The Palestine Chronology

Overnight, the IDF launches Operation Summer Rains, sending ground troops into s. Gaza; retaking the Dahaniyya airport area as a base, demolishing 5 Palestinian homes and bulldozing land to improve lines of sight, and blowing up 3 bridges to control movement between the Rafah and Gaza City environs; conducting 7 air strikes on Gaza’s only electricity plant nr. Gaza City and 6 transformer stations, wounding 2 Palestinians, blacking out 45% of the Strip, and leaving Gaza fully dependent on electricity fr. Israel); shelling open areas of s. Gaza; repeatedly breaking the sound barrier over the Strip. The IDF’s elite Givati Brigade deploys outside n. Gaza, prepared to enter if rocket attacks resume. Midafternoon, IDF artillery begins shelling n. Gaza for the 1st time since the 6/9 incident that killed 8 Palestinians. After Palestinians fire 2 rockets into Israel in response (causing no damage or injuries), the IDF warns n. Gaza residents to evacuate the area, with Olmert saying that IDF operations will escalate until Shalit is released. In a warning to Syrian pres. Bashar al-Asad and Hamas’s Damascus-based leadership, the Israeli air force makes overflights of Asad’s residence in Latakia (where he is believed to be staying) and along the Syrian coast. Meanwhile, Palestinians fire 6 more rockets toward Israel, but all land inside Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. The AMB says it has kidnapped a 62-yr.-old Israeli man fr. Rishon Letzion, inside Israel, who has been missing since 6/26; issues a statement threatening to target Israeli embassies abroad. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Iktaba nr. Tulkarm; raids a Fatah office in al-Bireh, confiscating computers, arresting 3 Palestinians; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Tulkarm, nr. Hebron. In Khan Yunis, 2 Palestinian children are killed when they accidentally detonate unexploded IDF ordnance. In West Jerusalem, around 100 ultra-Orthodox Jews attack a tour group of 50 pro-Israel Christians for wearing shirts saying “love your neighbor as yourself”; Israeli police intervene to stop the attack but make no arrests; 3 tourists, 1 police officer are injured. (AP, BBC, B’Tselem press release, HA, IFM, IMEMC, ITV, MM, NYT, PCHR, REU, Voice of the Arabs [Cairo], WP, WT, YA 6/28; OSC 6/28 in WNC 6/30; BBC, CSM, HA, IMEMC, MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 6/29; Globe, PCHR 6/29; HJ 7/1 in WNC 7/1; see also AFP, MENA, PSCT 6/27 in WNC 6/28; OCHA 6/30; PCHR 7/6; REU 7/11)

The IDF sends undercover units into Ramallah’s central shopping district, where they arrest Islamic Jihad’s Qalqilya military leader Muhammad Shubaki; when the unit is confronted by armed militants and stone-throwing protesters, the IDF sends in uniformed reinforcements that clash with the Palestinians, leaving 1 PA General Intelligence officer, 3 bystanders dead, at least 35 Palestinians and 1 IDF soldier wounded. The IDF also sends bulldozers, tanks, jeeps 200 m inside the Gaza border nr. Bureij r.c. to level land for ongoing construction of a cement wall along the n. Gaza border; raids the municipal offices in Maithalun nr. Jenin, removes the Palestinian flag fr. the building, fires tear gas; patrols in Farkha nr. Nablus (firing on residential areas), Kafr Dan; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Bethlehem, and nr. Hebron, Jenin. In central Gaza, PSF chief for central Gaza Nabil Hudud dies when a bomb rigged to his car explodes; no group claims responsibility; Fatah and Hamas gunmen, however, exchange fire outside Gaza’s Shifa Hospital after Hudud’s body is brought in. In Khan Yunis, unidentified gunmen kidnap, shoot 3 Hamas mbrs., killing 1; no group claims responsibility; Hamas accuses the PA security forces. (AFP, Guardian, HA, NYT, PCHR, Palestine Monitor [Internet], WP 5/25; OCHA, PCHR 6/1)

The IDF detains Change and Reform PC mbrs. Khalid Abu ‘Arafa, Ahmad Abu Atun, Muhammad Abu Tir for participating in a public demonstration at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount on 5/19 to urge people to donate money to the PA government, bars them fr. entering the holy site for 2 wks.; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Nablus and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Ramallah. The High Court of Israel also approves a segment of the separation wall in Ramallah that will isolate at least 3,900 d. of Palestinian land and uproot 1,100 olive trees. Fatah and Hamas activists, mbrs. of the predominately Hamas ESF and the predominantly Fatah PA Preventive Security Forces (PSF) exchange fire nr. the PC headquarters in Gaza City, killing the Jordanian amb.’s driver, wounding 11 Palestinians in the crossfire; it is unclear who shot first and why. Fatah, Hamas gunmen (not mbrs. of the security forces) also clash in Khan Yunis, leaving 1 Fatah mbr. dead; Hamas says the incident was sparked by Fatah mbrs. attempting to kidnap 2 of its men, whereas Fatah says it began when Hamas mbrs. ambushed a Fatah vehicle. (AFP, HA 5/22; AFP, NYT, WP, WT 5/23; PCHR 5/25)

The IDF makes an air strike on a moving car in Gaza, assassinating senior Islamic Jihad military cmdr. Muhammad Dadu, killing 3 bystanders and wounding 4; patrols in Balata r.c. late in the evening, fatally shooting a Palestinian woman who comes to her window to observe events; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Tulkarm town and r.c., nr. Hebron, Jenin. Meanwhile, a bomb explodes at the PA General Intelligence Service (GIS) offices in Gaza, seriously wounding GIS chief Tariq Abu Rajab in an apparent assassination attempt, killing his bodyguard, wounding 8 others (unidentified gunmen shot, wounded a bodyguard outside Abu Rajab’s home on 5/14); PA security forces taking the wounded to the hospital fire fr. the windows of their cars to clear the streets; mbrs. of the ESF, believing themselves under attack, fire toward the convoy, causing no injuries. No group takes responsibility for the bombing; PA PM Ismail Haniyeh calls for an investigation. In response to the attempt on Abu Rajab’s life, a group calling itself the Fatah Protection Unit demands that PA Pres. Mahmud Abbas dismiss the Hamas-led government and call new elections, that the Interior Min. disband the ESF. Unidentified Palestinian gunmen fire on the home of Interior Min. spokesman Khalid Abu Hilal, causing damage but no injuries. (JAZ, PNN 5/20; MENA, PSCT, VOI 5/20 in WNC 5/21; NYT, WP, WT 5/21; AFP, Daily Star, HA, MM 5/22; PCHR 5/25)

Senior PRC cmdr. Abu Yusuf Abu Quka (allied with Hamas) is killed in a car bombing in Gaza City; the PRCs blame PA security forces linked to Fatah (specifically to Gaza strongman and PC mbr. Muhammad Dahlan) in collaboration with Israel; the IDF denies involvement. Clashes erupt btwn. PRC mbrs., PA security forces allied with Dahlan at Abu Quka’s funeral later in the day, leaving 3 Palestinians dead, 35 wounded. In light of the 3/30 bombing, the IDF tightens restrictions on Palestinian movement in the n. West Bank, barring Palestinians ages 15–32 fr. crossing checkpoints in the Nablus area; carries out early morning air strikes, fires 10s of shells fr. naval vessels at the n. Gaza no-go zone, a soccer stadium in Gaza City, causing damage to a number of homes but no injuries; makes late-night F-16 air strikes on a hotel under construction nr. Bayt Lahiya, partially destroying it; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron (violently beating a 78-yr.-old Palestinian woman), nr. Nablus. Some 40 Jewish settlers fr. Elon Moreh nr. Nablus (including 2 off-duty IDF soldiers) beat, fire on Palestinian farmers working their fields nr. Salim. (AFP, REU 3/31; HA, JAZ, NYT, WP, WT 4/1; XIN 4/2 in WNC 4/3; MM 4/5; MM, PCHR 4/6; HA 4/16)

Israel extends the seal on the West Bank and Gaza (imposed on 3/11) until after the 3/28 Israeli elections. The IDF arrests 3 unarmed Palestinians attempting to sneak into Israel fr. n. Gaza to find work; patrols in Nablus; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus; seizes 766 d. of Palestinian land in Bethlehem for construction of the separation wall. (AFP, IMEMC 3/19; PCHR 3/23)

The UN warns that Gaza is dangerously short of basic foodstuffs and faces a major humanitarian crisis as a result of Israel’s continued closure of the Qarni trade crossing. The UNRWA Gaza dir. reports that the agency has run out of food to distribute to impoverished families. In a bid to avert a crisis, U.S. Amb. to Israel Richard Jones calls an emergency mtg. with Israeli, PA delegations (with the participation of reps of the EU, Egypt) in Tel Aviv to discuss declining humanitarian conditions in Gaza; says shortages of food, medicine are beginning to threaten Palestinians’ basic welfare. The sides agree to open Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing in s. Gaza on 3/20 for the transport of humanitarian goods fr. Egypt. (AFP, AP 3/19; MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/20)

Having failed in its negotiations with Fatah and other parties to form a national unity government or agree on a national unity program, Hamas presents its cabinet slate to Abbas for approval and issues the draft national unity program as its platform. (AP, NYT, WT 3/19; AP, MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/20; HA 3/21; MM 3/22; MM, Washington Jewish Week 3/23)

An IDF soldier is killed during an arrest raid in Jenin targeting Islamic Jihad and the Fatah tanzim. The IDF imposes a curfew on Hawara nr. Nablus; conducts arrest raids in al-Arub r.c., Jenin town and r.c. (occupying several homes as observation posts), al-Til nr. Tulkarm (destroying 3 cars). Israeli police break up a Palestinian conference in Jerusalem on the elections and the future of the city, seal the venue, arrest several speakers and participants, including PC mbrs., on charges of conducting illegal political activity. Palestinians in Gaza report that due to Israel’s ongoing closure of the Qarni commercial crossing, all bakeries in the Strip have closed for lack of flour. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai nr. Hebron bar Palestinian farmers fr. working their land nearby, cut down several grape vines. (AFP, IMEMC, MM 3/16; PCHR 3/23)

The IDF fires missiles at a car driving in Gaza’s Bureij r.c., assassinating Islamic Jihad mbrs. Ashraf Shalluf and Munir Sukkar, also killing 3 bystanders (ages 11, 14, and 17), wounding 12 bystanders; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, Tulkarm and in ‘Aqqaba, nearby Tubas (firing on residential areas and stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops), Nablus (firing on stone-throwing youths, wounding 1 bystander). In central Gaza, 2 Palestinians are killed when explosives they are handling detonate prematurely. Outside the Gaza PC building, where the new PC is holding its 1st session, 15 Fatah gunmen fire in the air, demanding Fatah PC mbrs. not take part in a Hamas-led government, threatening to kill any Fatah PC mbr. who agrees to join. (AFP, AP 3/6; HA, IMEMC, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 3/7; PCHR 3/9)

The IDF bulldozes 150 d. of Palestinian orchards and olive groves nr. Hebron to construct a new road leading to an unauthorized settlement outpost, begin installing electricity generators; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron and in al-Azza r.c., Hebron, Nablus, Qalandia r.c. The local Fatah leadership in Rafah announces its resignation fr. the movement, citing the 1/25 election defeat. (AFP, IMEMC, XIN 1/29; PCHR 2/2)

As the campaign period for the 1/25 Palestinian elections opens, Israeli police in East Jerusalem arrest Independent Palestine candidate Mustafa Barghouthi as he campaigns, releases him after 4 hrs.; detain 7 Fatah candidates campaigning in the city; disperse a Third Way rally led by Palestinian Council (PC) mbr. Hanan Ashrawi (Jerusalem); in 2 separate incidents, bars Central Election Commission (CEC) staff mbrs. fr. crossing a Tulkarm checkpoint to attend an election-related mtg. in nearby Dayr al-Ghusun and the Jordan Valley; blocks the transportation of election campaigning material fr. the West Bank to Gaza; sends troops into Jenin town and r.c. Meanwhile, the IDF opens the new Kerem Shalom commercial crossing on the Egypt-Gaza-Israel border; fatally shoots wanted Palestinian Mustafa Muhammad during an arrest raid nr. Hebron; raids a Palestinian school in Anata n. of Jerusalem, firing rubber bullets, injuring 1 teacher, 1 student and then fires on stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops, wounding 8; bulldozes a Palestinian home in Bayt Hanina; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem, Jalazun r.c., Jenin town and r.c., Nablus, Qalqilya; dismantles 3 unauthorized settlement outposts nr. Bat Ayin, Efrat, Pdu’el. In response to the 1/2 assassination, Islamic Jihad fires at least 12 rockets at the Negev, the ARB fires a rocket at Sederot, causing no damage or injuries; the IDF responds with artillery fire on 8 roads leading to the n. Gaza no-go zone, causing no injuries. The AMB, ARB claim joint responsibility for detonating an explosive device nr. an IDF bulldozer operating on Jenin r.c., seriously injuring 1 IDF soldier. PA police arrest Gaza AMB leader Ala’ al-Hams for plotting the kidnapping of 3 Britons on 12/28. Jewish settlers fr. Avraham Avino break into, rob, vandalize several Palestinian shops in Hebron. (AFP, AP, BBC, HA, IMEMC, JAZ 1/3; IMEMC, PMC, WP, WT, YA 1/4; HA, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 1/5; HA 1/6; PLO Negotiation Affairs Dept. press release 1/23)