IDF SPOX and Israeli Police Update: Summary of Today's Events in Gaza.

Dr. Aaron Lerner: "For some reason the "scorecard" doesn't indicate how many civilians were wounded by police. MK Michael Eitan (Likud) who chairs the Knesset Law Committee (and supports disengagement) complained today that police dealing with crowds at Gush Katif were not wearing their ID tags in violation of the rules.  Eitan noted that the apparent decision of the officers to send their men in without the required ID's gives the policemen the message that they can use brutal force as they cannot be identified by their victims - while at the same time sending the message to the civilians that the police intend to go on the rampage with the consequence that emotions can rise on both sides. Before the operation there were reports that the police planned to wear special vests with their names on them and that the vests would be issued at the last minute so that civilians would not be able to disguise themselves as police during the expulsion."

VPM Peres: What terrorists say doesn't matter - hurting themselves more than us.

By Dr. Aaron Lerner. VPM Shimon Peres was asked by Israel Radio anchor Arieh Golan in a live interview broadcast this morning about the various Palestinian leaders who have called from continued attacks against Israel. Peres replied that "what terrorists say doesn't matter - they are hurting the Palestinians more than they are hurting Israel." Golan declined to remind Mr. Peres that he used virtually the same argument during the entire course of Oslo to defend Yasser Arafat and others who, as an old Foreign Ministry information campaign used to put it "mean what they say".

Mr Netanyahu, who quit the Cabinet on Sunday, said a planned port in Gaza could act as a "terrorist base" that would be a direct threat to the region. Mr Sharon hit back by labelling Mr Netanyahu's resignation so close to the pullout as "less than honourable". Israel plans to withdraw thousands of settlers and soldiers next week. The well-known rivalry between the two men deepened as an opinion poll was published showing a clear lead for Mr Netanyahu among members of the governing Likud party. The poll, shown on an Israeli television network, showed 42% of members would back Mr Netanyahu in a party leadership vote, while only 27% supported the prime minister. An earlier poll for the Haaretz newspaper put Mr Netanyahu's support at 47% and Mr Sharon's at 33%. In a speech to the Knesset on Wednesday, Mr Netanyahu took particular aim at the plan for Egypt to take control of its border with Gaza and the likely construction of a seaport in the territory. "A port could represent a mortal danger," said Mr Netanyahu, who is also a former prime minister. "We are allowing the creation of an independent terrorist base in Gaza to which arms will flow from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq. "We are facing a global enemy which threatens not only Israel but Egypt and Jordan as well.

Who will stop this terrible danger? Apparently not the Israeli government which is blindly stumbling." Mr Sharon responded by accusing Mr Netanyahu of shirking responsibility by choosing to leave the government so close to the start of the withdrawal. "The only thing I can say is that to resign a week before the implementation of one of the most complex and difficult decisions ever for the state of Israel is less than honourable," he told MPs. Mr Sharon added: "I don't know why he resigned. He supported the disengagement plan many times in the past." Opponents of the pullout have been filling the plaza in front of the Western Wall for a prayer protest. "Some are weeping," she says. "The rabbi leading a special prayer of confession called this a time of mourning." The Israeli government has told the 8,000 settlers and the soldiers that protect them they must leave the Gaza Strip by 17 August. About 5,000 Palestinian security personnel are to be deployed to prevent militant attacks during the withdrawal, agencies reported. West Bank: Four small settlements in the West Bank are also to be evacuated. Some see the Gaza withdrawal as a ploy by Israel to consolidate its grip on the West Bank, but Vice-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected that. "The pullout is in no way an attempt to trade Gaza for the West Bank," Mr Olmert, who replaced Mr Netanyahu as finance minister, told reporters. He said he hoped the move would lead to the resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians, who he called on to "rise to this opportunity".

The Tender for Smart ID Cards is Underway.

The tender for the production of smart ID cards for Israeli citizens, initiated by the Ministry of Interior and government, was launched last week. The deadline for submitting proposals is December 1st  2005 and, if all goes well, the mass production of the ID cards will commence around October 2006. The smart ID card is a digital card similar to a credit card, on which a computer chip is implanted.  This card will replace the current blue ID card. This card provides the digital identification of its owner and can greatly help in the prevention of counterfeiting, further enabling Israeli citizens to perform significant transactions over the Internet, such as digitally signing forms or providing remote recognition. The ID card is a contact card requiring the user to slide it through a special scanner and enter a secret PIN (Personal Identification Number) code, similarly to the manner in which the ATM (Automated Teller Machine) is operated.  Citizens will be able to purchase a card scanner for their home computer for less than $100 and whoever is unable to afford one, will be able to use one of the hundred information kiosks to be established by the Ministry of Interior. These self-service centers will enable the citizens to enter their cards into a scanner and access all of the most sensitive governmental services that require secured identification.

U.S. Department of Defense - Israeli Ministry of Defense Joint Press Statement. The strategic alliance between the United States and Israel reflects common understandings of the global security environment.  In this cooperative relationship, the United States and Israel share information and consult on possible threats to U.S. and Israeli defense interests. The U.S. Department of Defense and the Israeli Ministry of Defense have signed an understanding that is designed to remedy problems of the past that seriously affected the technology security relationship between their defense establishments and which begins to restore confidence in the technology security area.  In the coming months additional steps will be taken to restore confidence fully. The signing of this understanding underscores the commitment of the U.S. and Israel to work together to address global security challenges. Cooperation between the U.S. and Israel is important to the security of the Middle East and we expect that cooperation to continue.

Police interrogating illegals" trying to leave Gaza Strip.

Israel Police Disengagement Spokesman Dr. Avi Zelba told IMRA this evening that the Israel Police are inspecting every car leaving Gush Katif to find people trying to leave Gush Katif who had been there without permission. The police are removing the "illegals" from the vehicles and interrogating them in order to determine how they illegally entered Gush Katif and if this is their first offense. It is expected that those who were multiple offenders may be brought quickly before a judge. Zelba noted that of the 1,040 "illegals" trying to either enter or leave who  have been interrogated to date by the police none were charged.


IDF Officer and Four Soldiers Wounded From Tank Fire at Palestinian Gunman.

An IDF officer was severely wounded and four additional soldiers were lightly wounded as a result of IDF tank fire at a Palestinian gunman after he opened fire at an IDF post nearby.  During the night Palestinians opened fire in several incidents at the community of Kfar Darom in central Gaza Strip. One of the sources of the fire is a Palestinian multi- story building which is located several dozens of meters north of the community and overlooks the whole community.  An IDF tank which was located in the community returned fire at the Palestinian gunman which was inside the house. As a result of the fire an IDF vehicle which had arrived at the scene in order to prevent further shooting from the house, was hit. The Palestinian gunman was also hit.  An IDF officer was severely wounded and four IDF soldiers were lightly wounded during the incident. They were evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment.  The families of the officer and soldiers have been notified. IDF forces are currently conducting searches in the area of the house in order to locate the Palestinian gunman and to confirm that there are no other gunmen in the area.  The IDF is currently investigating the circumstances of the incident.

DM Mofaz: Israel will react with full power after first rocket from West  Bank. By Dr. Aaron Lerner.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said in a live appearance this evening on Israel Television Channel One's "Politics" program that he expects the security situation to improve and "quiet" significantly after Israel completes its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. When the program host noted Military Intelligence Director Aharon Zeevi Farkash's warning today that the Palestinians were exploiting this period to develop and expand their strength and that rockets can be expected to be fired from the West Bank in the future, Mofaz retorted that the IDF would respond harshly with all of its force to destroy the source of fire after the very first rocket is shot. The program host noted that he has been in the news business for many years and he can still recall how virtually the same warning was given with regards to how the IDF would respond to Palestinian mortar or rocket fire. "And the first time there was an attack we went into "open broadcast" mode, with everyone waiting to see what the response would be.  And now, many thousands of mortar and rocket attacks later, they still can't be stopped." Mofaz replied that "this time it will be different." Participants in the panel that followed the Mofaz interview from both the Left (including Shlomo Ben Ami) and Right agreed that under the post-disengagement scenario Mr. Sharon has proposed that terror can be expected to increase.

Sharon : "Images From Gaza Withdrawal Are Heart-Breaking."

JERUSALEM- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Wednesday defended his decision to give up the Gaza Strip, saying that while the images of settlers being dragged out of their homes were "heartbreaking," the pullout would make Israel more secure and help it hang on to large West Bank settlement blocs.

Photo: Jewish settlers weep and embrace after being told by Israeli policemen to leave the Jewish settlement of Ganei Tal, in the Gush Katif settlement bloc, southern Gaza Strip, Wednesday.

Sharon, once the most powerful patron of the Jewish settlement movement, told settlers their presence in Gaza, among some 1.3 million Palestinians, had not been in vain. Speaking at a joint news conference with Israeli President Moshe Katsav, he also urged settlers not to attack police and soldiers verbally or physically. "I'm appealing to everyone. Don't attack the men and women in uniform. Don't accuse them. Don't make it harder for them. Don't harm them. Attack me. I am responsible for this. Attack me. Accuse me," Sharon said. Katsav cut in to correct the prime minister's choice of words. "You mean criticize, not attack," Katsav admonished. Sharon did not respond. Israeli security forces have warned that Sharon, like his slain predecessor Yitzhak Rabin, could be targeted by extremists. Sharon said he was moved by TV images of the Gaza pullout, and praised settlers and troops. "The pictures we see are heartbreaking, they are also breaking my heart," he said. "But I have to say to the residents, with all the difficulties and terrible pain they are facing . . . they are acting in a respectable restrained manner. They are making a great effort so that the evacuation will proceed quietly." Sharon said the pullout from Gaza did not mean the settlement movement had failed. "I think it is important that they (Gaza settlers) know that what they did was not in vain," Sharon said. "There are certainly great achievements, with the big (West Bank) settlement blocs that will remain in Israeli hands. They will remain territorially linked to Israel." The prime minister said settlers had to adjust to changing realities. "True, they had a dream, and I did too, that can we hold on to all the territory, or most of the territory. But things have changed," he said. Sharon defended his decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank, saying he did it for the good of Israel. "I believe with all these difficulties, Israel will come out stronger," he said. Sharon acknowledged that the Palestinian security forces have managed to control militants in recent days. However, he added: "We have to remain on guard, and I hope they (the Palestinians) will understand that to make progress on the road map, they have to halt terror completely. Israel will not compromise on this issue." The road map is an internationally backed plan for the creation of an independent Palestinian state. It requires Palestinians to halt terrorism and Israelis to stop settlement expansion - obligations that neither side has met.

Gaza settlers defy evacuation deadline. Many attack Israeli troops. By Amy Treibel.

Photo: sraeli soldiers form a line in front of burning tires protesters used to block the main gate during a demonstration against the disengagement plan in the northern Gaza settlement of Elei Sinai, early Tuesday Aug. 16, 2005. Israel plans to evacuate all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip Wednesday.

NEVE DEKALIM, Gaza Strip -- Extremists pelted soldiers with eggs and stones and danced in synagogues, defying orders for Jewish settlers to evacuate Gaza by midnight Tuesday under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's historic plan to "disengage" from the Palestinians. As the deadline passed, a few of Gaza's 21 settlements were deserted but thousands of settlers and their supporters remained in other outposts, settling down for the night to await a dawn confrontation with Israeli forces prepared to forcibly evict them. Settler leaders shouted over bullhorns for protesters to go to bed and conserve their strength. Earlier, some 2,000 Israeli troops poured into Neve Dekalim -- the largest settlement and epicentre of resistance.

Photo: A settler refuses to let into his house a group of soldiers that came to appeal to him to leave of his own will, in the southern Gaza Strip settlement of Neve Dekalim.

Soldiers marched in formation through the gate and fanned out through the village. Commanders carried maps, and troops took up positions near the industrial zone, linking arms to form a cordon. Other soldiers went house-to-house, trying to persuade residents one last time to leave voluntarily. At times, both settlers and soldiers were reduced to tears as they argued over wisdom of Israel's abandoning Gaza, land seized from Egypt in 1967 and the focus of deadly Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades. One woman was overheard telling a soldier how her mother was forced to pack her bags and flee Nazi Germany. "Just remember that you are the evil one who is throwing me out of my house," the woman said, rebuffing the soldier's offer of help. Moments before midnight, scores of settlers were in synagogues in several Gaza communities, dancing around sacred Torah scrolls. They waved flags and sang nationalist songs in a show of defiance against Sharon's plan to unilaterally hand the territory to Palestinian control. Israeli officials said about half of the Gaza's 1,600 settlement families had left voluntarily.

 

At least three settlements were abandoned, and several more were nearly deserted. Military spokeswoman Miri Regev said the army would assist anyone who wanted to leave voluntarily, even after the deadline. Earlier in Neve Dekalim, the army burst through the main gate to clear the way for about 120 moving trucks. Within hours, a crowd blocked the trucks from entering, and scuffles erupted when security forces tried to push the crowd back. Protesters hurled bottles, eggs and stones, and set fire to garbage bins and tires. Smoke blackened the air. Police said four officers were hurt -- one by an unspecified liquid thrown in his face. Settlers in several farming communities burned their greenhouses and homes rather than leave them behind. One man punched holes in the walls of his house with a sledgehammer. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said he expected the evacuation to take two about weeks. "I look with hope to the future, that the price we are paying ... will in the end bring about a positive change in Israel's situation," he said. Israeli authorities said once Gaza is cleared of civilians it will take several weeks more before Israel finishes dismantling its military installations and relinquishes the coastal strip. The fiercest resistance came from some 5,000 Jewish nationalists who slipped into Gaza over the past few weeks to reinforce the anti-withdrawal camp. Police handcuffed and detained several withdrawal opponents Tuesday, seeming to target the infiltrators. Sharon has said giving up any territory and taking down settlements is very painful, and this week's confrontations could help his argument that Israel is making a huge concession that deserves international recognition. By nightfall, three settlements -- Dugit, Peat Sadeh and Rafiah Yam -- were abandoned, and most residents had left three others. Several others were thinning out. Hundreds of diehard opponents continued trying to reach Gaza, trampling over Israeli cropland near the border to circumvent army roadblocks. Police set up more roadblocks late Tuesday to stop them. About 1,000 more protesters camped outside Sharon's Jerusalem residence. The military commander of the Gaza sector, Maj.-Gen. Dan Harel, said the army had been working with the Palestinian Authority on the evacuation and the "co-operation is very good." At Israel's request, Palestinian police dispersed several marches that were threatening to move toward Israeli positions, he said. The level of Palestinian attacks had fallen sharply, he said, with only three incidents recorded since the evacuation began Monday. No one was hurt in any of those. Palestinians held noisy demonstrations in Gaza City to celebrate the pullout. Young men cruised the city in open cars, some firing rifles into the air and brandishing rocket launchers. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia told his cabinet he was forming eight teams to co-ordinate the takeover of settlement land, and was including representatives of the militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements. The Gaza withdrawal is a landmark moment in the Middle East conflict. Although Israel has relinquished other land to Egypt captured in 1967 in exchange for a peace treaty, this is the first time it is withdrawing from territory claimed by the Palestinians for their own state. Sharon's critics say he's giving away Gaza and getting nothing in return. Some say Gaza is part of the Jews' biblical heritage, and Sharon has no right to abandon it. British Prime Minister Tony Blair sent Sharon a message of support. "I greatly admire the courage with which you have developed and implemented this policy," he wrote.

Sanur settlers vow to fight to the bitter end. By Janice Freyers. As Israeli troops make their final preparations for next week's immense Gaza withdrawal, they are expecting the greatest resistance to come from the remote Sanur settlement in the West Bank. Hundreds of supporters are joining the town's residents, ready to take part in what they believe to be a holy war." As long as we're needed we'll stay. We'll quit our jobs, we won't go to school," Amos Azaria said. The settlers are moving into old U.S. army tents and rundown trailers, preparing for when the month-long pullout begins Aug. 15. There are 21 Gaza settlements and four isolated West Bank settlements that about 40,000 police and soldiers will evacuate – Israel's largest ever peacetime operation.

Israeli forces are concerned that 10,000 supporters could join the 600 already estimated to be camping in Sanur, creating further tensions. Security forces have practiced the withdrawal using the American tactic of playing heavy rock music, which they hope will drown out chanting. The town was originally a colony for Russian artists, and was founded in 1987. One of those artists, Julia Sega, remembers another evacuation. During the Second World War, when her family fled Ukraine from the Nazis. Sega is angry that she will be forced from her home once again, in what she views as an unnecessary and pointless operation. "No one is sure that this will succeed. How many times can they make the same mistake?" she said. Sanur residents have so far only shown passive resistance. They managed to stall the construction of an army service road by standing with babies in front of bulldozers. And they routinely tell soldiers they should be ashamed for going against their own people. But Sanur is also home to radical idealogues who see the town's settlement as their birthright. The settlement is in the Dotan Valley, where the bible states that Joseph was sold into slavery thousands of years ago. The settlers have transformed an old mosque into a synagogue, with an antagonistic sign posted outside that reads in Hebrew: "No dogs. No Arabs." While some settlers in the Gaza strip have handed in weapons prior to the withdrawal, there has been no such agreement in Sanur, which concerns security forces. Although there is a religious law forbidding the firing on fellow Jews, so only non-Jewish troops may be targeted, the military is worried that some settlers are getting hand-to-hand combat training, to physically assault troops.

Palestinians urged to remain calm: Meanwhile, Palestinians have been asked to wait patiently for the Gaza pullout to conclude. "There is a requirement to ensure the withdrawal take place in a civilized manner,'' Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told The Associated Press. "We will be able to show the world we deserve independence and freedom.'' Abbas warned Palestinians not to engage in looting after the withdrawal. He also asked them not to celebrate too openly, because the government seeks full independence in Gaza and sees Israel's withdrawal as only a minor victory. "The Israelis are still occupying our land. The road is still long ahead,'' Abbas said. Analysts say the greatest challenge awaiting Abbas is getting Hamas and other militants to obey the current ceasefire with Israel. Attacks have continued despite the upcoming pullout, some even injuring Palestinians.

PM SHARON CONVENES MEETING OF MINISTERIAL DISENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE. (Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser). Prime Minister Ariel Sharon this evening convened a meeting of the Ministerial Disengagement Committee. Committee members approved increasing the number of hotel rooms designated to absorb settlers from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria from approximately 1,000 rooms to approximately 2,000 rooms.  At the behest of Prime Minister Sharon, it was also decided to offer settlers lodging at full board, with the number of rooms allocated to each family being in proportion to the size of the family. Prime Minister Sharon instructed the relevant officials to promote - as much as possible - the arrival of new residents to the south of the country in the context of Disengagement Plan.  The Prime Minister said that several groups of settlers have expressed interest in moving their residences to the Negev and added that the Government would make every effort to put such plans into practice. Committee members made a series of decisions regarding the construction of temporary and permanent housing for Gaza Strip and northern Samaria settlers.  Approximately 130 additional deluxe 90-square meter mobile homes will be ordered for families that have already reached agreement with the Government; public institutions and areas will be built in communities that are designated to absorb settlers (Yad Binyamin, Mavki'im, Karmiya, Or Haner and Mefalsim); and infrastructure planning will proceed regarding the construction of permanent housing in Bustan Hagalil, Magen Shaul and Ein Zurim. Committee members approved assistance for bereaved families in moving the graves of their loved ones from the Gaza Strip to inside Israeli territory. Prime Minister Sharon announced that the Committee would hold an additional discussion on Thursday, 18.8.05. By Dr. Aaron Lerner.

Briefing by Head of Gaza DCO. Key Points from the press briefing held earlier today by Colonel Yoav Mordechai, Head of the District Coordination Office: Over the past two months, there have been intensive negotiations between the IDF and the Palestinian Authority (PA), which started with meetings between defense ministers Shaul Mofaz and Nasser Yusef and worked their way down to the level of battalion commanders and field officers. Joint control centers of the IDF and PA Security Forces at Erez and Rafah are currently operating. The Palestinian deployment of forces throughout the Gaza Strip that began on Sunday was the result of negotiations on Sunday between battalion commanders. 24 battalions of Palestinian Security Forces have been deployed, which is estimated at 10-11,000 men. The goal is to build a blocking wall of joint forces near the settlements. The Palestinian street is not aware that the IDF does not intend to hand over control over the strip for a month and half, because it will take time to remove all of the military assets in the strip. This lack of understanding is due to inaccurate reporting and premature Palestinian celebrations. After the evacuation, the IDF will maintain a strong presence and will not allow anyone inside evacuated communities until the military evacuation has been completed. A quiet disengagement is in the Palestinian interest, so the IDF expects the PA to maintain control over Hamas. The IDF is prepared to use force if fired upon during the evacuation but hopes it won't be necessary

Israel: Hizbullah funding missiles that could reach airport. TEL AVIV - Israel's military reports Hizbullah has poured tens of thousands of dollars to fund development of Palestinian missiles in the West Bank. Israeli security sources said the missiles were meant to be used against Israeli cities in wake of the military's withdrawal from the northern West Bank in September.

Photo: Palestinian Kassam missiles. frequently launched by Palestinians  against Israelis villages and towns.

They said targets of the Hizbullah-financed missiles would include Israel's international airport at Lod.  So far, Hizbullah has been funding operatives of the ruling Fatah movement and the Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad to develop and produce the missiles. The sources said these operatives were based in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Middle East Newsline reported. [In the United States, two employees of a shipping company have pleaded guilty in connection with a planned shipment of night-vision goggles and infrared sights to Hizbullah.

The two employees comprised a Lebanese and an Israeli and were arrested in New York City in an FBI sting operation.] Israeli authorities have arrested two members of the Hizbullah-financed cell, established in early 2005. Officials said the cell comprised members of Fatah and Jihad who sought to carry out missions for Hizbullah.

Photo: Kassam carried on shoulders by  Hammas terrorists.

Hizbullah was said to have stressed the need to develop missiles that could strike Israeli communities either in the West Bank or Israel. The sources said Hizbullah urged operatives to manufacture Kassam-class short-range missiles designed by Hamas. "The cell operatives repeatedly attempted to manufacture projectiles including Kassam rockets, and carried out an experiment that failed to launch two Kassam rockets at the [northern West Bank] community of Kadim," an Israeli government statement said on Aug. 2. The two leading operatives in the Hizbullah-financed cell were identified as Raid Higawi and Yussef Aziz. The sources said Higawi confessed that Hizbullah funded and supported the cell. The sources said Hizbullah was also funding similar efforts in the West Bank city of Nablus. Hamas was also said to have been involved in these efforts. Source: World Tribune.  Syria breaks military ties with Lebanon; U.S. eyes Egypt, Jordan to play new supporting roles Geostrategy-Direct, www.geostrategy-direct.com, August 16, 2005. Syria has severed its 30-year-long links with the Lebanese military. Lebanese sources said the Syrian Army has suspended training and procurement programs with Beirut's military. Syria has ended the supply of ammunition, logistics and spare parts required to maintain the Lebanese military. "Syria provided us with just enough to maintain basic defensive operations," a source said. "As of June 30, that ended as well." Meanwhile, Egypt has offered to participate in an Arab effort to rebuild Lebanon's military. U.S. officials said Egypt has agreed to a Bush administration plan for an Arab effort to train and equip Lebanon's military and security forces. Lebanese sources said that for years Syria looted Lebanese military warehouses to help maintain their troops in Lebanon. At the same time, Damascus also transferred surplus Soviet-origin T-55 main battle tanks and 130-mm artillery systems. Many of these platforms could not be operated because of a lack of maintenance and spare parts. Syria withdrew its troops from Lebanon in late April 2005. Since then, Syria's military has shunned Lebanon as border tensions developed. On Aug. 1, Damascus failed to send a Syrian military delegation to attend Lebanese Army Day celebrations. No explanation was given, but sources cited calls by the new government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora to disarm Palestinian militias supported by Syria. Syria has also halted training courses for Lebanese officers. Egypt and Jordan have discussed helping train and supply the Lebanese Army with U.S. support and France has also raised such a possibility. U.S. officials said Cairo has offered to train Lebanese soldiers for eventual deployment in southern Lebanon, now controlled by the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah. "We think the Egyptian offer of training and other support is an excellent one," said Assistant Secretary of State David Welch. "And  it's good that some of our moderate Arab friends are stepping forward in the Lebanese context and in other contexts to offer such assistance. It's up to the Lebanese government if they want to avail itself of that, but we have no objection." Welch did not identify other Arab countries that have offered to help train the Lebanese military. But officials said Jordan has already relayed such a request to the State Department. Under the plan, the U.S. would pay Arab countries to train Lebanon's military and security forces. Officials said Egypt would be responsible for training both the military and paramilitary security forces in an effort to impose order in such areas as southern Lebanon. "We are going to organize an assessment of the Lebanese security forces if we are invited by the Lebanese government to do so," Welch said. "I have some expectation that we will be. As you know, in the past we have had some limitations on providing military support to the Lebanese government. But there's a different environment now and a different context, and we would look at that." Officials said Hizbullah would be the leading challenge to the Lebanese military and security forces. Hizbullah has refused to surrender its weapons and officials said Iran continues to supply and train Hizbullah. "There is absolutely no reason in the world why Lebanon's military cannot disarm Hizbullah, control the nation's borders and assume a long-overdue and effective role in the fight against terrorism," said Rep. Tom Lantos, ranking Democrat on the House International Relations Committee. "The Lebanese army has 70,000 increasingly well- trained and well-armed troops. Hizbullah, according to all experts, has a tiny fraction of that," he said.

Prohibition of entry and presence of Israeli citizens in areas due to be evacuated in accordance with the "Implementation of the Disengagement Plan 2005" law. Starting tonight at midnight, the IDF and Israeli Police will enforce the prohibition of entry and presence of Israeli citizens in the areas due to be evacuated in accordance with the order by the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister according to paragraph 22A of the "Implementation of the Disengagement Plan 2005" law.  These prohibitions will also apply on residents of the communities due to be evacuated in the Gaza Strip and the North of the West Bank. Tomorrow, Monday, August 15th, 2005 joint IDF and Israeli Police forces will demand from residents and civilians that are still present in the areas of the Gaza Strip and Northern West Bank due to be evacuated to leave the area. The IDF and the Israeli Police will provide residents of the communities all the required assistance in order to enable them to complete the evacuation process with the appropriate dignity and sensitivity.  On July 13th, 2005, the Prime Minister signed an order to limit entry in the areas soon to be evacuated in the Gaza Strip and in Northern West Bank and on continued presence in them. Following the publication of the Prime Minister's order, the GOC Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Dan Harel, and the GOC Central Command, Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh, imposed an order to fully limit entry into the areas soon to be evacuated. The GOC Central Command, Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh decided at the time and in accordance with his authority to issue a general order permitting the free entry to the areas due to be evacuated in the northern West Bank.  This evening, starting at 20:00, the general order permitting the free entry to the four communities in the northern West Bank to be evacuated has been revoked. Starting this hour and until midnight, entry will not be permitted to the areas due to be evacuated, without special entry permits that may given by the commanders of the checkpoints at the entrance to the communities. From midnight no entry will be permitted at all. At midnight in the Gaza Strip all entry permits that were issued in the past, both permanent and temporary, will expire.  Entry will be allowed on an individual basis for those whose presence is essential for the implementation of the disengagement plan: for the evacuation of the area or for the security of the area and of course for emergency and rescue services.
 

Many demonstrators remain past Gaza deadline. Large numbers of Jewish extremists refused to honour an Israel government order to evacuate the Gaza Strip by midnight Tuesday (4 p.m. EDT). Instead, some threw eggs at Israeli troops while others danced in synagogues in Neve Dekalim, the largest settlement in Gaza.

Photos from L to R:  #1. An Jewish settler stands outside her home where protesters set up a burning barricade inside the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim, in the southern Gaza Strip Wednesday Aug. 17, 2005. #2. A Jewish settler stands next to her family's belongings packed into a truck and trailer as they prepare to leave the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim, in the southern Gaza Strip Wednesday Aug. 17, 2005.

Besides attacking troops, demonstrators – many of whom were not settlement residents, but who came to protest the withdrawal -- also tried to disrupt the departure of settlers who had chosen to leave. Non-residents are believed to constitute the majority of those mounting the strongest opposition to the withdrawal. According to police spokesperson Avi Zelba, about 500 people illegally in Gaza were arrested overnight, and dozens were caught trying to enter from Israel. The army estimates as many as 5,000 have illegally entered Gaza from Israel in recent weeks. About 2,000 Israeli soldiers are deployed in the settlement. They are making one last effort to urge residents to leave on their own. Earlier, the army said that security forces had detained 50 Israelis Tuesday, in clashes with police and soldiers who were attempting to hand out final eviction notices.  Most of those detained were in Gaza's largest Jewish settlement, Neve Dekalim, where CTV's Janis Mackey Frayer says opposition to the withdrawal has been the most intense. "There was very fierce reaction today," she told CTV early Tuesday. "Israeli soldiers and police literally had to cut down the gate to this settlement." Just 24 hours earlier, the settlement had been barricaded when security forces attempted entry to deliver 48-hour eviction notices. Returning Tuesday with more than 100 moving trucks, the barricade was dismantled and soldiers and police with their arms locked together again moved in. "It was an intensely emotional scene," Mackey Frayer said. "A lot of soldiers were upset by this as well, despite weeks of training to deal with what is seen as a traumatic incident." Despite intense resistance in some quarters, three Gaza settlements and two West Bank communities were already empty by nightfall, with another five in Gaza headed the same way. At a news conference Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said he hoped at least half of Gaza's 8,500 residents would be out by midnight. "We will make every effort, the army and the police, to have law and order in this process and anyone who acts illegally will be treated according to the law," Mofaz said. Other sites of opposition include:

• The Bedolah settlement, where protesters threatening to burn down their houses torched three cars.

• In the central Gaza settlement of Netrazim, protesters brandishing the orange-coloured flags of the anti-withdrawal movement spent the night celebrating. "The party was the focus of many energies that exploded out ... Here it explodes with happiness," resident Eyal Vered told The Associated Press. Designed to end the Israeli presence in areas captured in 1967, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has positioned his plan as a law-and-order issue.

"They've gone to great lengths to make sure this is a lawful and democratic process," Mackey Frayer said, noting the series of votes and court rulings that preceded the final approval of Sharon's cabinet on Monday. The evacuation of all 21 Gaza settlements is slated to be completed by September 4, followed shortly after by the withdrawal from another four in the West Bank. The settlers will either be moved to temporary housing in Israel, some will stay with relatives, while others will go to hotels. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has hailed the withdrawal as a historic first step to a broader Israeli retreat, while the militant group Hamas has characterized the plan as a victory for their campaign of violence. Brg. Gen. Dan Harel told AP the co-operation with the Palestinian Authority has been very good. Only three Palestinian-related attacks have occurred since Monday, he said.

UNFORGETTABLE SAD DAYS IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL

Photos from L to R: #1. Israeli police officers out of the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim, in the Gush Katif bloc of settlements, in the southern Gaza Strip, Wednesday. #2. Trying to shame Israeli troops, a settler holds up her baby in front of the soldiers who were waiting to evict the settlers from their home in the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim, in the southern Gaza Strip, Wednesday.

DE LAFAYETTE: "THIS COULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT AND COSTLY DECISION EVER MADE IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL!"