Israeli security forces who began forcibly evacuating the settlers of Neveh Dekalim, the largest settlement in the Gaza Strip, are facing a violent resistance on the part of the settlers and the pullout foes who infiltrated the Strip to disrupt disengagement, Israeli sources reported.
Troops grabbed settlers and forced them into the buses, while police scuffled with a large crowd. Settlers burned garbage and fought with the police officers and threw eggs and water bottles at them. The police arrested many of them.
At least 210 out of the 470 settlers’ families have already left the settlement midnight on Tuesday.ÂÂ
The yeshiva of Torat Haim, which was expected to be a center of resistance, was evacuated peacefully. Students were already packing when the police arrived at the site.
More than 15,000 police officers and soldiers are deployed in the Gush Katif to forcefully evacuate the settlements of Ganei Tal, Bedolah and Tel Katifa.
In Ganei Tal, one settler family barricaded themselves in their house, while other settlers were trying to persuade the police and soldiers not to implement the evacuation.
At least 100 settlers who are left in Bedolah settlement had barricaded themselves in a synagogue. Police made their way there in bid to evacuate them.
Settlers in Morag settlement were more violent. They have placed garbage containers and other obstacles at the entrance of the settlement in an effort to block entry to the police and army.ÂÂ
Settlers set the garbage containers on fire and others burned tires. One settler was arrested with flammable material in his possession.
Declaring that the opposition to the disengagement plan has failed, a senior aide to the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said early Wednesday that army and police will be able to evacuate all, or nearly all, the 21 settlements of the Gaza Strip.
Army officials and the Disengagement Administration (Sela) said that 832 out of the 1,550 families registered as residents of the 21 Gaza Settlements had left their settlements by Tuesday midnight.
