100,000 Protest Gaza Pullout

Smadar Golan, 14, who has lived her entire life under the threat of terror attacks in Neveh Dekalim, came to Jerusalem last night along with 100,000 others to protest the government’s plan to evacuate her and the rest of the Gaza Strip’s Jewish residents.In one swift move, she charged, Prime Minister Sharon had turned her from one of the nation’s heroes into its enemy. Ms. Golan spoke from a podium outside the Knesset packed with MKs, rabbis, and settler’s leaders. Above her hung the banner “Let the people decide.” Israeli flags fluttered under the floodlights.Addressing one of the largest demonstrations ever held in the capital, Ms. Golan said, “I was born during the first intifada and I do not know what it is like to live without terror.” Still, she said, she was strengthened by the knowledge that her presence in the Gaza Strip was essential for Israel.“I knew, above all, that we were guarding and building the nation. Suddenly, the prime minister told us that that was all in vain. Suddenly, you turned us into the enemy of the nation.”“As a girl born into war, there is nothing I want more than peace,” Ms. Golan continued.She and the other speakers called on Mr. Sharon to make good on his promise to defend them.The MKs who spoke attacked Mr. Sharon for aborting the democratic process and called for a national referendum.Organizers circulated a petition in the crowd asking protesters to pledge to come nonviolently to the aid of the settlers should disengagement be carried out as planned this summer.Symbolically signing the petition on the podium chairman of the Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, Benzi Lieberman, yelled out, “Will you be there?” “Yes!” responded the crowd.Protesters waved Israeli flags and signs that read, “The transfer will not pass. “Other signs said, “Jews plant trees, Arabs plant bombs,” “Home at last, we shall not be moved,” “Disengagement = ethnic cleansing of Jews,” and “It’s not peace, it’s piece by piece.”Some signs played off the Likud’s election slogan by stating: “Only the Likud can transfer 10,000 Jews, sacrifice scores of settlements … and destroy the nation. We are leaving the Likud and returning to the Right.”

100,000 Protest Gaza Pullout

100,000 Protest Gaza Pullout

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