http://www.forward.com/issues/2004/04.01.02/news5.html<snip>
"Israel's right wing is gearing up for a confrontation with the government in the coming days, in the wake of Prime Minister Sharon's decision this week to start removing so-called illegal Jewish settlement outposts in the West Bank.
Sharon announced on Sunday that he had decided to remove four outposts, out of an estimated 50 to 100 such sites that he agreed to remove under the terms of President Bush's road map to peace. The move was partly in response to public clamor for change and partly a response to growing signs of anger in Washington over his failure to move against the outposts until now.
The announcement has prompted intense mobilization among settlers, who are expected to turn out by the thousands in an attempt to block the troops or at least raise the political price of the evacuation and thus discourage future ones."
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"The decision to remove four relatively minor outposts, only one of which is inhabited, was met with derision from the Labor Party and the left, and the Palestinian Authority called it a "public-relations stunt." Still, it caused agonizing on the right. Leaders of Sharon's right-wing coalition partners, the National Union and National Religious Party, were urging caution, saying it was too early to bolt the government.
Among settlers, however, sentiment was growing that the evacuation of the one inhabited outpost, Ginot Arye, could set a dangerous precedent. Given Sharon's stated plan to remove legal, established settlements, settlers say this is where they must make their stand. Rabbis of the Yesha Settlers' Council called for a human chain around the outpost when troops arrive. As many as 10,000 could respond."