Gaza border residents protest IDF withdrawal from border
Army postpones until Sunday decision to extract security forces from communities near Gaza border; local residents say 'withdrawal will damage sense of security and demographic growth'.
Dozens of concerned residents of Gaza border communities gathered near the entrance gate of Kibbutz Nirim on Wednesday in protest of the IDF's decision to extract most of the security forces from communities in the area.
"The threats have not been removed and peace has not been achieved, so the reason for this decision is unclear. We demand that the soldiers remain on guard at least until other solutions are found that meet our needs and help us sleep in peace at night," a resident of one of the communities in the area said.
The IDF announced earlier this week that it will withdraw its troops from communities near Gaza that are not adjacent to the border, but maintain military presence at the kibbutzim of Nahal Oz and Kerem Shalom, as well as the community of Netiv HaAsara.
Following the protest of the residents, the IDF announced that the decision will be postponed until Sunday, and that meetings to assess the situation will be held on Thursday and over the weekend.
Residents are concerned that despite the delay of several days, the security will eventually be removed permanently. During the protest, one resident said: "The decision to postpone the withdrawal of troops by a few days does not comfort us – it is clear to us that our struggle is far from over. The very presence of soldiers here provides peace of mind and security to the residents. Parents can rest easy knowing that the IDF is present in the area of homes and nursery schools. I don't understand the background against which this decision was made."
Arnon Avni , a resident of Kibbutz Nirim, said: "During Operation Protective Edge, the issue of tunnels and infiltration from the ground became much more prominent and destabilized the security of residents. We have children in educational institutes who come from outside the area and the presence of soldiers provides an atmosphere of security for parents who bring them. Without soldiers, the kibbutz will suffer."
"Furthermore," Avni added, "there are many families in the process of absorption into Gaza border communities, and without security or other solutions, the move may harm the demographic growth, which depends on the feeling of security. The next generation of residents of Gaza border communities depend on decisions the IDF makes, which is why we demand that the government and the defense establishment make sure to continue to protect us, as a feeling of safety is essential for us."
On Thursday, heads of authorities from Gaza border communities will meet with military representatives, in an attempt to persuade them to reverse the decision. Simultaneously, the residents plan to continue the demonstrations.
