| Despite the high drama of an imminent confrontation, DEBKAfile’s sources in the protest movement report that there are no plans to break through the Kfar Maimon exits Wednesday night, July 20, or risk a clash with the police and the military that could touch off a stampede among the tens of thousands of men, women and children in the encampment. Tens of thousands of anti-evacuation demonstrators are standing eyeball to eyeball at the gates of Kfar Maimon facing 20,000 police and troops in a solid phalanx. The demonstration’s leaders insist they will march on Gush Katif and the police is equally determined to stop the unauthorized protest. The suspense built up for three days of an imminent collision between the orange mass and the men in blue and khaki is part of a war of attrition the anti-evacuation movement is waging against government forces. New crises will be manufactured every day to wear the troops down in the less than a month remaining until 21 communities are withdrawn from the Gaza Strip. Although so far the demonstration has obeyed the rules of non-violence, the suspense among the caged mass of people in burning heat is such that an unforeseen spark or an impulsive move on either side could torpedo this plan. |