The Lerner family is hosting their daughter's in-laws. They are refugees from Haifa in the north, now staying in the Nitzan refugee camp in the south. Last year's refugees hosting this year's refugees. They were picked up in the middle of the night, unable to endure any further. Their shelters were designed for short-term use, with no water or toilets, and have now been in continuous use for a month.



Our Gush Katif youth speed to the north, delivering food, diapers and baby formula to those still huddling in shelters. They speak, sing, dance and give hope to our northern brothers and sisters. We were there, they point out, bombed for five years.



The media makes no mention that this cruel war in the north is a direct consequence of the destruction of Gush Katif in the south. The Arabs, given a prize, were emboldened and they acted. Today, Kiryat Shmona lies ruined by Arab missiles. Last year, at this exact time, Gush Katif was destroyed by a Jewish government.



Moshe and I have the remains of a Kassam rocket that exploded near our home in N'vei Dekalim. The words "Al-Kuds" were printed on its tail fins. Al Kuds is Arabic for Jerusalem. The message is quite clear. The war was not about Gush Katif; it was about Jerusalem. Just as the war in the north is not about Lebanon; it is a war to destroy Israel. Last year, the people of Israel and Jews from abroad chose to ignore the message. They let Gush Katif fall. Today, our country is in ruins.



Last week, a plot to destroy airliners from Britain to the United States was foiled. The message is clear. The war, of which ours is a part, is of the East determined to destroy the West. The West chooses to ignore the message. Just as Gush Katif led straight to Lebanon, so the war against Israel will lead straight to the war against the West.



While the war rages in the north, we have been receiving signals that Syria is stockpiling huge quantities of weapons along its border with Israel. The weapons are deadlier and have a longer range than those deployed by Hizbullah. Yet, our prime minister still speaks of his Convergence Plan - to remove 100,000 Jews from Judea and Samaria, and to give our Biblical homeland to our enemies - which will bring the heartland of the country into the range of enemy weapons. Win or lose, the Arabs win.



Is it any wonder that we, the refugees of Gush Katif, are still angry, hurt, bewildered and horrified by the results of our expulsion?



Excuse me if I'm still crying. When we see the direct results of this horrible crime of expulsion against us now visited on the entire people of Israel, of course I cry. When I recall that our rabbis and political leaders worked with the government to commit this crime, yes I cry. When I recall that our soldiers and police chose to carry out this crime, I cry. And today, I cry as I see innocent Israelis left without food and water in bomb shelters. And when our young soldiers are killed and wounded, I cry.



When we begged, pleaded and warned the Jewish world that this is what will eventually happen if we are expelled, we were met with indifference. The Jews would not listen to us. Today, they rush to raise money for the refugees of the north huddled in their shelters; monies that will largely disappear into organizational coffers, as did most of the funds raised for us.



To those who criticize my outcry, my "whining", my despair, please understand that I do it for you, the next victims of Islamic hatred. The Sudden Jihad Syndrome shooting in Seattle will be repeated many times over.



No more prizes to our enemies! No Convergence Plan! At stake is not the survival of Judea and Samaria; at stake is the survival of Israel. At stake is the survival of our world.