By Mark Osborn
The Israeli government plans to withdraw 9,000 settlers and the troops that protect them from the Gaza Strip in mid-August.
Israel will maintain control of Gaza’s borders, coastline and airspace.
As the pull-out nears Ariel Sharon’s Israeli government is facing mobilisations from right-wing settlers who oppose the withdrawal.
A mass protest began on Monday 18 July and ended on 20 Wednesday 20. They wanted to march into the Gush Katif settlement bloc in the Gaza Strip, via the Kissufim border crossing, but were stopped by police. The protesters are, as we write, heading home.
The government’s worry was that the demonstrators would try to break through the roadblocks around the Gaza Strip and reinforce the Gush Katif settlements, who have so far refused all offers of compensation to move out of Gaza.
Meanwhile Israeli police arrested two soldiers suspected of planting a fake bomb in Jerusalem’s central bus station last week, in protest at the disengagement. Nine Israeli soldiers refused on Saturday night to follow orders and participate in an operation to prevent Israeli citizens from entering the Gaza Strip. A soldier was tried and jailed yesterday for 21 days after giving an interview to Channel 2 television and denouncing the army’s behaviour toward the settlers.
In the last few days over 100 crude missiles from Hamas have landed in and around Gaza. Israel has responded by massing troops and tanks on the Israel/Gaza border. Sharon has promised a “strong and harsh” response if the attacks do not stop, threatening a major invasion of Palestinian areas. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says he will “do his utmost” to stop the mortar attacks. But Abbas has relatively little control over the Gaza Strip, where Hamas is much stronger than Fatah.
Israel has resumed targeting Palestinian militants following the bombings and after a suicide bomber killed four Israelis in the town of Netanya on Tuesday 12 July. And meanwhile Israel continues to solidify its system of checkpoints within the West Bank, to atomise and intimidate the Palestinians.
Israel should get out of Occupied Territores, both Gaza and West Bank now, and let the Palestinians have an independent state of their own, alongside Israel.
Comments
don't worry Johnthese guys
In reply to Gaza /West Bank by Anonymous (not verified)
don't worry John
these guys love the Israeli state and support its policies of assassainating Palestinians- notice the way Hamas is treated as the cause of the violence and not the imperialist state of Israel. You should join them- you will be very welcome - just as long as you don't want an end to Palestinian oppression you will get along fine.
I think I'm in love...
In reply to don't worry Johnthese guys by Anonymous (not verified)
Yes, that's right. I "love" the Israeli state. I buy it flowers and chocolates and serenade it from below its balcony.
Come on, whoever you are (would it not be slightly more politically honest if you *didn't* hide behind anonymity), get real. You haven't actually made a political argument, you've just told a vaguely-connected series of lies which you haven't even attempted to substantiate with quotes or references to actual AWL literature.
The equivalent would be me saying that you eat live cats and steal your neighbours' underwear in order to decorate your living room. It's not political criticism, it's just unsubstantiated baseless slander (hopefully)...
Motives
In reply to I think I'm in love... by Daniel_Randall
I would have thought the real issue to discuss is what Sharon's withdrawal actually means - is it an honest step towards two states or a strategic withdrawal aimed at making Israel look reasonable while at the same time it consolidates control of the West Bank and builds even more settlements there?
Looking at Sharon's history you have to suspect the second theory is the more likely.
... sinister probably, but there's more than just motives
In reply to Motives by losttango
Gaza /West Bank
All very laudable - but it has to be clearly understood - Hamas could not care less about "borders" Hamas wants Israel eradicated and I fear it will never waiver from that goal.
Hence whilst I have been saying for over 30 years that a Palestinian state should be created (in accordance with the 1947 partition resolution of the UN ) I have no date that when it happens it will be irredentist - and it is this issue which is being neglected and ignored.The legitimate Israeli demand for unconditional recognition of its right to exist goes hand in hand with the right of the Palestinians to self determination. Sorry guys - but you cannot have one without the other
fraternally
John de Frece
Ramat Gan
Israel