Orange-clad Israelis protest Gaza pullback

JERUSALEM — Blue and orange: the colors of a sunset over the Mediterranean in the Gaza Strip — and of an emotional battle over the Israeli government’s plans to withdraw Jewish settlers from their coastal enclaves there.

On Monday, tens of thousands of orange-clad settlers and their supporters lined major highways in a nationwide protest against the Gaza pullout. They disrupted traffic, shouted slogans and drew noisy honks of support from motorists.

On the blue side are peace activists and other backers of the withdrawal.

Each side’s weapon of choice: ribbons — tied to cars, backpacks and even wedding bouquets.

Emily Amrusi, a spokeswoman for the settlers, said they adopted orange in imitation of the pro-democracy struggle in Ukraine. Settlers accuse Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of using non-democratic methods to push his plan through parliament. Orange is also the color used to label agricultural products grown by Jewish farmers in Gaza.

The pro-pullout activists chose blue and white because they are the colors of the Israeli flag, said Ami Ayalon, a former head of Israel’s Shin Bet security service now among the blue team’s top brass. “You don’t have to explain anything. Blue and white says it all,” he said.

Those symbols were on vivid display Monday. Protesters wore orange T-shirts, held orange placards and sold orange ice cream. Many young men tied orange ribbons around their heads, Rambo-style.

Beyond the colors, of course, lies a much deeper struggle over Israel’s future.

“We’re in a struggle for our homeland. We can’t give up,” said Tova Ettinger, a Jerusalem resident who took demonstrated with four of her 12 children.

The planned pullout from Gaza and four small West Bank settlements would mark the first time Israel has withdrawn from territories occupied in the 1967 Mideast War and claimed by the Palestinians for a future independent state. The operation is scheduled to begin in mid-August.

Sharon believes that exiting Gaza, where 8,500 settlers live in tightly guarded enclaves surrounded by 1.3 million Palestinians, will boost security by ensuring the country’s Jewish majority and consolidating control over other parts of the West Bank.

Opponents fear the pullout is only the first step in a larger territorial handover to the Palestinians. They accuse Sharon of rewarding terrorism and betraying their religious beliefs.

“Jews were given possession of the land of Israel by God and it belongs to us. Only God has the right to give it away,” said Yiscah Schechter, 45, who moved to Jerusalem 16 years ago from Miami.

Monday’s demonstration was organized by the main settlers’ council, and most of the protesters were Orthodox Jews.

At the entrance to Jerusalem, hundreds of activists lined the highway, holding placards that said “stop to rethink things” and chanting, “Jews don’t expel Jews.” Dozens of cars parked on roadsides to support the protest.

Many protesters expressed hope that the government would reverse its decision on the withdrawal — something Sharon has ruled out.

Israeli security officials fear resistance to the withdrawal could turn violent. In a taste of what may lie ahead, dozens of young activists scuffled with Israeli troops sent to demolish abandoned buildings near a Gaza settlement Sunday.

Israel already is awash in ribbons, and with activists handing out blue and orange streamers, the phenomenon seems to be growing.