Disengagement Documentary Series Revisits Painful Gaza Withdrawal

Kan 11's Special Disengagement Documentary (Photo: Courtesy of Kan 11)

Kan 11's documentary about the Gaza disengagement (Photo: Courtesy of Kan 11 )

Twenty years after one of the most painful and divisive moments in Israel’s history, Kan 11 presents a new, comprehensive documentary series revisiting the summer of 2005—a time when something deep within Israeli society was wounded and has yet to heal.

*"Where Were You During the Disengagement"*, airing from July 21 on Kan 11 and Kan BOX, is not merely a historical record of the evacuation of Gush Katif and northern Samaria. It is a story of a deepening rift—a rift that began as a democratic decision by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon but became a symbol of an ideological, political, and social divide that continues to shake Israel’s shared identity and trust to this day.

The series, created by Itai Landsberg Nevo and Itzik Lerner, tells the story of the disengagement through the eyes of all key stakeholders: decision-makers, evacuees, soldiers who carried out the evacuation, and security establishment figures. Beyond that, it draws direct lines between that withdrawal and the security collapse of October 7, 2023—lines that once seemed like extreme predictions but now appear as neglected warning signs.

Among the interviewees are Dan Halutz, the IDF Chief of Staff during the disengagement who supported the move and is now a leading voice in protests against the government; Moshe Ya’alon, the Chief of Staff who opposed the disengagement and today leads opposition to judicial overhaul; Gush Katif evacuees like Prof. Sudi Namir, the doctor of Gush Katif, and Rabbi Kaminetzky, the rabbi of Gush Katif; and soldiers who carried out the evacuation, such as Col. Agai Yehezkel and Zohar Shpak, who went from a police officer during the disengagement to a resident of Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7.

The first episode, *“The Decision”*, reveals Sharon’s strategic about-face, leading the unilateral disengagement after years of supporting settlement. It describes the internal government debate and the sharp clash between Sharon and then-Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon, who opposed the move, arguing it would signal weakness.

The second episode, *“The Execution”*, focuses on the implementation of the evacuation, carried out under heavy fears of civil war. It portrays the settlers’ dilemmas as they faced a crisis of faith and ideology, alongside the soldiers’ emotional preparation for the sensitive mission and the psychological impact on both evacuees and soldiers.

Kan11's Disengagement Documentary (Photo: Courtesy of Kan 11)

The third and final episode, *“The Fracture”*, analyzes the disengagement’s profound impact on the younger generation of religious Zionism and Israeli society over two decades. It links the evacuation’s trauma to later violent confrontations and shows how it influenced contemporary decision-making across various issues at the heart of Israel’s agenda.

Throughout the series, rare and exclusive archival footage, never before broadcast, adds new layers to understanding the period. Beyond its historical value, the series poses urgent, painful questions: Will this wound ever heal? How has the rift affected our ability to face security challenges? And what are its implications for the future of Israeli society?

Twenty years later, with the events of October 7 sharpening memory and amplifying pain, *"Where Were You During the Disengagement"* offers a chance to re-examine one of modern Israel’s defining chapters—not just as a traumatic memory but as a key to understanding our reality today.