Prime Minister Ariel Sharon uses the Hebrew term "hitnatkut" – although one does also hear the term "hinatkut" in radio and media reports.

The Hebrew root of nun-taf-kof in the intensive transitive verb form means "to separate", or to cut off, isolate.
"Hitnatkut" is the noun from the reflexive verb, which means that it is an act of self-separation: viz.: a unilateral separation.
"Hinatkut" is the noun from the intensive passive verb – lehinatek, to be separated; it also has a more elegant and literary ring.

Hitnatkut is the official Hebrew term, and it took a while to find a suitable English term with a close semantic field that covers the act of withdrawal and separation. "Unilateral Disengagement" is possibly the most appropriate, and the single term "Disengagement Plan" was therefore officially chosen to convey the process in English. It also lends itself towards the notion of a reduction in friction, without any overtly negative connotations.

Alternative translations of the Hebrew term, such as, “withdrawal” have a semantic field that applies to strictly military maneuvers - while a key aspect of the Prime Minister's plan is to transfer all of the approximately 8,000 Jewish civilians who are currently living in the Gaza Strip, plus several hundred more Jewish civilians from part of northern Samaria to areas inside of pre-'67 Israel. "Withdrawal" also has overtones of a retreat under pressure, an interpretation which the Prime Minister wished to avoid, as it would make the plan less appealing in the eyes of many Israelis.
The term “disengagement” - being broader than “withdrawal” - is therefore a more apt description of the nature of the Israel Government's plan.

Other terms similar to "withdrawal" frequently used in the media are "pull-out" and "evacuation" – the former for military purposes; the latter to describe civilian relocation. Writers frequently use these terms to ring the changes in their op-eds and news reports.

The Disengagement Plan has also generated a nu-speak of pejorative terms, some on the side of its left-wing supporters - who feel it may lead to "entrenchment"; others from the right and far right opponents of the plan - who call it "appeasement". For the most part, other terms used that might be deemed name-calling remain outside the scope of this educational series.

G.A.