Troops head to West Bank as Gaza pullout nears end

Hundreds of soldiers flew to the West Bank Sunday to embark on the next phase of Israel's historic pullout from occupied Palestinian territory as security forces were wrapping up the eviction of settlers in the Gaza Strip.
Troops and police prayed side-by-side with settlers in Gaza settlements before they left their homes for the last time as Israel resumed its traumatic pullout from the Gaza Strip after a 38-year occupation.
The scenes of unity in Katif and Elei Sinai came in stark contrast to the first phase of the evacuation last week, when images of settlers being dragged out kicking and screaming by their fellow Jews were beamed into Israeli homes.
But the bitterness and division wrought by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan were evident once again in Atsmona as women and children hurled tirades of abuse at their evictors.
As the evacuation process was completed in the Gaza settlements of Katif, Elei Sinai and Atsmona, hundreds of soldiers were being helicoptered from Gaza to the northern West Bank where they are to take part in the evacuation of two hard-line settlements.
The troops are members of one of three divisions taking part in the operation at Homesh and Sanur, whose evacuation was given final approval Sunday, sparking clashes between settlers and security forces.
Security forces are anticipating significant resistance in Homesh and Sanur, where hundreds of right-wing activists have massed in a bid to thwart the evacuation, the first time Israel has made its citizens leave parts of the West Bank which should form the bulk of the Palestinians' promised future state.
The evacuation of the 21 Gaza settlements should be completed on Monday when troops clear residents out of Netzarim, near Gaza City.
The moving prayer session in Katif, which left soldiers and settlers in tears, came after hundreds of security forces stormed into the community.
Smashing down the front gate with a bulldozer, they were greeted by thick black smoke from burning rubbish.
But the resistance in Katif was no more than token with residents eventually filing onto buses after the Torah scrolls were packed away for the last time.
The pullout from Gaza had been scheduled to take three weeks, after which the security forces were then to have turned their attention to the northern West Bank.