Demonstrators sealed off entrance to Jerusalem on Wednesday
Photo: Miri Chason
Jerusalem road-block stopped
Police evacuate opponants of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's pullout plan who blocked entrance to Jerusalem less than 24 hours after a similar demonstration halted traffic there and elsewhere in Israel; protest occured hours after Israel sealed off Gaza Strip to non-residents
JERUSALEM – Police disbursed dozens of right-wingers on Thursday who blocked off the entrance to Jerusalem after the army sealed off Gaza in a bid to avoid clashes with staunch protesters of Israel's withdrawal and to ensure more demonstrators don't come to fortify the area ahead of the pullout in August.
The police evacuated the protesters by force and detained one for questioning. Forces arrested more than 85 protesters on Wednesday during similar road-blocking protests all around the country and disbursed crowds with water cannons.
"There were blockages and people stood on the sides of the road," Tel Aviv police chief David Zur said regarding Wednesday's demonstrations. "The police were prepared and evacuated the protesters. The test is not whether they are able to block (roads) or not, but rather the speed of evacuating them."
"This is a game of cat and mouse," he said. "When they enter the road, we remove them."
Tens of thousands of settlers and right-wingers, who claim the West Bank and Gaza as their biblical birthright, have vowed to stop Israel's planned evacuation of all 21 settlements in Gaza and four of 120 in the West Bank – Israel's biggest withdrawal from land Palestinians want for a state.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on Thursday that he would not allow the protesters to deter the pullout.
