Middle East: In what the army fears may be a violent portent to the planned Gaza withdrawal, soldiers and settlers clashed yesterday in the Strip as troops moved in to demolish 11 abandoned structures on the beach front.
The decision to demolish the structures - used as resort homes by Egyptians before Israel captured Gaza in 1967 - was taken by the army out of concern that far-right activists opposed to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan would barricade themselves in. The withdrawal is scheduled to begin in mid-August.
The dilapidated structures were little more than concrete shells with no roofs and windows, but the army received word that settlers were beginning to repair them in an effort to make them habitable.
Protesters lay down in front of bulldozers while others climbed atop them in an attempt to prevent the demolition. "Jews don't expel Jews," protesters chanted.
As troops dragged the settlers off the bulldozers, some of the exchanges erupted into blows, leaving at least 10 civilians and 10 soldiers and police officers injured.
One soldier was arrested and his gun was confiscated after he refused to obey orders, insisting the government had no right to uproot Jews from their homes. The soldier was taken to a military jail and will stand trial.
The demolished buildings were near a hotel that has been taken over by far-right activists, who have named it Maoz Yam (Sea Fort).
Security officials fear the hotel will become a major flashpoint once the withdrawal begins and police planned last week to evacuate it, but the raid was called off after news of the operation leaked out.
The Israeli army will be concerned by yesterday's confrontation, knowing it might be just a foretaste of the violence that could erupt - from extremist Jewish elements - once the withdrawal gets under way. For months, the army has been insisting that the vast majority of soldiers - especially religious ones who might oppose the Gaza pullout - will obey orders to evacuate settlements, but the refusal of one yesterday to carry out a far simpler order, will have turned on a warning light.
Meanwhile, it emerged yesterday that US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice had been sharply critical of Israel during her visit to the region last week over continued Israeli construction in the settlements. Dr Rice is said to have told Israeli leaders that the US will not accept attempts to create "facts on the ground" that prejudge the outcome of final-status talks between the sides.