Israeli protesters abandon bid to march on Gaza

KFAR MAIMON - Jewish settler leaders called off a new attempt to march on the occupied Gaza Strip's main settlement bloc today after thousands of protesters were stopped by Israeli police.

The demonstrators, penned in by security forces for three days, had hoped to march on Gush Katif to disrupt Israel's planned withdrawal from the territory, which is due to start next month.

"We feel at this time it is not wise to confront the police and the army," Benzi Lieberman, head of the YESHA settlers council, told protesters massed at the gate of the desert farming village where they have been confined.

"I request everyone who can to remain here and others to come back. We need to continue our struggle in the right way." Liberman said he was sure they would still manage to get thousands of supporters into the settlements in coming weeks to hamper the planned withdrawal.

Most Israelis support Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to give up Gaza and four of 120 settlements in the West Bank as a way to "disengage" from conflict with the Palestinians.

However, the plan's critics do not want to give up any land captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which they see as God's gift to the Jews. They also say it would reward a Palestinian uprising.

Palestinians welcome a withdrawal from settlements on any of the land they seek for a state, but point to the fact that while leaving Gaza, Israel is strengthening its hold on bigger enclaves in the West Bank.

- REUTERS