In an address to the Israeli people, Ariel Sharon said that, "It is out of strength and not weakness that we are taking this step. We tried to reach agreements with the Palestinians, which would move the two peoples towards the path of peace. These were crushed against a wall of hatred and fanaticism. The unilateral disengagement plan, which I announced approximately two years ago, is the Israeli answer to this reality." He was referring to the proposed withdrawal from the Gaza strip that has long been an issue of contention in the Middle East. Jewish settlements on the West Bank have angered Palestinians who were removed from their homes to create the settlements. But at midnight on Monday August 15th, all settlers were supposed to have left the west bank. Finally it seems that this inoperable situation might be fixed.     

After Israel won the Arab-Israeli war in 1967, approximately 9,000 Jewish settlers moved into the Gaza Strip. Moving into the land was a way of controlling Palestinian land. Jewish settlers believed that the land did not only belong to them for winning the war, but that it was given to them by God. The Jewish occupation quickly became an issue when Israeli soldiers were used to guard the outskirts of the settlements. Palestinians objected at this show of force, and claimed that the guards prevented them from visiting family members and conducting their daily business. The conflict has worsened over the years, with terrorist attacks in the area adding fuel to the fire. After numerous failed attempts by both countries to alleviate the problem, this new disengagement plan seemed doomed from the start.

The Israeli pullout has garnered rave reviews from around the world. A White House spokeswoman said that President Bush "supports Prime Minister Sharon in this bold initiative and believes this will strengthen Israel." British Prime Minister Tony Blair sent a letter to Sharon saying "I believe you are right to see disengagement as an historic opportunity to pursue a better future for Israelis and Palestinians. I look forward to working with you to help achieve this." Arabic people also praise the pullout, since they believe that it is their land that is finally being returned to them.

In Israel itself though, the sentiments were not as happy. Several thousand Israelis barricaded themselves in their homes, vowing not to leave unless they had to. That will most likely happen because in the next phase of the withdrawal, the military will begin forcibly removing all those who remain. Already the withdrawal has been marred with violence. After hours of scuffles, shouting and occasional fistfights, several hundred soldiers managed to enter only the edge of Neve Dekalim before officers decided against going in to serve eviction notices.

It was a disturbing scene that made some think that this plan will never work.

"It's going to take a lot of work, even after the deadline, it's going to be a very touchy situation," said Harlem resident Darlene Cheek. That seems to be prevailing opinion now that the disengagement plan has started. Warning that the pullout will not stop terrorism in the West Bank came from IDF Intelligence branch chief Maj.-Gen Aharon Ze'evi Farkash. He believes that if this process does not please the Palestinian people, terrorism will rise again and be even stronger. For Israel, this pullout is a 'ticking time bomb."

In New York, people are sitting close to their television, anxiously watching the news. Any information on their family members in the Gaza Strip is hoarded away. However, this practice is not always beneficial. NY assemblyman Dov Hikind, who represents a predominately Jewish neighborhood, has sneaked into a settlement camp. The reports he sends back to the city, saying that the settlements are "small communities, like the ones you see in Queens and Brooklyn" and that he came to watch the "tragedy that is happening" makes a difficult situation even harder. As Darlene Cheek says '"It think it had good potential, but now I don't know." Hopefully cooler heads will win, and the tense situation in the Middle East will have one less thing to fight over.