Israel begins forced removal of settlers

A settler prays on the beach in the Jewish settlement of Shirat Hayam in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday. Thousands of Israeli security forces burst through makeshift blockades and poured into four Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip early in the morning, beginning the removal of protesters who refused orders to leave the area ahead of a deadline. PHOTO: AFP

Thousands Israeli troops dragged sobbing Jewish settlers out of homes, synagogues and even a nursery school and hauled them onto buses in a massive evacuation, fulfilling Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's promise to end Israel's 38-year occupation of the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, an Israeli woman set herself ablaze at a checkpoint outside the Gaza Strip yesterday in what police called an attempted suicide in protest at Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territory.

Describing woman as a West Bank settler in her 60s, police spokesman Avi Zelba said she had suffered burns to 60 percent of his body and had been hospitalized.

"I can confirm that she attempted suicide in light of the disengagement plan," Zelba said.

Thousands rightists opposed to Sharon's plan to "disengage" from conflict with the Palestinians by quitting Gaza have descended on the area outside the coastal strip to obstruct operations by troops and police.

Forced evacuations began yesterday.

Soldiers away worshippers still wrapped in their white prayer shawls. Men ripped their shirts in a Jewish mourning ritual. Women in a synagogue pressed their faces against the curtain covering the Torah scroll.

Others and screamed as they were loaded onto buses and the smell of burning garbage rose in the air.

One shouted, "I don't want to, I don't want to," as she was carried away.

Troops scuffled with protesters in the isolated settlement of Morag, while irate settlers at another outpost employed Nazi-era imagery -- including stars of David on their T-shirts -- to protest the military's actions.

But there were no signs of serious violence, and it appeared many residents were coming to terms with the withdrawal.

"I believed that God would not let this happen, but this is not true," said a Morag woman clutching a baby.

Some troops had entered five Jewish settlements -- Morag, Neve Dekalim, Bedolah, Ganei Tal and Tel Katifa. Security officials said the goal was to clear out the 21 Gaza settlements in just a few days, far more quickly than originally planned.

Colonel Israel Ziv, a commander in Neve Dekalim, said about 500 to 600 families were left in the Gaza Strip -- about one-third of the total population -- and that he expected more to leave throughout the day. But thousands of pullout opponents who infiltrated Gaza in recent weeks also remained. Ziv said the army planned to clear out the southern half of Gush Katif, the main bloc of Gaza settlements, yesterday.

One of a small army unit, identified only as Yitzhak, tearfully hugged a settler in Neve Dekalim, the largest settlement.

"It's not easy. These are very special people. This is the salt of the earth," he said. "But we have a mission and we will carry it out, and I think these people understand that."

Sharon that the images of Gaza settlers being removed from their homes are "heartbreaking," and praised the restraint of both settlers and soldiers.

"It's impossible to watch this, and that includes myself, without tears in the eyes," he said.

Sharon to pullout opponents to avoid physical and verbal confrontation with the security forces.

"Attack me, I am responsible for this, attack me, accuse me, don't attack the men and women in uniform," he said.

Israeli Moshe Katsav, who sat next to Sharon, cut in to correct the prime minister's choice of words.

"You mean criticize, not attack," Katsav admonished. Sharon did not respond.

Some activists showed fierce resistance. Troops dragged flailing protesters, some as young as 12, onto the buses.

"I want to die," screamed one youth as he was hauled away.

Several were hit by white paint bombs, and protesters smashed the window of the bus.

Settlers being removed at a rapid pace, with soldiers bundling them onto buses one after the other. About 10 buses filled with protesters drove away, the army said.

Hundreds protesters gathered in Neve Dekalim's main synagogue for morning prayers early yesterday, clapping and singing songs that expulsion would not happen. Several youngsters climbed onto the roof of the building, while others formed circles or milled about in the courtyard. "You should be ashamed at what you are doing," screamed a woman who was pushing a baby stroller.

Inside synagogue, hundreds chanted and clapped as a Torah scroll was carried into the synagogue. At midmorning, the building remained packed with protesters. "I believe in the messiah," sang a group of teenage girls.