This is tragic on so many levels, but those settlements were a gamble. They knew from the start that some in the govt. believed Gaza settlements to be illegal. Not Sharon, at first, but something changed his mind. I suspect it was Uncle Sam and the 'roadmap to peace'. All they can do is pick up the pieces and go on, and Israeli's are up to any challenge.
The government created this class of homeless people, and now the government has to deal with them, not wash its hands of them. What should they do, blow up people on buses and in pizza parlors to show how "hopeless" and "desperate" they are?
They will. Now, can we make the Negev bloom?
This is more tragic than you may think and to most of the settlers this was not a gamble, but a patriotic duty.
Most people believe that these settlements were just a way for Israel to colonize areas in order that they might have a claim to the land. While this is true in part, the major reason for the settlements were the defense and security of the country itself. Most of these settlements are not located in areas ideal for habitation, but are instead located in places that overlook Israel and are key to the countries defense. Settling these positions took away from their enemies key points of attack.
Instead of putting the military in these locations, Israel instead chose to settle them with people that would be the eyes ears and first line of defense of the country. They convinced the settlers that it was the greatest patriotic act to put themselves in harms way in these settlements so that the rest of the country might be safer.
Only the most patriotic Israelis moved into these settlements. Willing for themselves and their families to be shot at, harassed and murdered, that Israel might be safer. Now the same government that asked for their sacrifices has abandoned them for public opinion. It is only for appearances that these settlers are being moved. For even though their houses are being razed to the ground, this land is not being given back to the Palestinians, but instead will now be controlled by the Israeli military.