Israel starts evacuation from occupied Gaza
The Israeli authorities started officially the implementation of its withdrawal operation from Gaza following occupation of Palestinians that lasted for 38 years. This was reflected in closing the Gaza Strip to Israeli settlers in the first early hours of today (Monday).
Israel closed Kisovim barrier which bans the crossing to the Gaza sector in the face of the Israeli settlers who have just 48 hours, as a grace period, to leave the sector.
A spokeswoman for the Israeli army said that the closure of this barrier is definite and final, and the entry into Gaza and staying in it becomes an illegal act forbidden to Israelis.
A convoy for the Israeli army entered Gaza today at dawn to evacuate all Jewish settlements. The Israeli army units included some 50 vehicles including jeep cars, ambulances and busses carrying police men and soldiers that crossed the Kesovim barrier.
Notes to evacuate 900 Israeli settlers in all the 21settlements in Gaza, and four among 120 settlements in the West Bank, started with the first early hours of today, so as to start the countdown for a grace period of 48 hours to leave the settlements and cross to Israel. Israeli forces were deployed near the settlements to ensure calm during the implementation of the withdrawal process.
Angry settlers broke car windshields and burned cars tires in Nefe Dekalim settlement with the beginning of the Israeli withdrawal from that area. Some Jewish settlers rejected voluntary withdrawal from Gaza. In a press conference held in Ghoushe Katif which includes 17 settlements south of the sector, one of those settler said he hopes that authority will be one day converted into what is hoped to be an independent Jewish state, adding that he has sent a message to the UN secretary general Kofi Annan demanding from him recognition of this authority.
The Palestinian security forces were deployed near the Jewish settlements in order to impose control on areas from where the Israeli occupation forces will withdraw.
The Palestinian security forces in Gaza announced maximum state of alert following talks with Israeli military officials where some 7500 members of the Palestinian security started redeployment near the settlements in order to foil any attack and prevent the Palestinians from breaking into the Jewish settlements after evacuating them.
The Palestinians hope that the withdrawal plan will be just the first step towards the establishment of their sate as stated in the Roadmap peace plan.
The two leaderships of the Fatah and Hamas movements agreed to from a national committee to follow up on the Israeli withdrawal. In its today meeting, the higher follow up committee for the Palestinian Islamic and national forces are to discuss the selection of members of this committee.