The last Jewish inhabitants were removed from the Gaza Strip this week. The remains of 48 men and women were exhumed from what was supposed to have been their final resting place in the Neve Dekalim cemetery. As part of Israel’s “disengagement” from Gaza and northern Samaria, even the dead had to leave. Israelis know from experience what happens to Jewish graves that fall into Arab hands.
One of those reburied this week was Elkanah Gubi, an Israeli commando who died three years ago at the age of 21.
In March 2002, while on a weekend leave, Elkanah saw a terrorist firing at drivers near the Kissufim crossing into Gaza. He grabbed his weapon, leapt from his car, and returned fire, forcing the sniper to flee. But when Israeli troops arrived on the scene, they mistook Elkanah, who wasn’t in uniform, for the terrorist. They ran him over with their jeep, killing him.