"Don't bother planning any weddings for the summer," a senior Israel Defense Forces officer told a contingent of northern Negev representatives last week, "because it's not certain that your guests will be able to attend."
The meeting was one of a series between O.C. Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Dan Har'el and Gaza brigade commanders with northern Negev community leaders and security officers last week. They said the plan is to encircle the entire northern Negev with army checkpoints "around Passover [the last week in April] or Independence Day [May 12]." They could not give more precise dates.
Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman said, "No one has more detailed information, but it's not very likely that the army will close off the area on Passover – it's more likely that it will happen shortly afterwards. But it's impossible to predict."
MK Michael Eitan, Chairman of the Knesset Law Committee, said today that it would be a "fundamental blow to the civil rights of the residents" to close the areas for the Passover holiday. "To forbid visitors and family members from visiting these areas on Passover is an unnecessary precaution for the purposes of the disengagement."
The army-Negev leaders meetings were closed, and the officers asked that the information not be leaked. Huberman learned, however, that the army is planning to place checkpoints at intersections leading to Gaza, such as Sderot, Nir-Am, Netivot, Nirim, and the Eshkol Area. Though there is only one entrance to Gush Katif, at the Kisufim Junction, there are many ways to reach Kisufim.
The army is planning to deploy soldiers even in the fields in the area, in order to prevent opponents from reaching the area. "Only residents who can prove they live there will be able to pass," according to the plan.
It was not reported how the army will deal with thousands of people coming to the intersections, thus holding up traffic all the way to Ashkelon (4-5 miles to the north), Sderot, Netivot, Kibbutzim Saad and Alumim, and other areas.
The Negev representatives left the meeting very concerned over what their daily routines will look like in the coming months. In addition to questions about weddings – which they were told not to plan - they also asked about more day-to-day issues: How will workers who live outside the area, such as teachers, nursery teachers and day-care workers get to their jobs? What about the agricultural work? How will trucks arrive to deliver and take agricultural produce and other goods? How will the crops be harvested? What about friends and family members who wish to visit?
Most of the questions remained unanswered. The officers merely promised that the army would not abandon the Negev communities, and that they would find solutions to all the problems.
The meeting was one of a series between O.C. Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Dan Har'el and Gaza brigade commanders with northern Negev community leaders and security officers last week. They said the plan is to encircle the entire northern Negev with army checkpoints "around Passover [the last week in April] or Independence Day [May 12]." They could not give more precise dates.
Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman said, "No one has more detailed information, but it's not very likely that the army will close off the area on Passover – it's more likely that it will happen shortly afterwards. But it's impossible to predict."
MK Michael Eitan, Chairman of the Knesset Law Committee, said today that it would be a "fundamental blow to the civil rights of the residents" to close the areas for the Passover holiday. "To forbid visitors and family members from visiting these areas on Passover is an unnecessary precaution for the purposes of the disengagement."
The army is planning to deploy soldiers even in the fields in the area, in order to prevent opponents from reaching the area. "Only residents who can prove they live there will be able to pass," according to the plan.
It was not reported how the army will deal with thousands of people coming to the intersections, thus holding up traffic all the way to Ashkelon (4-5 miles to the north), Sderot, Netivot, Kibbutzim Saad and Alumim, and other areas.
The Negev representatives left the meeting very concerned over what their daily routines will look like in the coming months. In addition to questions about weddings – which they were told not to plan - they also asked about more day-to-day issues: How will workers who live outside the area, such as teachers, nursery teachers and day-care workers get to their jobs? What about the agricultural work? How will trucks arrive to deliver and take agricultural produce and other goods? How will the crops be harvested? What about friends and family members who wish to visit?
Most of the questions remained unanswered. The officers merely promised that the army would not abandon the Negev communities, and that they would find solutions to all the problems.