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Today’s Episode: 

On Friday, August 15th, Israel marks the 20th anniversary of its 2005 disengagement from Gaza, a watershed moment in Israeli history. It’s the date when, 20 years ago, the IDF began executing the Knesset’s decision to unilaterally withdraw from all Jewish settlements in the Gaza strip, uprooting the 8,000 Israelis living there.

The plan was spearheaded by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who was head of the right-wing Likud party and had been a lifelong supporter of expanding settlements. Sharon ultimately got his government, including the future Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to support the withdrawal.

On today’s episode, we discuss the Gaza withdrawal and its implications with Ark Media contributor Amit Segal and Asi Shariv, who served as senior advisor to Prime Minister Sharon during those dramatic days. 

00:00 Introduction

04:12 How Asi Shariv became an advisor to Ariel Sharon

07:41 The political landscape during Sharon’s premiership 

11:59 What Israelis wanted after the Second Intifada

14:09 The relationship between Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu

17:51 Sharon’s political strategy

19:00 Netanyahu’s position on withdrawal at the time

22:45 The Likud referendum on withdrawal

24:48 The Knesset vote on withdrawal

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Operations Director

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer