The protest is actually more like a live-in, with tents set up along the length of the fence surrounding the Knesset. Many families spent the night there last night (Monday), and many more are expected to follow suit in the coming days. Some 2,000 people braved the rain yesterday to show up, and many more came today.
MK Uri Ariel (National Union) has moved his parliamentary office - equipment, assistants and all - to the protest site. It was reported that other MKs are expected to follow his lead. Ariel moved his parliamentary business to the protest site yesterday, spent the night with the protestors, and oversaw the transfer of his office equipment to the site this morning. He will be holding all his official meetings in the protest tent. His MK colleagues of the National Union Party held a faction meeting at the site today, near Ariel's new "office."
The protest is open-ended. "We know when it began," Yesha Council official Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said, "but we don't know when it will end." The protest takes place as Sharon continues efforts to form a new government he hopes will implement his plan to dismantle 25 Jewish communities in Gaza and northern Samaria, evict their residents and abandon the land to Arabs.
Knesset Members from the Likud have been visiting the protestors, signaling their opposition to the disengagement/expulsion plan. MK Michael Ratzon - fired from his deputy ministerial post by Prime Minister Sharon for his anti-withdrawal views - visited yesterday, and plans to visit again today.
This afternoon at 5 PM, a large rally will be held at the tent site, which is equipped with food services, some heating, tents for rent, portable restrooms, and more. About 100 people set off this morning from the site to the nearby Givat Sha'ul neighborhood to protest outside the offices of the Evacuation Authority, headed by Yonatan Bassi.
A large electronic billboard keeps count of the number of shells and rockets fired by Palestinian terrorists over the past four years at the Jewish communities of Gaza. The number, which is tracked by the Katif.net site, currently stands at over 5,150.
One woman, a resident of the Shomron community of N'vei Tzuf, said she came with her small children because "it's an educational experience." She explained, "The children are influenced by what they see and hear, and want to do something themselves." Her husband, who took the day off from his job in Tel Aviv to protest with his family, said he wants to "look in their eyes one day and say we did what we could to protect the Jewish people."
MK Uri Ariel (National Union) has moved his parliamentary office - equipment, assistants and all - to the protest site. It was reported that other MKs are expected to follow his lead. Ariel moved his parliamentary business to the protest site yesterday, spent the night with the protestors, and oversaw the transfer of his office equipment to the site this morning. He will be holding all his official meetings in the protest tent. His MK colleagues of the National Union Party held a faction meeting at the site today, near Ariel's new "office."
The protest is open-ended. "We know when it began," Yesha Council official Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said, "but we don't know when it will end." The protest takes place as Sharon continues efforts to form a new government he hopes will implement his plan to dismantle 25 Jewish communities in Gaza and northern Samaria, evict their residents and abandon the land to Arabs.
Knesset Members from the Likud have been visiting the protestors, signaling their opposition to the disengagement/expulsion plan. MK Michael Ratzon - fired from his deputy ministerial post by Prime Minister Sharon for his anti-withdrawal views - visited yesterday, and plans to visit again today.
This afternoon at 5 PM, a large rally will be held at the tent site, which is equipped with food services, some heating, tents for rent, portable restrooms, and more. About 100 people set off this morning from the site to the nearby Givat Sha'ul neighborhood to protest outside the offices of the Evacuation Authority, headed by Yonatan Bassi.
A large electronic billboard keeps count of the number of shells and rockets fired by Palestinian terrorists over the past four years at the Jewish communities of Gaza. The number, which is tracked by the Katif.net site, currently stands at over 5,150.
One woman, a resident of the Shomron community of N'vei Tzuf, said she came with her small children because "it's an educational experience." She explained, "The children are influenced by what they see and hear, and want to do something themselves." Her husband, who took the day off from his job in Tel Aviv to protest with his family, said he wants to "look in their eyes one day and say we did what we could to protect the Jewish people."