Israelis split on Gaza Strip withdrawal plan

An estimated 130,000 Israelis joined hands Sunday to form a human chain stretching from the edges of the Gaza Strip to Jerusalem to protest the Israeli government's plan to withdraw from the area.\nThe Israeli government's unilateral withdrawal plan comes after years of fruitless negotiations between Israel and their Palestinian counterparts, years which have been frequently punctuated with violence and much blaming. \nIsraeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convinced his Likud party last month to relocate Israeli settlers and withdraw the army from the Gaza Strip as well as to dismantle some West Bank settlements. The disengagement may pave the way for the Palestinian Authority to assume greater autonomy and possibly declare Palestinian statehood. \nHowever, Ronen ben-Baruch, an Israeli citizen contacted in Tel-Aviv, Israel, said the disengagement may not usher in the creation of a Palestinian state.\n"A one-sided disengagement plan during an armed conflict will definitely not bring any benefit for the Palestinians, and for sure will not grant them any political independence," he said.\nFollowing the outbreak of escalated violence in 2000, Israel has refused to negotiate with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, accusing him of supporting attacks by militant Palestinian groups on Israeli civilians.\nPolitical Science professor Dina Spechler said Israeli officials have little faith in the current Palestinian leadership.\n"They have accumulated substantial evidence that (Arafat) has endorsed, encouraged, and helped to fund terrorist attacks," she said. "Even before the recent intifada, he told his own people in Arabic to fight for the destruction of the state of Israel."\nThe Israeli government has been working on the current disengagement plan for over two years. The first phase of the plan includes building a security barrier around the West Bank, similar to the barrier that currently encircles the Gaza Strip. The second phase includes evacuating all of the Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the West Bank. \nA recent nonbinding ruling by the United Nation's International Court of Justice in The Hague said the security barrier being built in the West Bank is illegal under international law. Prior to the ruling, the Israeli Supreme Court had ordered the Israeli army to reroute sections of the fence being built near Jerusalem. The Israeli Supreme Court said these parts of the security barrier induced too much Palestinian hardship to be justified as security measures.\nStephen Katz, professor of Jewish studies, said the fence would increase Palestinian hardships.\n"This wall, at points cuts through a (Palestinian) farmer's land -- it's a travesty. Israel is making the borders on for its own convenience. It's called expediency," Katz said.\nIsraeli officials say the security barrier is being built to prevent Palestinian militants from crossing into Israel to carry out suicide bombings and armed attacks. With the security barrier running mostly within the 1967 war armistice boundary of the West Bank and encircling many nearby Israeli settlements, several Palestinians have called the barrier a land grab.\nBen-Baruch said not all Iraelis support the concept of disengagement.\n"Part of the population is against it, due to the fact that this plan means also that a number of settlements will disappear and families will have to leave their homes," ben-Baruch said.\nAbout 120 miles of the fence project's planned 437 miles have been constructed. \nThe Bush administration is not opposed to the barrier, but in official statements has encouraged the Israeli government to build the security barrier closer to the 1967 boundaries. Katz said the United States did not want Israel to appropriate U.S. aid to finance the barrier. \nKatz added that several Israeli citizens are concerned that the barrier may be too expensive to build.\n"The project of this barrier on the West Bank is very expensive and a burden for the Israel budget," ben-Baruch said. "Nevertheless, the government is convinced that this is a solution which might prevent terrorist attacks and save many lives."\nKatz said the barrier has shown initial success in preventing militant attacks, but added Palestinian frustration at the barrier may provoke more Palestinian anger.\n"A barrier between (Israelis and Palestinians) would increase animosity and thus lessen safety," Katz said.\nBen-Baruch said Israelis disagree on the ability of the security barrier to provide security for Israel's citizens.\n"It brings hope for a more secure future," ben-Baruch said. "But some Israelis think that this plan will leave too much land in the hands of the terrorists, and they will not have to hide anymore, but rather would be more free to plan their attacks."\n-- The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact staff writer Benjames Derrick at bderrick@indiana.edu.