Israel starts Gaza pullout

Israel began its historic operation yesterday to pull out of the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation, meeting anger and defiance from settlers being uprooted from their homes.

Thousands of Israeli police and soldiers poured into Gaza to inform Jewish settlers they had 48 hours to leave or be forcibly evicted after their continued presence was declared illegal at the stroke of midnight.

"This is breaking our hearts but it is vital for the future of the democratic state of Israel," Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the hawkish former general who is presiding over the first ever Israeli pullout from occupied Palestinian territory, was due to address a nation of people who appear divided as never before by his disengagement plan.

But even before the pullout began in earnest, hopes that it could lead to a real breakthrough in the peace process were dashed as Palestinians denounced a pledge by Mofaz that Israel would keep hold of its West Bank settlement blocs.

Sharon's cabinet also Monday gave its final approval for the evacuation of the main Gush Katif settlement bloc, home to 15 of the 21 Jewish communities that have sprung up in Gaza since its 1967 capture by Israel.

"In accordance with the implementation of the disengagement plan 2005 law and following the decision of the Israeli government, you are required to leave your home and the Gaza Strip today, Monday 15/08/05," said southern regional commander General Dan Harel in letters delivered to the settlers by police and soldiers.

The officers had to temporarily abandon efforts to deliver the eviction notices at the largest of the settlements, Neve Dekalim, after a hundreds of people blocked their entrance chanting "Soldier, policeman -- refuse the orders."

But they then sneaked around to the back, where they began delivering the notices door-to-door.

Settler leaders have vowed to keep the campaign to thwart the pullout free of violence, but were unable to prevent youths smashing car windows and setting fire to mounds of tyres after the midnight order came into force.

"This is not what we planned but we cannot control these young people," one of the main leaders of Yesha, Shaul Goldstein, told AFP. "This activity undermines our struggle."

The operation, the first time Israel has withdrawn from Palestinian land seized in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, could have a lasting impact on the Middle East conflict and reshape Israel's political landscape.