Gaza synagogues to remain intact
Government approves decision to leave Gush Katif synagogues intact; ministers unanimously vote to end military rule in Gaza; Sharon changes his mind and also backs leaving synagogues intact
Moment of truth: The government approved Sunday the decision to leave the 19 Gush Katif synagogues intact, in a majority vote of 14-2 during the weekly cabinet meeting.
Ministers Ophir Pines-Paz and Haim Ramon voted against the decision, while Dalia Itzik abstained.
In addition, the government unanimously approved the IDF’s withdrawal from the Philadelphi route and the cancellation of the military administration in the Gaza Strip. The Ministers also approved Defense Minister Mofaz’s proposal to keep Gaza’s Kerem Shalom crossing open to Palestinians while closing the Rafah crossing for six months.
During that period, Israel will examine the Palestinian Authority’s counter-terrorism effort. The proposal was backed by 14 ministers. Agriculture Minister Katz objected, while Internal Security Minister Ezra abstained.
Earlier, a cabinet majority, 12 ministers, announced they would object to the razing of Gaza Strip synagogues ahead of the crucial government vote on the contentious question.
Prime Minister Sharon, meanwhile, changed his position and now supports leaving the synagogues intact, saying both options available to ministers are bad ones, but the least worse one should be taken.
“Under the circumstances where there was no solution found for relocating the synagogues in their entirety, with the defense minister recommending they be left intact and the rabbinical community preferring the IDF does not dismantle them even at the price of knowing the Palestinian mob will desecrate them – my position is that the empty buildings should be left standing,” he said.
Only three ministers out of 21 unequivocally back the demolition of synagogues.
The synagogues, meanwhile, have been emptied in recent days with nothing left for razing aside from the structures themselves.
Touched by rabbis pleas
Ben-Eliezer, whose objection came as a surprise, said the razing of synagogues “would eliminate any moral demand by us to preserve and protect synagogues across the world.” Meanwhile, Hanegbi said the prevention of synagogue desecration in Gaza would be a test for the Palestinian Authority.
Minister Naveh announced that as a Jew he is unable to support the demolition of synagogues.
“I was touched by many rabbis who turned to me over the matter,” he said. “In addition, I’m afraid there will be those in the world who draw the wrong lessons from the razing of synagogues.”
Earlier, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said he is supporting the rabbis’ call not to destroy the Gush Katif synagogues.
The foreign minister’s statement was made ahead of Sunday’s cabinet vote on the matter.
“A Jew does not destroy synagogues,” he said.
“I myself had built a synagogue in memory of my father, and I cannot see myself supporting the destruction of synagogues. I hope the Palestinian Authority would regain its composure and see to it that barbarianism and vandalism do not take over, for if they do, the world will understand who we are dealing with.”
“My ties to Judaism and tradition are undeniable. I heard the rabbis’ position, and leaders of several Jewish communities around the world have turned to me. They warned that this (destruction of synagogues) would serve as a dangerous precedent and it that must be prevented so other governments would not be able to harm Jewish holy sites based on this precedent,” he said.
Mofaz objects
On Friday it was Mofaz who spoke out against the destruction of the deserted Gaza synagogues, saying, “as a Jew and as Defense Minister of the State of Israel, and as person who grew up in a religious and conservative home, it is very hard for me to order the soldiers of the IDF to destroy and blow up the synagogues.”
“Even if it is decided to destroy the synagogues in the next government meeting, this will not affect the IDF’s exit from Gaza, but will only delay it by a day,” he added.
On Thursday the High Court of Justice rescinded an injunction against the demolitions and rejected a petition to hold another discussion on the matter.
The court decided there was no need for further debate on the sensitive question by a 4-3 margin.
The IDF is eagerly awaiting the cabinet’s decision on the matter, as it mat affect the schedule of the army’s historic pullout from Gaza, after it had controlled the area for 38 years.
During the weekend the IDF removed all military infrastructures from the Gaza Strip, and the Mor bridge, which was built a few years ago to serve Israelis traveling from Kissufim to Gush Katif, was dismantled. IDF forces blew up two command and control structures in the Erez industrial zone in the Gaza Strip Friday. The army also demolished a military courthouse in the area, along with a number of factories.
IDF forces are ready to leave Gaza once they receive the order to do so, as the danger to the troops still positioned there grows with each passing day.
Egyptians say they will try to stop smuggling
Meanwhile, Egyptian sources said some 750 Egyptian soldiers and Border Guard troops have begun to deploy near the Rafah-Egypt border and along the 14-kilometer (about 8.5 miles) long Philadelphi route, on the Gaza-Egypt border.
The deployment comes following an agreement that was signed last week between Israel and Egypt, according to which the Egyptian forces will be equipped with rifles, but will also hold two choppers and a number of armored military vehicles to prevent the smuggling of weapons from Sinai into Gaza.
Egyptian officials, including President Hosni Mubarak, said they cannot guarantee the smuggling would stop entirely, but added that they would do everything in their power to stop it.
Israel said it would complete the withdrawal once the Egyptian forces have deployed along the border.
Diana Bahur-Nir, Ali Waked and Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report
