Low turnout at anti pullout demonstrations across the country

Several thousand of people gathered across the country to protest Prime Minister Sharon's disengagement plan on Thursday evening, contrary to organizers' expectations.

Demonstration planners said they were expecting some 500,000 people to take part in the 100 simultaneous protests across the country in support of the Gush Katif settlers.

According to police reports, only several thousands of protestors took part in the demonstrations. Organizers claim that some 150 000 people attended the protests.

Holding the demonstration in various locations throughout the country was cited as one reason for the low turnout. The logistical and technical and organizational difficulties were also mentioned as a reason for the low turnout.

A speech by Ariel Sharon from ten years ago, in which he declared that settlements should not be dismantled, was broadcast in the Paris Square demonstration in Jerusalem,

Only three thousand people, mostly religious, attended the central demonstration in the capital. In Be'er Sheva several hundred people, mainly settlers from the Hebron area, attended the rally.

In other towns turnout was also low. In Tel-Aviv, Ashdod and Rehovot several hundred people arrived at the demonstrations. In the Gush Etzion settlement bloc and Kiryat Malachi only several dozens of demonstrators showed up.

On the other hand, the demonstrations held in Ramat Gan and Petah Tikva saw a relatively large turnout of several hundred protestors.

Police in Jerusalem arrested one demontrator carrying stickers they said were inciting. At the city's entrance, police dispersed a group of demonstrators carrying flags of the outlawed Kach movement.

In response to the right wing action, the Majority Headquarters, representing the supporters of the pullout plan, said it would put up placards saying "The majority decides - we are pulling out of Gaza" across the country on Friday.

PM: Pullout to start by May 2005 and last 12 weeksPrime Minister Ariel Sharon told members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee earlier on Thursday that the evacuation from Gaza - part of his disengagement plan - would start by May or June of 2005, and last for no more than 12 weeks.

Sharon has previously given timetables for legislation and implementation of the plan, which has faced opposition from some senior members of his own Likud party, but has never before specified a timeframe for the evacuation of the Gaza settlements.

Thursday also sees the start of new offensive by the prime minister to ensure a majority in the Knesset when the disengagement plan is put to the vote on October 25. He was slated to meet Thursday with members of the United Torah Judaism party as part of newly-resumed coalition negotiations with the ultra-Orthodox factions.

Those in Sharon's circle said Wednesday that the prime minister is aiming to muster a majority to guarantee the passage of the disengagement plan in the October 25 Knesset vote, as well as working for a change in the make up of the government.

One of the options for expanding the coalition is a government consisting of the ultra-Orthodox parties and Labor, but not Shinui, a combination that would win Likud support.

Next week, Sharon will also meet with senior figures in the Labor Party, including party chairman Shimon Peres, faction chief Dalia Itzik and MK Benjamin Ben-Eliezer.

On Wednesday, Sharon began a series of personal meetings with Likud Knesset members and ministers in an effort secure a majority for the disengagement plan vote. He met with ministers Limor Livnat and Yisrael Katz, as well Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim and MKs Eli Aflalo and Daniel Ben-Lulu.

In his meetings, Sharon made clear that the current situation with Likud "rebels" working contrary to faction decisions and putting pressure on MKs cannot continue. The prime minister said he would have to deal with this by making changes to the coalition, and, if left with no choice, would even consider calling new elections.

Sharon told everyone he met with that he is determined to see that the disengagement plan passes in the Knesset vote.

Aides: No coalition changes before Knesset vote on pulloutBut advisors to the prime minister said Wednesday that Sharon does not intend to make any changes to his ruling coalition ahead of the October 25 vote on the disengagement plan, Army Radio reported.

They said recent talks with representatives of ultra-Orthodox parties were aimed at assuring a majority for the first phase of withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank.

Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said it was "time for the prime minister to put some order into Likud" and he joined Livnat and Minister Tzipi Livni in favor of broadening the coalition, which Sharon said was now the top of his agenda.

Livnat said the best possible coalition would be Likud-Labor-Shinui and United Torah Judaism. But Sharon on Tuesday sent Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz to Shas Rabbi Ovadia Yosef to try to win Shas support for the disengagement. If Sharon brings Shas into the coalition, Shinui will quit, party chairman Yosef Lapid said Tuesday.

Labor, for its part, is circumspect about joining a coalition after the Likud central committee ruled against any negotiations with it. Labor MK Ophir Pines-Paz said Labor would not engage in coalition talks until Sharon "brings a note from the central committee canceling the earlier decision" against Labor.

Peres said Wednesday that he prefers staying out of a government moving toward peace to being involved in a government as "confused" as this one. He said many people think the most important issue is joining the government.

"That's not the main thing - the main thing is which government," Peres told Israel Radio.

	Israeli settlers and supporters demonstrating during a rally against Prime Minister Sharon's planned pullout of the Gaza Strip near Sharon's residence, in Jerusalem. (AP)