Religious leaders have been divided over the forced withdrawal of Israeli settlers from the Gaza Strip and a number of West Bank settlements, but recent reports have indicated that they are becoming more and more united in their desire for an end to the conflict which has plagued Israel for years. Over 40,000 Israeli troops and police were deployed in to coerce some 9000 Israeli settlers from what had previously been their homes.

The deputy director of the Christian Friends of Israel, Geoffrey Smith expressed his view that the prevention of violence was his primary concern: “I hope this will prevent violence against Jews. I also hope that the Palestinian Authority will be able to enforce law and order in the areas it takes over administration of. I urge the international community to endeavour to help the poor and ensure financial aid doesn’t end up funding terrorism... It’s a step in the right direction. I don’t believe we can look to the biblical boundaries of Israel as a means of finding a viable solution.”

Also expressing a wish for an end to the violence from a different viewpoint, was the Middle-East campaigner, Reverend Steven Sizer of Virginia Water: “If this causes fewer deaths then in this respect I welcome it... I do, however, question whether Israel are pursing a Gaza-last or Gaza-fist policy.”

However he added that the settlers were being evicted from “land that doesn’t belong to Israel... the Israeli presence in Gaza was never meant to be a permanent situation. I fully expect to see settlers integrated into areas of the West Bank which Israel wishes to retain”.

Sizer also claimed that the Israeli security barrier was in part an intention to limit Palestinian areas to townships, Sizer claimed: “The parallels with American reservations and the townships in South Africa are quite obvious.”

Israel took control of the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the Six-Day War of 1967, until now the government had never agreed to dismantle Israeli settlements built subsequently on the conquered territory. Those settlers who refused to leave before the deadline were to be removed by force and risk losing as much as one third of their compensation.

The pullout had been approved by the Israeli Cabinet and Parliament, however it was agreed by ministers last year that a final vote to decide the evacuation of each settlement or group of settlements would be held. Approval for the evacuation of the three isolated settlements of Kfar Darom, morag and Netzarim; all within the Gaza Strip, was given last week.