Israelis protest against the elimination of settlements

About 130 thousand Israelis created a living chain connecting Jerusalem with the Gaza sector. According to the Air Force, in this way they protest against the intentions of the Israeli government to withdraw troops from the occupied territories and close Jewish settlements.

Participants in the protest were dressed in bright T -shirts, in their hands held Israeli flags and posters. Protesters lined up at a distance of 90 kilometers.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon expressed his intention by the end of 2005 not only to withdraw troops from the Gaza sector, but also to eliminate all Jewish settlements located there. Four settlements on the western coast of Jordan are also closed.

Protesters argue that Jews have a religious right to live on this land, but public opinion polls show that most of the country's inhabitants support the withdrawal of troops.

The protest was attended by up to 15 members of the Israeli parliament representing the ruling party "Likud".

Meanwhile, the confrontation between the Israeli army and Palestinian militants continued in the Gaza sector. In the city of Tulkarm, as a result of a skirmish with Israeli troops, five armed Palestinians and a passerby were killed. In one of the Jewish settlements in the Gaza sector from the hit of the Palestinian missile, six children were injured.

Even earlier, the Israelis launched two missiles around the house in Zeitun, a residential area in the south of Gaza-City from a helicopter. The house, as expected, belonged to a member of the radical Palestinian group. However, there was nobody in the house, and several passers -by received mild wounds.