Troops hold up sign at IDF base: We won't evacuate settlers

Six Israel Defense Forces soldiers in the West Bank yesterday held up a sign proclaiming their unit would refuse to evacuate West Bank settlements. This marks a shift in right-wing activity from attacks on Palestinians to protest in IDF ranks.

Yesterday's protest, mounted by six soldiers of the Nachshon Battalion's West Bank base, followed the demolition of two illegal houses near the Negohot settlement south of Hebron. The soldiers were suspended and face a court martial, military sources said.

Until recently, every evacuation saw right-wing activists attacking Palestinian cars traveling on West Bank roads. But after Border Police forces were deployed at central intersections to prevent such attacks, the activists reportedly decided to change their tactics.

They found a weak spot in the army - rightist soldiers who can be prevailed on to protest against orders, Haaretz has learned.

Last month soldiers from the Shimshon Battalion held banners with the same message during their graduation ceremony in Jerusalem. Two soldiers were expelled from their brigade and given 20 days in military prison.

Naor Zimmerman, secretary of the Negohot settlement, said that "they came this morning by surprise and wanted to demolish the houses with the property inside, unlike what they do on the Arab side, if they demolish there at all. We tried to contact the Defense Ministry to arrange voluntary evacuation but got no response."

Peace Now leader Yariv Oppenheimer accused certain settler leaders of "prompting a rebellion within the IDF and endangering Israeli society."

Oppenheimer said: "Right-wing leaders and all government parties must speak out against this practice before the army loses control of its soldiers."