Current Events: Gaza Withdrawal--the First 24 Hours

Although I had not been paying that much attention to the situation on the ground in Gaza over the past few days, now that the unilateral withdrawal is complete some of the stories from its initial hours seem pretty intense. Allow me to make two points here, after noting that I did indeed endorse Sharon's plan (which does not, however, necessarily translate into being ecstatic about it).----------------------------------

(1) According the reports, there was a last minute decision to keep the remaining 24 synagogues in Gaza intact, in the hopes that the Palestinian forces would protect or otherwise use them (this hope was patently ridiculous). This was an especially poorly thought out idea. Assuming that there is a religious way to 'decommision' a synagogue (for lack of the right term), they should have been removed or transported prior to the handover. Now we get images of them burning empty synagogues, as if the flaming Israeli flags and hateful anti-semitic chants were not enough in themselves to a cause a visceral, distasteful reaction. --------------------------------

(2) The other point is one that been raised numerous times before I am sure, but which received a vivid example today: a nearly unyielding propensity towards self-destructive behavior, as virtually every structure and artifice left behind by Israel was in turn destroyed, pilaged or plundered in the aftermath of the withdrawal. Yes, some destruction may have symbolic meaning, but when you allow mobs to overrun any remaining structures or grab materials of value you are squandering resources that could be put towards better use, namely establishing the territory as a viable, functioning political entity (the likelihood of which I will refrain from discussing now, but let's just say it's quite low).