5 000 troops for Gaza pull-out
2005-01-12 17:45
Jerusalem - About 5 000 soldiers and policemen are to be mobilised for the operation to uproot the 8 000 Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip, public radio reported on Wednesday.
The strength of opposition from settlers and their supporters will be first tested with the evacuation of one of the 21 settlements in July.
The other 20 settlements will be dismantled in September, the radio reported.
Four small settlements in the northern West Bank which are also due to be dismantled as part of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's controversial disengagement plan, will be torn down at the start of September.
Settlers have been fighting a rigorous campaign against what would be the first Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territory, with some right-wing rabbis urging soldiers to ignore the "immoral forcible transfer of Jews".
A poll published last week showed that while 87% of Israelis are convinced that the pull-out will take place, most also believe that the opposition from the settlers will lead to a delay in its implementation.