Q&A: The Disengagement in Hindsight
The Disengagement in Hindsight
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I wanted to ask what your opinion is about the disengagement plan in hindsight. In light of October 7, was it a serious mistake, or was it still the right thing to do?
Best regards,
Answer
Still. Which implies that beforehand it was clearly the right thing to do. How do I know that?
I’ve written more than once that the question is not well defined, because disengagement is one step, but a plan has to include scenarios and responses (how one responds and acts in every situation).
Discussion on Answer
UNRWA’s financing of terrorism was in enormous sums, many times greater, and much more troubling than the damage done by the Qatari money—not that I’m justifying it. I’m also not expert in the matter; regarding UNRWA, read about it.
You can find here an article presenting the arguments on both sides (maybe a bit superficial, but at least balanced):
https://interesting.great-site.net/article/9
If Netanyahu’s line that Hamas is an asset hadn’t prevailed, and he hadn’t been sending them money from Qatar all the time (and what did he personally get in return?), hadn’t been cultivating it, had kept the border secure, and hadn’t lulled the security establishment to sleep, then to this day the Jews of the Gaza border communities would be alive, happy, and doing fine.