The decision to destroy all the houses that are scheduled to be evacuated in Gush Katif and northern Shomron appears to be final. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Israel and reached an "agreement in principle" that the Israelis would destroy the houses and then pay the PA to deal with the rubble. The PA, however, has apparently reneged on its part of the deal, and Israel is now negotiating with Egypt over a plan to bury the rubble - an estimated 60,000 truckloads' worth - and bury it in the Sinai Desert.
The army plans to bulldoze the buildings, as it did in Yamit in 1982. Bulldozing the large buildings, such as synagogues and others, might take too long, however, and the army is therefore likely to blow them up. Close to thirty synagogues and religious schools are at stake.
Army rabbinate officials will first catalogue and carefully remove all items from the synagogues, including holy books and possibly furniture.
Plans are also being made regarding the 48 graves in Gush Katif. Relatives of the deceased have refused to allow the exhumation of the bodies, but there is no chance that the bodies will be left behind if the expulsion becomes an established fact. Plans are being made to re-bury the bodies temporarily in Nitzan, near the caravan site that is being prepared for some of the Gush Katif families. This will require a second exhumation, however, when the families decide on a final resting place.
(Photo shows Kfar Maimon demonstrators and soldiers praying together, separated by a fence)
The army plans to bulldoze the buildings, as it did in Yamit in 1982. Bulldozing the large buildings, such as synagogues and others, might take too long, however, and the army is therefore likely to blow them up. Close to thirty synagogues and religious schools are at stake.
Army rabbinate officials will first catalogue and carefully remove all items from the synagogues, including holy books and possibly furniture.
Plans are also being made regarding the 48 graves in Gush Katif. Relatives of the deceased have refused to allow the exhumation of the bodies, but there is no chance that the bodies will be left behind if the expulsion becomes an established fact. Plans are being made to re-bury the bodies temporarily in Nitzan, near the caravan site that is being prepared for some of the Gush Katif families. This will require a second exhumation, however, when the families decide on a final resting place.
(Photo shows Kfar Maimon demonstrators and soldiers praying together, separated by a fence)