Israel declares Gaza closed military zone

GAZA CITY - The Israeli government has declared Gaza a closed military zone partly to prevent pro-settler extremists from entering the main Jewish settlement block before the planned removal of 8500 Jewish settlers next month.

The move, which infuriated settlers' leaders, came as the Army also sealed Gaza and the West Bank to prevent Palestinians entering and leaving in response to the Islamic Jihad suicide bomb attack which killed four people in Netanya on Tuesday night. A Palestinian policeman was killed as Israeli troops moved into Tulkarem and made at least five arrests.

In a separate development a British water engineer was released by Palestinian kidnappers 24 hours after being seized with an Austrian colleague in a relatively affluent quarter of Gaza City in a further sign of continuing and severe law-and-order problems ahead of Israel's disengagement from the strip.

Dan Harel, head of the army's southern command, told reporters the closure order, which comes five days before a planned mass march to the main Gush Katif settlement block, was issued after an endless flow of mainly young activists had entered it with the aim of preventing disengagement.

The Yesha Council representing settlers declared: "This is the first time in history that a Jewish prime minister blockades Jewish communities and declares a part of Israel Jews-free".

Well informed western sources suggested that the kidnapped men, Michael Rabicano, the Briton, and Peter Hammer had been kidnapped outside their home by a powerful Gaza family seeking the release from Palestinian detention of several of its members.

One said: "As the (Palestinian) security services get weaker, the families get stronger."

- INDEPENDENT