Israeli troops anticipate violent settler action at Homesh and Sa-Nur in West Bank

[IDF] Troops bracing for fierce opposition at West Bank settlements
By Amos Harel, Aluf Benn and Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondents
Last update - 07:37 21/08/2005
Opposition to the evacuation of Sa-Nur and Homesh, in the northern West Bank, set to begin on Wednesday, is expected to be fierce. A senior police official said he believed the struggle would be violent and even escalate to the use of firearms.

Sticks, rocks, oil, sprays and other means are expected to be used against the evacuating forces, as in Kfar Darom. Another concern is that the settlers might enter nearby Arab villages and carry out attacks, as happened recently in Shiloh and Shfaram.

However, another police official said Saturday, "Current intelligence information gives us no indication of an organized use of arms toward evacuating forces. However, we are preparing for any eventuality."


"What happened on the roof of the Kfar Darom synagogue is mild compared to what we expect at Sa-Nur and Homesh," a senior IDF officer told Haaretz at the weekend.


A total of 2,100 people are now in Homesh and Sa-Nur, among them hundreds of radical youths and a large group of Chabad Hasids who have infiltrated in recent months. Of that number, 1,500 are in Homesh, where previously only 15 families had been living.


The residents of two other northern West Bank settlements - Ganim and Kadim - left voluntarily over the past several weeks. Infiltrations by night have continued over the past few days, even after the IDF declared the area closed last week. A number of right-wing activists have been arrested near both settlements.


The IDF attempt to collect weapons from the residents of the two settlements has met with only partial success, more from Sa-Nur than from Homesh. "It is a mistake to think Sa-Nur is the more problematic of the two settlements," a police officer said. "We see a concentration of hundreds of extremists on Homesh who might react with violence and even use firearms," police said Saturday.


Applying lessons learned from the evacuation in the Gaza Strip, the Central Command will be using harsh measures against pullout foes from the outset. Police anti-riot units and Border Police will enter the settlements first to clear rioters from the streets and only then go to the homes.


Mounted police will be deployed in greater numbers than in the Gaza Strip, along with water cannons. Arming the police with clubs is also under consideration. "The force we apply at the outset might prevent serious escalation to violence later," a senior officer said. "The only way to respond to their militancy is to finish it hard and fast. There is not a lot of room here for negotiation. They want a confrontation," the officer said.


The Central Command is concerned by the lack of leadership among the pullout opponents and their desire to "burn into the public's consciousness" harsher pictures than those that emerged from the roof of the Kfar Darom synagogue, both of which might lead to greater violence. "We are trying to help create a leadership there that we can negotiate with over the rules of evacuation," the officer said.


"To this end, we will consider allowing rabbis in, especially to Sa-Nur. The second problem is that many of those at Sa-Nur and Homesh feel the scar left by the evacuation of Gush Katif was not deep enough and an incident must be created that will really be remembered in the history of Israel."


One police officer said that in recent weeks some families have fled what he called the "atmosphere of anarchy" now prevailing in the settlements. In recent days young people have been involved in scuffles with veteran residents of the two settlements.


In one case youths punctured the tires of the vehicle belonging to the civilian security officer in Homesh. Police sources said Saturday that one of the rabbis identified with Sa-Nur left the settlement after he told police he could no longer control the youths there. Extremist elements from nearby settlements, including Adei-Ad, Yitzhar and Itamar, have joined the group at Sa-Nur and Homesh in recent days.


"I am afraid the flames here will be higher than in the Gush. This group has nothing to lose - neither property, nor compensation, nor public opinion, which it didn't have anyhow," the officer said.


The IDF has stopped entering Sa-Nur, and now only those the settlers call "the good army" - Nahal soldiers in charge of their security - are going in. "The IDF has deployed thousands of troops at roadblocks and observation points in the northern West Bank to prevent additional attempts to infiltrate the settlements, and clashes with infiltrators are expected in the coming days.


Marches toward the settlement began Saturday night, some in cooperation with the Yesha Council.