Israel shut down the roads to the Gush Katif settlement bloc in Gaza Sunday Midnight, marking the start of official pullout from all Gaza settlements.

Israeli army lowered down a notice board writing "Stop entrance into Gaza Strip; Presence there is forbidden by law" at the kissufim junction, signaling the historic moment has finally come.

In accordance with decision made by Prime Minister Ariel Sharonand Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, starting from Sunday night, civilians will be barred from entry into all settlements slated for evacuation in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, a nationwide alert went into effect with a state of emergency lasting until after the disengagement is concluded.

Israel is set to pull out more than 8,000 settlers from Gaza settlements in one month, and hand over the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in two months.

Following the formal start of the pullout, Aryeh Yitzhaki, a resident of the Gaza settlement of Kfar Yam, announced the establishment of a Jewish Authority in the strip in order to resist the evacuation.

Some 15 supporters of the initiative, wearing shirts emblazoned with the words "The Jewish Authority" cheered Yitzhaki's announcement.

Yitzhaki said many residents of the Gush Katif settlement bloc support his initiative, and that elections in the authority would be held in three weeks.

While in the northern West Bank, some settlers clashed with Israel Defense Forces troops after the army attempted to impose a seal on the area surrounding settlements set to be evacuated.

Some two hundred residents of the settlement of Shavei Shomron clashed with the troops and broke down a gate on the road leading to Sa-Nur and Homesh, two out of four settlements set for evacuation.

In the wake of the clashes, the army left an armored personnel carrier to block the road.

(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2005)