Israel demolishes synagogues
2005-09-09 08:04
Khan Yunis - Loud explosions rattled the southern Gaza Strip's Gush Katif settlement bloc early on Friday morning as the Israeli army started to demolish the estimated 20 synagogues in the occupied territory.
"We started late on Thursday night and we want to finish early this morning," said military spokesperson Shlomo Dror, confirming the controversial destruction of the synagogues had begun.
Three thunderous explosions emanated pre-dawn on Friday from the Gush Katif bloc, home to 15 settlements, where soldiers have been dynamiting buildings for the last two weeks.
The blasts came shortly before the call for prayer rang out from mosques around Gush Katif's neighboring Palestinian city of Khan Yunis.
Israel's Supreme Court on Thursday gave the green light for the army to destroy all synagogues in Gaza's 21 settlements, paving the way for the imminent pullout of all troops from the territory.
Demolition 'better'
The structures are some of the only buildings remaining in the former Jewish settlements, which were emptied of their 8 000 residents over a fortnight ago, ahead of the departure of Israeli troops, due to take place in days.
Following an appeal from rabbis, the court on Tuesday ordered the government to ask the Palestinian Authority to preserve the synagogues after Israel leaves the territory.
However, the judges on Thursday accepted the argument from the state that the Palestinians were against preserving the synagogues and ruled it was better for the army to demolish the buildings rather than risk their desecration.
The court sanctioned their demolition by four votes to three.
The army earlier allowed 50 rabbis and other public figures to attend a final prayer session at a synagogue in the former settlement of Neve Dekalim.
The cabinet last week approved plans to break up 20 synagogues and to transfer only a symbolic section of each building to Israel where they will be rebuilt, fearing those left standing will be desecrated by the Palestinians.
Only two of Gaza's synagogues, those in the settlements of Slav and Tel Katifa, are to be transferred in their entirety into Israel.