Morag, Gaza Strip – Triumphant Palestinians poured into abandoned Jewish settlements today, setting empty synagogues on fire and shooting into the air while Israeli troops left in convoys in the final phase of Israel’s pullout from the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation.
Palestinian police stood by helplessly as gunmen raised flags of militant groups in the settlements and crowds smashed what was left in the ruins or walked off with doors, window frames, toilets and scrap metal.
Initial plans by Palestinian police to bar the crowds from the settlements for the first few hours quickly collapsed, illustrating the weakness of the Palestinian security forces and concerns about growing chaos after Israel’s departure.
Women ululated, teens set off fireworks, and crowds chanted “God is great.”
“Today is a day of joy and happiness that our people were deprived of in the past century,” said Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, adding that the Palestinians still have a long path toward statehood. He denounced Israel’s presence in Gaza as “aggression, injustice, humiliation, killing and settlement activity.”
Israel’s pullout marks the first time the Palestinians will have control over a defined territory, and Gaza is seen as a testing ground for Palestinian aspirations of statehood.
Palestinians hope to build their state in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem – areas that Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War – but fear Israel will not hand over additional territory. They say Israel’s occupation of Gaza has not ended because it retains control over borders and air space.
Israel removed about 8,500 Gaza settlers from their homes in 21 settlements last month, and razed homes and most buildings in those communities. However, the Israeli Cabinet decided at the last minute Sunday to leave 19 synagogue buildings intact, drawing complaints from the Palestinians and U.S. criticism.
After rushing into the settlements early today, Palestinians set fire to two empty synagogues in the Morag and Netzarim settlements as well as a Jewish seminary in Neve Dekalim. In Netzarim, two young Palestinians waving flags stomped on the smoldering debris outside the synagogue, and others took turns hitting the building with a large hammer.
Palestinian police appeared overwhelmed, watching the destruction from the sidelines. Police Col. Abdel Khader Abu Tayr said police didn’t have enough time to deploy because Israeli troops left without sufficient warning.
The 5,000 Israeli troops who had been left in Gaza began driving toward Israel before dawn today.
