Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the Gaza Strip settlements and four settlements in the northern West Bank closed to all nonresidents on Wednesday to keep out protesters opposed to Israel's planned withdrawal from the communities. Israeli soldiers set up a roadblock Wednesday morning and began turning away all those without residence permits, The Associated Press reported. Sharon met with Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra and the heads of various security forces on Tuesday and they agreed to seal off the communities slated for evacuation next month, according to a statement from Sharon's office. The step also gave security forces the authority to remove any nonresidents who are already in the settlements.
