| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine |
| Israeli troops set to oust Jews from Gaza synagogue |
| 2005-08-18 |
| NEVE DEKALIM, Gaza Strip - Israeli troops prepared to oust hundreds of young radical Jews from a Gaza synagogue on Thursday, one of the biggest obstacles so far to the end of Israelâs 38-year Gaza occupation. Before dawn, forces also rolled up to the outlying settlement of Kfar Darom, where some of the toughest resistance to evacuation has been expected from residents and hundreds of youths who slipped in to reinforce them. After two false starts on Wednesday that triggered a standoff on the lawn of the synagogue in the biggest enclave of Neve Dekalim, soldiers had plans to try to negotiate one last time early on Thursday and then sweep in. Troops in Neve Dekalim and several other settlements dragged out residents and protesters screaming and sobbing on Wednesday, the first day of forcible removals under Prime Minister Ariel Sharonâs plan to disengage from Palestinians in Gaza. Soldiers, sometimes teary eyed, hugged more compliant settlers as they escorted them away. Soldiers and special police removed nearly all hardline residents from Neve Dekalim and completely emptied six of the 21 Gaza settlements, often by breaking down doors and bodily carrying diehard inhabitants into waiting evacuation buses. Hundreds of young squatters, often from radical West Bank settlements, filled Neve Dekalimâs synagogue to reinforce the resistance of Gaza settlers to evacuation. While welcoming any outside assistance they could get for opposing the pullout, which they see as a betrayal of a gift from God, the residents have often objected to the violent and aggressive behaviour of the youths. âEven if this is the end now, this experience has made us stronger and drawn the lines for the next round in Samaria (the northern West Bank),â said Nitta, a 19-year-old ultranationalist youth from Beit El in the West Bank. After dark, large numbers of police vehicles waited on the main road outside the entrance to the settlement. Teenagers lounged on the lawn in front of the synagogue, enjoying a warm, muggy evening, while prayers were taking place inside. âThe hundreds of youngsters in the synagogue will be dealt with tomorrow morning,â an Israeli army spokesman said late on Wednesday. âIf we need to, we will forcibly evacuate them. We will have a last effort at negotiations before forcible evacuation but our aim is to do this tomorrow. We donât want to lose momentum.â Military buses pulled up in darkness outside the settlement of Kfar Darom, a frequent target of Palestinian militants during an uprising since 2000 and where defiance of Sharonâs plan runs stronger than anywhere. Skull-capped youths gathered in readiness to oppose the troops, but the army did not say whether it aimed to enter on Thursday. Officials said by late afternoon on Wednesday more than 60 percent of Gazaâs 8,500 residents had left or been evicted and evacuation was going faster than expected and could be over in two days. More than 50,000 police and soldiers were deployed in Israelâs largest military operation other than in wartime. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #4 You are absolutely right Frank G. Those soldiers showed the utmost in restraint. It's a tough situation for the soldiers to be in. I think we all need to say a little prayer that it stays relatively peaceful. |
| Posted by: AllahHateMe 2005-08-18 13:06 |
| #3 wrenching images as well - watched it on Fox this AM. - soldiers getting grief coming and going....staying professional. I'd have taken apart a couple of the "settlers" who were whacking the soldiers with anything handy, but then again, that's what they want - PR images of martyrs |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-08-18 11:52 |
| #2 Rosemary---These are very tough and wrenching days for Israel. From my reading, it appears that the Gaza pullout is a strategic withdrawl by Sharon for more defensible borders. Nature abhors a vacuum, so since the PA is weak/duplicitous, the terrs will rush in to fill the vacuum. Now the only thing that will save Israel is the equivalent of counterbattery fire when the terrs start launching rockets over the wall into Israel from Gaza. If Sharon does not fire back (and that is going to be into bases surrounded by civilians and children), then Isreal will bleed from a thousand wounds and she will be finished. These are indeed wrenching times. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-08-18 11:35 |
| #1 If we are serious about fighting a war against terrorism, then this is a travesty! Please read Possible Palestinian-al Qaeda Ties. I am so angry, I could...I could...well just know that I could! |
| Posted by: Rosemary 2005-08-18 10:48 |