As we go to press:
The word in Kfar Maimon is that at approximately 7 PM, the signal will be given to head out of Kfar Maimon and towards Gush Katif. Rabbi Avraham Shapira is set to arrive for a 6 PM prayer service, to be followed by a mass gathering, and then the march will begin.
A quiet but tense Tuesday night passed over the estimated 20,000 people who have descended upon the small Negev moshav of Kfar Maimon. The town, some 10 kilometers southwest of Sderot, is named for Declaration of Independence signatory Rabbi Yehuda Fishman Maimon, and is home to MK Rabbi Yitzchak Levy.
According to some estimates, roughly half the people are police and security forces, while the others are anti-disengagement protestors taking part in what was to be a three-day march towards Gush Katif. Despite police opposition, they succeeded in holding the first three parts of the event: a mass rally of tens of thousands in Netivot, the march to Kfar Maimon, and the sleepover in and around Kfar Maimon Monday night.
The police announced yesterday (Tuesday), however, that despite their "forbearance" until now, they would under no circumstances allow the protestors to continue towards Gush Katif.
Yesha Council leaders did not give in, and, holding their cards close to the chest, refused to divulge if and when they would begin marching towards the Kisufim Crossing entrance to Gush Katif. There was a near-attempt to break through the police ring in the middle of the night, but it was aborted at the last moment.
Throughout the morning hours, the situation remained unclear. Yesha Council Chairman Bentzy Lieberman took a moderate tone in saying that by week's end, most of the protestors would likely be home. "Next week," he said, "we will renew the struggle in other ways."
Other officials, however, including former Council leader Pinchas Wallerstein, said that by tonight, the protestors would be on their way to Kisufim.
In a statement released towards 11 AM, the Yesha Council stated that the marchers would leave this evening, but would stop wherever the police stop them - "whether it be at Kisufim, or in Kfar Maimon itself."
"Spirits are high," said one Kfar Maimon protestor. "We're feeling great. There are a few extremists on the outskirts, but we don't even see them most of the time. We talk with the soldiers a lot, trying to get them to refuse orders to carry out the expulsion."
"The longer we stay here, the more we tire out the police and soldiers," said another protestor. "They've already canceled one expulsion training exercise because of this."
Some residents of Sderot, some 10 kilometers away, gathered together to bring food to Kfar Maimon. Mrs. Amour of Kfar Maimon said, "I have here about 50 people - some sleeping inside, some outside on the lawn - and everything is fine. The only problem is that food in twon is beginning to run out. But the people from Sderot and the yeshiva there have sent us bread and food, and it's great."
The word in Kfar Maimon is that at approximately 7 PM, the signal will be given to head out of Kfar Maimon and towards Gush Katif. Rabbi Avraham Shapira is set to arrive for a 6 PM prayer service, to be followed by a mass gathering, and then the march will begin.
A quiet but tense Tuesday night passed over the estimated 20,000 people who have descended upon the small Negev moshav of Kfar Maimon. The town, some 10 kilometers southwest of Sderot, is named for Declaration of Independence signatory Rabbi Yehuda Fishman Maimon, and is home to MK Rabbi Yitzchak Levy.
According to some estimates, roughly half the people are police and security forces, while the others are anti-disengagement protestors taking part in what was to be a three-day march towards Gush Katif. Despite police opposition, they succeeded in holding the first three parts of the event: a mass rally of tens of thousands in Netivot, the march to Kfar Maimon, and the sleepover in and around Kfar Maimon Monday night.
The police announced yesterday (Tuesday), however, that despite their "forbearance" until now, they would under no circumstances allow the protestors to continue towards Gush Katif.
Yesha Council leaders did not give in, and, holding their cards close to the chest, refused to divulge if and when they would begin marching towards the Kisufim Crossing entrance to Gush Katif. There was a near-attempt to break through the police ring in the middle of the night, but it was aborted at the last moment.
Throughout the morning hours, the situation remained unclear. Yesha Council Chairman Bentzy Lieberman took a moderate tone in saying that by week's end, most of the protestors would likely be home. "Next week," he said, "we will renew the struggle in other ways."
Other officials, however, including former Council leader Pinchas Wallerstein, said that by tonight, the protestors would be on their way to Kisufim.
In a statement released towards 11 AM, the Yesha Council stated that the marchers would leave this evening, but would stop wherever the police stop them - "whether it be at Kisufim, or in Kfar Maimon itself."
"Spirits are high," said one Kfar Maimon protestor. "We're feeling great. There are a few extremists on the outskirts, but we don't even see them most of the time. We talk with the soldiers a lot, trying to get them to refuse orders to carry out the expulsion."
"The longer we stay here, the more we tire out the police and soldiers," said another protestor. "They've already canceled one expulsion training exercise because of this."
Some residents of Sderot, some 10 kilometers away, gathered together to bring food to Kfar Maimon. Mrs. Amour of Kfar Maimon said, "I have here about 50 people - some sleeping inside, some outside on the lawn - and everything is fine. The only problem is that food in twon is beginning to run out. But the people from Sderot and the yeshiva there have sent us bread and food, and it's great."