(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in Israel believe dismantling Israeli settlements in the Palestinian Territories was a mistake, according to a poll by Teleseker published in Maariv. 59 per cent of respondents think former prime minister Ariel Sharon's "Disengagement Plan" was not a correct move.

In August 2005, the Israeli government headed by Sharon evacuated close to 8,000 Israeli settlers who lived in 21 Gaza Strip and four northern West Bank settlements. Israel removed all military personnel from the Gaza Strip, but intended to maintain a security presence in the West Bank. 51 per cent of respondents think the security situation in Israel has worsened since the plan was implemented.

Throughout May and June this year, Hamas militants launched hundreds of Qassam rockets from Gaza into Israel. The Israeli government retaliated with air strikes targeting suspected compounds and businesses that allegedly transfer money to Hamas.

On Jun. 14, amid a wave of violent clashes between Palestinian supporters of the Hamas and Fatah factions, Hamas militants seized control of Gaza. Palestinian Authority president and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree to form a 12-member emergency government—based in the West Bank—and expelled Hamas from the administration.

A movie about how the "Disengagement Plan" affected some of the settlers was released at the end of July. "Never Again" editor Bentzi Gofshtein declared he was sad to see the evacuees' state "and how badly they regret not having fought for their homes," adding, "The people themselves associated the eviction with the Holocaust, as the descendents of Holocaust survivors."

Polling Data

Was the disengagement in the way that it was carried out a correct move or a mistake?

How did the disengagement impact the security situation of Israel?

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