It is over 30 days since Gush Katif residents declared victory in their successful struggle to retain hold of their settlements in the Gaza Strip.
Ex-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has remained quietly in his Negev farm. He has made no public appearances or statements since resigning from his post two weeks ago.
In Gush Katif, residents have spent the bittersweet day at street parties and visiting the 73 fresh graves. The local residents were joined by an estimated 3,000 resistance fighters from amongst the 6,000 who had participated in the five-day battle in August. Under the slogan "Gush Katif ? At Any Price", they had put up a deadly barrage of small arms fire, mortars, anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank land-mines.
And around the country, at military cemeteries, mourners have been visiting their 42 fallen relatives.
President Moshe Katzav spoke to the nation, explaining how the Disengagement had been a painful mistake for Israel's leaders, and offered his own condolences to the bereaved families. In the afternoon, the president visited the Rabin Hospital to lend support to the wounded, both soldiers and Gush Katif fighters.
Acting Prime Minister Uzi Landau spoke at today's cabinet meeting. He promised speedy elections, and congratulated the Gush Katif veterans for their "heroic resistance to the illegitimate use of military force by the Sharon government." Landau declared that his government will pass legislation to "prevent civil war from ever happening again in the Land of Israel."
Dan Halutz, who resigned as the IDF Chief of Staff last week, expressed "deep disappointment" at the estimated 15,000 troops who refused to fulfill their orders to forcefully evacuate Gush Katif resistance fighters. He blamed this on "misguided leaders, who led this country, and its defence forces, into a war against its own civilians."
Messages were received by Landau from world leaders. President George Bush expressed condolences for the loss of life in the fighting, and looked forward to Israel upholding its commitments to the Road Map.
* * *
This is how the victory we didn't win would have looked. Instead, the evacuation of Gush Katif took place, on time, as planned, without loss of life or limb. The 'resisters' were carried out of their homes and synagogues shouting, praying, many wriggling, all tearfully. Some threw coloured paint, as an act of protest, on the riot control police.
The army were "compassionate and firm". There were barely a handful of soldiers who refused to participate. There were many who did so tearfully.
The world watched, fascinated, awed, as a totally unique historical event took place on their screens. From New York to Beijing, hundreds of millions of humans saw how Jews deal with their pain and with their most passionate conflicts.
For almost a year, around two hundred thousand Israelis who objected to the Disengagement Plan put their lives on hold and resisted to the best of their abilities. They were prepared to pay almost any price - to take uncounted days off work, to suffer discomforts, slurs, beatings, imprisonment.
The Orange lay-leaders and rabbis directed the protests and the resistance activities. They set the boundaries and gave direction. The folks in Orange followed, with discipline, respect and devotion.
But there was one price no one was prepared to pay for victory.
That price was chilul HaShem - the desecration of the name of G-d. "Yes" to pain and loss, but "no" to any act that would cause HaShem Himself to be cheapened in the eyes of Man.
As the world looked on, through the unimaginable power of 21st century media, the children of Israel, in their struggle and grief, achieved an amazing victory.
All of our victory was the kiddush HaShem, the sanctification of G-d's name, as His people, the Jews, were seen, at high resolution, live, undeniably operating according to a G-dly code of conduct. A code different and higher than ever seen in history; and seen by so many, everywhere on earth.
Ex-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has remained quietly in his Negev farm. He has made no public appearances or statements since resigning from his post two weeks ago.
In Gush Katif, residents have spent the bittersweet day at street parties and visiting the 73 fresh graves. The local residents were joined by an estimated 3,000 resistance fighters from amongst the 6,000 who had participated in the five-day battle in August. Under the slogan "Gush Katif ? At Any Price", they had put up a deadly barrage of small arms fire, mortars, anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank land-mines.
And around the country, at military cemeteries, mourners have been visiting their 42 fallen relatives.
President Moshe Katzav spoke to the nation, explaining how the Disengagement had been a painful mistake for Israel's leaders, and offered his own condolences to the bereaved families. In the afternoon, the president visited the Rabin Hospital to lend support to the wounded, both soldiers and Gush Katif fighters.
Acting Prime Minister Uzi Landau spoke at today's cabinet meeting. He promised speedy elections, and congratulated the Gush Katif veterans for their "heroic resistance to the illegitimate use of military force by the Sharon government." Landau declared that his government will pass legislation to "prevent civil war from ever happening again in the Land of Israel."
Dan Halutz, who resigned as the IDF Chief of Staff last week, expressed "deep disappointment" at the estimated 15,000 troops who refused to fulfill their orders to forcefully evacuate Gush Katif resistance fighters. He blamed this on "misguided leaders, who led this country, and its defence forces, into a war against its own civilians."
Messages were received by Landau from world leaders. President George Bush expressed condolences for the loss of life in the fighting, and looked forward to Israel upholding its commitments to the Road Map.
* * *
This is how the victory we didn't win would have looked. Instead, the evacuation of Gush Katif took place, on time, as planned, without loss of life or limb. The 'resisters' were carried out of their homes and synagogues shouting, praying, many wriggling, all tearfully. Some threw coloured paint, as an act of protest, on the riot control police.
The army were "compassionate and firm". There were barely a handful of soldiers who refused to participate. There were many who did so tearfully.
The world watched, fascinated, awed, as a totally unique historical event took place on their screens. From New York to Beijing, hundreds of millions of humans saw how Jews deal with their pain and with their most passionate conflicts.
For almost a year, around two hundred thousand Israelis who objected to the Disengagement Plan put their lives on hold and resisted to the best of their abilities. They were prepared to pay almost any price - to take uncounted days off work, to suffer discomforts, slurs, beatings, imprisonment.
The Orange lay-leaders and rabbis directed the protests and the resistance activities. They set the boundaries and gave direction. The folks in Orange followed, with discipline, respect and devotion.
But there was one price no one was prepared to pay for victory.
That price was chilul HaShem - the desecration of the name of G-d. "Yes" to pain and loss, but "no" to any act that would cause HaShem Himself to be cheapened in the eyes of Man.
As the world looked on, through the unimaginable power of 21st century media, the children of Israel, in their struggle and grief, achieved an amazing victory.
All of our victory was the kiddush HaShem, the sanctification of G-d's name, as His people, the Jews, were seen, at high resolution, live, undeniably operating according to a G-dly code of conduct. A code different and higher than ever seen in history; and seen by so many, everywhere on earth.