Settlers 'to resist' Gaza pullout

Influential settler leader Wallerstein called evicting Jews "immoral"

Jewish settler leaders have backed a call to resist being evicted from occupied Gaza under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan.

The Yesha Council of settlers urged only non-violent action to prevent the possibility of "civil war".

"The proposal to expel Jews from their homes is immoral and a breach of human rights," the council chief said.

Mr Sharon plans to evacuate 8,000 settlers from Gaza and four enclaves in the West Bank by the end of 2005.

Israel's parliament has meanwhile approved the first reading of a bill that will see the opposition Labour party join Mr Sharon's Likud group in government.

If approved on three further readings, the bill will restore Likud's parliamentary majority, heavily eroded by hardline opposition to the Gaza withdrawal plan.

Disobedience call

Earlier an influential settler, Binyamin regional council chief Pinhas Wallerstein, called for people to "violate the transfer law en masse and be ready to pay the price of mass imprisonment".

The Yesha Council stands behind Pinhas Wallerstein... The proposal to expel Jews from their homes is an immoral decision and a breach of human rights Bentsi Lieberman Yesha Council head

He said settlers should break through Israeli army roadblocks, violate closed military zone orders and barricade themselves inside houses.

After a meeting on Monday, Yesha council head Bentsi Lieberman said the council "stands behind Pinhas Wallerstein".

Mr Sharon called Mr Wallerstein's comments "severe" in an interview with Israeli radio.

He said he "understood the difficulties faced by the settlers", but added that the law had to be respected.

The government plans to compensate Jews who leave the settlements peacefully, but has threatened to impose heavy fines or imprison settlers who do not obey the law.

Israeli forces have occupied the Gaza Strip and West Bank - home to nearly 4m Palestinians - since 1967. Israel will keep control of Gaza's borders, coastline and airspace after the pullout.