The Palestine Chronology

A PFLP suicide bomber fr. Askar r.c. nr. Nablus detonates a device in a Tel Aviv open-air market, killing 3 Israelis, wounding 32. The PFLP says that the bombing was carried out to warn Palestinian leaders against being “seduced into talking about ending the resistance and haggling over the national legitimate rights and principles of our people” now that Arafat is out of the West Bank. In the evening, IDF undercover units raid Nablus, assassinate Nablus AMB leader Majdi Mari (whom it attempted to assassinate on 9/15/04), AMB mbrs. Jihad Abu Salah and Fadi al-Sarwan, injure a 4th AMB mbr., 4 bystanders. During the day, the IDF closes the Qalandia checkpoint, declaring the area a closed military zone (see 10/16); fatally shoots 2 Palestinians allegedly attempting to infiltrate Kefar Darom; fires on a group of stone-throwing Palestinian children in Askar r.c., killing a 12-yr.-old Palestinian boy; stops, argues with, shoots and wounds 2 Palestinian teenagers walking nr. the separation wall nr. Jayyus; fires on stone-throwing youths in Jenin r.c.; bulldozes 39 d. of olive groves and greenhouses, 1 Palestinian home nr. Dayr al-Balah; conducts arrest raids, house searches in ‘Anza nr. Bethlehem, al-Bireh, Birzeit, Jayyus, al-Khadir, al-Mughayyir, Nur al-Shams r.c., Rafat nr. Nablus, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers fr. Otniel throw stones at, harass Palestinians and international peace activists harvesting olives on nearby Palestinian land, forcing them to leave. Jewish settlers in Hebron assault Palestinians, attack Palestinian homes nr. the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs. In both cases, the IDF troops observe but do not intervene. (BBC, HA, MM, PM 11/1; HA, JAZ, JP, VOI, VOP 11/1 in WNC 11/3; CSM, MM, NYT, PRCS, WP, WT 11/2; VOP 11/2 in WNC 11/4; PR 11/3; PCHR, WJW 11/4; MEI 11/5; JPI 11/12)

In continuing operations in n. Gaza, the IDF kills 5 Palestinians (including at least 2 civilians, one of them a 15-yr.-old girl) in shelling and gunfire in Jabaliya. In retaliation, Palestinians fire an antitank missile at an IDF patrol in n. Gaza, wounding 2 troops; fire 2 Qassam rockets at Sederot, lightly injuring 1 Israeli. Elsewhere in Gaza, the IDF fires warning shots at a group of Palestinians in Khan Yunis, killing a 4-yr.- old Palestinian; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, Rafah. In the West Bank, 2 wanted Palestinians and 1 IDF soldier are killed, a 3d wanted Palestinian and 4 bystanders are injured in an exchange of fire during an IDF arrest raid on Ramallah; the IDF says the soldier was killed by friendly fire. The IDF bulldozes a grove of 120 olive trees nr. Tulkarm, large areas of agricultural land in Surif for construction of the separation wall; imposes a curfew on Palestinians in Hebron to allow Jewish settlers to hold Sukkoth parades, during which settlers throw bottles, stones at Palestinian homes; conducts arrest raids in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah, Tulkarm. A 70-yr.-old Palestinian dies fr. injuries she received in Nablus on 7/22/04. (MM, NYT, WP 10/4; AFP, IDF Radio, VOI, YA 10/4 in WNC 10/6; HA, NYT, PRCS, WP 10/5; PCHR 10/7; JPI 10/15)

The IDF demolishes 3 brick factories, bulldozes agricultural land in continuing operations in Bayt Hanun; fires on residential areas of Rafah, Tulkarm r.c.; bulldozes 50 dunams of land nr. Jabaliya; conducts arrest raids nr. Tulkarm and in Araba, Qabatya. Armed PRC mbrs. ambush, kidnap Gaza police chief Ghazi Jabali, exchanging gunfire with this bodyguards, wounding 2; parade him through the streets of al-Bureij r.c., accusing him of stealing $22 m. in public funds; release him unharmed. Mbrs. of the Abu Rish Brigades (ARB; a Fatah offshoot) kidnap 4 French citizens, hold them hostage at a Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) office in Khan Yunis for several hrs., demanding that the PA fire corrupt security officials, before releasing them unharmed. Separately, ARB mbrs. kidnap Palestinian security official Khalid Abu al-Ula in Khan Yunis, free him by the end of the day. In the evening, Gaza’s PSF head Rashid Abu Shiblak, Gaza’s General Intelligence chief Amin al-Hindi resign, citing “the state of anarchy and chaos” in Gaza, the PA’s refusal to implement reforms, but Arafat refuses to accept their resignations. (NYT 7/16; VOI 7/16, HJ, VOI 7/17, AYM, HA, MA, al-Ra’i, YA 7/18, SA 7/19 in WNC 7/21; WP, NYT, WT 7/17; AYM 7/18, JP 7/20 in WNC 7/22; MM 7/19; DUS 7/19, AYM 7/20 in WNC 7/23; HA 7/20; NYT, PR 7/21; PCHR, WP 7/22; MEI 7/23; JPI 7/30; PR 8/4; AYM 8/6 in WNC 8/10)

A female Palestinian suicide bomber (mother of 2 small children) detonates a device at the Erez crossing, killing 3 IDF soldiers, 1 Israeli security officer, wounding 12; Hamas’s Shaykh Yasin claims responsibility for the attack, saying it was a joint operation with the AMB, noting Hamas’s 1st use of a female bomber, vowing to escalate attacks. Israel seals Gaza, sends home 4,000 Gazan laborers working in the Erez industrial zone. The IDF raids Budrus nr. Ramallah, detaining Ayid and Na‘im Morrar, the coordinators of the nonviolent protest group Popular Comm. Against the Wall, which stages rallies against the separation wall; places a curfew on Tulkarm r.c., demolishes 3 Palestinian homes there; raids a nursery in Hebron, confiscating files, demolishing furniture. Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets at Erez industrial zone, a mortar at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage or injuries in either incident. (AFP, BBC, HA, MM, PRCS 1/14; MNR, VOI, VOP, YA 1/14 in WNC 1/16; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/15; QA 1/15, AYM 1/17 in WNC 1/21; HA 1/19; WT 1/20; MM, PCHR 1/22; JPI, MEI 1/23)

The World Zionist Organization (WZO) begins offering young Israeli couples up to $9,000/yr. to move to the unauthorized settlement outpost of Givat Salit in northern Jordan Valley. (YA 1/14)