Some 100,000 people gathered in Rabin Square in central Tel Aviv Thursday evening to protest against an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and part of northern West Bank.

Settlement leaders distributed a long list of instructions for disrupting the evacuation due to begin next week. The settlers' plan is called "Orange Dawn."

One of key directives is for long convoys to arrive at the Kissufim crossing, the entrance to Gush Katif, to prevent any access to it by evacuating forces.

The settlement council said as Kissufim is the main entrance to Gush Katif, tens of thousands of protesters would cause substantial delays to evacuating forces.

"The evacuating forces don't have other roads for getting into the bloc except the Kissufim route, unless they've decided to break through the perimeter fence. If they do that, we'll get there too," said Helik Navon, spokesman of Yesha Council.

Rally participants were given instructions on where to report before heading out in convoys to Gush Katif as soon as the disengagement begins.

Protesters were also to receive details on how to enter Gush Katif easily despite the prohibition order from the army.

"We're planning to make clear to the protesters that we won't make any use of force, will not breach the perimeter fence, and will not behave in an irresponsible manner," one protest organizer said.

"We will give orders ahead of democratic maneuvers that will be done, and as long as the candle is alight, one can act to correct," he said.

"Our struggle is about to change its character," said Yesha leader Pinchas Wallerstein. "We will call on those who come to the assembly to violate the army order closing the Gush Katif region completely."

Wallerstein said one plan is to instruct right-wing activists to break through checkpoints spread out along the Gaza Strip and reach the Kissufim route by any possible means.

"I prefer thousands remaining along the Kissufim route over the second option, of having those same thousands inside the settlements," he said.

At least 2,000 security officers and volunteers were deployed in Rabin Square and positioned on rooftops overlooking the area in case of violence.

Dozens of police and volunteers were also posted at the memorial to Yitzhak Rabin, former prime minister assassinated by an extreme right-winger during a peace rally at the square in 1995. Some 1,000 coaches were used to bus in protesters from all over Israel.

The Tel Aviv rally came in the wake of a mass prayer protest attended by 50,000 anti-pullout protesters at the Western Wall in Jerusalem Wednesday evening.

Source: Xinhua