Peretz: Security forces prepared
Photo: Reuven Boidek
Settlers evicted in Homesh, 2005
Photo: Hagi Aharon
March on Homesh an act by extremists, Peretz says
Defense Minister says large deployment of soldiers, police will prevent illegal return to former settlement
Security forces will not allow the illegal takeover of an evacuated settlement, Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Sunday, regarding the plans of Homesh's former occupants and their supporters to march on and rebuild the northern West Bank settlement.
Homesh was one of four West Bank settlements evacuated in 2005, along with the Gush Katif settlements in the Gaza Strip.
According to Peretz, the march is being planned by a group of right-wing extremists whose actions do not represent the views of their evicted fellow settlers.
There will be no shortage of personnel to deal with the marchers, Peretz added, noting the cooperation between the Defense Ministry and the Internal Security Ministry on this issue.
"The coordination of various (security) forces will be under the authority of the military, and the important thing is that there will be no riots," the Defense Minister said.
Police and IDF officials spent the past several days debating how to deal with the multitude of rightists who intend to march to Homesh on Monday.
Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh, head of the IDF's Central Command, and Shai Region Police Commander Israel Yitzhak decided that hundreds of soldiers and policemen would be deployed to deal with the event, with the IDF supplying back-up forces, if necessary.
Additionally, barriers will be constructed on several sides of the former settlement, to hinder the movement of marchers.
"We don't want to disturb the training exercises of soldiers and security forces. Everything will be undertaken in accordance to a situational analysis on Monday and to police intelligence," a senior IDF official told Ynet.
Meanwhile, National Union-National Religious Party faction leader MK Uri Ariel appealed to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to approve the rebuilding of Homesh.
"Now, when all of us have understood the disastrous consequences of unilateral withdrawal, and when the pain of uprooting residents has been proven, we must remedy the mistake and allow the settlement to be rebuilt," he said.
