GAZA CITY, 14 August 2005 — Palestinian forces went on full alert yesterday as they deployed in strength in the Gaza Strip four days before Israel’s historic pullout, but Hamas vowed to continue its armed campaign.
Some 7,500 Palestinian police started to deploy in the territory in a bid to ensure a withdrawal free of violence, taking up posts they had not held since the outbreak of the intifada in September 2000.
“Palestinian police and national security have redeployed around the settlements and along bypass roads,” a senior security official told AFP.
The Palestinian forces, whose deployment was coordinated with the Israeli Army, remained confined to a back-up role and will only reclaim full security control when the pullout is complete.
Palestinian Interior Minister Nasr Yousuf placed his troops on highest alert, said a statement posted on the ministry website.
It also announced Yousuf and Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz were due to meet in Tel Aviv tonight to coordinate the pullout.
Some 40,000 Israeli forces have deployed for the watershed operation that kicks off today at midnight when a two-day grace period begins during which settlers will receive the army’s assistance to leave of their own accord.
Once that deadline passes, Israeli security forces will forcibly evacuate anyone who has not left voluntarily.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has appealed to different groups for the pullout to take place in a “civilized manner” in order to strengthen the case for independence and reiterated calls for an end to rocket firing.
Fighters have agreed to the principle of the Israeli withdrawal and hinted they will not disrupt the evacuation.
But Hamas, which carried out the majority of anti-Israeli attacks during the five-year intifada, looked to be on a collision course with the Palestinian leadership over the future of the armed struggle after the pullout.
During a rare meeting of the movement’s entire leadership, senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniya vowed that the group would continue its attacks as long as Israel occupied Palestinian territory.
“Hamas confirms it is committed to armed resistance, it is our strategic choice until the end of the occupation of our land,” he said.
Israel has asked Abbas to disarm Hamas and the Palestinian leader has insisted his elected leadership should be the only authority.
But despite Hamas’ plans to field candidates for the first time in January parliamentary elections, Haniya was unequivocal in stressing that his movement’s armed wing would remain active.
Another senior Hamas member in Gaza, Mahmoud Zahar, issued a stark warning to the Palestinian Authority Friday that any effort to disarm its fighters would be opposed.
Meanwhile, Israel stepped up security at Jerusalem’s holiest site to prevent clashes between Muslim worshippers and Jewish extremists opposed to the imminent evacuation of the Gaza settlements.
