Al-Quds city, July 18, SPA -- Some 20,000 police and soldiers weredeploying in southern Israel on Monday to block a march ofGaza withdrawal opponents _ a crucial test run for securityforces and protesters ahead of the August pullout. Organizers said marchers will try to reach the Jewishsettlements in the Gaza Strip, even though police declaredthe demonstration illegal and last week barred nonresidentsfrom entering the Gaza settlements. Settler leaders and police said they expected tens ofthousands of participants Monday, in what could be thelargest protest yet against the pullout. The crowd is toassemble in the southern Israeli town of Netivot, for thefirst leg of a three-day march to Gaza, 25 kilometers (15miles) away. Some 12,000 police and 8,000 soldiers were being deployedthroughout southern Israel to stop the crowd before itreaches Gaza, said police spokesman Avi Zelba. "It won'tbe easy," Zelba said. The marchers would be allowed to complete the firstsegment, of about 8 kilometers (5 miles), to the farmingvillage of Kfar Maimon, a security official said, citing apreliminary police plan. The marchers would not bepermitted to go on once they reach Kfar Maimon on Mondayevening, the official said on condition of anonymity,because the work plan was still awaiting final approval. Monday's demonstration will test the resolve and abilityof the security forces to deal with large numbers ofprotesters _ a situation troops will face again inmid-August when they begin removing 9,000 residents fromtheir homes in 21 settlements in Gaza and four in the WestBank, according to a report of The Associated Press.--SPA1320 Local Time 1020 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/277562