The palms are tossing their heads in the wind on the white sands of the shore, a kind of whiteness no longer to be found on the shore strip of Israel; they create an illusion of tropical landscape. From a distance the view is enchanting, but only to those capable of successfully skipping over the sight of the dreadfully wretched huts situated on the sides of the road that leads from the Gaza settlement of Neve Dekalim (“Palm oasis”) in Gush Katif, to Maoz Hayam Hotel - a hotel which was taken over by a handful of right-wing extremists, causing a great deal of media hype, and was evacuated a few days later smoothly, elegantly and almost silently.  (More) ...