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Homes in Neve Dekalim, soon to be rubble according to IDF plans. (AP)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners August 9, 2005 |
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Last night the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) issued two letters to Gush Katif leaders of every community. According to media reports, the community leaders refused to deliver them to Gush Katif residents. (See original Hebrew documents.)
Residents told Arutz-7 that they refuse to receive the letters due to the fact that they consider them to be "a cheap media ploy by the security establishment." The leadership of the Gaza Coast Municipality, which received the letters in bulk and was instructed to distribute them, said "The army stands poised to throw the residents into the street and wants us to be the tools for this mission. We will not cooperate with this act."
In response to the refusal to distribute the letter, IDF soldiers at Kissufim Crossing handed out copies of the letter Tuesday to cars passing through the checkpoint there.
Letter from Commander, Southern Command to citizens of the State of Israel, residents of Gaza
According to the law to implement the disengagement program, 2005, and in accordance with decisions of the Israeli government and orders issued by the Prime Minister, you are commanded to evacuate your homes and to leave the area of the Gaza Strip by the end of Tisha b'Av, (14.08.2005) at 12 midnight. At that time the stage of 'voluntary evacuation' will end and all the entrances to Gush Katif will be closed, and entrance to civilians will be forbidden, (excepting exit only), for from this time, on 14.08.2005 at midnight, remaining in the Gaza Strip will be illegal.
On the 10th of Av, 15.8.2005, security forces will arrive to evict you from your homes and will instruct you to leave the Gaza Strip.
Over the years, the IDF defended the communities in the Gaza area, with a feeling of cooperation, responsibility and national mission.
This assignment will also be implemented by us with a feeling of cooperation and understanding of your deep pain.
With that, the IDF,, as the army of a democratic state, which is subordinate to the law, will implement this mission in full.
From the 12th of Av, 17.08.2005, from one minute after midnight, the stage of forced eviction will begin, when security forces will arrive and evict residents who have chosen to stay and who will force the security forces to confront them, with the goal of fulfilling the law.
I am sure that your obligation to the rule of law and responsibility and for the unity of the people will guide your protests.
I pray for the peace of all of us, citizens of Israel and residents of the Gaza Strip, the IEF and the Israeli police.
With honor and admiration,
Dan Harel
General
Commander, (IDF) Southern Command
Eviction Procedures 15-16/8/2005
Following the 9th of Av, when Am Yisrael cries for the destruction of our Temple, and with hope and prayer for its rebuilding, and with faith that, in fact, from within the calamity will sprout the redemption, and from the ruins will bloom the desert, on Sunday night, following the 9th of Av, the Gaza Strip will be closed to Israeli civilians, and of course, no movement between Gaza communities will be permitted, (Gaza communities will be closed and movement between them will be controlled).
On the morning of 15.08.2005, security forces will arrive and deliver eviction orders to your homes.
Residents who choose to leave by midnight, 16.08.2005, will receive assistance, as much as can be provided, in order to ease the organization and departure.
You will be provided with the opportunity to request assistance to pack your houses and belongings, with the help of soldiers and packing companies.
Those who choose to leave during voluntary eviction will be able to depart in their private cars. In addition, those choosing to leave during voluntary eviction will be able to choose the manner in which they will part from their houses (ceremonies, etc.)
The property packed in your houses before 15.08.2005, and during the 15-16.08.2005, will be concentrated in a "room center." The IEF will make efforts to remove all private property without consideration for number of containers or trucks needed. For this you will not be charged more than the amount allocated for moving and reorganization in the disengagement law of 2005.
During the packing of the homes and moving the property into containers, the heads of families will be able to enter and assist in packing the containers.
From 17.08.2005, and afterwards, security forces will arrive and evict the remaining residents. Afterwards, property will be packed by packing companies, at a maximum of 2 containers. Residents leaving after 17.08.2005 will not be given the opportunity to return to their homes and assist in packing, in accordance with the law for implementing the disengagement, and will lose a substantial part of their financial privileges.
To receive additional details, at telephone (972)8-9902666, the office of Southern Command, and (972)8-9927272, Center for moving and information of Home Front command.
With much honor,
Guy Tzur
Brigadier General
Head of Operations
(IDF) Southern Command
Maj.-Gen. (Res.) Amos Yaron, the Defense Ministry's director general told reporters on Monday, said that 3100 containers would be brought to Gaza along with the manpower and vehicles to do the packing and moving. By the end of the current week, hundreds of personnel responsible for removing the residents' possessions, demolishing and emptying homes and structures will move south to be ready for the planned evacuation.
Yaron estimated that the whole process of would take up to two months before the area can be handed over to the Palestinian Authority in an orderly fashion. This appears to be at odds with other reports according to which the Palestinians will enter almost immediately after the residents have been expelled.
Yaron admitted that violent actions by the Palestinians could interfere with the schedule. "It depends on the scope of Palestinian violence and whether we will be forced to work under fire," he said, although he said that the ministry crews have prepared for such scenarios.
Ministry workers expect to demolish a total of 2,801 homes in the communities slated for evacuation, and empty out 40 public buildings which will remain standing for handover to the Palestinian Authority after the pullout.
A total of 26 synagogues are also slated for demolition after teams from the Religious Affairs Ministry have removed torah and haftara scrolls, other holy items, and prayer books.
A total of 18 memorials and remembrance rooms are to be transferred elsewhere. Telephone company crews, and teams from the electricity and water authorities will then move in to disconnect the settlements once the evacuation is completed.
Rabbis from the army's Chaplainry Corps will be responsible for removing the mezuzot from each home that is evacuated.
Once each settlement is cleared, squads will move in and demolish the homes, leaving only cement blocks and wood for the Palestinians to use elsewhere, Yaron said.
Gush Katif's spiritual leadership called upon residents to remain in their homes past the legal deadline set by the government after which they are to be physically expelled at midnight next Tuesday night, Israel National News reported.
"We stand before giant and daunting and decisive times," wrote Gush Katif rabbi Yigal Kaminetzky in a widely-distributed announcement. "We must not bow our heads. The Nation of Israel needs us here today, strong and more steadfast than ever, since we are the heart and the foundation of the entire struggle . . . . Our sages, of blessed memory, taught us that "even when a sharpened sword is laying on the neck of a person, he must not despair of mercy."
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