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Gush Katif: Anti-Disengagement Protesters "Are Asking for Conflict, but we will not let them have one"
"Israel Defense Forces troops and police on Tuesday encircled the southern town of Kfar Maimon in a bid to prevent opponents of the disengagement plan who are camping in the town from continuing their banned march toward the Gaza settlements.
The Yesha Council was later in the day expected to instruct the right-wing protestors on the future of the march. In their meeting, settler leaders were weighing three main contingencies: Continuing the march toward the Gush Katif settlements and clashing with security forces; remaining in Kfar Maimon; holding protests elsewhere across the country.
Police announced that they did not intend to clash with the estimated 7,000 protestors remaining in the encircled town. "They are asking for conflict, but we will not let them have one," a security forces official said. Police hope that the protestors will leave the area in the coming 24 to 48 hours.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz instructed security forces to prevent the anti-pullout protestors from continuing their march toward the Kissufim crossing at the entrance to the Gaza Strip. Police Chief Moshe Karadi also declared he would not permit marchers to move any closer to Gaza.
Settler leader Pinchas Wallerstein said nevertheles that the march would resume in the direction of the Gaza Strip. "As long as this terrible decision stands, there will be a constant presence to prevent this," Wallerstein told Army Radio, in a reference to the disengagement plan. Wallerstein said the protesters would try to keep moving toward Gaza. "Wherever they stop us," he said, "we will remain."
Israel's police early Tuesday were placed on a rare "state of emergency alert," their highest alert status. Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra said Tuesday that "The issue that most concerns us, is that we see to it that no one will reach Gush Katif. That is the goal."
Police have mobilizes all of their forces, with officers returning from leaves and working longer shifts, to cover duties nationwide as more than 10,000 police and troops seek to prevent demonstrators from breaking through roadblocks.
The government, fearing that the marchers would realize their goal of reaching Gush Katif and thus obstructing the planned disengagement, last week declared the Strip off-limits to non-resident Israelis. Police further ruled the protest illegal, although police officials have allowed the planned three-day demonstration to continue much as originally planned.
Late on Monday, police officials, apparently reversing an earlier decision, allowed tens of thousands of anti-pullout demonstrators to sleep at the Israeli village of Kfar Maimon hours after protesters began their Gush Katif solidarity march from Netivot.
Zviki Bar-Hai, head of the Har Hebron Regional Council, and one of the leaders of the protest, indicated Tuesday that the protesters were determined to link up with the settlers inside the Strip
"We will not have confrontations with the soldiers," Bar-Hai said. However, he added, "Our plan is to continue on toward Gush Katif today." Protest officials said Tuesday that the march would probably continue in the evening, after the heat of the day lifted, to make it easier on marchers, a third of whom are children and youths. "We have agreed with them that there will be no exit to the west, and they will not move at all to the west," Ezra said, indicating the direction of the Gaza border, "except under full coordination with the police, and I very much hope that they will abide by that agreement."
The government is also anxious to dampen public outcry over its handling of the protests, especially in view of a Knesset vote Wednesday over a right-wing proposal to postpone the disengagement, now scheduled for mid-August.
In an unusual and controversial step Monday, police were ordered to stop buses in Israel and the territories, confiscate drivers' licenses and remove protest-bound passengers in order to keep disengagement opponents from reaching the protest site. The High Court may hear appeals to the government policies in a Tuesday session. The Association of Civil Rights in Israel has also voiced objections to the government's positions, and has offered aid to the protesters, Israel Radio reported.
Police-protester discussions end without result
The two sides began discussions at midnight after settler leaders announced plans to continue their march Tuesday morning. However, having held meetings until around 5 A.M. on Tuesday without results, the parties said they would resume the talks at 10 A.M., Israel Radio reported.
Following the conclusion of the demonstrators' "engagement gathering" at Netivot, security forces stopped the marchers, most of whom did not clash with police after receiving orders from Yesha council leaders. Police chief Moshe Karadi said his forces were determined to prevent demonstrators from reaching Gush Katif and disrupting the disengagement. Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra said the police would, under no circumstances, allow further movement westward toward the bloc. Settler leaders, however, announced they had no intention of halting their protest.
The police earlier on Monday had blocked the departure of buses from various parts of the country. The decision was made at noon after police had received information that the demonstrators were planning to set up a tent city near Kfar Maimon or the Gama junction. Police feared they would try to infiltrate from there into Gush Katif during the upcoming month.
Police initially stopped buses from departing from various cities. Later, police began allowing some of the buses to travel to Netivot. The Yesha Council of settlers is considering establishing a tent city in the area wherever the march is halted. Then they hope to break up into hundreds of small groups, each of which will attempt to circumvent the police barriers and enter Gush Katif. The settlers believe that if thousands of supporters penetrate the settlements, they will be able to prevent implementation of the pullout plan.
Police sharply criticized the refusal of settler leaders to commit to a defined route, the march's length, and the time and means of dispersal of the thousands who have flocked to the south.
Source: Limor Edrey. Anti-disengagement protesters preparing flags for the planned march in Netivot on Monday: Police, IDF encircle pullout protestors' camping site. Haaretz.com (19 July 2005) [FullText]
The Yesha Council was later in the day expected to instruct the right-wing protestors on the future of the march. In their meeting, settler leaders were weighing three main contingencies: Continuing the march toward the Gush Katif settlements and clashing with security forces; remaining in Kfar Maimon; holding protests elsewhere across the country.
Police announced that they did not intend to clash with the estimated 7,000 protestors remaining in the encircled town. "They are asking for conflict, but we will not let them have one," a security forces official said. Police hope that the protestors will leave the area in the coming 24 to 48 hours.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz instructed security forces to prevent the anti-pullout protestors from continuing their march toward the Kissufim crossing at the entrance to the Gaza Strip. Police Chief Moshe Karadi also declared he would not permit marchers to move any closer to Gaza.
Settler leader Pinchas Wallerstein said nevertheles that the march would resume in the direction of the Gaza Strip. "As long as this terrible decision stands, there will be a constant presence to prevent this," Wallerstein told Army Radio, in a reference to the disengagement plan. Wallerstein said the protesters would try to keep moving toward Gaza. "Wherever they stop us," he said, "we will remain."
Israel's police early Tuesday were placed on a rare "state of emergency alert," their highest alert status. Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra said Tuesday that "The issue that most concerns us, is that we see to it that no one will reach Gush Katif. That is the goal."
Police have mobilizes all of their forces, with officers returning from leaves and working longer shifts, to cover duties nationwide as more than 10,000 police and troops seek to prevent demonstrators from breaking through roadblocks.
The government, fearing that the marchers would realize their goal of reaching Gush Katif and thus obstructing the planned disengagement, last week declared the Strip off-limits to non-resident Israelis. Police further ruled the protest illegal, although police officials have allowed the planned three-day demonstration to continue much as originally planned.
Late on Monday, police officials, apparently reversing an earlier decision, allowed tens of thousands of anti-pullout demonstrators to sleep at the Israeli village of Kfar Maimon hours after protesters began their Gush Katif solidarity march from Netivot.
Zviki Bar-Hai, head of the Har Hebron Regional Council, and one of the leaders of the protest, indicated Tuesday that the protesters were determined to link up with the settlers inside the Strip
"We will not have confrontations with the soldiers," Bar-Hai said. However, he added, "Our plan is to continue on toward Gush Katif today." Protest officials said Tuesday that the march would probably continue in the evening, after the heat of the day lifted, to make it easier on marchers, a third of whom are children and youths. "We have agreed with them that there will be no exit to the west, and they will not move at all to the west," Ezra said, indicating the direction of the Gaza border, "except under full coordination with the police, and I very much hope that they will abide by that agreement."
The government is also anxious to dampen public outcry over its handling of the protests, especially in view of a Knesset vote Wednesday over a right-wing proposal to postpone the disengagement, now scheduled for mid-August.
In an unusual and controversial step Monday, police were ordered to stop buses in Israel and the territories, confiscate drivers' licenses and remove protest-bound passengers in order to keep disengagement opponents from reaching the protest site. The High Court may hear appeals to the government policies in a Tuesday session. The Association of Civil Rights in Israel has also voiced objections to the government's positions, and has offered aid to the protesters, Israel Radio reported.
Police-protester discussions end without result
The two sides began discussions at midnight after settler leaders announced plans to continue their march Tuesday morning. However, having held meetings until around 5 A.M. on Tuesday without results, the parties said they would resume the talks at 10 A.M., Israel Radio reported.
Following the conclusion of the demonstrators' "engagement gathering" at Netivot, security forces stopped the marchers, most of whom did not clash with police after receiving orders from Yesha council leaders. Police chief Moshe Karadi said his forces were determined to prevent demonstrators from reaching Gush Katif and disrupting the disengagement. Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra said the police would, under no circumstances, allow further movement westward toward the bloc. Settler leaders, however, announced they had no intention of halting their protest.
The police earlier on Monday had blocked the departure of buses from various parts of the country. The decision was made at noon after police had received information that the demonstrators were planning to set up a tent city near Kfar Maimon or the Gama junction. Police feared they would try to infiltrate from there into Gush Katif during the upcoming month.
Police initially stopped buses from departing from various cities. Later, police began allowing some of the buses to travel to Netivot. The Yesha Council of settlers is considering establishing a tent city in the area wherever the march is halted. Then they hope to break up into hundreds of small groups, each of which will attempt to circumvent the police barriers and enter Gush Katif. The settlers believe that if thousands of supporters penetrate the settlements, they will be able to prevent implementation of the pullout plan.
Police sharply criticized the refusal of settler leaders to commit to a defined route, the march's length, and the time and means of dispersal of the thousands who have flocked to the south.
Source: Limor Edrey. Anti-disengagement protesters preparing flags for the planned march in Netivot on Monday: Police, IDF encircle pullout protestors' camping site. Haaretz.com (19 July 2005) [FullText]
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