The Michigan Daily - Monday, August 15, 2005 - 3
Israel begins evacuation
of Gaza Strip settlements
MOVIE MAKIN'
KISSUFIM CROSSING, Israel
(AP) - Israel lowered a road barrier
sealing the Gaza Strip to Israeli civil-
ians at midnight Sunday - signal-
ing the start of a historic withdrawal
that will end its 38-year occupation,
redraw borders and reshape prospects
for Mideast peace.
But several hundred settlers vowed
to stay in their homes and ignore orders
to leave Gaza within 48 hours. They
were reinforced by up to 5,000 hard-
line activists from outside Gaza who
planned to block forceful evictions.
Trouble surfaced shortly after the
eremony when hundreds of protest-
ers from the largest settlement, Neve
Dekalim, blocked the main road, stop-
ping army vehicles and scuffling with
soldiers. At Netzer Hazani, troops
cleared three highway lamp posts that
had been stretched across the road to
block them from passing.
At the border, soldiers lowered a red
road barrier at the Kissufim Crossing
between Israel and Gaza, with a sign
on the barrier reading: "Stop, entry
into the Gaza Strip and presence there
is prohibited by law."
With about 200 people looking on, the
barrier was raised and lowered several
times, apparently because of technical
problems. Soldiers secured it with a wire
to keep it shut.
Two large Israeli flags waved beside
the barrier. As it went down, a traffic light
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One of Google's most popular fea-
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CORRECTIONS
The front-page story "Detroit Free Press
is sold to giant Gannet" (8/8/05) about the
Detroit Free Press should have been spelled
with "Gannett" not "Gannet."
The same article incorrectly labeled
two professors at their universities.
Professor Steve Lacy works for
Michigan State University, not Wayne
State University.
Professor Ben Burns works for Wayne
State University, not the University of
Michigan.
Please report any errors in the Daily
to corrections@michigandaily.com.
changed from green to red and three vans
carrying settlers and their belongings
drove out of Gaza, never to return.
"The Gaza Strip has been closed
today based on the decision of the
Israeli government and today another
phase begins," said Brig. Gen. Guy
Tsur, a senior commander.
The withdrawal, marking the first time
Israel gives up settled land claimed by the
Palestinians for their future state, comes
after months of political wrangling and
mass protests. On Sunday, Israeli troops
took up positions to launch the evacuation
and Palestinian security forces fanned out
to prevent militant attacks.
Israel's army chief appealed to troops
to show restraint in removing thousands
of Jewish settlers from their homes amid
concerns that resistance could turn vio-
lent after thousands of anti-pullout activ-
ists slipped into the territory.
The presence of a few thousand Israe-
lis in Gaza, among 1.3 million Palestin-
ians, has become a security burden, said
Vice Premier Ehud Olmert. "The state
of Israel does not want to be in the Gaza
Strip and does not need to be in the Gaza
Strip," he told Israel TV's Channel One.
In the hours leading up to the closure,
thousands of Palestinian police moved
into positions near Jewish settlements with
orders to keep away Palestinian crowds
and to prevent attacks by militants dur-
ing the pullout - something that Israel
warned would bring harsh retaliation.
Officers planted Palestinian flags and
pitched tents while some chanted in
praise of their late leader, Yasser Arafat.
Hundreds of supporters of the militant
Islamic Jihad group celebrated in Gaza
City, with gunmen firing in the air, and
teens setting off fire crackers and distrib-
uting sweets. The violent Hamas group
organized special midnight prayers of
thanks at Gaza mosques.
Palestinian residents watched set-
tlers packing up. "They are actu-
ally leaving. Who would have ever
thought?" said Palestinian farmer
Ziyad Satari, standing on the roof of
his three-story home in the Palestin-
ian town of Khan Younis, which over-
looks the Morag settlement. Many
Palestinians have expressed doubt
that the withdrawal will take place.
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud
Abbas offered the Israelis reassurance.
"We tell the Israeli people, 'You
have chosen the right path,"' he told
Israel TV's Channel 10. "This is the
right path. Don't listen to the voices of
the extremists who want a continuation
of the occupation. I don't want - and I
will not accept - any clashes with the
army or the settlers."
However, there were exchanges of
fire early Monday between soldiers and
Palestinians near the Kfar Darom set-
tlement, and mortar shells fell in two
settlements and near an army base. No
casualties were reported.
Members of M-agination Films, a division of the University Activi-
ties Center, filmed in the Ann Arbor residence of LSA student
Rebecca Runge on Sunday. Left to right: LSA senior Tom Gehani,
M-agination president and director; LSA sophomore Andy Win-
dak, special effects; LSA junior Danny Mooney, talent.
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