Israel Begins Historic Withdrawal from Gaza
Israel sealed off the Gaza Strip to Israeli civilians at midnight on Sunday (August 14th), beginning the start of an historic withdrawal after 38 years of occupation. Settlers were given orders to leave within 48 hours, however several hundred have vowed to stay in their homes, boosted by about 5,000 hardline activists who were recently able to sneak into Gaza. They've vowed to block forceful evictions of settlers by Israeli soldiers, where are set to begin Wednesday.
While Israeli soldiers took up positions to launch the evacuation, Palestinian security forces moved into areas near Jewish settlements to keep away Palestinian crowds and prevent attacks by militants during the pullout. Meanwhile, there were some celebrations in Gaza City by supporters of the militant group Islamic Jihad, while another terrorist group, Hamas, organized midnight prayers of thanks at Gaza mosques.
Under Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's withdrawal plan, which was approved by Parliament, Israel will evacuate 9,000 settlers in all 21 Gaza settlements, as well as from four small settlements in the northern West Bank housing some 500 people. Sharon has said these areas have little value for Israeli security.
While Palestinians are happy about the withdrawal, and many hope it will be a first step settling the issue of the occupied lands, other fear it's a ploy by Sharon to get rid of areas he doesn't view as crucial while consolidating control of the West Bank, where the vast majority of the 240,000 Jewish settlers live. The Palestinians want Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem for their state.
Does this send the message to Palestinians that terrorism works in getting them what they want?
posted by Pat Campbell @ 9:36 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
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It's my understanding that these are the crappiest areas of town anyway, the ghetto if you will. I don't know how to feel about this. I know that the Palestians are in refugee camps after the Israeli army has literally bulldozed down homes and neighborhoods in response to the violence of the people that live in them, so the Palestinians had to go SOMEWHERE. And I can imagine how the Israelis feel now that they finally have a "home" and now they are forced to move again despite the violence perpetrated against them, and the genocide the Muslims wish against them. I'm sure culturally the Jews are feeling like exiles out of Egypt again. So I'm not sure in the bigger picture what the best solution is. This seems like a viable comprimise but not living in the area no one can really know the pros and cons.
Broadway Joe says:
Why do the Gaza settlers act as though they are "victims". After all it is they who settled illegally in the Gaza. They stole land and demolished houses of Arabs already there. Whats more they are being compansated about $3000,000 each ( by US taxpayers ). They never compansated any Palestinians for what they took!
Gaza has and always shoud be owned by the Arabs who inhabit it, not expatriates from Russia, Israel or anywhere else. Seems you have a problem with history. I guess we should all just forget about the Holocaust.
The Bible is so messed up....a book of fairly tales created by man why should anybody use it as some kind of factual information. Also according to the Bible.... God tells Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Seems somebody inserted Isaac when it should read Ishmail, because Abraham married Hagar and Ishmail was Abrahams first child 14 years older than Isaac. If it reads your only son then that would be Ishmail. But you don't care about history anyway even though you always try to give history lessons. Shalom
First of all I am not a Muslim but rather a Jew who is sick and tired of nutzoid Jewish fanatics. Every religion has them. Look at your Bible. Abraham married Hager. Ishmael was not illegitimate. For what its worth. Look at Gen: 16:3 ... and Sarah gave her Hagar to her husband Abram to be his WIFE. Before both Ishmael and Isaac were born, God made a covenant with Abraham (Gen 15:18) saying... Unto thy seed have I given this land from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the Euphrates. Recent DNA tests by Israeli scientests reveal that Palestinian Arabs and local Jews, not converts from Russia and other places, have nearly identical DNA. The Palestinians are actually descendents of the other tribes of Jacob who were not taken away by the Babylonians. The are basically the other 10 tribes, who due to historic conquests speak Arabic and are mostly Muslim and Christian.
Therefore God meant the they all should share the land. This could be possible except for Zionist fanatics, Muslim terrorists, and evangelical Christian wackos. The majority of Israelis over 65% want the settlements dismantled. The majority of Palestinians want peace. And the majority of Christian Arabs also want peace. Shalom
A poll taken by The Jerusalem Post, a right wing publication, admitted that 65% of all Jewish Israelis are against the illegal settlements. It is simply not worth the lives of soldiers and the tremndous expense to protect a few fanatic extremists. If they want to settle somewhere why not in the desert area east and south of Gaza. It is in Israel proper and there is water under the ground. That way they will not have any problems with Palestinians. The Temple Mount is under Muslim control. A fact accepted by all Israeli govenments. The Muslims did not destroy the temple, it was the Romans. They built
the Dome of the Rock on what was once the city garbage dump. In any case it is the Messiah who will build the new temple not ordinary humans. We cannot force the hand of God. Those who think they can by destroying this shrine are in error. Shalom
The desert is not mined. The Bedoins love the Israelis. The Jews consider them as "Jews". The govenment is giving them education incentives and permanent housing. There is a strong movement to move into these areasof the desert. As far as the Palestinians are concerned, they want the West Bank, Gaza, and pats of Jerusalem that were stolen. They officially gave up in 1993 on having all of what is now Israel. Check out their constitution on line. A fact that most conservatives ignore. Shalom.
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