NEVE DEKALIM, the Gaza Strip — Israel's military has revised its
withdrawal plan to account for a scenario under which the eviction of Jewish
residents from the Gaza Strip would be completed amid massive Palestinian
fire and heavy Israeli casualties.
The latest plan, drafted by Southern Command and approved by the General
Staff, was meant to ensure the withdrawal from and eviction of 9,000
residents of the Gaza Strip amid heavy Palestinian fire. The plan envisions
that up to 200 Israelis per day would be injured as a result of Palestinian
fire and clashes between Israeli troops and withdrawal resistors.
"The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] has prepared for a withdrawal under
Palestinian fire," a senior military source said. "Over the last few weeks,
we have planned for a scenario that we would be ordered to continue the
withdrawal even if Israelis are injured from Palestinian mortar and rocket
fire. We have also prepared civilian authorities for such a scenario."
The military plans to deploy up to 55,000 troops and police for the
withdrawal operation. The operation would include 10,000 police, who would
be in the first line of the evacuation.
As late as last week, senior commanders, including Southern Command
chief Maj. Gen. Dan Harel, pledged that the military would not withdraw
under fire. They said the military would suspend the eviction of Israelis
from the Gaza Strip and spend up to three weeks in an effort to destroy
Palestinian insurgency strongholds in the Gaza Strip.
But the sources said that in July the United States prevented an Israel
military response to heavy Palestinian missile fire against Jewish
communities in Israel and the Gaza Strip. They said Defense Minister Shaul
Mofaz rejected military requests to retaliate and instead maintained that
Palestinian Authority forces would respond to insurgency fire from the Gaza
Strip.
[On Wednesday, a U.S. congressional delegation toured the Gaza Strip to
determine Israeli financial needs for the withdrawal operation. Israel has
requested $2.2 billion from the Bush administration for the pullout and
development of Israel's Galilee and Negev regions.]
Over the last week, Israel has withdrawn scores of advanced Merkava Mk-3
main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers from the southern Gaza
Strip. The sources said Southern Command has sought to ensure that these
vehicles would be out of range of Palestinian mobs expected to storm Israeli
communities or military facilities during the evacuation.
On Wednesday, Israel's military launched a full-dress rehearsal of its
withdrawal operation. The exercise was comprised of two divisions based in
Keren Shalom, just south of the Gaza Strip.
Military sources said senior commanders have been urged to accelerate
the eviction operation in an effort to reduce casualties. They said police
and security forces have demonstrated excellent cooperation in blocking
efforts by withdrawal opponents to enter the Gaza Strip.
A senior commander said he expected no more than 2,000 Israelis to
resist the withdrawal. The commander said the lion's share of residents have
already packed their belongings and intend to leave as soon as they receive
eviction notices from the military on Aug. 15. The eviction was scheduled to
begin two days later.
PA forces would serve as a buffer between Israeli and Palestinian
communities in the Gaza Strip and try to stop infiltration as well as
missile and mortar strikes, the sources said. But they said the latest
withdrawal plan
envisions that some Palestinian troops would either refuse to follow orders
or join insurgents in attacking Israeli communities.
"The level of trust between Israeli and PA officers is zero," a military
source said. "With the exception of senior commanders, we will have no
contact with them."
