Huge crowd turns out to back pullout from Gaza

TEL AVIV - More than 100,000 Israelis rallied for a pullout from the Gaza Strip and helicopters hit Palestinian targets to end a week in which the Middle East's mightiest Army suffered its heaviest blow in two years.

In a historic political twist, Israel's long-dormant "peace camp" packed the Tel Aviv square where warrior-turned-peacemaker Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995 and held signs reading "Arik, we are with you", rallying around right-wing leader Ariel Sharon and his Gaza withdrawal plan.

Commentators said the strong turnout could harden the Prime Minister's resolve to press ahead with his proposal to evacuate all Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four of 120 in the West Bank despite its rejection by his Likud party.

"I'm here because we can't take it any more," said protester Tali Rosen, 34, amid a sea of banners while peace songs played.

"What got me out of the house was the deaths of the soldiers."

After a week of heavy Gaza violence, Israeli missiles hit two buildings in Gaza City yesterday, destroying an office used by the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is affiliated with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah group, and the office of a pro-Hamas weekly newspaper, al-Resala.

Nobody was inside the offices, but the first attack wounded several bystanders on the ground below.

Israel has stepped up Gaza Strip missile strikes after Palestinian militants killed 13 soldiers last week in heavy fighting in the area.

- REUTERS