In what many would say is a parallel to the “Wise Men of Chelm," Knesset Members in 2005 said it is “ridiculous” to think terrorists will hit Ashkelon after the exit from Gaza.
Arutz Sheva now presents a video of an Israel National News (Arutz Sheva) television in 2009, when the IDF entered Gaza in the counterterrorist Cast Lead campaign against terroroists, aired a Channel Two program, in which Amit Segal viewed promising speeches in 2005 on behalf of the “Disengagement” program to exit Gaza.
A majority of MKs voted in favor of the law that resulted in the expulsion of more than 9,000 Jews from Gaza, as well as from four Jewish communities in northern Samaria, and the withdrawal of all IDF forces.
“There is an argument according to which there will be a threat…a threat and retreat…a threat on the Negev communities,” said Meir Sheetrit, formerly of the Likud and now in the Kadima party, which was founded by Ariel Sharon after he feared the Likud would not approve his plan.
“I have never before heard such a ridiculous argument,” MK Sheetrit proclaimed.
Meretz MK Ran Cohen stated from the Knesset podium, “The Disengagement is good for security,”
He then scoffed at the “right wing people [who] stood here and talked about Kassams flying from here to there….If we don’t go out of Gaza in two or three years, maybe after one year, the [rocket] range will reach Ashkelon.
Even doctor of philosophy and current Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, who now is calling for a ground invasion of Gaza, opined, “I think that this plan under the conditions is appropriate for our confidence.”
Before the Disengagement, Hamas relentlessly and brutally attacked Jews, including women and children, in Gaza for years, escalating the attacks with the onset of the Second Intifada, also known as the Oslo War in 2000.
After the expulsion in the summer of 2005, Hamas immediately fired rockets on the western Negev and the outskirts of Ashkelon. As they improved their rocket capability and smuggled into Gaza advanced missiles, the attacks reached Ashkelon and Ashdod and as far north as the edge of metropolitan Tel Aviv, prompting the Cast Lead counterterrorist operation.
Since then, southern cities have been under attack several times, the latest being the current assault that began Friday. Hamas and other terrorist groups have fired more than 150 rockets on Israeli civilians in the past five days.