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Israeli troops set to oust Jews from Gaza synagogue
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 2005-08-18 |
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