Contrary to the Eiland recommendations, Prime Minister Sharon is said to favor a full-scale withdrawal from all of Gaza, including the Philadelphi route. It is widely understood that this is because the Prime Minister does not wish to enter into another "Shaba Farms" situation, as exists on the Lebanese border. The Hizbullah terrorists use the Shaba Farms as an excuse to continue their violence against Israel, claiming that Israel's remainder in even one small part of contested territory is tantamount to remaining in all of it. (Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah has also said, however, that "even if Israel withdraws from Lebanon and the Golan, we will not lay down our arms. We will continue to fight until all of Palestine is liberated." [Der Spiegel, Oct. 1997])
Contrary to the above position, security experts warn that giving up the Philadelphi route in Gaza will enable terrorists to freely smuggle weapons into Gaza. "Already today," Col. (res.) Moshe Hager told Arutz-7, "Ashkelon, Netivot and even the outskirts of Be'er Sheva are in katyusha range from Gaza. Withdrawing from Gaza will turn southwestern Israel into a front line just as the north is today - but it will be worse. Because in the north, we face terrorists sponsored by Iran and Syria, but in the south we will be dealing with an enemy sponsored by the European Union, which won't allow Israel to respond... Gaza will turn into a large-scale arsenal of bombs and weapons... There is no way to fight terrorism except by attacking it, and this is why we must remain in Gaza. We must fight it consistently and obstinately, in order that we not turn into a hostage of Hamas, as we are a hostage of Hizbullah in the north."
Master terrorist Muhammed Def, who heads the Hamas military command in Gaza, already sees the disengagement plan as a victory for terrorism - even before it has been approved by the Israeli government. "The criminal Sharon," Def is heard saying on a tape played on Channel Two television this week, "who... came to power [with the promise of] eliminating resistance [terrorism - ed. note] within 100 days, and whose campaign slogan was 'Netzarim and Tel Aviv are the same' - this same Sharon has now decided on a total evacuation and full withdrawal from Gaza, with nothing in return. This is one of the biggest signs of victory. Israel's fall is near..."
Contrary to the above position, security experts warn that giving up the Philadelphi route in Gaza will enable terrorists to freely smuggle weapons into Gaza. "Already today," Col. (res.) Moshe Hager told Arutz-7, "Ashkelon, Netivot and even the outskirts of Be'er Sheva are in katyusha range from Gaza. Withdrawing from Gaza will turn southwestern Israel into a front line just as the north is today - but it will be worse. Because in the north, we face terrorists sponsored by Iran and Syria, but in the south we will be dealing with an enemy sponsored by the European Union, which won't allow Israel to respond... Gaza will turn into a large-scale arsenal of bombs and weapons... There is no way to fight terrorism except by attacking it, and this is why we must remain in Gaza. We must fight it consistently and obstinately, in order that we not turn into a hostage of Hamas, as we are a hostage of Hizbullah in the north."
Master terrorist Muhammed Def, who heads the Hamas military command in Gaza, already sees the disengagement plan as a victory for terrorism - even before it has been approved by the Israeli government. "The criminal Sharon," Def is heard saying on a tape played on Channel Two television this week, "who... came to power [with the promise of] eliminating resistance [terrorism - ed. note] within 100 days, and whose campaign slogan was 'Netzarim and Tel Aviv are the same' - this same Sharon has now decided on a total evacuation and full withdrawal from Gaza, with nothing in return. This is one of the biggest signs of victory. Israel's fall is near..."