The Palestine Chronology

The IDF expels a West Bank Palestinian administrative detainee to Gaza (see 12/4); fires on stone-throwing youths outside Nablus, killing 1 Palestinian; fires on a group of Israeli, Palestinian, foreign peace activists staging a nonviolent protest along the separation wall nr. Budrus, wounding 1 Israeli, 10 Palestinians, and arresting, deporting 4 foreigners; demolishes 5 Palestinian homes in Khan Yunis, 2 fences in Hebron; conducts arrest raids in al-Qarara. The IDF also orders 1 Palestinian family isolated btwn. the separation wall and Green Line nr. Qalqilya to evacuate their home because it “is now located in Israel”; a human rights group secures permission for the family to stay while the case is appealed. (HA 12/31; NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 1/1; LAW 1/8; PCHR 1/9)

The IDF attempts to assassinate senior Hamas military leader Jamal Jarrah, firing 2 missiles at his car as he drives in Gaza City, wounding 1 of his passengers, 10 bystanders; the attack marks Israel’s 1st targeting of a Hamas figure since 10/20 and comes soon after the IDF’s 12/26 declaration that it would not target the group. The IDF fires on farmers nr. Morag settlement (killing 1 Palestinian), Palestinian workers laying a sewage channel (seriously wounding 1), Palestinians passing nr. an IDF patrol in Ramallah (wounding 6), residential areas of Dayr al-Balah and Rafah (injuring 3); bulldozes 25 dunams of land nr. Dayr al-Balah; conducts house-to-house searches in Nablus, arrest raids in Jenin. A Jewish settler driving nr. Hebron hits, injures a 5-yr.-old Palestinian boy. (HA 12/30; NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 12/31; PCHR 1/1)

The IDF pulls troops out of Nablus, lifts the 24-hr. curfew after a wk. of operations, during which 10s of Palestinians were detained; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, hitting an 8-yr.-old Palestinian in the chest with live ammunition; conducts arrest raids in and around Hebron, in Rafah. Israeli authorities demolish 7 Israeli Arab homes, a mosque in unrecognized villages in the Negev. Young Fatah mbrs. in Rafah waylay, essentially kidnap Arafat aide Ramzi Khoury, Gaza governor Muhammad al-Kidwa at the border crossing as they return fr. Cairo; take them on a forced 4 hr. tour of the recent IDF destruction in Rafah, protesting the PA’s failure to provide for 1,000s of homeless Palestinians. Jewish settlers attack Palestinians, Palestinian houses in Hebron. (WT 12/30; PCHR 1/1; MEI 1/9; HA 1/13)

The IDF fires tank shells at 3 Palestinians firing mortars at Gaza’s Netzarim settlement in Gaza, killing them; the mortars cause no damage or injuries. The IDF also conducts arrest raids nr. Hebron, Qalqilya; demolishes a Palestinian home in Balata r.c., several structures at an UNRWA school in Dayr al-Balah. IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Moshe Ya’alon visits the hospitalized Israeli peace activist wounded by IDF fire on 12/26, says soldiers apparently did not know Israelis were among the demonstrators, promises a full investigation. Some 1,000 Palestinians in villages around Ramallah hold nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall. Nr. Hebron, 5 Jewish settlers severely beat a Palestinian. (NYT, PM, WP 12/29; VOI, YA 12/29 in WNC 12/31; PCHR 1/1; MM 1/5; MEI 1/9)

The IDF sends additional tanks, troops into Nablus, making the incursion begun on 12/18 (now dubbed Operation Still Water) the largest into the city in over a yr., firing on stone-throwing youths, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 17; closes all roads leading to Tulkarm; erects a number of new roadblocks at entrances to villages around Tulkarm; tightens existing checkpoints, erects 3 new ones around Jenin; demolishes a Palestinian home in Balata r.c.; bulldozes 85 dunams of olive groves east of al-Bureij r.c.; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, wounding a Palestinian toddler in her home; conducts arrest raids in Dayr al-Balah. The IDF also bars 2 bus-loads of international peace activists fr. reaching a 2d day of separation wall protests (see 12/26) in Qalqilya, where 1,000s of Palestinians demonstrate, throw stones at IDF troops. Jewish settlers place mobile homes on the 2 sites of unauthorized settlement outposts previously removed by the IDF nr. Hebron. (NYT, WP, WT 12/28; PM 12/29; PCHR 1/1)

The IDF pulls troops out of Nablus but continues operations in Balata r.c.; demolishes a 3-story apartment building in Rafah; fires on Palestinians attempting to circumvent roadblocks around Bayt Furik nr. Nablus, wounding 1; fires on Palestinian teenagers on their way to school in Hebron, wounding 2; searches buildings in Khan Yunis; bulldozes 50 dunams of land nr. Abu Huli checkpoint in central Gaza. A Palestinian is killed in Nablus when his car mysteriously explodes; the IDF alleges he was transporting a car bomb. A Palestiniandies of injuries received in Rafah on 12/23. (PM 12/24; NYT, PCHR 12/25)

Overnight, the IDF conducts arrest raids in Hebron; raids Jenin, searching homes, firing on residential areas. During the day, the IDF delays a Palestinian woman in labor at a Nablus checkpoint for over 1 hr., causing the death of her twins; imposes a curfew on parts of Hebron; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, Nablus; fires on Palestinians waiting to cross the Abu Huli checkpoint nr. Dayr al-Balah, wounding 5; fires on UNRWA workers repairing waterlines nr. Khan Yunis, wounding 3; conducts arrest raids nr. Ramallah, bringing to 22 the number of alleged Hamas mbrs. arrested in the area over the past wk. In the evening, 2 AMB gunmen ambush, fatally shoot 2 IDF soldiers nr. Dayr al-Balah before being shot dead; 5 Palestinian bystanders are wounded by the IDF return fire. Shortly afterward, the IDF demolishes 7 Palestinian homes, bulldozes 37 dunams of land in nearby Wadi al-Silqa; sends tanks, troops into Rafah to search for smugglers’ tunnels, clashing with residents, leaving 2 Palestinians dead. Palestinian gunmen also ambush 2 Jewish settler vehicles traveling fr. Kiryat Arba settlement to Cave of the Patriarchs/Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, wounding an Israel border patrol officer escorting the settlers, escape unharmed. A Palestinian dies of injuries received last wk. (PM 12/22; HA, VOI, VOP 12/22 in WNC 12/24; BBC, HA, NYT, WP, WT 12/23; VOP 12/23 in WNC 12/25; WP 12/24; PCHR 12/25; HA 1/8)

The IDF conducts an overnight raid of Nablus, detaining regional Hamas spokesman Adnan Asfur; continues house-to-house searches in Balata r.c. for the 6th day, during which a 5-yr.-old Palestinian playing in his yard is killed by stray gunfire, a 53-yr.-old Palestinian dies fr. tear gas inhalation during a raid on his home; demolishes 7 Palestinian homes in Rafah, also firing on residential areas; begins implementing an order to raze 3,000 dunams of land in and around Tarqumiyya nr. Hebron for Jewish settlement infrastructure; bulldozes 14 dunams of land in Wadi al-Silqa nr. Dayr al-Balah. A Palestinian teen dies of injuries received on 12/16. 13 reservists of the IDF elite commando unit Sayaret Matkal sign an open letter to Sharon refusing to serve in the occupied territories, stating, “We have long ago crossed the line between fighting a just cause and oppressing another people.” (HA, REU 12/21; IDF Radio 12/21 in WNC 12/23; HA, MM, NYT, PM, PRCS, WP, WT 12/22; MM 12/23; PR 12/24; PCHR 12/25)

Israel says it will bar Arafat fr. attending Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem for the 3d straight yr. The IDF imposes a curfew on, raids Balata r.c., firing on stonethrowing youths who confront the troops, killing a nearby Palestinian child, wounding at least 10; sends troops into Halhul nr. Hebron as school lets out, firing on stone-throwing Palestinian children, wounding 1, arresting 1, damaging a clearly marked press vehicle driven by an AP cameraman, who says soldiers deliberately opened fire on him with live ammunition; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron, in Tulkarm; demolishes a PSF post in Dayr al-Balah.  (NYT, PR., WP 12/17; PCHR 12/18; WP 12/22)

After the U.S. capture of Iraqi pres. Saddam Hussein on 12/14, Israel acknowledges that in 1992 it aborted a plan to assassinate Hussein after 5 IDF soldiers were killed on 11/5/92 in a training exercise practicing the operation. (MM 12/16; WT 12/17) 

Overnight and early this morning, the IDF demolishes 22 Palestinian homes in Khan Yunis that allegedly provided cover for mortar attacks, leaving 178 Palestinians (25 families) homeless; another 6 Palestinian homes housing 40 Palestinians (6 families) are heavily damaged. The IDF also erects several new roadblocks in the Jenin area; fires on residential areas of Brazil r.c., Hebron, Nablus. The IDF also removes 1 uninhabited unauthorized settlement outpost nr. Nablus, scuffling with Jewish settlers who attempt to block the move. (BBC, PCHR 12/15; NYT 12/16; PR 12/17; PCHR 12/18; MEI 12/19)

The IDF removes sand barriers blocking the main road linking Hebron to Bethlehem that have been in place since the start of the intifada in 9/00, replacing them with a single iron gate and observation tower to control Palestinian traffic; fires on residential areas of Jenin (where a curfew is still in place), Wadi Gaza (on the e. border of the Strip). A group of Jewish settlers attempts to visit Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus but comes under fire fr. AMB, Islamic Jihad gunmen, who wound 7; the IDF arrests another 8 settlers for illegally entering a Palestinian area without its knowledge. Jewish settlers also fence off 1,750 dunams of Palestinian land outside Ramallah, belonging to Turmus ‘Ayya village, fire guns at Palestinians who attempt to reach their olive groves on the land. (AP, HA, BBC 12/12; VOI, YA 12/12 in WNC 12/16; PR 12/17; PCHR 12/18)

Bush signs the Syria Accountability Act, which recommends immediate sanctions on Syria. (WT 12/13; SANA, Syrian Arab Television Network 12/13, THWR 12/14 in WNC 1/16; JT, MENA 12/14 in WNC 12/16; al-Dustur 12/14 in WNC 12/17; THRW 12/14 in WNC 1/17; MM 12/16)

The IDF sends 20 tanks, troops into Rafah to arrest senior Islamic Jihad mbr. Khalid Qadi, sparking a gun battle that leaves 6 Palestinians dead (including 2 Hamas mbrs., 3 bystanders, 1 medic evacuating the wounded), 20 injured; the IDF captures Qadi, demolishes his plus 8 other Palestinian homes. The IDF also issues orders barring Israeli citizens fr. entering Palestinian villages in area B (technically, parts of the West Bank under PA civil and Israeli security control) as of 12/21; demolishes another Palestinian home nr. Hebron; places a curfew on Jenin, fires on residential areas. (MM, NYT, WP 12/11; VOP 12/11 in WNC 12/13; PRCS 12/12; VOP, YA 12/12 in WNC 12/16; PR 12/17; PCHR 12/18; MEI 12/19)

The IDF captures an alleged Palestinian suicide bomber en route to stage an attack; fatally shoots a stone-throwing Palestinian youth in Qalandia; uncovers, destroys a smugglers’ tunnel to Egypt in Rafah; fires on residential areas of Rafah. In Hebron, 3 Hamas mbrs. are killed in a mysterious explosion; the IDF claims they were preparing a bomb, Hamas claims they were assassinated. Palestinians toss grenades at an IDF patrol in Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. Jewish settlers fr. Hagay settlement in Hebron seize 10 dunams of land belonging to the Palestinian village of Rihiyya. (JTA 12/9; VOI, VOP, YA 12/9 in WNC 12/11; HA 12/10; PR 12/10; VOP 12/10 in WNC 12/12; PCHR 12/11)

The IDF erects a new military post in Shaykh Ajlin s. of Gaza City; bulldozes 3 dunams of land nr. Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids in Balata, Nablus, Qabatya, Tulkarm; searches houses in Hebron. Palestinians fire a mortar at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. (VOI, YA 12/8 in WNC 12/10; PCHR 12/11)

The IDF erects a new observation tower in Abasan on the e. border of the Gaza Strip nr. Khan Yunis; reinforces a 2d observation tower in nearby Khuza’; conducts arrest raids s. of Hebron. (PCHR 12/11)

Forthe 1st time in more than a yr., the IDF allows Palestinian store owners in Hebron to open their shops, clean their store-fronts. The IDF also fatally shoots 2 Hamas mbrs. laying a roadside bomb in Gaza; fatally shoots a Palestinian baggage handler at the Rafah crossing to Egypt, mistakenly believing he was attacking when he ran to help someone with their luggage; transfers 12 West Bank Palestinian administrative detainees to Gaza; shells residential areas of Khan Yunis, partially destroying 1 Palestinian home. (NYT, REU 12/6; NYT 12/8; PCHR 12/11)

The IDF removes 3 roadblocks outside Ramallah; shoots, wounds 2 Palestinians in Balata r.c.; blows up a Palestinian home nr. Hebron. (MM 12/3; LAW, MM, PCHR 12/4; PCHR 12/11)