(10 Nov 1999) English/Nat
Dozens of Israeli soldiers moved into a remote West Bank outpost early Wednesday and began forcing the evacuation of renegade Jewish settlers who have refused to leave voluntarily.
Fueled by rumors of the predawn swoop, the settlers had worked throughout the night placing branches, junked cars and other obstacles into the road winding up to their hilltop encampment.
Israeli soldiers carried the settlers away one by one from the Jewish outpost of Havat Maon. (huh-VAHT'-mah-OHN')
The illegal settlement has become a symbol of resistance to the Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak's land for peace deal with the Palestinians.
There had been rumors the evacuation would take place before dawn.
The settlers worked through the night to scupper the evacuation.
They placed branches, barbed wire, burning cars and other obstacles in the road leading up to their encampment.
By the time soldiers got there, about 200 settlers and their supporters had scattered in small groups throughout the settlement.
Some crammed into a makeshift synagogue, claiming they had a biblical birthright to settle anywhere in the West Bank.
Several of the settlers were carried and pushed out of the building.
One man managed to save the synagogue's holy books - known as the Torah.
Israel captured the West Bank, the Sinai Peninsular, Gaza and the Golan Heights during the six day war in 1967 - almost tripling the land under its control.
The Israeli cabinet is, on Wednesday, expected to approve next week's scheduled handover of West Bank land to Palestinian rule.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"This is destruction. People all over the world will get to see the real face of Barak. The Golan Heights, this place, I don't understand, you see, you see a synagogue, you see what they do."
SUPERCAPTION: Shimon Riklin, Settlers' Spokesman
In defiance of the land for peace deal many settlers retreated to the roof tops of various unauthorized buildings - forcing police to climb ladders to reach them.
Some struggled in vain as they were forcibly lowered to police officers on the ground as daylight began to strengthen.
The settlers were finally removed and driven away from the area .
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
