Israeli security forces had to sneak into the back of the Gaza Strip's largest settlement to hand out eviction notices to defiant residents yesterday after protestors initially prompted them to freeze the operation, military sources said.
A few hours after officials, confronted by locked gates at the settlement's entrance, announced they would not force their way into Neve Dekalim, a joint force of troops and police managed to maneuver their way in through the back.
"A portion of soldiers did succeed in entering the community through the back," a military source told reporters on condition of anonymity. "The notices have started going out," she added.
Army officers were handing out the notices to the heads of households along with police officers, the source added.
"There have not been reports of any resistance from the residents in their homes so far," she said.
A military official told reporters that the forces had managed to enter Neve Dekalim through the industrial zone after being confronted with a mass show of defiance at the entrance.
Police spokesman Superintendent Eli Levi said earlier that the security forces would not force their way in.
"We are not going to enter the settlement. They have two days to evacuate of their free own will but at midnight [today], it's the end," he told reporters.
Black smoke from burning tires curled into the air as scores of settlers linked arms and tried to block the troops at the entrance. Scuffles ensued and most of the troops turned back.
Earlier, close to a thousand settlers massed at the main gate singing, praying and calling on soldiers and police to disobey orders in the first sign of active resistance since the official start of the Israeli withdrawal at midnight.
"Soldier, policeman -- refuse the orders," they chanted in unison as around 60 unarmed police clad in black lined up in front of the gate.
The joint police and army operation to hand out the eviction notices in all 21 settlements began at around 7am.
Settler defiance raised its head early yesterday shortly after the official start of the pullout operation at midnight, when hundreds of furious youths began rioting just outside the main gate.
The protesters, most of them adolescents, swarmed on passing vehicles, smashing windows and slashing tires in a rampage which continued until settlement security officials arrived at the scene 40 minutes later.
"This is not what we planned but we cannot control these young people," one of the main leaders of Yesha, Shaul Goldstein, told reporters. "This activity undermines our struggle."
Meanwhile, the Israeli cabinet approved the second stage of the Gaza withdrawal plan, which includes all settlements in the Gush Katif settlement block, yesterday morning, Israel Radio reported.
The vote was 16 ministers in favor and four opposed.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS