Clashes As Gaza Braces For Pullout

Israeli Military Tries To Keep Anti-Pullout Extremists Out Of Zone

(CBS/AP)  At nightfall, the abandoned seaside hotel and grounds looked like a battlefield after a retreat. Smoke rose from smoldering tires and trash cans, and soldiers wandered around. The military set up a table to pass out refreshments to the forces left behind to guard the site.

Near Jerusalem, meanwhile, pullout opponents briefly blocked a highway for the second day in a row.

Speaking at an economic conference in Jerusalem Thursday evening, Sharon denounced the extremists. "Hooliganism ... is not the way of Judaism," he said. "We will not allow anyone to raise a hand against an Israeli soldier or police officer."

Sharon presented his plan to pull out of Gaza and part of the West Bank, uprooting 9,000 settlers, as a unilateral move to improve Israel's security and fend off international peace initiatives that would likely call for further Israeli concessions.

Palestinians are uncomfortable with Sharon's plan. They complain that even after the pullout, Israel would maintain control of crossing points. Also, Sharon has said one object is to strengthen Israel's hold on its main West Bank settlement blocs. Palestinians demand removal of all the settlements.

Jewish extremists on Wednesday also clashed with both Israeli security forces and Palestinian civilians, severely wounding a Palestinian. Settlers and soldiers also clashed over the weekend.

"In the past day there has been another serious escalation of extremist activity," an army statement said. "There is intelligence information that more extremist groups are moving toward the Gaza Strip with the intention of strengthening their friends and to escalate the provocative acts."

The army sealed the Jewish settlements, preventing residents from traveling between the towns.

Residents protested against the closure of the Gaza Strip. But as soon as the closure was announced, at least one bus of right-wing activists left Jerusalem for Gaza, reports The Jerusalem Post, with more expected. Other extremists abandoned their vehicles near police roadblocks and hiked across Negev orchards in order to bypass the checkpoints.

In an interview published Thursday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he ordered police to crack down on the extremists.

"This bothers me exceptionally. This is an act of savagery, vulgarity and irresponsibility," Sharon told the Haaretz daily. "The country's citizens must understand this danger, and every measure must be taken to end this rampaging."