Israeli troops begin dismantling outposts

Israeli troops began dismantling uninhabited West Bank settlements today, taking down a few of the dozens of outposts that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is obliged to remove under a US-backed peace plan.

Soldiers took down the Neve Erez South outpost near the Palestinian town of Ramallah, which consisted of two empty trailers, an Israeli watchdog group said. The military then dismantled Armona, which only consisted of a water tower, according to a nearby resident.

More than 100 Israelis from a nearby settlement rushed over and peacefully blocked the road, stopping the soldiers from removing the tower on a truck.

The sites appeared to be the first of several outposts the army plans to remove over the coming days. However, Israel has been evasive about whether it would remove all outposts targeted in the peace plan.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, said he will not use force against Palestinian militant groups under any circumstances.

His comments came despite the groups’ stated determination to derail the road map peace plan with attacks on Israelis, including two weekend shootings that killed five soldiers.

Abbas defended himself against complaints he has been too conciliatory to Israel and that Israel has given little in return.

He said he has co-ordinated every move with Yasser Arafat – a barb at the veteran leader who has said last week’s summit in Jordan with US President George Bush yielded no achievements.

Abbas also reiterated his condemnation of violence, including two shootings yesterday. “We must do our utmost to end the bloodshed,” he said.

Israeli settlers meanwhile said they would not co-operate by dismantling 15 outposts reportedly selected by the military – but said they would not use violence against the troops.

“If we are evacuated, we will return the night after and establish 10 new outposts,” said spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef.

Palestinian Cabinet Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo rejected the move to take down the outposts as “just a symbolic step”.

“Sharon is playing a game of deception through the evacuation of some of the empty trailers in order to give legitimacy to the tens of settlements he established during his term in office,” he said.

Sharon said today that he was determined to carry out the peace plan, despite growing opposition from his constituents, including activists from his Likud party.

“It was not easy,” he said, “but this is the policy I have decided on and I will implement it.”

Under the road map, Israel has to dismantle dozens of outposts established since Sharon came to power in March 2001. According to the Peace Now Israeli group, there are 102 outposts with 1,000 residents, including 62 outposts built over the past two years.

The Palestinians, meanwhile, must disarm and dismantle militant groups that have killed hundreds of Israelis in the past 32 months of fighting.

Palestinian militias have said they will not halt attacks on Israelis, and last week announced they are stopping contacts with Abbas on a ceasefire.

The militants said yesterday’s shootings, including a rare joint attack by three militias on an army outpost in Gaza, are meant to underscore their determination to derail the peace plan.

Four soldiers were killed in the Gaza attack, and a fifth in an ambush in the West Bank city of Hebron later yesterday.

Abbas said Monday that he will not order a crackdown on the militias under any circumstances because he wants to avoid civil war.

“There is absolutely no substitute for dialogue,” he said at his first news conference since taking office on April 30.