Police trying to clear a path for moving trucks scuffled yesterday with hundreds of Gaza pullout opponents, who threw empty water bottles and torched a garbage container in the worst violence since the start of the withdrawal. At least 50 people were detained in Gaza's largest settlement.
The confrontation in Neve Dekalim erupted just hours ahead of a midnight deadline for all Jewish settlers to leave the Gaza Strip voluntarily or face forcible removal. Officials said they were hopeful at least half the settlers would leave before the deadline, but warned of tough action against anyone who resists.
After failing to enter Neve Dekalim on Monday, police burst into the community early yesterday and dismantled the main entrance gate to clear the way for some 120 moving trucks to enter. Officers cut the electric gate with a saw, then dragged the metal barrier away and threw it on the side of a road.
Within hours, a large crowd of predominantly young people blocked the entrance to Neve Dekalim and refused to let the trucks enter. When security forces tried to push back the crowd, scuffles erupted.
Protesters set fire to a garbage container, and splattered white paint in the road. Protesters, who wore the orange color of pullout opponents, pelted police with plastic water bottles while a water cannon put out the fire. Several people had bloody faces, and four officers were hurt.
"We will do all we can to protect ourselves against the wolves," said Yehuda Glick, a protest leader who urged security forces to disobey orders. "How can you do this to another Jew?"
The army said 50 people were detained and expelled from Gaza, and police were seen carrying off flailing protesters grabbing them by their arms and legs. After several hours, traffic remained at a standstill.
As the standoff continued, a family of settlers tried to leave Neve Dekalim in a jeep carrying four mattresses on the roof and pulling a small trailer. A young girl inside was crying as the crowd prevented the vehicle from moving.
The three-week operation to evacuate Gaza began Monday with the distribution of eviction notices to settlers. Israel plans to remove all 21 settlements from Gaza and four from the West Bank. It is the first time Israel has removed veteran settlements from either area, which are claimed by the Palestinians for a future, independent state.
By midday yesterday, three Gaza settlements and two West Bank communities were empty, while five other Gaza settlements were rapidly thinning out, Israeli media said. But people in several communities appeared to be digging in for a fight.
"We cannot hold Gaza for good," Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said.
"More than a million Palestinians live there, doubling their numbers every generation."
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