Education Minister Gideon Sa′ar visited Gush Katif Museum in Yerushalayim *

"The museum is an important chapter in Israel′s history."

Education Minister Gideon Sa′ar concluded "Gush Katif Day in the Education System" with a visit to the Gush Katif Museum. The Minister was accompanied by museum director, Shlomo Wassserteil, a Gush Katif expellee who lived in Ganei Tal. Gush Katif Day is commemorated every year on the 22nd of Shvat; the day was the first settlement, Netzer Hazani, settled on the land.

Drawing Conclusions

During the visit, the Minister of Education said: "It is not easy to see a lifetime of thousands of Jews, who had a lifetime of pioneering and Zionism displaced because of a baseless hope. It is impossible to point to any positive results of the disengagement; clearly,  the security situation deteriorated following the disengagement. The disengagement proved that where there is no settlement, terror organizations fill the void, and security is breached."

The Minister of Education encouraged the museum′s staff, and said, in conclusion: "I congratulate those who have a hand in the museum, reminding us of the life in the Gush." He wrote in the visitors′ book: "May we learn the lessons necessary to prevent recurrence of uprooting and to strengthen Israel and the future. I will never forget those difficult days, that were most difficult - of course – for the settlers.

"It′s not easy to visit here. The life –force was severed for thousands of Jews who conducted a life of pioneering, Zionism and creativity. The Disengagement plan had plans with no basis in reality, and it is impossible to point to positive results as a result of the move. This is the lesson to be remembered."

When there is no settlement, there is terrorism

Education Minister Gideon Sa′ar addressed the security situation in the South and said: "When you see the rocket launch graph from Gaza into Israel since the disengagement, you understand that the security situation the southern towns worsened following the disengagement plan. The promise to improve the security situation was not kept, and the situation has deteriorated."

Saar said that "where there is no settlement, there are terrorist organizations; the public that was there – were emissaries of all of Israel. When you uproot the settlement you damage the security of Israeli citizens and who controls it now Hamas and terrorism."

The museum is part of history

"Today there is a huge amount of missiles that threatens Israeli citizens and that is the lesson we should learn and avoid such gestures, which ultimately not only affect our right to the land and settlement, but will harm the security of all citizens of Israel. It′s only been a few years since the disengagement plan, and you can see who was right and learn the lesson here. "
Referring to the Gush Katif Museum, Minister Saar said: "This place is a welcome and important venue which documents an important chapter in Israel′s history.  The Museum tells of the uprooting and the pioneers of Gush Katif, and these are all important things that students will learn about. There is beautiful documentation that can develop, and I congratulate the people involved. The Museum is part of the history of Israel. "

* Minister Sa′ar visited the Museum prior to the current rocket attack on Southern Israel.