it was already predicted that this shifting of the settlers was a joke by sharon and a diversion tacktic. everyone knew that it will be aborted because the army will refuse to move them and then when supposedly sharon brought out the police theyy too will say we cant do it and so no movement will take place other than more land will be taken by more settlers.
Army sacks Gaza pullout objectors
Israeli soldiers study a map as they prepare to redeploy in the Gaza Strip
There may be growing dissent in the army, some experts warn
The Israeli army has dismissed six officers who called on their colleagues to disobey orders to evacuate Jewish settlements in Gaza.
The six were the highest-ranking of 34 reserve officers who signed a petition published in a newspaper last week.
They said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip and some of the West Bank was "illegal".
The six were dismissed from their command but still retained their ranks, said a military spokeswoman.
"The Israeli army regards very seriously every call to refuse an order and any use of rank for political purpose," she was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.
Army chief General Moshe Yaalon vowed on Thursday to sack the soldiers if they did not retract the letter printed in Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
"Any officer who continues to express the views stated in the letter will be dismissed from his duty and expelled from the Israel Defence Forces," he said in a statement.
It was not immediately clear if the other officers had been dismissed, although the AFP news agency quoted one soldier as saying he thought some of them had.
Growing hostility
The officers, many of them settlers, demanded in the letter that the army "not force us to take action that violates our beliefs and conscience".
"We believe any order to implement the 'disengagement' is illegal," said the group, from a West Bank brigade.
"A soldier is forbidden from carrying out this kind of order, according to the laws of the land and the Israel Defence Forces code of conduct," the letter said.
The letter is the latest sign of hostile reaction among many Jewish settlers towards Mr Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan, correspondents say.
Jewish leaders have repeatedly warned that many soldiers could refuse to carry out orders to dismantle settlements.
Israel has occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip since 1967.
- Forums
- General
- this is why there will be no resettlement
this is why there will be no resettlement
-
- There are more pages in this discussion • 3 more messages in this thread...
You’re viewing a single post only. To view the entire thread just sign in or Join Now (FREE)
Featured News
Featured News
The Watchlist
SER
STRATEGIC ENERGY RESOURCES LIMITED
David DeTata, Managing Director
David DeTata
Managing Director
SPONSORED BY The Market Online