Israel has declared a state of high-alert across its territory, fearing a right-wing backlash and possible attack on mosques, following the destruction of synagogues by Palestinians in the evacuated Gaza Strip settlements.
Senior police officers decided to raise the level of alert after a meeting to take stock of developments in the wake of Israel's pullout from the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian Authority bulldozers knocked down the walls of an empty synagogue in the evacuated Gaza settlement of Netzarim on Monday, signalling its intentions to raze the structures left behind by Israel. Jubilant Palestinians marching into the Strip also set fire to four of the 19 synagogues left behind in Kfar Darom, Morag, Netzarim and Neveh Dekalim settlements.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority went through harsh exchanges over the torching of Gaza synangogues by Palestinian mobs, with the Jewish state dubbing it a 'barbaric act' and the latter responding by calling it a 'trap' with a 'no-win' situation.
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom called the Palestinian desecration of abandoned Gaza Strip synagogues a 'barbaric act by individuals with no respect for holy sites', Israel Radio reported. An aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called upon the Palestinian Authority to act to prevent the 'acts of arson'.
The Israeli Left, however, slammed the decision, accusing the government for the incident. "It was known from the start that this destruction would happen. How easy it is for the government to blame someone for this, to condemn the Palestinians with rage," Meretz leader, Yossi Sarid, told the local media.
Palestinian Authority Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, issued a statement on Monday, saying synagogues in evacuated settlements will be destroyed soon after Israeli troops pulled out of the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation. "The Israelis left behind empty structures that served as synagogues in the past," the statement read, adding, "But they removed all religious artefacts from there and, therefore, they are no longer holy places."
Palestinian Authority Civil Affairs Minister, Muhammed Dahlan, however was less sparing in criticism of Israeli decision to leave behind the structures. "This is a trap the Israelis are trying to set for the Palestinian Authority. They will use this to present Palestinians as uncivilised and to justify future acts of violence against Muslim places of prayer," Dahlan said.
The Palestinian Authority plans to treat the synagogues left behind like any other public building left in the settlements, he said. Earlier, Palestinian Authority officials had expressed resentment over Israel's decision to leave Gaza Strip synagogues intact saying the move placed the Palestinians in a 'no-win' situation.
