E; Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... Netivot (נתיבות) is a city in the Southern District of Israel in Israel. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

On August 2, 2005 another protest against disengagement began in Sederot with approximately 50,000 attendees, with reports of 20,000 more on their way to join the protest. August 2 is the 214th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (215th in leap years), with 151 days remaining. ... Sederot (שדרות; unofficially also spelled Sderot) is a city in the Southern District of Israel in Israel. ...

A widely publicized weeklong show of support for the disengagement attracted only tens of supporters. The supporters drove in a caravan through Israel, concluding their show of support for the disengagement in Jerusalem. According to the organizer, there were at most seventy cars involved in the protest.[28]

Those advocating suspension or cancellation of the plan have often quoted one or more of these arguments:

• The religious approach maintains that Eretz Israel was promised to the Jews by God, and that no government has the privilege to waive this inalienable right. In their view inhabiting all of the land of Israel is one of the most important mitzvahs.
• The political approach, owing much to existing right-wing ideology, claims that the areas to be evacuated constitute Israeli territory as legitimately as Tel Aviv or Haifa, and that relocating settlers is at best illegal, and violates their human rights - some have gone as far as labelling it a war crime. In the wake of the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of February 2005, some have claimed that now that there is a negotiation partner on the Palestinian side, the plan has become redundant.
• The military approach says that the plan is disastrous to Israeli security - not only will prevention of Qassam rockets and other attacks from Gaza become nearly impossible after the withdrawal, but implementation of the plan will be an important moral victory for Hamas and other organizations, and will encourage them to continue executing terrorist attacks against Israel.

Orange ribbons in Israel symbolize opposition to the disengagement; it is the color of the flag of the Gush Katif Regional Council, as well as being reminiscent of the Orange Revolution in Ukraine. Blue ribbons (sometimes blue-and-white ribbons) symbolize support for the disengagement and are intended to invoke the Israeli flag. The Land of Israel (Hebrew: Eretz Yisrael) refers to the land making up the ancient Jewish Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. ... The term God (capitalized in English language as a proper noun) is often used to refer to a Supreme Being. ... Mitzvah מצוה is Hebrew for commandment (plural mitzvot; from צוה, tzavah - command). ... Tel Aviv at night Dizengof Center Allenby Street Tel Aviv-Yafo (Hebrew תל אביב-יפו; Arabic تل ابيب-يافا Tal Abīb-Yāfā) is an Israeli city on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. ... For the Lebanese singer, see Haifa Wehbe Haifa (Hebrew חֵיפָה Ḥefa, Ḥeyfa; Arabic حَيْفَا Ḥayfā) is the third-largest city in Israel, with a population close to 300,000. ... A war crime is a punishable offense, under international (criminal) law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... The Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of 2005 took place on February 8, (2005), when four Middle Eastern leaders gathered at Sharm el-Sheikh, a town at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in order to declare their wish to work towards the end of the four-year Al-Aqsa... Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam (Arabic: عزّ الدين القسّام) (1882-1935) was born in Latakia, Syria and immigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine. ... The Hamas emblem shows two crossed swords, the Dome of the Rock, and a map of the land they claim as Palestine (roughly, present-day Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip). ... The orange ribbon is a symbol of the Ukrainian Orange Revolution of 2004. ... Orange-clad supporters of Viktor Yushchenko gather in Independence Square in Kiev. ... In symbolism, blue ribbon is a term used to describe something of high quality. ... Flag ratio: 8:11 The flag of Israel was adopted on October 28, 1948, five months after the nations independence. ...

American opinions

Recent polls in the US about the question of the Gaza pullout have produced varied results. A recent poll commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League, and conducted by the Marttila Communications Group from June 19th to 23rd 2005 among 2200 American adults, found that 71% of respondents felt that the Disengagement Plan is closer to a "bold step that would advance the Peace Process" than to a "capitulation to terrorist violence," while 12% felt that the plan is more of a "capitulation" than a "bold step." The Anti-Defamation League (or ADL) is an American organization set up by Bnai Brith whose aim is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. ...

A poll commissioned by the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), and conducted by McLaughlin & Associates on June 26 - 27, 2005, with a sample of 1,000 American adults, showed U.S. opposition to the proposed disengagement: Respondents, by a margin of 4 to 1 (63% to 16%) opposed "Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from a section of Gaza and Northern Samaria and forcing 10,000 Israeli Jews from their homes and businesses" and by a margin of 2.5 to 1 (53% to 21)%, agreed with the statement that "this Gaza Plan sends a message that Arab terrorism is being rewarded". The Zionist Organization of America [1] (ZOA), founded in 1897, is the oldest pro_Israel group in the U.S. Its more famous sister organization is Hadassah [2], the Womens Zionist Organization of America. ... Samaria, Sumaria or Shomron (Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹן, Standard Hebrew Å omÉ™ron, Tiberian Hebrew ŠōmÉ™rôn, Arabic سامريّون SāmariyyÅ«n, in the New Testament Greek Σαμαρεια) is a term used for the mountainous northern part of the West Bank. ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب Ê»arab) are an originally Arabian ethnicity widespread in the Middle East and North Africa. ... The term terrorism is controversial and has many definitions, none of which are universally accepted. ...

Morton Klein, President of the ZOA, criticized the ADL commissioned poll, stating that the question in the poll was not whether or not respondents agreed with the Disengagement Plan, but a subjective characterization of primary motives behind the Plan; whether Israeli politicians are acting more for the sake of capitulating to terrorism or for the sake of continuing the Road Map. The ADL, in turn, criticized the ZOA commissioned poll, calling its wording "loaded."

External links

• Ariel Sharon's Disengagement Plan and President Bush's letter accepting it at MidEastWeb for Coexistence
• Map of disengagement plan showing settlements to be evacuated at MidEastWeb for Coexistence
• "The 3-days 'Kfar Maimon Siege' Anti Gaza Pullout demonstrators" (photo gallery by Eyal Dor-Ofer)
• Pictures of the Mass Prayer Rally against the disengagement plan at the Western Wall in Jerusalem
• Pictures of the Mass Rally in Tel Aviv against the disengagement plan