Tension mounts as West Bank diehards face evacuation

SANUR SETTLEMENT – Thousands of police and soldiers were preparing to take up positions around two West Bank settlements yesterday where thousands of hardliners have massed in a bid to thwart the evacuation of Jews from the heart of biblical Israel.

Heavy earthmoving equipment and steamrollers were clearing the ground around Sanur to allow the security forces a clear approach to the settlement and mounted police gathered nearby. As troops wrapped up their operation to evict settlers in Gaza, Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the evacuation of two northern West Bank settlements would begin today and last no more than three or four days.Troops were anticipating significant resistance in Sanur and the neighbouring settlement of Homesh, where hundreds of right-wing activists have massed in a bid to thwart the evacuation, the first time Israel leaves parts of the occupied West Bank.Around 200 people were arrested overnight trying to infiltrate the two settlements, army radio reported, saying some were caught with flammable material, spikes and tins of paint.Security sources believe there are some 1 200 people, both residents and infiltrators in Homesh, and some 650 in Sanur.Even residents are unhappy about the presence of so many protesters, many of them deeply religious, inside the two settlements.Officials are concerned the protesters have stockpiled weapons and may even try to use them against the evacuation forces.”It is hard for us to know for certain whether all the weapons were returned or whether there are some still in their possession,” deputy commander Amihai Shai told army radio.”We have intelligence which indicates different means, which are not straightforward and which were not used in Kfar Darom,” he said, referring to the dramatic protests seen in Gaza last Thursday when protesters hurled acid at police attempting to evict them.On Sunday, angry protesters hurled stones and slashed tyres of military vehicles on the outskirts of Sanur shortly after the cabinet gave its final approval for the evacuation of the West Bank settlements.A soldier was taken to hospital after being beaten up.”The evacuation of settlers from the northern West Bank is another matter.I ask them to find resistance of another kind,” chief of staff Dan Halutz told journalists Sunday.- Nampa-AFPAs troops wrapped up their operation to evict settlers in Gaza, Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the evacuation of two northern West Bank settlements would begin today and last no more than three or four days.Troops were anticipating significant resistance in Sanur and the neighbouring settlement of Homesh, where hundreds of right-wing activists have massed in a bid to thwart the evacuation, the first time Israel leaves parts of the occupied West Bank.Around 200 people were arrested overnight trying to infiltrate the two settlements, army radio reported, saying some were caught with flammable material, spikes and tins of paint.Security sources believe there are some 1 200 people, both residents and infiltrators in Homesh, and some 650 in Sanur.Even residents are unhappy about the presence of so many protesters, many of them deeply religious, inside the two settlements.Officials are concerned the protesters have stockpiled weapons and may even try to use them against the evacuation forces.”It is hard for us to know for certain whether all the weapons were returned or whether there are some still in their possession,” deputy commander Amihai Shai told army radio.”We have intelligence which indicates different means, which are not straightforward and which were not used in Kfar Darom,” he said, referring to the dramatic protests seen in Gaza last Thursday when protesters hurled acid at police attempting to evict them.On Sunday, angry protesters hurled stones and slashed tyres of military vehicles on the outskirts of Sanur shortly after the cabinet gave its final approval for the evacuation of the West Bank settlements.A soldier was taken to hospital after being beaten up.”The evacuation of settlers from the northern West Bank is another matter.I ask them to find resistance of another kind,” chief of staff Dan Halutz told journalists Sunday.- Nampa-AFP