Former Gush Katif Leader Lior Kalfa Predicts Gradual Return to Gaza Settlement Area

Lior Kalfa, former chairman of the Gush Katif settlers' committee and current head of the public council of the Katif Center, reflected on the 21 years since the evacuation of Gush Katif and northern Samaria. Speaking at a Katif conference, Kalfa recounted the pivotal night when he realized the struggle was ending and described the difficult decision not to confront soldiers during the evacuation. He recalled a midnight meeting with the Southern Command commander who informed them that the evacuation of Neve Dekalim would begin the next day, a moment that brought him to tears.

Kalfa emphasized the community's resilience despite feeling opposed by the judiciary, media, and political system during their year-and-a-half-long struggle. He highlighted the settlers' choice to avoid violence against soldiers, stating, "The soldiers are part of us. The IDF is us." He criticized the political leadership's decision to use the military to uproot Jewish families as "wrong and despicable," but maintained that their nonviolent stance preserved the public's image and shaped future resistance.

Addressing current security realities, Kalfa noted that his family continues to serve on the front lines, with sons who fought in Gaza and one stationed on the Syrian border. Despite the heavy price paid by Israel, he expressed optimism about the future, believing that the return to settlement in Gaza is inevitable but will be gradual. Drawing a parallel to Joshua Ben Nun's seven years of fighting before settling the land, Kalfa predicted the resettlement process could take three to six years. He stressed that the return is not only to Gush Katif but to the entire Gaza area, which he sees as an integral part of the western Negev region.