The document summarizes Israel's 2005 disengagement plan to evict Jewish settlers from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. It shows images captured by Israeli media documenting the evictions, which portray soldiers and evacuees treating each other with kindness, respect, and dignity despite the heartbreak of losing their homes. Soldiers are seen comforting children and carrying evacuees gently from their homes and synagogues in respect of symbolic protests against leaving. Both evacuees and soldiers felt deep sorrow over the forced removals.

1. The “Disengagement Plan” In August 2005, in an attempt to placate Palestinians and to stop the violent Intifada waged against the citizens of Israel Israel’s government sent security forces to evict the Jewish residents of Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip and some of the Jewish communities in the Shomron (West Bank). The international media carefully selected the images they showed to portray the disengagement. This presentation shows a small example of what the Israeli media documented.

2. Inside the container: A tired soldier rests, two men covered by prayer shawls pray, two men comfort each other… there is no violence, only mourning for a way of life lost. Sanur, August 23, 2005 Soldiers use a metal container to lower protestors from a rooftop.

3. Many expected Jew to fight Jew. Instead kindness, friendship, dignity and respect prevailed.

4. Patient and respectful soldiers listen as a resident expresses anguish at being evicted from her home. Sanur, August 23, 2005

5. Border policemen carry this man so gently he is able to read from a prayer book while being evicted from his synagogue. Elei Sinai, Aug. 21, 2005 In a symbolic protest many refused to leave on their own two feet. Evictors, honoring this protest, carried many evictees…

6. Evictees and evictors alike feel sorrow and gut wrenching heartache

7. In the midst of the turmoil soldiers sit down with children to entertain them, to distract them from the trauma of eviction.

8. Soldiers comfort children… showering them with love…

10. Katif, August 21, 2005. These examples show the Israeli determination to overcome even the most heartbreaking of events. The evictions are completed. The dignity and compassion ingrained in the Israeli spirit will live on. For her, he’s a tower of strength but his face betrays him, showing his sorrow.