Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ignited a political firestorm by linking the conflict in Lebanon to his plan to withdraw from much of the West Bank.

Opponents of Israel's Gaza pullout were penned into a farming village today, surrounded by police and confused over their next move. Some of their leaders admitted defeat in what was to have been the most formidable protest yet - a march of thousands to Gaza to join the settlers there.

JEWISH settler leaders failed in a rare meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon yesterday to persuade him to back their proposal to put his planned Gaza withdrawal to a national referendum.