Israel Demolishes Military Installations
Friday September 9, 2005 1:01 PM AP Photo JRL122 By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI Associated Press Writer JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli troops demolished the last military installations in the Gaza Strip on Friday in final preparations to complete the pullout by early next week after 38 years of occupation. Soldiers now left without bases and guard posts were to remain in armored vehicles until the withdrawal is completed by Tuesday. The head of Israel's forces in Gaza, Brig. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, will be the last soldier to leave the coastal strip and will lock the gate of the Kissufim border crossing in a small ceremony. All Israeli soldiers should be out of Gaza by Monday, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Friday. But the pullout could be delayed by a day because of uncertainty over the fate of more than two dozen synagogues in Gaza's demolished Jewish settlements. The Israeli Cabinet is to decide Sunday whether Israel will demolish the synagogues, or leave them intact, with the expectation the Palestinians will preserve them. Mofaz told Israel Army Radio on Friday that ``it is very hard for me to give the army orders to destroy and blow up Jewish synagogues.'' If Israel does raze the buildings, the pullout will be delayed by a day. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, urged Israel to demolish the synagogues. ``We maintain the highest respect for Judaism. We don't want to be put in a situation that we are demolishing synagogues in front of the world, or some of our people may do something that we don't want them to do,'' Erekat said. In Gaza City, former security chief Moussa Arafat, assassinated earlier this week by dozens of gunmen, was given a military funeral. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was to eulogize the slain security chief, but remained in his compound when dozens of gunmen fired thousands of bullets in the air at the funeral procession outside his office. Earlier Friday, Arafat's eldest son, Manhal, was released after being kidnapped by his father's killers, who belong to a group known as the Popular Resistance Committees. Manhal attended the prayer service with Abbas at the presidential compound, but made no public comment. Earlier, eight policemen carried Arafat's coffin, covered by a Palestinian flag, to a military truck. The coffin was escorted to Arafat's home by 100 Palestinian police cars and dozens of other vehicles carrying gunmen from the ruling Fatah movement. Arafat's killing was a major challenge to the Palestinian Authority just days before the Gaza handover. It underscored the weakness of Abbas and the unchecked power of armed gangs. In the case of Arafat, a cousin of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian security forces negotiated with the killers for the release of the hostage instead of arresting them. The power struggle could spill over into planned victory marches. The Palestinian Authority insisted it would lead the celebrations, while the rival Hamas militant group planned its own military-style parades to underscore its claim that it drove Israel out with its bombing and shooting attacks. As part of Friday's last-minute preparations for the pullout, Israel demolished a bridge leading to the now abandoned Jewish settlements and a liaison office at the main Israel-Gaza crossing point. By the end of the day, the army planned to have all its equipment out of the Gaza Strip. Also Friday, outgoing U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Kurtzer said Washington expects Israel to dismantle unauthorized West Bank settlement outposts, in line with its obligations under the U.S.-backed road map peace plan. ``We still expect as a country that Israel is going to fill its commitment,'' Kurtzer told Israel Radio. Kurtzer, who is wrapping up a four-year term, noted that Israel has promised in writing to take down the outposts set up by settlers, in large part with government funding. ``We have no reason to believe that Israel will try to evade its responsibility,'' Kurtzer said. An Israeli Foreign Ministry official, meanwhile, said Israel has set aside plans to ask Washington for $2 billion in aid for its Gaza withdrawal while the United States is busy dealing with the destruction wreaked by Hurricane Katrina. A high-level Israeli delegation that was to discuss the aid with U.S. officials has postponed a trip to Washington, said the spokesman, Mark Regev. Kurtzer hinted it would be wise for Israel to hold off on its aid request. ``The (Israeli) government may or may not decide to pursue it right now in view of the fact that the costs to the American taxpayer of Katrina are likely to be enormous in the period ahead,'' he said.
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Israel destroyed their last remaining military facilities in the Gaza Strip today, leaving behind as few remnants of the occupation as possible. Soldiers placed explosives in the buildings, and watched as they were destroyed, sources say.

Shaul Mofaz, Israel's Defense Minister, expects the final pullout from Gaza to be completed by Monday or Tuesday. The remaining military troops in Gaza remain in military vehicles while waiting for the pullout.

It is being currently debated in the Israeli cabinet as to whether the synagogues will be demolished. The decision is expected to come on Sunday. According to Mofaz, "it is very hard for me to give the army orders to destroy and blow up Jewish synagogues." 

If the synagogues are to be destroyed, the pullout will be delayed a day, and the pullout will be completed on Tuesday. The last soldier to leave Gaza will be General Aviv Kochavi, who will lock the Kissufim gate in a symbolic event.