The Palestine Chronology

The IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian at a checkpoint in s. Gaza after he opens fire on a car carrying Jewish settlers, wounding 3; fatally shoots a mentally handicapped Palestinian who strays too close to Aley Sinai settlement; conducts arrest raids in Ramallah. Late in the evening, 2 Palestinian gunmen (1 Hamas, 1 Islamic Jihad) infiltrate an IDF barracks at Netzarim settlement, fatally shooting 3 IDF soldiers, wounding 2 before the Hamas mbr. is shot dead, the Islamic Jihad mbr. escapes. 2 Palestinians die of injuries received in the 10/20 IDF attack on Nussayrat r.c., bringing that toll to at least 10. Palestinians also fire a Qassam rocket at the Negev, causing no damage or injuries. In Tulkarm, the AMB executes 2 Palestinians suspected of providing Israel with information used to assassinate an AMB mbr. on 10/4. Israel issues tenders for construction of 333 new housing units in West Bank Jewish settlements. Jewish settlers attack Palestinian cars, property in Hebron. (HA 10/23; VOP 10/23 in WNC 10/25; AFP, HA, MM, NYT, WP 10/24; VOP 10/24, MENA 10/26 in WNC 10/28; NYT, WT 10/25; NYT 10/26; HA, MM 10/27; MM 10/28; AYM 10/28 in WNC 10/30; PR 10/29; PCHR 10/30; MEI 11/7)

In a move that Israel claims will save the road map, the IDF arrests more than 130 alleged Hamas mbrs. and supporters in Hebron (including women, elderly men, and 1 pregnant woman, who collapses, is taken to the hospital), 30 Palestinian “terror suspects and their helpers” in Nablus. In its deepest incursion into PA areas in Gaza in recent wks., the IDF sends bulldozers into Khan Yunis and Rafah, firing on residential areas, demolishing 5 Palestinian homes in Rafah, 2 in Khan Yunis, also razing 13 dunams of land. The IDF also finds, disables a booby-trapped bicycle nr. a s. Gaza settlement, a bomb in a car in Ramallah; conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem, Nablus. Palestinians fire 4 mortars at Gaza settlements and 1 Qassam rocket toward the Negev, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF removes 2 tents comprising an unauthorized outpost erected in recent days; meanwhile, Jewish settlers set up 2 new unauthorized outposts elsewhere in the West Bank. A PA general intelligence unit raids, closes the Voice of al-Aqsa radio station in Gaza city. The move apparently aims to curb incitement, though the PA says the station was set up without a permit. (BBC, HA, MM 6/24; HA, NYT, WP, WT 6/25; PCHR, Palestine Information Center 6/26)

Israeli police charge 5 Islamic Movement leaders with “service to an outlawed organization, holding funds belonging to an outlawed organization, and moneylaundering,” for funneling some $10 m. to Hamas charity groups in the occupied territories fr. abroad. At least 2 of the mbrs., including Islamic Movement leader Ra‘ad Salah, are charged with membership in a terrorist organization and contact with a foreign agent (Nabil Mahzomah, an Israeli Arab who was deported to Lebanon in the mid-1980s and allegedly has worked as an agent for Iranian, Lebanese intelligence). The groups they reportedly had contact with were Charity Coalition (outlawed in 2/02), the al-Aqsa Fund (outlawed in 1992), Interpal (outlawed in 1997), the Holy Land Fund (outlawed in 1997). (HA, MM 6/24; HA, NYT, WT 6/25)

The IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in Jenin; conducts arrest raids in Nablus. Nr. the Negev village of Tal Arad, 5 Israeli policemen attempt to arrest a bedouin youth for throwing stones at cars, sparking a riot by 10s of local bedouin in which the police shoot, wound 3 bedouin; 2 bedouin, 5 policemen are also injured in scuffles. Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket at Sederot, lightly injuring 1 Israeli. Jewish settlers set up a new unauthorized outpost, nr. the site of 1 taken down last wk. Israel bars entry at the Ben-Gurion Airport to a delegation of Belgian, Dutch doctors on a mission to assess the damage to the Palestinian health care system in the West Bank, Gaza. (HA, Medical Fact Finding Mission–Palestine press release 6/23; PCHR, WJW 6/26)

The IDF launches a major predawn raid on Bayt Hanun, sending 70 tanks and armored vehicles into the area, firing on residential areas, killing 5 Palestinians (including a 12-yr.-old Palestinian boy who is allowed to bleed to death over 3 hrs., as the IDF bars access to medical workers), wounding 20, demolishing at least 4 Palestinian homes, bulldozing 100s of orange trees, conducting house-to-house searches; says troops plan to stay in the town for several days. The IDF also surrounds the adjacent town of Bayt Lahia, Jabaliya r.c. A Palestinian gunman opens fire at the Qarni crossing, killing 2 Israeli civilians before being shot dead by the IDF. Another Palestinian gunman fires on a vehicle nr. Neve Tzuf settlement, lightly injuring 1 Jewish settler. Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket nr. Jabaliya, which lands in the Negev desert. Palestinians across the West Bank, Gaza hold rallies, marches to mark the 55th anniversary of the Nakba. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, WT 5/15; MENA 5/15 in WNC 5/16; HA, MM, NYT, WP 5/16)

The IDF raids an Internet cafe´ in Jenin in search of an Islamic Jihad mbr., fatally shooting 1 Palestinian bystander, wounding 6, arresting the wanted man, 6 others; fatally shoots a 75-yr.-old Palestinian farmer riding a donkey through a restricted area nr. Netzarim settlement; fatally shoots a mute Palestinian who had stopped to watch Palestinians throw stones at troops in Tulkarm; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Hebron, 1 in Rafah. Jewish settlers open fire on stone-throwing Palestinians in the West Bank, seriously injuring a 14-yr.-old Palestinian boy. The Israel Lands Admin. sprays toxic chemicals on 1,500 dunams of bedouin crop land belonging to the unrecognized village of Abda in the Negev. (ADL, MM 3/4; NYT, PM, WP, WT 3/5; PCHR 3/6; LAW 3/13)