Gaza Strip shut down
Security forces close off roads to Gaza Wednesday after Prime Minister Sharon signs closure order ahead of pullout; settlers: This is first time Jewish prime minister imposes siege on Jews. IDF official; It's not a curfew
GAZA – Disengagement gets under way: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, and Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra signed closure orders Wednesday, instructing security authorities to block non-residents from entering the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank.
The closure has only been put into effect in the Gaza Strip at this time, but IDF officials said the northern West Bank would also be closed off if necessary.
"If the reality on the ground will change (in the northern West Bank,) the order will be put into effect," one officer said.
The Yesha Council slammed the closure orders, saying it marks "the first time in history that a Jewish prime minister imposed a siege on Jewish communities."
"This is another achievement for the prime minister in causing a national rift and aggressively undermining the values of democracy, Zionism and resident's civil right," the Council said.
'It's not a siege'
However, IDF Southern Command Head Dan Harel dismissed suggestions that a siege had been imposed.
"This isn't a curfew situation in the Gaza Strip," he said. "Gush Katif residents would be able to live and move freely."
At this time there are about 1,000 people in Gush Katif who are not residents, including 150-200 who arrived in the area overnight, Harel said, and added he hopes non-residents leave communities slated for evacuation.
"Gush Katif residents who are not here permanently are required to gather their belongings and leave the Gaza area," he said. "Regarding those who fail to do so, we'll have to see what we do about them."
Local residents would be provided with special identity cards that would allow them to enter Gush Katif without a problem, the army said. Visitors who wish to enter the area would have to submit a request, which would be considered within eight hours.
Following the closure announcement, pullout objectors from both inside and outside Gaza have been flocking to the Kissufim junction, with heavy traffic reported at the entrance to the Strip.
Police officers at the scene are stopping each vehicle and checking identity cards. The officers are blocking anyone who is not a Gush Katif resident from entering the area
Gush Katif residents were planning to hold a protest march to the Kissufim roadblock at 12:30 p.m. in order to prevent security forces from reaching the area.
Meanwhile, forces stopped two buses carrying right-wing activists from entering Gush Katif. A large group of children and instructors got off the buses and made its way to the roadblock on foot.
"We came to boost Gush Katif residents," the activists said, but the soldiers refused to let them through.
Traffic jams were reported at the first roadblock on the Kissufim road, at the entrance to Gush Katif, after large police, IDF, and Border Guard forces arrived in the area. IDF Southern Command Head Dan Harel also arrived at the Kissufim checkpoint to closely monitor the forces.
Top defense official 'ambushed'
Meanwhile, residents of the Gaza Strip settlement of Kfar Darom closed off the gate to the community and are preventing IDF and Gaza officials from continuing on a tour of the area. In addition, dozens of residents blocked the vehicle of Defense Ministry Director General Amos Yaron, who was also touring the community.
Yaron attempted to convince the blockers to let him continue, but to no avail.
After more than an hour, an elite IDF force managed to free him and get him out of the settlement, through the use of force. Some locals attempted to pursue Yaron, but police prevented them from reaching him.
Meanwhile, forces are expected to deploy along the Gaza Strip security fence all the way from the Erez area to Kerem Shalom, in a bid to prevent thousands of settlers and their supporters from reaching communities slated for evacuation.
Gaza's Kissufim crossing is considered a particularly sensitive spot and is referred to as the "bridgehead." According to information gathered by the police and army, settlers are planning to send thousands of people to the crossing and fences in the area even before the date set by the Yesha Council, July 18.
Preparing to march into Gaza
Closing off Gaza at such an early stage could lead to clashes between security forces and pullout objectors planning to flock to Gush Katif starting next week. Security authorities are aware of the possibility but say that deploying the forces at this time could prevent an even more difficult situation, where forces have to contend with thousands of right-wing activists who are already inside Gush Katif.
Meanwhile, settlers in Gush Katif are completing their preparations to absorb thousands of activists in tent cities. Some tent cities have already been established in the settlements of Kfar Yam and Kfar Darom, with several more currently in the works.
Leading Yesha Council activists met Tuesday in the southern town of Netivot in order to organize the main march in the direction of the tent cities. The march is expected to take place on Monday, July 18.
Protest organizers estimate about 100,000 people would take part in the event, expected to last at least three days.
