Sderot rally ends

SDEROT - (VIDEO) Anti-disengagement activists made their way to Ofakim, where they will spend the night in the town's parking lot, after setting up tents. 

One thousand police directed the crowds to Ofakim, while 15,000 security personnel attempted to block the way to Gush Katif.

Earlier in Tuesday evening, over 20,000 protesters attended of an anti-pullot vigil in Sderot - which, according to organizers, is supposed to end Wednesday in a march to Gush Katif.

Exclusive video footage of Sderot rally (Yaron Brenner)  

According to a deal reached between police and Yesha Council members, the protesters were stay out of Qassam rocket range while in Sderot and spend the night in Ofakim. Ambulances and Jewish National Fund personnel were on hand.

Right before the end of the vigil, Hamas did fire a rocket at Sderot, but it landed in Beit Hanoun, killing one Palestinian and wounding several others.  

Painting Sderot orange                                       (Photo: AFP)

The attack has not deterred the settlers, though.

“Tomorrow evening, we will continue our match to Gush Katif in a determined but non-violent fashion,” Har Hebron Council chairman Tziki Bar-Chai said. “Our goal is to stop the expulsion plan by way of marching with our heroic friends in Sderot and Gush Katif.”

Scenes from the rally

Sderot mayor Eli Moyal said at the rally that there would be no disengagement.

"The disengagement was and will be a bad plan for the nation of Israel, but we will not lift a finger, not on a policeman and not on a soldier," he said. 

Referring to the IDF as an anti-democratic force, Knesset Member Ayoub Kara (Likud) vowed, "If we remain orange, we'll vanquish the Red Army.  This is a cynical use of the military and police." 

6,500 soldiers

The IDF mobilized over 6,500 soldiers from the "Golan," "Aviv" and IAF "Blue" Brigades to reinforce police at Ofakim.

The aim of security personnel was to prevent a suprise break-out in Sderot and a march to Kissufim.

Police brass, including Chief of Police Moshe Karadi and Southern District Police Commander Uri Bar-Lev, monitored the situation from a tactical command set up in the town's sport center.

The vigil's was, for the most part, quite, but Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra did have to be extricated from a group of protesters who circled him and started booing.

Popular support

Sderot’s city hall said that most of its population is sympathetic with the anti-pullout protesters.

Some Sderot residents went out of their way to make their guest’s visit more comfortable, like Sonia Tarbalsi, who said she made pastries for the demonstrators.

“We’ll stay with them until the last of them leaves,” she said.

Ilana Cohen, a 42-year-old resident, expressed her disappoint in Prime Minister Sharon: "Arik Sharon is lier, a vote stealer, and has to be removed from office.  I voted for him, and now I'm afraid of the Qassam rockets that are getting closer."   

In addition, some 50 Christian supporters of Israel came armed with guitars.

"We came to support the Jews in their time of danger," said Ruth Foster from Switzerland.  "We are praying to God for a miracle and that he should protect you all." 

-- Hanan Greenberg, Attila Somfalvi, Shmulik Hadad and Anat Brashkovsky contributed to this report