The little map of the settlement says, "Welcome to Netzarim." The banner hung above says, "Israel will be victorious." This soldier was one of 300 who protected Netzarim, an isolated settlement of 64 families surrounded on three sides by Palestinians, year-round.
I've been writing a long post about What I Saw at the Disengagement*, but it's taking a little longer than I expected. I'm hoping to finish by Friday evening; until then, here are a few photos I took on the day Netzarim was evacuated. This was the last settlement in Gush Katif, and the residents had reached an agreement with the IDF: They would leave voluntarily, following a farewell ceremony in the synagogue, as long as they were all resettled together. The agreement held, and there was relatively little drama.
Just before 8 o'clock in the morning: the media set up in front of the synagogue.
These boys had just come out of the synagogue following shacharit (morning prayers). They stood and watched as the reporters gathered. The boy in the foreground pointed at the letters on a van belonging to a satellite channel and asked me in Hebrew, "What's TV?"
Ten o'clock: the soldiers arrive to carry out the evacuation, and are given their instructions.
Teenage girls arguing with the soldiers.
The Karkover family stood on the roof of their home and chanted psalms as the soldiers approached. One of the sons shouted, "How can you do this? We're not Arabs! Jews don't expel Jews!"
A family cries as the soldiers approach their home. The Israeli flag was hung while dozens of reporters watched. The words, "The Lord is God" were added to the flag; the man who hung it informed us that they were meant as a reminder to Ariel Sharon.
A resident escorted by soldiers to the farewell ceremony at the synagogue.
A female soldier plays with a little girl outside the synagogue, about an hour before the final evacuation. The older children and adults were saying mincha (afternoon prayers), which was followed by the farewell ceremony.
The Netzarim antenna, as seen from the Palestinian Authority military base just across the fence. I do not have a telephoto lens.
*Sorry, Peggy Noonan
