Billy, what exactly are you arguing? That because Israel removed its settlers from Gaza in 2005, Gaza was never colonized? Or that removing those settlers somehow ended Israel's occupation?
Israel established 21 settlements in Gaza following its 1967 occupation, housing some 8,000 Israeli settlers. Those settlements existed for decades before Israel dismantled them in 2005.
And withdrawing settlers did not mean relinquishing control. Israel continued controlling Gaza's airspace, territorial waters, most border crossings, and movement of people and goods. Israeli naval forces even fired on Palestinian fishermen attempting to earn their living in Gaza's waters.
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice confirmed that Israel's 2005 withdrawal did not eliminate its obligations under the law of occupation, because Israel continued exercising substantial control over Gaza.
So which historical fact are you disputing: that Israel established settlements in Gaza, or that it continued exercising occupying authority after removing them?
Transcription of the image
Here is the visible text, preserving the historical headlines and quotations. Some of the quotations attributed to David Ben-Gurion require independent verification before being presented as authentic.
Historical New York Times headlines
DateHeadline
June 20, 1899CONFERENCE OF ZIONISTS — WILL COLONIZE PALESTINE
July 4, 1906JEWS FAVOR PALESTINE; American Zionists' Convention Will Urge Colonization There.
May 19, 1912URGES JEWS HERE TO SETTLE IN PALESTINE
Date unclearHOLY LAND FOR JEWS — Impetus to the Plan for Their Colonization
March 20, 1947PALESTINE JEWS MINIMIZE ARABS; Sure of Superiority, Settlers Feel They Can Win Natives by Reason or Force
The images also show the subheadings:
- “Elect Delegates at Their Meeting in Baltimore.”
- “Rabbi Magnes Says Marvelous Progress Has Been Made in Zionist Colonies There.”
- “A CHANCE FOR FARMERS”
- “2,000 IN MEETING IN CHICAGO”
These headlines document the historical use of the words colonize, colonization, colonies, and settlers in reporting on Zionism and Jewish settlement in Palestine.
David Ben-Gurion quotations shown in the image
Transcribed from the supplied image, including its attributions. These are not all independently authenticated.
Quotation 1 — Attributed to Ben-Gurion by Nahum Goldmann
If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an agreement with Israel. It is normal; we
ChatGPT says: The strongest primary source to attach is the ICJ's July 19, 2024 advisory opinion summary
icj-cij.org/node/204176 , particularly paragraphs 88–94. That directly addresses Billy's 2005 argument