The destruction continues. The difficult sights and acts of last week notwithstanding, the army and police continue their preparations to expel the residents of, and then destroy, four remaining Gush Katif communities and two in the northern Shomron.
In Netzarim, in central Gaza, the Elba family is celebrating a brit milah (ritual circumcision) of their son, who was born last week in the ambulance on the way out of Netzarim. The community is accessible by one road only - the Karni-Netzarim route - along which residents travel in convoys, escorted by army forces, at regular times throughout the day.
The army has informed the residents of Netzarim that they are scheduled to be thrown out of their homes on Monday. Only two families have left so far, but the others have not packed or made a move to prepare for their deportation. They have said that they will not forcibly resist, however. Like almost all the other communities, there is no solution for their long-term relocation, but in the short term, they will be housed in the dormitories of the Ariel College in the Shomron.
The residents of Moshav Katif, at the northern end of the Gush Katif bloc of communities, just to the south of what were Netzer Hazani and Ganei Tal, set alight a huge pile of hay, old furniture, and more at the main entrance. The army is not interfering with the protest. "If we were able to emotionally," said Naama Zarbiv, a long-time resident, "maybe we would burn our houses. But at least we're burning the gate, a symbolic act that might show the Nation of Israel the extent of the calamity that is happening here."
Asked if she was watching the events on television, she said, "No, we don't have a television, thank G-d. That's what saved our sanity all these months."
Following the scheduled expulsion, the residents are to be taken to Kfar Pines near Hadera, where they will remain for several days. No one knows where they will be after that, however.
The communities of Atzmona and Slav, in southern Gush Katif, are still standing, as are two of the four Shomron towns in Sharon's disengagement/expulsion plan.
In Netzarim, in central Gaza, the Elba family is celebrating a brit milah (ritual circumcision) of their son, who was born last week in the ambulance on the way out of Netzarim. The community is accessible by one road only - the Karni-Netzarim route - along which residents travel in convoys, escorted by army forces, at regular times throughout the day.
The army has informed the residents of Netzarim that they are scheduled to be thrown out of their homes on Monday. Only two families have left so far, but the others have not packed or made a move to prepare for their deportation. They have said that they will not forcibly resist, however. Like almost all the other communities, there is no solution for their long-term relocation, but in the short term, they will be housed in the dormitories of the Ariel College in the Shomron.
The residents of Moshav Katif, at the northern end of the Gush Katif bloc of communities, just to the south of what were Netzer Hazani and Ganei Tal, set alight a huge pile of hay, old furniture, and more at the main entrance. The army is not interfering with the protest. "If we were able to emotionally," said Naama Zarbiv, a long-time resident, "maybe we would burn our houses. But at least we're burning the gate, a symbolic act that might show the Nation of Israel the extent of the calamity that is happening here."
Asked if she was watching the events on television, she said, "No, we don't have a television, thank G-d. That's what saved our sanity all these months."
Following the scheduled expulsion, the residents are to be taken to Kfar Pines near Hadera, where they will remain for several days. No one knows where they will be after that, however.
The communities of Atzmona and Slav, in southern Gush Katif, are still standing, as are two of the four Shomron towns in Sharon's disengagement/expulsion plan.