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Protesters will gag themselves to symbolize their silencing. (AP file)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners July 18, 2005 |
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Reports are coming in from all over the country of massive police efforts to turn back busses and vehicles bringing anti-expulsion protesters to a huge rally in the South.
The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha Council) claimed that police were setting up roadblocks "from Kiryat Shmona to Eilat."
Anti-expulsion protest leaders claimed the government had "crossed a red line" by stopping the buses headed for Netivot, warning Police Commissioner Karadi that he will be "held responsible for the loss of control," if the situation is not correct and an assembly if forcibly prevented.
Many drivers have had their licenses confiscated and in some case the police have impounded vehicles and forced passengers to disembark. Malchi Ackerman from the community of Nofei Ayalon, between Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, said that police stopped about five busses that came to pick up protesters and confiscated the licenses of the drivers, the Jerusalem Report reported. "This is the worst violation of democracy to date," she said.
The IDF and the police plan to deploy an unprecedented amount of 20,000 officers at checkpoints to stop the marchers. Forces will also be stationed alongside major roads in a bid to prevent road-blocking protests by the marchers. The police themselves plan to block roads.
The internal security minister has vowed that protesters will come nowhere near the rally site or the Kissufim junction leading to the Israeli population centers in Gaza. Interior Minister Gideon Ezra said that the march planned by anti-pullout protestors "will not enter Gush Katif, they won't even reach the road that leads to Gush Katif."
Organizers of the protest, set the start in the afternoon, say demonstrators will march with orange ribbons tied across their mouths to symbolize their silencing by forces, who have deened the planned demonstration illegal.
The Yesha Council has denied demonstrators will try to enter Gaza by force or stop traffic.
"The decision to prevent the arrival of buses is a tragic mistake that will escalate the situation on the ground and bring violence," said National Religious Party Knesset Member Effi Eitam. "I call on all pullout opponents to leave in private cars, public transportation, by train and by foot to Kissufim."
"Don't block roads, don't confront officers, just find any way to get to Kissufim," he added.
Arutz Sheva quoted MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union), a strong proponent of civil disobedience against the expulsion/withdrawal plan, as saying that "If police stop the protestors from arriving, they will simply start walking by foot and block the traffic in that way. If the protestors can't travel, no one will be able to travel."
The Yesha Council issued a statement condemning the move and encouraging protesters to make their way to the rally by other means. "We are calling upon all opponents of the uprooting/expulsion plan, blocked by the police by direct order from the Sharon family, to come to Netivot using every possible mode of transport, whether by car, by foot or by train,? a Council statement said. ?The dictatorial manner in which the police are deployed to prevent the march will not succeed."
Baruch Marzel, head of the far right National Jewish Front organization said that the prevention of a democratic assembly was in effect a declaration of war. "Let's hope that the Yesha Council will finally understand that there can be no dialogue with Sharon, it's time for war."
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