First Shot?

Keep an eye on this one:

Likud MKs threatened Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Wednesday to prevent him from bringing Labor into his government in order to pass his plan to unilaterally withdraw from Gaza Strip settlements.

Ten MKs signed a letter to Sharon initiated by MKs Yuli Edelstein, Gilad Erdan, and Ehud Yatom, warning the prime minister that they will vote against bringing Labor into the government.

“We ask of you not to make a unilateral decision to dismantle legal settlements in Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip,” the MKs wrote. “Because this issue did not arise when we supported you in the election, we request that before you bring the plan to the cabinet, you permit a discussion and organized vote in Likud institutions.”

Most everyone has already pointed out that when complete, Israel’s Security Fence will probably lead to a Palestinian civil war. Once the Israeli Army isn’t around to keep the sort-of peace, and with the inevitable economic decline, the various PA factions will soon be at each other’s throats. It will be ugly and bloody — and their own damn fault.

Less often talked about is the very real risk of Israeli-on-Israeli violence. To build the fence, a lot of Israeli settlements will have to be dismantled, or at least abandoned. And a lot of those settlers are — let’s try to be nice — religious nuts who think God Himself turned over the deed to them. They may not go without a fight.

Today’s story might have been the opening volley.