Former Europeans were amongst the estimated 150,000 people who packed Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square on Thursday night to demonstrate against Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to disengage from Gaza.

With the evacuation of all the settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the northern West Bank due to start on 15 August. Former Londoner Ashley Perry and ex-Scotsman Anthony Harris joined the assembled throng to voice their opposition to the government.

“Arik go home” the crowd shouted in unison, urging Sharon to quit and give up on the pullout of some 8,000 people from the Gaza settlements and around 2,000 more in the West Bank.

Perry moved to Israel from the UK four years ago and now lives in the West Bank settlement of Efrat with his wife.

Security issue

Applauding the words of speakers such as settler head Bentzi Lieberman and Gush Katif Rabbi Yigal Kaminetsky, the 31-year-old told EJP: “I am here to demonstrate and show my disagreement with the government’s policy. This isn’t a popular move. Opinion polls should not guide politics, elections and referendums should.”

Perry voiced his concern at the effect the disengagement could have on the security of the Israeli people.

The Rabin Square during Thurday's protest Phto: AFP

“We are retreating under fire from conquered territory, something no country should do. The Palestinians have not promised us anything and this is setting an extremely bad precendent,” he added.

Harris, 37, lives in the town of Bet Shemesh. He made the move to Israel four and half years ago and is a vehement opponent of the disengagement plan

He said: “I’m here to show that I am anti the government and the disengagement. Logistically I agree that it doesn’t make sense to have 8,000 Jews surrounded by 1.2m Arabs and protected by 20,000 soldiers. But the reason the settlements are there is for security and leaving gaza will just open the gateway for terrorism.”

Expressing his desire for a peaceful solution, the former Glasgow resident added: “If we were guaranteed peace I would be all for it but not only are we not, I don’t think there is any possibility so it seems to be a futile operation.

The demonstration, which saw thousands of people spill out onto the streets surrounding the central Tel Aviv square, continued without any interruption or problem.

Unfortunately necessary

But polls have shown that the majority of Israelis support the plan as a necessary evil.

One ex-Frenchman, Claude Levy, told EJP that he feels that although it will be difficult for the families involved, pulling them out from Gaza and the northern West Bank is the only way to kickstart the peace process.

Levy, 53, who moved to Raanana from Marseilles eight years ago, said he refused to attend the rally.

“I believe that there is no choice. We have to try and do something to stop the situation continuing. If we give the Palestinians their land we can hold our hands up and say we have given them the opportunity.”

The father of three added: “It will be tough on the parents and children having to leave the homes they grew up in but I think that if we look back on this in five years time it will be obvious it was necessary.”