In the summer of 2005, we swore never to forget. And indeed, we never forgot Gush Katif, and we never forgot the towns in northern Samaria, all of them uprooted in one, unimaginable sweep by Ariel Sharon, a move which caused immeasurable moral, human, defense and political damage to Israel. Surely, we can never forget the disengagement. We can never forget it because, first and foremost, we must make sure we learned our lesson, that our comprehension is clear, that we won't make the same mistake twice. At least once a week, I am reminded of, or remind others of, the disengagement. This year, however, I am making an exception. For a whole week, the week in which all of Israel mourns the loss of Ariel Sharon, I've made the mindful decision to bury that memory in my consciousness. This week, I am remembering Ariel Sharon, the greatest Jewish military leader since the Maccabees. A commander during the brutal battle for Latrun, a military leader who led the campaign at Sinai's Um-Katef, crossing the Suez Canal and determining the outcome of the Yom Kippur War. This week, I am remembering the Sharon who laid the foundations for new towns throughout the Land of Israel, in Samaria and in the Galilee, in Judea and the Negev, along the coastal plain and in the Sharon region, transforming the entire country's landscape. This week, I am remembering the Ariel Sharon who mocked his detractors, those who said he would never win the battle against terror using the military. The prime minister who gave the order to launch Operation Defensive Shield, saving the lives of thousands of Jews. That's the Arik I am remembering this week. I immigrated to Israel from Argentina more than 40 years ago, when I was a young man. Maj. Gen. Ariel Sharon's reputation as the hero of the Six-Day War already preceded him. The ultimate sabra, the fearless Jewish warrior -- he was already admired throughout Israel. I certainly looked up to him. The Yom Kippur War, his decision to join the nationalist camp, the great drive he led in the Judea and Samaria settlement enterprise (which ended up becoming my physical and ideological home) -- all of these things made me feel closer to the man. On this day, I won't think back to summer 2005. I'm putting those memories away. On this day, I want to shed a crystal tear, to mourn without passing thoughts, to grieve together with all of Israel for the loss of an Israeli, Jewish, Zionist leader who did so much for the State of Israel and the Jewish nation. Ariel Sharon, of blessed memory. Dani Dayan is the former Yesha Council chief.
