Historic Gaza Pull Out Begins

NEVE DEKALIM, Gaza Strip -- Israeli troops on Monday began handing out eviction notices to settlers of the Gaza Strip at the start of a historic withdrawal that will end its 38-year occupation of the coastal territory. Defiant settlers blocked the gates of their communities and vowed to prevent troops from delivering the notices.

In Nissanit, soldiers delivered the first eviction notice to a young couple who invited the soldiers into their home and offered a drink of water. Troops encountered no resistance in Nissanit, unlike in several other Gaza settlements.

In the largest settlement, Neve Dekalim, dozens of men wrapped in white prayer shawls held roadside morning prayers, while teens _ many sporting orange ribbons, the color of defiance _ danced in circles.

Troops fanned out across Jewish settlements to deliver the notices house to house. Settlers were to be told they have one last chance, until midnight Tuesday, to leave voluntarily. Those ignoring that final deadline will lose up to one-third of their compensation.

In Neve Dekalim and in several other settlements, though, there were few signs that residents would cooperate.

Dozens of Orthodox Jews held morning prayers outside Neve Dekalim's gate, hoping that divine intervention would somehow prevent the plan from going forward. "Who dares to do battle with God," read one protester's T-shirt. "Brother, don't expel me," said another.

Under the pullout plan, Israel will remove all 21 Jewish settlements from Gaza as well as four enclaves in the West Bank. While many of Gaza's 8,500 residents have already left, the army estimates that several thousand people remain, including extremists who infiltrated Gaza.

Settler leaders have promised to resist without resorting to violence, though security officials fear extremists might violate that pledge.

The withdrawal marks the first time Israel would dismantle settlements in areas captured in the 1967 Mideast War and claimed by the Palestinians for their future state. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon believes the withdrawal will improve Israeli security by reducing friction with the Palestinians.

"It's a painful and difficult day, but it's a historic day," Israel's defense minister, Shaul Mofaz, told Army Radio.

© 2005 The Associated Press

Developing...