I wouldn’t want to be in the IDF right now. The Israeli military and the Sharon government were just given a preview of what they’ll be facing when they move to evict Jews in Gaza from their homes.
In previous days the Israeli government, the IDF, and the Israeli police have expressed concern that protesters numbering in the 100′s of thousands would likely overpower the disengagement forces. That’s exactly what happened. In what is being billed the “greatest protest in Israeli history,” tens of thousands tonight made it to an overnight rest stop on their way to Gaza after breaching a barrier of thousands of security forces and running across thorny fields. A human chain of 10,000 soldiers were overrun by protesters starting what will be a three day walk to Gaza. Recognizing they were outnumbered, some soldiers dispersed to join the protesters and others were left on the roadside and later bussed out of the area.
More than 20,000 soldiers and troops now are deployed along the route. Police commanders warned the marchers would be stopped, but Yesha leader Bentzi Lieberman told WND, “The march may have been declared illegal, but it will take place. We will get into Gush Katif.”
If protesters breach the first two checkpoints, which have several hundred police officers deployed, they will be met at the third checkpoint – about two city blocks from the rally site – by a force of 12,000 officers fortified with heavy military vehicles and hundreds of horses.
Leaders said the march would be peaceful. But earlier in the day, the Yesha Council warned the blocking of the protest could send events “spiraling out of control.”
When this uprising reaches Gaza, they may very well face terrorist rocket attacks and suicide bombers. I’m sure they know that and are prepared to give their lives to support their fellow Jews and oppose a government bent on rewarding terrorism. They show no signs of backing down, and the Sharon government has demonstrated an inability to stop them.
Summing up the evening’s events, Yesha leader Bentzi Lieberman, who was with the crowd, told WND, “What the world is witnessing is history in the making. The people of Israel are speaking. And we are saying ‘no’ to the immoral [disengagement.] We will soon say ‘no’ in Gaza, where we will arrive, determined as ever.”
Israel defeated the Arab countries who attacked her in the 67 war against all odds. I won’t be surprised if 100,000 civilians stop the IDF and stop the handover of more Israeli land. If they’re unsuccessful, the Palestinians will surely do the job for them by increasing the number of terrorist attacks as we get closer to the date of evacuation and disengagement. I’ve never understood their logic in doing that. It’s a good thing to not understand the minds of obsessed mass murderers.
Israeli multitudes breach police lines
100,000 Israelis march to Gaza
UPDATE:
Sharon is creating his own spin in the media, downplaying the size of the protest, and claiming his police force will have no problem stopping a mere 40 to 50,000 protesters. They don’t mention that his police force had to wait until the protesters had bedded down for the night to “fence them in”.
I think they’re a little more concerned than they let on.
Israel’s police early Tuesday were placed on a rare “state of emergency alert,” their highest alert status.
Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra said Tuesday that “The issue that most concerns us, is that we see to it that no one will reach Gush Katif. That is the goal.”
Police have mobilizes all of their forces, with officers returning from leaves and working longer shifts, to cover duties nationwide as more than 10,000 police and troops seek to prevent demonstrators from breaking through roadblocks.
And that part about 100,000 protesters plowing through a human chain of 10,000 soldiers? That was just “police officials allowing the planned three-day demonstration to continue much as originally planned”.
The government, fearing that the marchers would realize their goal of reaching Gush Katif and thus obstructing the planned disengagement, last week declared the Strip off-limits to non-resident Israelis. Police further ruled the protest illegal, although police officials have allowed the planned three-day demonstration to continue much as originally planned.
Late on Monday, police officials, apparently reversing an earlier decision, allowed tens of thousands of anti-pullout demonstrators to sleep at the Israeli village of Kfar Maimon hours after protesters began their Gush Katif solidarity march from Netivot.
