The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, percussion grenades at Palestinians holding a nonviolent protest against settlements at the evacuated settlement site of Homesh nr. Jenin (wounding 5); conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, percussion grenades at Palestinian, Israeli, international peace activists taking part in nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall in Bil‘in (10s suffer tear gas inhalation), Jayyus nr. Qalqilya (10s suffer tear gas inhalation; a Palestinian Council mbr. and PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. are detained for questioning), and Ni‘lin (injuring 1). In East Jerusalem, Israeli police raid and halt a cultural event at a theater in the city organized by the Jerusalemite Youth Parliament and several local NGOs and schools, stating that it was a political event connected to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which the organizers deny. (PCHR 11/27)

Israeli pres. Shimon Peres sets 2/10 as the date for parliamentary elections. (REU 10/28; MM 10/29)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus and Salfit, nr. Bethlehem and Qalqilya. (OCHA 10/29; PCHR 10/30)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts random ID checks of Palestinians harvesting olives nr. Nablus, arresting 1; raids, imposes a curfew on Azun nr. Qalqilya, fires on residential areas, blocks a main road with sand and rocks, then withdraws; fires rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, percussion grenades at Palestinian, Israeli, international peace activists taking part in a nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in Bil‘in (10s suffer tear gas inhalation); fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international peace activists taking part in a similar nonviolent demonstration in Ni‘lin (seriously injuring an 11-yr.-old girl); conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-Fara‘a r.c. (firing live ammunition at stone-throwing Palestinian youths who confront them, wounding 3, 1 of them seriously) and nr. Bethlehem (occupying 1 Palestinian home as an observation post, evicting the family), Nablus. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar attack Palestinians harvesting olives nearby, burn 15 olive trees, march through Bidan village in a show of force. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba demand that a Palestinian mechanic near the settlement fix their car, beat him when he refuses. Jewish settlers temporarily reoccupy the evacuated Homesh settlement site, stone passing Palestinian vehicles. The WHO arranges an emergency shipment of 4 truckloads of medical items into Gaza, noting that the PA’s Ramallah-based central pharmacy has sent no medial supplies to Gaza since it took over that function from the WHO on 9/1; as a result, 94 essential drugs have been entirely depleted in Gaza. (OCHA 10/29; PCHR 10/30; AIC 11/9)

In the West Bank, the IDF makes a predawn raid on Kafr Malik nr. Hebron, firing on 2 Palestinians allegedly carrying Molotov cocktails, killing 1 Palestinian; makes a predawn raid on Qabatya nr. Jenin (which is under daytime PA security control), arresting 4 Islamic Jihad mbrs., confiscating 88 lbs. of explosives; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-Fara‘a r.c., Jenin town and r.c. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim nr. Qalqilya burn a Palestinian olive grove. Jewish settlers fr. Elon Moreh nr. Nablus slash the tires, break the windows of the car of a Palestinian family harvesting their olive grove nearby; IDF soldiers observe but refuse requests of the Palestinian family to intervene. Jewish settlers fr. Efrat and Kefar Etzion nr. Bethlehem, escorted by the IDF, set up several mobile homes at an abandoned IDF post in Bayt Sahur, hold prayers in local park. (NYT 10/17; OCHA 10/22; PCHR 10/23; AIC 11/9)

In the West Bank, the IDF raids a Palestinian home in Hebron based on complaints fr. local settlers, arrests 3 Palestinian youths; conducts large-scale, late-night arrest raids and house searches nr. Bethlehem. The IDF evacuates Jewish settlers fr. the unauthorized outpost of Shvut Ami nr. Qalqilya; in retaliation, the settlers attack nearby Palestinian farmers, set fire to 10 d. of agricultural land (burning 100 olive trees), block a road to Palestinian traffic, stone passing Palestinian vehicles; IDF troops bar Palestinians fr. extinguishing the crop fire. Jewish settlers fr. Ginot Shomron nr. Qalqilya attempt to storm the nearby Palestinian village of Azun, but the IDF blocks them to prevent clashes. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai settlement nr. Hebron attack Palestinians harvesting olives nearby, steal their olives; the IDF arrests 2 Palestinian teenagers who try to fend off the settlers. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba damage Palestinian water pipelines nearby, demolish several branch roads that had previously been blocked off by the IDF and settlers. (OCHA 10/8; PCHR 10/9)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin town and r.c., in Hebron, and nr. Bethlehem, Nablus, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. (PCHR 9/4; OCHA 9/10; PCHR 9/11)

In a rare Israeli prosecution of Israeli security forces for their actions in the West Bank, 2 Israeli border policemen are convicted of manslaughter for kidnapping a 17-yr.-old Palestinian and throwing him from a moving vehicle in Hebron in 2002; they face up to 20 yrs. in jail. (WP 9/4)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts predawn patrols in Tulkarm town and r.c.; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Ramallah, nr. Bethlehem and Jenin; conducts late-night patrols in al-Fara‘a r.c. and Tammun village nr. Tubas. Jewish settlers fr. Brakha settlement nr. Nablus burn 7 dunams (d.; 4 d. = 1 acre) of Palestinian agricultural land. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim nr. Qalqilya stone Palestinian vehicles passing by the settlement, causing no injuries; the IDF removes them. In Hebron, a group of Jewish settlers beats 2 Palestinians. As the Palestinian school yr. begins, the Ramallah-based, Fatah-run Palestinian Teachers’ Union calls on Gaza’s 10,000 teachers and school administrators to strike to protest Hamas’s de facto rule, acknowledging that the strike is, in part, intended to disrupt life in Gaza and weaken the Hamas government; the PA pledges to continue to pay the teachers’ salaries as long as they observe the strike, which lasts through the end of the quarter; Hamas authorities quickly begin contracting 1,000s of substitute teachers to keep schools running. (OCHA 8/27; PCHR 8/28; WT 10/15)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border shoot, wound a Palestinian collecting scrap metal who strays nr. the border fence. In the West Bank, the IDF detain without charge the father of a young girl who filmed IDF troops in Ni‘lin shooting and wounding a bound Palestinian prisoner on 7/7; fire on residential areas of Bayt Umar nr. Hebron, then fire on stone-throwing youths who confront them, wounding 1; also patrols in, fires on residential areas of Baytin and al-Bireh nr. Ramallah, causing no injuries; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya. (PCHR 7/24; OCHA, PCHR 7/30)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on Palestinian farmers, preventing them fr. reaching their fields nr. the border fence but causing no injuries. In the West Bank, Ni‘lin villagers defy an IDF curfew to stage peaceful protest marches against the IDF blockade imposed on 7/5; the IDF fires tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets at the protesters, lightly injuring around 50. The IDF also bulldozes newly paved roads in Ni‘lin while the curfew is in place, damaging part of the municipal sewage system; conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Tulkarm, and nr. Bethlehem, Jenin, Qalqilya, Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr. Asfar settlement nr. Bethlehem beat 2 Palestinian shepherds grazing their flocks nearby. In Hebron, local Jewish settlers harass a French diplomatic delegation touring the city with Palestinian guides, arguing that settlers should lead the tour because the delegation was on “Israeli land.” A carload of Jewish settlers fires on a Palestinian taxi nr. Jenin, seriously wounding 1 Palestinian. (WT 7/7; OCHA 7/9; PCHR 7/10)

Just before a Gaza cease-fire goes into effect, the IDF makes a series of air strikes on Gaza (killing 1 armed Palestinian, wounding 1), and Palestinians (mostly Islamic Jihad mbrs. seeking revenge for IDF killings of its mbrs. in previous days) fire 33 rockets and 10 mortars into Israel (causing light damage but no injuries); 5 rockets land inside Gaza, wounding 1 armed Palestinian, 2 civilians. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, nr. Bethlehem; also makes a major arrest raid in Qalqilya, searching, firing on, and heavily damaging a 3-story apartment building and 2 homes, demolishing 2 uninhabited Palestinian homes.(PCHR, WT 6/19; NYT 6/20; OCHA 6/25; PCHR 6/26)

Israel publicly calls for opening “direct, bilateral” peace talks with Lebanon, which says it is not interested (NYT, WP 6/19)

Overnight in Gaza, the IDF sends troops into al-Fukhari nr. Khan Yunis and nearby Shuka to raid and search homes, firing on armed Palestinians who confront them, wounding 2 civilians, 1 armed Palestinian. Troops withdraw to Israel early in the morning. The Israeli navy detains 6 Palestinian fishing off the Rafah coast, questions and releases 16 fishermen. Palestinians fire a rocket toward Israel, but it lands inside Gaza, hitting a home e. of Gaza City, injuring a mother, 2 children. Egyptian border police find a cache of more than 1,000 lbs of explosives, including mortars and rockets, on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border. Overnight in the West Bank, the IDF sends troops into Qabatya to raid and search homes, 2 schools, a mosque, confiscating money and computers, arresting 10 Palestinians; before withdrawing in late morning, troops fire tear gas at children heading to school, injuring 10. The IDF also conducts daytime arrest raids nr. Qalqilya; fires tear gas at Palestinians demonstrating against the separation wall in Ni‘lin (pop. 5,000) nr. Ramallah, causing no injuries; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Qalqilya, and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron. (NYT, OCHA 5/28; PCHR 5/29)

Overnight, the IDF makes an incursion into Abasan, raiding and searching homes, occupying several as operational bases, making air strikes on local gunmen who confront them (killing 1 Hamas mbr., seriously wounding 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs. and 1 Hamas mbr.), demolishing 1 Palestinian home, bulldozing 110 d. of agricultural land and 4 poultry farms, arresting 4 Palestinians before withdrawing late in the evening. The IDF also makes an early-morning incursion into Jabaliya town, fatally shooting a Palestinian civilian riding a bicycle for no apparent reason, exchanging fire with local gunmen (killing 1 armed Palestinian, 1 bystander), hitting 3 Palestinian homes with tank fire (injuring 3 Palestinian civilians). Later, Palestinians fire a Grad-type rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, striking a shopping mall in Ashqelon, wounding 16 Israelis, 3 of them seriously; several groups, excluding Hamas, claim responsibility. Late in the evening, the IDF makes an air strike on Gaza City, killing 2 Palestinian resistance mbrs. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Bethlehem and Nablus, and in Qalqilya. (NYT, PCHR, WP 5/15; PCHR 5/22)

Overnight, the IDF sends troops into Khuza, imposing a curfew, firing on residential areas (killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 2 inside their homes), exchanging gunfire with armed Palestinians (wounding 3), arresting 2 Palestinians, and bulldozing 106 d. of agricultural land, 1 Palestinian home, 4 greenhouses, 2 poultry farms before withdrawing late in the morning. The Israeli navy fires on Palestinian fishing boats off the Rafah coast, forcing them to return to shore but causing no reported damage or injuries. Palestinians fire at least 3 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing damage but no injuries; fire 1 mortar at Nahal Oz crossing while an emergency fuel shipment to UNRWA is been transferred into Gaza, prompting the Israelis to close the terminal. In the West Bank, the IDF removes the tiny unauthorized settlement outpost of Hazon David nr. Kiryat Arba; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus. Jewish settlers fr. Gil’ad Farm outpost nr. Qalqilya attack a Palestinian shepherd, steal a sheep. (NYT 5/5; OCHA 5/7; PCHR 5/8)

Overnight, in Gaza, the IDF launches an incursion into Dayr al-Balah, occupying and searching homes, detaining 40 Palestinians (releasing them all on 4/28), and bulldozing 6 Palestinian homes, 200 d. of olive groves, 30 beehives, and an animal pen (killing 60 sheep), also heavily damaging 3 homes before withdrawing late at night. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Ramallah, in Bethlehem, nr. Qalqilya. (OCHA, PCHR 4/30)

In Gaza, the IDF continues the incursion into Bayt Hanun begun on 4/25, demolishing the home of the Hamas mbr. targeted on 4/25, leveling surrounding land before withdrawing in the early morning. The IDF also sends troops into Bayt Lahiya, to seize and take to Israel local Hamas leader Hasan Marouf, trading heavy gunfire with local Palestinians and firing on Marouf’s home, killing his 14-yr.-old daughter. In the West Bank, the IDF raids an orphanage for girls, a 2d sewing factory in Hebron owned by the ICA (see 4/11), reiterating its 2/26 decision to evict residents and seal the sites for 3 yrs. if they are not vacated and turned over to the IDF within 24 hrs. (the ICA ignores the orders); conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Jenin, Qalqilya. In Jerusalem, Israeli police barricade gates into the Old City, forcibly bar Orthodox Palestinian worshipers fr. reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the St. Jacob Cathedral to perform Holy Saturday services to mark Orthodox Easter (cf. 4/22), beating and arresting several worshipers, while allowing Jewish worshipers to enter the Old City for Pesach celebrations. (Arab Orthodox Institute in East Jerusalem press release, al-Quds, WP 4/27; OCHA, PCHR 4/30)

In Gaza, the IDF makes a late-night air strike on a group of Hamas mbrs. in Khan Yunis, missing them, hitting an apartment building, causing no injuries; makes a latenight incursion into Bayt Hanun, under cover of aircraft that fire on several groups of Palestinians and buildings, killing a 55-yr.-old Palestinian in his home, seriously wounding another Palestinian, demolishing several greenhouses, damaging 5 homes. A Palestinian shepherd is injured when he accidentally triggers a landmine e. of Jabaliya r.c. In the West Bank, the IDF shoots, wounds an unarmed Palestinian who strays nr. the separation wall northwest of Jerusalem; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, in Anata e. of Jerusalem and Qabatya, and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Qalqilya. Jewish settlers fr. Karnei Shomron nr. Tulkarm stone Palestinian cars passing by the settlement, damaging 1. (PCHR 4/24; OCHA, PCHR 4/30)

In Gaza, the IDF makes an air strike on a car carrying 2 Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades mbrs. nr. Khan Yunis, missing it, wounding 6 bystanders. Gazan PC mbrs. erect a tent in front of the PC headquarters in Gaza City, begin a hunger strike to protest Israel’s ongoing siege. In the West Bank, the IDF fires on stone-throwing Palestinian youths outside Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem, wounding 5 with live ammunition; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Qabatya, and nr. Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya, Tulkarm. Israel bars access to the Jordan River to 15,000 Christians making a pilgrimage to Jesus’s baptismal cite to mark Orthodox Christian Holy Week, keeping them behind a fence 30 ft. fr. the river. Birzeit University student council elections allot 25 seats to Fatah, 19 to Hamas, 5 each to the PFLP and a joint Islamic Jihad/People’s Party list. Students clash over the results, prompting the university to close the campus until tensions cool. (OCHA, WT 4/23; PCHR 4/24)

Overnight, the IDF sends troops into Gaza City, arresting 3 Palestinians; expands the incursion in the morning, firing artillery shells at a car carrying resistance mbrs. (killing 1 armed Palestinian, wounding 1), and bulldozing a mosque, 3 stores, a transmission tower, 10 d. of olive groves, a bird farm (killing 1,500 birds), several smaller animal pens, 85 beehives before withdrawing in the evening. The IDF also fires on, arrests a Palestinian farmer working his land nr. the border fence e. of Khan Yunis; makes a late-night incursion into Khan Yunis, where troops clash with local gunmen, leaving 1 IDF soldier, 1 Hamas mbr. dead and arresting 5 Palestinians (including a child). Palestinians fire 3 rockets, 32 mortars fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Jenin town and r.c. and Qalqilya (also raiding, sealing an Islamic charity, library, supermarket, and press; searching al-Quds Open University), and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Tulkarm. (IFM 4/8; OCHA, PCHR 4/9; NYT, WP 4/10)

In Gaza, the IDF sends troops into alBureij r.c., fires 6 tank shells at a Palestinian home, destroying the 2d floor but causing no reported injuries (cf. 4/4). In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Qalqilya, nr. Bethlehem. (OCHA, PCHR 4/9)

In Gaza, the IDF bulldozes 24 d. of olive groves and a small Gaza police outpost nr. al-Maghazi r.c. Egyptian border police discover, demolish a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in Anata nr. Jerusalem; occupies a Palestinian home nr. Jenin as a military outpost; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Tulkarm and in al-Bireh (raiding and searching the municipal building, rounding up 2 municipal employees fr. their homes and bringing them to the offices to log onto password-protected computers), Ramallah (raiding the chamber of commerce offices), Jericho. The Israeli Housing Min. presents Olmert with a proposal for construction of 1,900 new Jewish settler housing units across the West Bank in 2008: 682 units in Beitar Ilit nr. Bethlehem, 510 units in Givat Ze’ev n. of Jerusalem, 302 units in Ma’ale Adumim e. of Jerusalem, 160 units in Binyamin settlement n. of Jerusalem, 158 units in Efrat nr. Bethlehem, and 48 units each in Ariel nr. Salfit and Kiryat Arba in Hebron. Palestinians throw stones at Jewish settler vehicles nr. Nablus; the settlers respond by shooting, killing 3 Palestinian sheep nearby. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim nr. Qalqilya stone Palestinian vehicles driving nearby, causing no reported injuries. PA security forces impose a night curfew on Kafr Thuluth nr. Qalqilya to prevent clashes btwn. feuding families (the curfew is still in place as of 4/8). (PCHR 4/3; OCHA, PCHR 4/9)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Hebron; conducts daytime arrest raids, house searches, ID spot-checks in Qiffin nr. Tulkarm; fires on 2 Palestinian teenagers attempting to bypass the Hawara checkpoint nr. Nablus, seriously wounding 1, arresting both; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem, Jenin, Qalqilya and nr. Hebron, Ramallah, Tulkarm. (OCHA 3/26; PCHR 3/27)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in Jericho; in and around Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya; nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Tulkarm. The IDF also raids a clinic and 2 community centers in alFara‘a r.c. nr. Tubas, confiscating computers. Jewish settlers fr. Shilo nr. Ramallah uproot, burn 200 Palestinian olive trees. (OCHA, PCHR 3/19)

The IDF shells a rocket-launching site in Gaza City and makes an air strike on a 2d rocket-launching site nr. Bayt Lahiya, killing 3 Islamic Jihad mbrs., wounding at least 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs. and 2 civilians; bulldozes land along the border fence e. of al-Maghazi r.c. Palestinians fire 3 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem, nr. Qalqilya. Overnight, in Jerusalem, Israeli authorities hand the body of the 3/6 Mercaz Harav attacker over to his family in Jabal Mukabir for a predawn burial, hoping to prevent clashes surrounding his burial. When news breaks, however, 10s of right-wing Jewish settlers storm Jabal Mukabir, evading police barricades, clashing with riot police, throwing stones at Palestinian homes on the rim of the neighborhood. Nearby, 100s of right-wing Jewish settlers hold a protest rally demanding the expulsion of Palestinian citizens of Israel, scuffle with police. In total, 20 protesters are arrested; 1 protester, 1 policeman are injured. (WT 3/16; OCHA, PCHR 3/19)

The IDF resumes air strikes on rocketlaunching sites in Gaza, citing the need to respond to 15 rockets, 10 mortars fired by Islamic Jihad fr. Gaza into Israel (causing light damage but no injuries) since the IDF assassinations on 3/12. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts daytime arrest raids, house searches in and around Qalqilya and in Tulkarm and neighboring Nur al-Shams r.c.; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin. In Bethlehem, 1,000s of Palestinians from all factions observe a general strike and attend the funeral for 4 Islamic Jihad and AMB mbrs. assassinated on 3/12 in a massive show of unity and protest against Israel’s ongoing attacks since the 11/07 Annapolis conference. A Palestinian shepherd is critically injured when he accidentally triggers IDF UXO nr. Jericho. Jewish settlers fr. Beit Hadasah in Hebron attack a Palestinian elementary school, demolishing a wall and several structures for the ongoing expansion of the school, attempt to occupy the school, beat a Palestinian security guard; the IDF removes the settlers. Israel’s Jerusalem Planning Comm. gives preliminary approval for construction of 2,200 Jewish settler housing units in Givat Hamatos in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Bayt Safafa. In al-Bureij r.c., unidentified assailants kidnap an Islamic Jihad mbr. (BBC 3/13; NYT 3/14; OCHA, PCHR 3/19)

Hamas’s Haniyeh publicly offersIsrael a comprehensive cease-fire deal covering the West Bank and Gaza in exchange for a lifting of the siege of Gaza and a halt to all Israeli “assassinations, killings, and raids.” The Israeli government does not officially reply, but hrs. later in the West Bank, IDF undercover units in Bethlehem ambush, assassinate Islamic Jihad’s Bethlehem cmdr. Muhammad Shihada, senior AMB mbr. Ahmad Balbul), and 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs. driving with them. The IDF also sends troops into Sa‘ida village nr. Tulkarm in search of Islamic Jihad’s Tulkarm cmdr. Salih Karouir, wounding him in an exchange of fire and then shooting him in the head execution style. In an “initial response,” Islamic Jihad mbrs. in Gaza resume rocket fire into Israel, damaging 1 building. The IDF also conducts house searches nr. Hebron, firing on stone-throwing Palestinian youths who confront them, wounding 2; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, Nablus, Tulkarm, as well as in Qabatya, Qalqilya, and nr. Bethlehem, Jenin. In Gaza, 1 Palestinian is killed, 5 are injured when a smuggling tunnel they are renovating collapses; 1 Palestinian is killed when explosives he is handling detonate prematurely. (BBC, IFM 3/12; NYT, PCHR, WT 3/13; OCHA, PCHR 3/19)

The PFLP fires a rocket (the IDF alleges a Grad) fr. Gaza into Israel, hitting nr. Ashqelon, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF bulldozes 4 Palestinian homes (displacing 31 Palestinians) nr. Tubas, another 4 homes in Bayt Dajan in the Jordan Valley (also displacing 31 Palestinians), 2 bedouin tents nr. Hebron, and 2 shops in Qalqilya; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Abu Dis and Jabal Mukabir nr. Jerusalem, Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah, Qalqilya (firing on residential areas, wounding 7 Palestinians, including a woman and 5 children), and Qabatya, as well as nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus. (IFM, NYT, OCHA 3/12; PCHR 3/13)

Overnight, the IDF sends 20 armored vehicles with helicopter support into Gaza City, clashing with local gunmen, wounding 7 Palestinians (including at least 2 bystanders). In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units in a car with Palestinian license plates into Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya to raid a store, arrest a wanted Palestinian; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Azun and Jenin town and r.c., and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron. (OCHA, WT 2/13; PCHR 2/14)

A car bomb explodes in Damascus, assassinating Hizballah intelligence and external operations head Imad Mughniyah, injuring 2 others. No group takes responsibility. Hizballah blames Israel, which hails his death and distances itself from the attack but does not explicitly deny involvement. (WP 2/13; NYT, WP, WT 2/14)