"If the police estimate that huge crowds will arrive to Sderot to endanger [implementing] the disengagement, it is legitimate to stop the demonstrators" even when they try to leave their home towns, according to Mazuz.
Two weeks ago, police stopped more than 300 hundred buses from arriving to the Negev from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Kiryat Shemoneh, which borders Lebanon. Tens of thousands people spontaneously caught rides in private cars to arrive at the rally in Netivot. Left and right wing spokesmen sharply criticized the police, and observers in Europe and the United States expressed surprise that police pulled buses off the roads and took away licenses from bus drivers who did not obey their orders.
Police tried to stop the rally from continuing from Netivot to Kfar Maimon, but they were surprised at the number of people at the rally. After a standoff on the highway for more than three hours until midnight, police capitulated and permitted the marchers to enter Kfar Maimon. Police later laid a siege around the moshav to prevent marchers from continuing to Gush Katif.
Fearing another rally of more than 100,000 people, the police want to stop buses and private cars from Sderot on Tuesday. One of the leaders of the rally, Pinchas Wallerstein, warned that opponents to the government expulsion plan would arrive "by tractors, bicycle or foot" if they are not allowed on buses.
President Moshe Katzav sharply criticized the High Court for not ruling on the issue. Bus company owners petitioned the court three weeks ago after police prevented the buses from moving. The court delayed ruling on the issue until the rally was over and then decided the issue no longer was relevant after the bus companies withdrew the petitions. Court president Aharon Barak said the matter "was complicated" and there was not enough convincing evidence for the court to make a decision.
"I would expect that the court rule on this matter. There was no intention by anti-disengagement protesters to break into property or steal, but rather to demonstrate against the disengagement plan. Unfortunately the court left this issue open and did not issue a ruling," Katsav said.
Two weeks ago, police stopped more than 300 hundred buses from arriving to the Negev from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Kiryat Shemoneh, which borders Lebanon. Tens of thousands people spontaneously caught rides in private cars to arrive at the rally in Netivot. Left and right wing spokesmen sharply criticized the police, and observers in Europe and the United States expressed surprise that police pulled buses off the roads and took away licenses from bus drivers who did not obey their orders.
Police tried to stop the rally from continuing from Netivot to Kfar Maimon, but they were surprised at the number of people at the rally. After a standoff on the highway for more than three hours until midnight, police capitulated and permitted the marchers to enter Kfar Maimon. Police later laid a siege around the moshav to prevent marchers from continuing to Gush Katif.
Fearing another rally of more than 100,000 people, the police want to stop buses and private cars from Sderot on Tuesday. One of the leaders of the rally, Pinchas Wallerstein, warned that opponents to the government expulsion plan would arrive "by tractors, bicycle or foot" if they are not allowed on buses.
President Moshe Katzav sharply criticized the High Court for not ruling on the issue. Bus company owners petitioned the court three weeks ago after police prevented the buses from moving. The court delayed ruling on the issue until the rally was over and then decided the issue no longer was relevant after the bus companies withdrew the petitions. Court president Aharon Barak said the matter "was complicated" and there was not enough convincing evidence for the court to make a decision.
"I would expect that the court rule on this matter. There was no intention by anti-disengagement protesters to break into property or steal, but rather to demonstrate against the disengagement plan. Unfortunately the court left this issue open and did not issue a ruling," Katsav said.