Israel fears half of settlers will resist Gaza evacuation

ISRAEL fears that half of the Jewish settlers slated for evacuation from occupied Gaza next month will stay put rather than agree to relocation, forcing troops to remove them, a cabinet minister said yesterday.

In separate remarks, Israel’s deputy defence minister repeated an Israeli threat of a large-scale ground offensive in Gaza if settlers and troops came under fire from Palestinian militants during the evacuation due to begin on August 17.

Some 9,000 settlers are to leave Gaza and a corner of the West Bank under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to “disengage” Israel from fighting with the Palestinians.