The IDF expands its Balata arrest operation to the wider Nablus area, fatally shooting Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigades leader Ahmad Abu Sharikh, AMB Nablus cmdr. Muhammad Shatawi in apparent...
The IDF sends troops into Balata r.c. in what it says is the beginning of an operation targeting the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB), Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (...
The IDF fires 3 missiles at a car in Dayr al-Balah, but the targets of the apparent assassination escape unharmed; fires live ammunition at stone-throwing Palestinians nr. Qalqilya, wounding 4;...
In Gaza, 1 AMB mbr., 1 PRC mbr. are fatally shot when they jointly attack the IDF post at the Erez crossing with gunfire and grenades, causing no injuries; the IDF shuts the Erez crossing in...
The IDF fires missiles at a car in Gaza City, assassinating AMB mbrs. ’Atiya Abu Shari‘a and Suhail Bakir, wounding 3 bystanders; fires several missiles at roads around Bayt Lahiya, rendering them...
The IDF reopens the Qarni crossing (closed on 1/14); conducts an air strike on 2 cars driving in Gaza City, assassinating Islamic Jihad mbrs. Adnan Bustan, Jihad al-Sawafiri; patrols in and around...
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The IDF expands its Balata arrest operation to the wider Nablus area, fatally shooting Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigades leader Ahmad Abu Sharikh, AMB Nablus cmdr. Muhammad Shatawi in apparent assassinations; firing on stone-throwing youths, wounding 12. The IDF also shells the n. Gaza no-go zone, damaging several homes in Um al-Nasser n. of Bayt Lahiya but causing no injuries; severely beats a Palestinian teenager in Hebron; demolishes a Palestinian home nr. Tulkarm; fires on residential areas of al-Fawwar r.c. nr. Hebron, wounding 2 Palestinians; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Azariyya nr. Jerusalem, Tulkarm, and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin. Palestinians fire a rocket fr. n. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. (AP, IMEMC, MM, NYT, WT 2/20; VOI 2/20 in WNC 2/21; IMEMC, NYT 2/21; PCHR 2/23; YA 3/1)
The IDF sends troops into Balata r.c. in what it says is the beginning of an operation targeting the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB), Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) that will continue for several days, firing on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops (killing 2 Palestinians, wounding 16), occupying an UNRWA school and several homes as operational bases, demolishing a Palestinian home. The IDF also launches air strikes on 2 Popular Resistance Comm. (PRC) mbrs. attempting to lay a roadside bomb or fire rocket nr. the n. Gaza border fence, killing both; fires across the Israeli border into Gaza towards Palestinian farmers working their fields nr. Abasan, causing no injuries; erects a gate at the entrance to Kafr Haris nr. Hebron, facing Ariel settlement; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron and in Allar nr. Tulkarm, al-Azza r.c., Bethlehem, Qabatya nr. Jenin; patrols in Tulkarm. Palestinians fire 2 rockets into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. (VOI, VOP, YA 2/19, VOP 2/20 in WNC 2/20; HA, IMEMC, NYT, WP 2/20; PCHR 2/23)
The Israeli cabinet approves steps to isolate and destabilize the new Hamasled Palestinian government, including immediately halting transfers of VAT taxes collected on the PA’s behalf, a source of some $50 m./mo. in revenues for the cashstrapped PA. The UN special envoy Alvaro de Soto reprimands Israel, saying “these are monies that belong to the Palestinians and should not be withheld.” (Israeli cabinet communique 2/19; VOI 2/19, VOP 2/20 in WNC 2/20; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/20; JP 2/20 in WNC 2/21; WP 2/21; PCHR 2/23)
Hamas nominates moderate Ismail Haniyeh, who led the Change and Reform slate in the 1/25/06 elections, as its candidate for PM to form a cabinet. (VOP 2/19 in WNC 2/20; WP 2/20)
The IDF fires 3 missiles at a car in Dayr al-Balah, but the targets of the apparent assassination escape unharmed; fires live ammunition at stone-throwing Palestinians nr. Qalqilya, wounding 4; fires on residential areas nr. Hebron, wounding 2 Palestinian boys (ages 14 and 15); conducts arrest raids, house searches in Dura (occupying 1 Palestinian home as an observation post) and Nablus, in and around Jenin (seriously wounding a local Islamic Jihad cmdr.). Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai vandalize Palestinian homes, attack Palestinians in Hebron. A Palestinian is killed, 1 is wounded in a tunnel under the Rafah border apparently when Egypt takes measures to collapse it. Egyptian military attache Hussam al-Musali (kidnapped on 2/9) is released in Gaza City; a previously unknown group named Brigades of the Free (thought to be connected to the AMB) claims responsibility. (HA, IMEMC, WP, WT XN 2/11; NYT 2/12; Middle East News Agency 2/12 in WNC 12/13; PCHR 2/16)
In Gaza, 1 AMB mbr., 1 PRC mbr. are fatally shot when they jointly attack the IDF post at the Erez crossing with gunfire and grenades, causing no injuries; the IDF shuts the Erez crossing in response. The IDF also fatally shoots a Palestinian laying a roadside bomb nr. the n. Gaza border fence; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, in Nablus, in and around Hebron. In Gaza City, unidentified Palestinian gunmen ambush, kidnap Egyptian military attache Hussam al-Musali ´ ; no group claims responsibility or issues demands; Hamas denounces the action. The PA releases 39 Islamic Jihad prisoners, 7 AMB mbrs. held in its Jericho jail since arrest sweeps following the 12/5/05 Islamic Jihad suicide bombing in Netanya. (IMEMC, XIN 2/9; NYT 2/10; PCHR 2/16; AFP 2/22)
The IDF fires missiles at a car in Gaza City, assassinating AMB mbrs. ’Atiya Abu Shari‘a and Suhail Bakir, wounding 3 bystanders; fires several missiles at roads around Bayt Lahiya, rendering them impassable. IDF undercover units, a bulldozer and some 25 vehicles enter Nablus, targeting and assassinating Islamic Jihad’s Nablus military cmdr. Raddad (targeted on 2/5) in an exchange of gunfire that also leaves 2 IDF soldiers wounded; hrs. later Palestinians gather at the scene and throw stones at IDF troops, who fire rubber-coated steel bullets at the youths, injuring 11. The IDF fires on stone-throwing Palestinians nr. Jenin; conducts arrest raids and searches shops in Qalandia r.c., firing on residential areas and wounding a Palestinian woman and 2 children; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Nablus and nr. Hebron; confiscates 129 d. of agricultural land in Bayt Hanina n. of Jerusalem for construction of the separation wall. Palestinians fire several rockets fr. Gaza towards Sederot, damaging 1 house, causing no injuries. (HA, WP 2/8; PCHR 2/9)
The IDF reopens the Qarni crossing (closed on 1/14); conducts an air strike on 2 cars driving in Gaza City, assassinating Islamic Jihad mbrs. Adnan Bustan, Jihad al-Sawafiri; patrols in and around Jenin (firing on residential areas, wounding 2 Palestinians) and in al-Khadir; conducts arrest raids, house searches in al-Azza r.c., Balata r.c., Bethlehem, Silwad; begins work on the separation wall extension around Ariel settlement. IDF undercover units also attempt to ambush Islamic Jihad’s Nablus military cmdr. Ahmad Raddad nr. Balata r.c. in an apparent failed assassination attempt; Raddad escapes unharmed. A Palestinian fatally stabs an Israeli woman, wounds 4 on a shared taxi nr. Tel Aviv. (IMEMC 2/5; VOI 2/5 in WNC 2/6; NYT, PCHR 2/6; NYT, PCHR 2/9)
