HEADLINES FROM THE HEBREW PRESS

HA’ARETZ 1. As of midnight – no entry to Gaza Strip; police to block off south in order to prevent breakthrough to Gush Katif. SETTLERS: WE WILL CLOSE COMMUNITY GATES AS OF TOMORROW. Today: Right-wing activists to hold 24-hour rally opposite PM’s Office in Jerusalem. Tomorrow: Teams will inform residents that they must leave; tens of thousands expected to stream to Gush Katif. Tuesday: DM and senior IDF and Israel Police officers to determine final order of settlement evacuation. Wednesday: Start of forced evacuation of those who remain in Gaza Strip and infiltrators. HATZOFEH 1. IDF plans to begin uprooting of six communities on Wednesday – some of which have not been approved by the Government. Entry into Gush Katif banned as of today. Roadblocks all over south. AS OF TODAY – SIEGE. First communities designated for transfer: Kfar Darom Tel Katifa, Netzer Hazani, Katif, Ganei Tal and Netzarim. Effort to use psychological pressure on expellees. Size of forces to be engaged in expulsion – 53,000 soldiers and police. 2. IDF SOLDIERS DESECRATE SABBATH FOR UPROOTING PREPARATIONS. 3. US TO ITS CITIZENS: STAYING IN ISRAEL IS DANGEROUS. 4. ISRAEL MOURNS DESTRUCTION OF TEMPLES – PA CELEBRATES EVACUATION OF GAZA. MA’ARIV 1. Order: At midnight, Kisufim checkpoint will finally be closed to entry by Israelis. WITH TEARS. Today, as Jews lament destruction of Temples, disengagement gets under way. Large-scale rally to be held at Western Wall this evening; Kisufim checkpoint to be locked at midnight. Tomorrow: First knock on doors in Gush Katif as evacuation orders are delivered. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. 42,000 soldiers and police to start evacuation move tonight. CLOSING OFF HIGHWAYS IN SOUTH. This morning: Roadblocks en route to Gaza Strip in order to prevent infiltrators from disturbing evacuation forces. At midnight: Entrance gate to Gush Katif to be closed and hundreds of officers will distribute evacuation orders door-to-door. (.). Order for settlers’ struggle: „Photograph soldiers, melt their hearts.” Last Sabbath in Gush Katif: Continuing to pray for a miracle. (.). Alert in Jerusalem: Concern over clash at Western Wall and opposite PM’s Residence. ______________________________ SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Both papers comment on various issues related to the Disengagement Plan: Hatzofeh reminds its readers that, „Today is the Ninth of [the Hebrew month of] Av, the day of the destruction of the Temples, and we are on the verge of a new destruction – the destruction of the communities of Gush Katif.” The editors note that the 1492 decree expelling the Jews from Spain also took effect on the Ninth of Av and add that, „A little over 500 years later and Jews are again being expelled from their homes.” Yediot Ahronot says that, „After years of virtual tests of leadership, Israel will be tested by hard reality this week,” as it seeks to implement, „the legal decision of the Government and the Knesset.” The editors believe that the disengagement cannot be prevented and that both the public and the evacuation forces must differentiate between the vast majority of the Jews in the Gaza Strip who have either already arranged to move or who will move quietly when bidden to do so, and the, „militant minority,” of settlers as well as those outside protestors, „who want to make political drama and create trauma on the back of the disengagement.” The paper asks, „Who are the evacuators?” and reminds its readers that they are, „The sons and daughters of all of us.” Lastly, the editors downplay the trauma of the evacuation and believe that, „As a country, Israel has already gained from the disengagement.” BPI-info