Gary Fitleberg, December 21, 2004

Israel’s police chief cast doubt on whether settler evacuations will go ahead next year in the face of public protests.

In remarks carried by Israeli media, Inspector General Moshe Karadi said police would deploy en masse to deal with any settlers who resist Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s withdrawal plan, but hinted that the government could fail to implement it.

"We believe that aside from all the jobs assigned to us, inability to make good on a government resolution is the worst of all," Karadi said. "This mission is not difficult in terms of planning, but it will be difficult in terms of day-to-day implementation."

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2004 Gary Fitleberg