Clashes, slashed tires in Gaza
In settlement of Neve Dekalim, pullout foes puncture tires of three army jeeps, clash with security forces; clashes also reported in northern West Bank
After a night of clashes between pullout objectors and security forces overnight, residents at the Gaza settlement of Ganei Tal started Monday morning to block the entry gate to the community in a bid to prevent the arrival of IDF officers.
The forces were scheduled to arrive at the settlement at 7 a.m. Monday in order to hand settlers the evacuation notice. The residents also blocked the entry of media crews who arrived with representatives of the IDF's Spokesperson's Office to cover the handing of the notices.
A similar move was undertaken by settlers in Neve Dekalim, where the access road to the community was blocked by various means, including tires and garbage containers.
Kissufim crossing is closed off (Photo: AFP)
Overnight, after the Kissufim crossing was sealed off, several hundred settlers clashed with soldiers at the Neve Dekalim entry gate. The settlers also punctured the tires of three army jeeps that were escorting two buses out of the settlement.
A clash broke out at the scene and the jeeps had to turn back. The two buses were carrying IDF and police officers who spoke with settlers slated for evacuation. Several hundred people gathered in the area when the officers attempted to leave the settlement.
Police Brigadier General Aharon Franco personally guarded the two buses, stopping every few minutes to confront settlers who interfered with the flow of traffic.
Protesters lit fires along the road forcing the buses to travel for some two and a half hours before being able to exit Gush Katif.
'We will only succeed with determination'
Settler Rabbi Shlomo Aviner and head of the Gush Katif anti-pullout campaign arrived at the scene to calm the crowds.
They sat the settlers down and explained to them the importance of their struggle.
"We will only succeed with determination, not violence," they said. "One mistake and we are likely to lose."
Meanwhile, several youngsters slashed the fence separating Neve Dekalim and the access road leading to the settlements, in a bid to make it more difficult for IDF forces to control the settlers.
During a talk with the youth in Neve Dekalim earlier, head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council Tzviki Bar-Hai said, "Good youth has a leader, and here there is leadership and leaders."
Settler leaders fear that nearer the time of evacuation, anti-pullout youth would become more militant, and therefore the settler leaders are attempting to calm the situation.
"Under no circumstance will we raise our hands on a soldier or policeman, and we will not respond with violence," Bar-Hai said.
In addition, some 100 anti-pullout protesters marched along the Mor Bridge near the Kissufim crossing, placing spikes along the road.
Several IDF battalions were deployed to the area.
- Efrat Weiss, Hanan Greenberg and Ahiya Raved contributed to the report
