Yamit Hotheads Set Fire to More Abandoned Buildings

Hothead residents of Yamit last night set fire to four more abandoned houses in the northern Sinai town on the Mediterranean coast. Members of the Yamit Actions Committee, merchants and residents holding out for higher compensation for having to abandon the town than the govern

ment is prepared to pay, started setting houses ablaze last week.

Last night’s fires were put out and a spread of the fires to neighboring houses still occupied was prevented by the town’s lone fireman. Last week’s fires were only put out when an Arab firefighting truck arrived from Gaza town. Yamit committeemen said they could not use their own fire engine as it was out of fuel.

Yamit residents were due to meet with the ministerial committee on Sinai compensation, headed by Deputy Premier and Agriculture Minister Simcha Ehrlich late today.

WARNING TO ACTIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Some Yamit residents who are prepared to accept the compensation offer complained to the Actions Committee about the activities of the hotheads who, they said, were endangering their lives and those of their children by setting fire to buildings. They threatened to set fire to the homes of the Actions Committee members.

Other residents of Yamit, including Gush Emunim squatters who have moved in to bolster the population and make it more difficult for the government to evacuate the area in preparation for its handing over to Egypt by next April, are also opposed to the arson, but for different reasons.

They want life to continue as normally as possible, thus indicating to Israel and the world that they are opposed to evacuation and handing over in principle. They hope to gather one million signatures of Israelis who are opposed to Sinai withdrawal, even if that endangers the peace treaty with Egypt.