The IDF announced Thursday night that as of Friday, no one other than Gaza residents, security personnel, suppliers of basic goods and services, and moving-company personnel would be allowed into Gush Katif.
Until now, a Permits Center had been in operation, supplying temporary and short-term entry permits to first-degree relatives of residents, and others whose reason was deemed justified.
The IDF admitted that the new policy was decided upon "in light of the illegal presence of a large number of individuals who have remained in the Gaza Strip long after their entry permits expired." Many have also entered the Gaza Strip without permits altogether. The army estimates the total number as some 3,000, but many inside Gush Katif say the number is twice that amount.
The IDF further claimed that these individuals "disrupt the daily lives of residents and aim to prevent the implementation of the disengagement plan." Though the latter claim is admittedly true, the first one appears to be groundless. Many Gush Katif communities have invited the visitors to their towns, and help them in their daily needs. In Morag, for instance, many of the homes have taken in new families to their previously-unfinished second floors, even building outside steps to create a separate entrance. In Kfar Darom, Shirat HaYam, and elsewhere, tent cities have been erected, housing families who have arrived anywhere from over a month ago to this week.
Many entire yeshivot have relocated to Gush Katif towns. These include Kerem B'Yavneh in Netzer Hazani, Bnei Tzvi and Beit El in N'vei Dekalim, parts of Merkaz HaRav and Ramat Gan in Morag, and others. Some 500 to 1,000 high school girls from around the country have set up temporary quarters in the Ulpanah High School in N'vei Dekalim.
Other sites that have been turned into temporary housing sites for Land of Israel loyalists include public shelters, empty homes in Gan-Or, Gadid, Netzer Hazani and almost every other community, the Yeshivat Hesder and Yeshivat Torat HaChaim in N'vei Dekalim, tents on the yards of private homes, and more. In at least two cases of the past week, two families lived together in a two-room house - with several unattached boys sleeping in the living room of one.
One man drove around N'vei Dekalim late Wednesday night trying to find a place for four American men who had just arrived but had no place to sleep. A classroom in the Yeshivat Hesder was finally located.
As the residents and visitors settle in for what is traditionally the saddest Sabbath of the year - known as Shabbat Chazon, preceding the fast of Tisha B'Av commemorating the destruction of Jerusalem 2,000 and 2,500 years ago - the security forces are making their own preparations.
The police announced that they would not "play games" with those who are not legally in Gush Katif, and will deal with them with a "strong hand" once the expulsion starts. It is not yet known which communities will be first to be cleansed of Jews, though it is widely assumed that the relatively isolated towns of Morag (in the south; pictured), Kfar Darom (nearest to Kisufim), and Netzarim (in central Gaza), will be first.
The existing checkpoints around the entrances to Gush Katif - throughout the western Negev, essentially - will be buttressed even more. A total of 11,000 policemen will be deployed around Gaza from Ashkelon and southwards. Heavy police presence will be felt elsewhere around the country, in light of expulsion-opponents' plans to hold disruptive rallies.
"I can't explain how this happened exactly," said a senior IDF officer yesterday, "but there is certainly a flood of people coming in here over the last few days. Hundreds have arrived in Kfar Darom, and in N'vei Dekalim at least another 300 have arrived just from the Hevron area."
Until now, a Permits Center had been in operation, supplying temporary and short-term entry permits to first-degree relatives of residents, and others whose reason was deemed justified.
The IDF admitted that the new policy was decided upon "in light of the illegal presence of a large number of individuals who have remained in the Gaza Strip long after their entry permits expired." Many have also entered the Gaza Strip without permits altogether. The army estimates the total number as some 3,000, but many inside Gush Katif say the number is twice that amount.
The IDF further claimed that these individuals "disrupt the daily lives of residents and aim to prevent the implementation of the disengagement plan." Though the latter claim is admittedly true, the first one appears to be groundless. Many Gush Katif communities have invited the visitors to their towns, and help them in their daily needs. In Morag, for instance, many of the homes have taken in new families to their previously-unfinished second floors, even building outside steps to create a separate entrance. In Kfar Darom, Shirat HaYam, and elsewhere, tent cities have been erected, housing families who have arrived anywhere from over a month ago to this week.
Many entire yeshivot have relocated to Gush Katif towns. These include Kerem B'Yavneh in Netzer Hazani, Bnei Tzvi and Beit El in N'vei Dekalim, parts of Merkaz HaRav and Ramat Gan in Morag, and others. Some 500 to 1,000 high school girls from around the country have set up temporary quarters in the Ulpanah High School in N'vei Dekalim.
Other sites that have been turned into temporary housing sites for Land of Israel loyalists include public shelters, empty homes in Gan-Or, Gadid, Netzer Hazani and almost every other community, the Yeshivat Hesder and Yeshivat Torat HaChaim in N'vei Dekalim, tents on the yards of private homes, and more. In at least two cases of the past week, two families lived together in a two-room house - with several unattached boys sleeping in the living room of one.
One man drove around N'vei Dekalim late Wednesday night trying to find a place for four American men who had just arrived but had no place to sleep. A classroom in the Yeshivat Hesder was finally located.
As the residents and visitors settle in for what is traditionally the saddest Sabbath of the year - known as Shabbat Chazon, preceding the fast of Tisha B'Av commemorating the destruction of Jerusalem 2,000 and 2,500 years ago - the security forces are making their own preparations.
The police announced that they would not "play games" with those who are not legally in Gush Katif, and will deal with them with a "strong hand" once the expulsion starts. It is not yet known which communities will be first to be cleansed of Jews, though it is widely assumed that the relatively isolated towns of Morag (in the south; pictured), Kfar Darom (nearest to Kisufim), and Netzarim (in central Gaza), will be first.
The existing checkpoints around the entrances to Gush Katif - throughout the western Negev, essentially - will be buttressed even more. A total of 11,000 policemen will be deployed around Gaza from Ashkelon and southwards. Heavy police presence will be felt elsewhere around the country, in light of expulsion-opponents' plans to hold disruptive rallies.
"I can't explain how this happened exactly," said a senior IDF officer yesterday, "but there is certainly a flood of people coming in here over the last few days. Hundreds have arrived in Kfar Darom, and in N'vei Dekalim at least another 300 have arrived just from the Hevron area."