Hope amid anguish?...

Gaza Settlers Confront Israeli Soldiers

Though the Palestinian Authority has made pretty clear in several statements it has issued on the matter, that they are not persuaded that the removal of these settlements is a good faith effort to move the peace process forward...

Which...sadly...was the substantive purpose the removal of these settlements served...

Palestinians had doubts, but no more...Chicago Tribune...

Perhaps there is reason to hope that this move will lead to a substantive peace between Israelis and Palestinians...

Sadly..all these people have lost their homes...

To be fair...they will be compensated for those homes...

And to be fair to Ariel Sharon...

The proposal to remove Israeli settlements in Gaza and the West Bank has been around for a long time...

It was advocated by liberals for much of the time that I have studied the issue, at least...

And Ariel Sharon was doing something that I think he believed would prove just how genuinely committed he was to peace...

Tragically...this plan will lead to the destruction of these Israelis' homes...

And ideally...they should be allowed to self-determine where and how they live...

The removal of settlements in Gaza is a serious abrogation of the right to freely settle by Israelis and Jews, I think...

But it is also a good faith effort to promote peace in the region, as well, I think...

It's a day that should reflect the hope that these governments are more genuinely committed to peace in the region and autonomy for Palestine than they seem to give each other credit for...

Though that should in no way rationalize what I agree with Benjamin Netanyahu (for once:):):) is a serious overreach of power by the Sharon's Likud goverment...

As Israeli Army Chief Dan Halutz puts it...

The most trouble will come "the day after disengagement. Then we will have to face the same problems we face today in Israeli society."

A sad fact...well put by Army Chief Halutz...

Let's hope for a better tomorrow for peace between these two terribly troubled partners...

Love,
Ben