Israel ? Settlers appeared to back down Monday from plans to defy a police ban against a mass march to protest the uprooting of settlements, a sign that resistance to Israel’s pullout from Gaza and part of the West Bank in less than three weeks may be crumbling.

After a day of defiant declarations that thousands would gather today in the town of Sderot, next to Gaza, and march into the doomed Gaza settlements to reinforce the resistance, the head of the settlers’ council said there would be no move on Gaza.

“Our only plan is for a three-hour rally in Sderot,” less than a mile from the Gaza fence, said council head Bentsi Lieberman. “We do not intend to march on Gaza.” Even so, large forces of police were preparing to block them.

Three weeks ago, the military closed Gaza to nonresidents, but there are estimates that about 2,000 pullout opponents have sneaked in to reinforce the 8,500 settlers.