The Palestine Chronology

The IDF fatally shoots 2 Hamas mbrs. planting a roadside bomb nr. the security fence of a Jewish settlement in n. Gaza; fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts predawn arrest raids in ‘Azun, Burkin nr. Jenin, Dahaysha r.c., Dura, Hebron, Jenin r.c., Tulkarm. The Jenin AMB takes responsibility for the fatal shooting of an IDF soldier sitting inside his tent at an IDF base outside nearby Mevo Dotan settlement. Palestinians fire 4 mortars at Morag, causing no damage or injuries. A Palestinian wounded in the IDF’s 10/11 attempted assassination of Khalil dies of his injuries. AMB mbrs. in Jenin temporarily take over the local Palestinian Council (PC) and PA tax offices, demanding pay raises, pensions for the children Palestinians killed during the intifada; after several hrs., they agree to leave, but the offices remain locked. (BBC, HA, XIN 10/19; VOP 10/19 in WNC 10/21; PR 10/20; QA 10/20 in WNC 10/23; PCHR 10/21)

A team of Egyptian doctors visits Arafat, who has been suffering severe flulike symptoms since 10/12, in his Ramallah compound, sparking rumors that he is serious ill. The doctors conclude that he is suffering from an intestinal virus and gallstones. Arafat suffered a similar bout of gallstones in 2003. (WT 10/19)

The IDF pulls tanks out of Bayt Lahiya, marking the 1st de-escalation of Operation Days of Penitence; makes an air strike on Jabaliya r.c., killing 2 Hamas mbrs. allegedly planting a bomb, before withdrawing late in the evening. In Rafah, the IDF conducts an air strike, killing 2 Hamas mbrs., a 70-yr.- old Palestinian bystander; bulldozes 30 Palestinian homes. The IDF also bulldozes a Palestinian home in Hebron; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem, Jenin r.c., Nablus, Yamun. Jewish settlers fr. Suissa nr. Hebron prevent Palestinian olive pickers fr. reaching their groves. ( JT 10/14; VOI 10/14 in WNC 10/16; NYT, WP 10/15; ITAR-TASS 10/15 in WNC 10/19; PR 10/20; PCHR 10/21)

The PA opens an embassy in Belarus. (Interfax, VOP 10/14 in WNC 10/16; PR 10/20)

The IDF further expands Operation Days of Penitence into Bayt Lahiya, sending in another 45 tanks, 20 armored bulldozers to level 30 d.; shells Bayt Lahiya and Jabaliya from land and sea, killing 1 Hamas mbr. and wounding 2 in the Bayt Lahiya cemetery; directs heavy machine gunfire at residential areas of Jabaliya. The IDF also fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, seriously injuring a 10-yr.-old Palestinian girl in an UNRWA classroom. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Jalbun nr. Jenin, 1 in Hebron; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Nablus and surrounding camps, and in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Ramallah. Unidentified assailants attempt to assassinate the PA’s Gaza public security head Musa Arafat, remote detonating a car bomb outside his Gaza City office; no one is injured. Unidentified gunmen break into the Fatah headquarters in al-Bureij r.c., fatally shoot senior Fatah figure Muhammad Issa; Fatah, Hamas mbrs. take to the streets to in protest. (HA 10/12; AFP, VOI, VOP 10/12 in WNC 10/14; MEZ, NYT, PR, WP, WT 10/13; al-Quds 10/13 in WNC 10/19; NYT, PCHR, WP 10/14; JPI, MEI 10/22; PR 10/27)

The IDF fires a missile at 2 Palestinian boys (ages 12 and 15) playing with pipes and sticks in a street Jabaliya r.c., killing them; says video footage fr. drones in the area appeared to show militants preparing to launch a rocket. Also in n. Gaza, the IDF fires on residential areas of Bayt Hanun, seriously wounding a 12-yr.-old child in her home; demolishes 1 Palestinian home north of Bayt Hanun. A 13-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received in an IDF attack on Jabaliya on 9/30; a 16-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received in Jabaliya on 10/1; a 22-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received in Bayt Hanun on 10/3. The IDF also fires on 2 Palestinians who approach the Israeli border fence nr. the Sufa crossing into Israel in s. Gaza, killing 1 Palestinian while the other escapes; fires on residential areas, demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Rafah; shells residential areas, bulldozes 86 d. nr. Khan Yunis. Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets at Sederot, 2 antitank missiles at IDF troops in Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF moves troops into Balata r.c. and Tulkarm, fires on residential areas, then fires on stonethrowing youths who confront the troops; halts a Palestinian school bus at a Hebron checkpoint, detains 3 students; conducts arrest raids, house searches in ‘Arub r.c., Jenin r.c., and in villages around Nablus, Tulkarm; bulldozes 60 d. southwest of Hebron for construction of the separation wall. The UNRWA delivers food, water to half of the 600 Palestinian families (ca. 3,300 individuals) who have been trapped in their homes east of Jabaliya r.c., unable to leave and without electricity or water since Days of Penitence began on 9/29. (United Nations Information Service 10/7; PSCT, VOI, VOP 10/7 in WNC 10/11; MEZ, WP 10/8; PR 10/13; PCHR 10/14)

In Egypt, a huge truck bomb explodes at the Hilton hotel in Taba, 2 smaller bombs explode at hotels further south along the Red Sea in Nuwayba and Ras al-Shaytan in what appear to be al-Qa‘ida attacks targeting Israelis vacationing for the Sukkoth holidays; 34 people are killed (including at least 13 Israelis, 9 Egyptians, 2 Italians, 1 Russian), some 150 are wounded. (BBC, HA, NYT, WP, WT 10/8; ITAR-TASS, MA, MENA, MM, VOI, VOP 10/8, MENA, al-Quds 10/9, VOI 10/10 in WNC 10/12; NYT, WP, WT 10/9; NYT 10/10; al-Ra’i 10/10, AYM 10/11 in WNC 10/14; LBC 10/10, MM 10/11; VOP 10/11 in WNC 10/13; MM 10/12; MM, NYT, PR 10/13; JP, WJW 10/14; MM 10/15, 10/18, 10/19; WT 10/20; MEI 10/22; WP 10/26)

The IDF continues operations in Bayt Hanun and Jabaliya r.c. launched on 9/28, expands into Bayt Lahiya; occupies buildings as sniper posts; shells, fires on residential areas, killing 1 stone-throwing Palestinian youth, 4 armed Palestinian (including 1 Hamas mbr., wanted PRC mbr. Mosad Baradi), and 1 Palestinian bystander, wounding around 60. Palestinians target military vehicles with roadside bombs, antitank rockets, causing no injuries. Despite the maneuvers, Hamas fires a Qassam rocket at Sederot, killing 2 Israeli children, wounding 5; Sharon says that operations in n. Gaza will be expanded as a result. Late in the evening, the IDF carries out 2 missile strikes at Jabaliya r.c., killing 3 Palestinians and destroying an Islamic charitable organization. The IDF also continues operations begun 9/28 in Shaykh Ajlin, bulldozing 8 Palestinian homes, 8 d.; fires on stone-throwing youths outside Gaza City, killing 1 Palestinian; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, seriously injuring a 4-yr.-old Palestinian inside her home. In the West Bank, the IDF sends troops into Jenin town and r.c., fires on a taxi wrongly thought to be carrying wanted Palestinians, killing the Palestinian driver, a Palestinian man, wounding his wife. In Hebron, 5 Jewish settlers armed with heavy metal chains, rocks, sticks severely beat, rob 2 American women working with Christian Peacemaker Teams escorting Palestinian children to their school; 1 woman suffers a punctured lung, the other a broken arm and knee. Jewish settlers set fire to 400 d. of olive trees nr. Bayt Furik, damaging 100s of trees. (HA, MM 9/29; VOI, VOP, YA 9/29 in WNC 10/1; HA, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 9/30; AFP 9/30 in WNC 10/2; PCHR, PR 10/6, 10/13; JPI 10/15)

The IDF bans until the end of Sukkoth holidays (10/19) all Palestinian vehicular traffic in areas C (full Israel control) of the n. West Bank; fires on Palestinians breaking curfew in Khan Yunis, wounding 3 (ages 2, 12, 22); conducts house-to-house searches in al-Bireh and Ramallah (including dormitories of Birzeit University), also fires on residential areas, wounding 2; conducts arrest raids in Arbuna, Jenin (arresting the wife of wanted Islamic Jihad military cmdr. Amjad Ebeidi in an apparent bid to pressure him toturn himself in), Qalqilya; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, Qalqilya, al-Qarara; bulldozes 160 dunams of land n. of Rafah. Palestinians fire on an IDF patrol nr. Nablus, wounding 3 IDF soldiers. Some 50 Jewish settlers attack Palestinian houses in Hebron; the IDF does not intervene. (VOI 10/8 in WNC 10/11; HA, NYT, PCHR 10/9; PR 10/15; HA 10/20)

Israeli aircraft strike an alleged Islamic Jihad training camp deep inside Syria, just 10 mi. northwest of Damascus in ‘Ayn Sahib, injuring at least 1 security guard. Israel says the attack is in response to the 10/4 suicide bombing, in which it claims Syria played a “detailed role in orchestrating.” Syria denies this, denounces the strike as a “grave escalation,” says its response will be diplomatic. (The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine–General Command [PFLP-GC] says ‘Ayn Sahib is its fmr. training base, which is no longer active; says the site was patrolled by 1 civilian guard, who was injured.) The U.S. says that “we have repeatedly told the government of Syria that it is on the wrong side in the war on terror and that it must stop harboring terrorists.” Bush phones Sharon after the attack on Syria, expresses condolences on the 10/4 bombing, agrees with Sharon on “the need to continue fighting terrorism,” does not criticize Israel’s strike. (AFP, IDF Radio, MENA, VOI, XIN 10/5 in WNC 10/7; XIN 10/5, AN, ATL, DS, DUS, IRNA, JT, MENA, QA, al-Ra’i, THWR, TSHR, VIRI, XIN 10/6 in WNC 10/8; SATN 10/5 in WNC 11/8; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/6; NHR 10/6, AN, IRNA, ITAR-TASS, SA, SFR, THWR, TSHR 10/7 in WNC 10/9; SFR 10/6, THWR, TSHR 10/8 in WNC 10/11; SANA, SARR, SATN 10/6, SANA, SATN 10/7 in WNC 11/11; MM 10/7; AFP, AYM, DUS, HA, ITARTASS, JT, MA, MENA, NHR, al-Quds, al-Ra’i, SFR, YA 10/7 in WNC 10/10; MM, PR 10/8; MM, WJW 10/9; MEI 10/10; PR 10/15; JPI 10/17; NHR 10/17 in NC 10/23)

Arafat declares a 30-day state of emergency in the occupied territories, issues a presidential decree appointing a 9-mbr. emergency cabinet, with Qurai‘, negotiating a regular cabinet since 9/10, as PM. The emergency cabinet is to serve for 1 mo. (VOP 10/5 in WNC 10/7; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/6; VOP 10/6 in WNC 10/8; WP 10/7; VOI, VOP 10/7 in WNC 10/9; AYM 10/7 in WNC 10/10; PR 10/8; PSCT 10/9 in WNC 10/11; MEI 10/10)

In the occupied territories, the IDF fires on Palestinians attempting to bypass a new checkpoint separating Rafah and Khan Yunis (imposed after the 10/4 bombing), killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 3; begins bulldozing Palestinian land nr. Morag settlement, 100 dunams nr. Hebron; demolishes 19 Palestinian homes in Rafah, 2 in Jenin (including the home of the 10/4 bomber’s family). (HA, NYT, WP 10/6; PCHR 10/7, 10/9)

The IDF moves troops back into Jenin, after withdrawing to the outskirts of the city on 10/18; fires on Palestinian farmers in Jenin; bulldozes 18 Palestinian homes (15 in Jiftlik, 1 in `Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c., 1 in Balata r.c., 1 in Rafah, 1 in Salim); bars a Palestinian heart attack victim fr. crossing and IDF checkpoint to reach a hospital for 2 hrs., allowing him to die; raids 2 homes in Hebron, sets fire to residents’ belongings. IDF commandos raid Balata r.c., arrest 2 Palestinians, leave behind their van, booby trapped with explosives; the van later explodes, injuring 10 Palestinians. With the IDF’s pledge of protection, Palestinian residents of Yanun return to their homes (see 10/18). The PA complains that btwn. 9/4 and 10/16, the IDF has taken 750 single-bed truckloads, 250 double-bed truckloads of sand out of Gaza for use in construction projects inside Israel. (LAW, PCHR 10/23; AYM 10/23 in WNC 10/28; NYT, WT 10/24; HA 11/15)

U.S. Asst. Secy. of State William Burns arrives in Jerusalem to meet with Israeli, PA officials regarding a U.S. draft road map; presents the PA with the draft for the 1^st time (see 10/16). (HA, MM, PR 10/23; HA, MM, NYT 10/24; MM, NYT, WT 10/25; AYM 10/25, 10/26 in WNC 10/28; WP 10/26; MEI 11/8)

The Knesset rejects (23-51) a proposed bill that would ban fr. the parliament any party trying to incite the expulsion of Palestinians, Israeli Arabs. (AFP 10/23)

The IDF fatally shoots 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs., Wassim Saba'na and Muhammad Musa, in Nablus in what is likely an assassination; shoots at a "suspicious figure" nr. a Jewish settlement nr. Nablus, wounding 1 Palestinian; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Jenin; fires on a Birzeit University dormitory; shells residential areas of Bayt Hanun, Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids in Jenin, Rantis; lifts curfews on Nablus, Tulkarm, Ramallah for several hrs. Late in the evening, the IDF raids Dayr al-Balah, bulldozes 2.5 dunams of agricultural land. Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb nr. an IDF APC in Nablus, another device nr. Qalqilya, neither causing damage. In Hebron, Jewish settlers assault Israeli police investigating complaints of settler violence on 10/12. Following the funeral in Bethlehem for Muhammad Ubayyat, assassinated by the IDF on 10/13, several mourners seriously beat Fatah prisoner's club head Issa Qaraqa', toss a grenade into the home of Bethlehem mayor and new elections comm. head Hanna Nassir; Fatah says it considers the attacks an assault on Fatah itself. (HA 10/14; NYT, PM, WT 10/15; LAW, PCHR, PR 10/16)

The IDF fires on Palestinians in Jenin, killing 1 Palestinian vendor in the central market; conducts arrest raids in Satar al-Gharbiyya. Palestinians fire on workers building Israeli security fence nr. Baqa` al-Gharbiyya, killing 1 Israeli Arab laborer. Nr. Hebron, Jewish peace activists, local Palestinians attempt to harvest Palestinian olive groves, keep Jewish settlers away (see 10/2); when settlers become increasingly hostile, the IDF intervenes, ordering peace activists, Palestinians to leave, then leaving the area themselves, allowing settlers to move in. Jewish settlers also confiscate a Palestinian home in Hebron's old city. (HA, JTA, NYT, PM 10/3; MA 10/3 in WNC 10/4; AP 10/4; PCHR, PR 10/9)

An Israeli security delegation (comprising DMin. dir. gen. Amos Yaron, IDF policy planning head Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland) arrives in Washington to consulted with U.S. officials (including Dep. Defense Secy. Paul Wolfowitz, Dep. Secy. of State Richard Armitage) ahead of a possible attack on Iraq. (HA 10/3; MM 10/4; HA 10/8)

The IDF fatally shoots wanted Palestinian Muhammad Yaghmur in nr. Hebron in an apparent assassination; shells residential areas of, conducts arrest raids in Dayr al-Balah, Jenin. 100s of Palestinians defy curfews in West Bank cities to hold peaceful marches marking the 2d anniversary of the al-Aqsa intifada. In Gaza City and Khan Yunis, 1,000s of Palestinians protest against the 9/26 IDF missile strike targeting Dayif. The IDF fires tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets at stone-throwing youths in Khan Yunis (seriously injuring a Palestinian boy), Ramallah. Israeli police arrest 3 Israeli Arabs in Ramla on suspicion of plotting an attack for Hamas; bar Palestinians under age 40 fr. attending Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque. (NYT, WP 9/28; LAW, PCHR, PR 10/2; HA 10/7)

U.S. Amb. to Israel Daniel Kurtzer delivers a personal message fr. Bush to Sharon, asking the PM to quickly end the IDF siege on Arafat's Ramallah offices, noting that Israel's continued defiance of the 9/24 UNSC res. is hurting U.S. efforts to build a coalition against Iraq; Secy. of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice follow up with phone calls. Sharon sends his bureau chief Dov Weisglass to Washington for low-key mtgs. with Powell, Rice. (HA 9/27; WP 9/28; WT 9/29; NYT 9/30; MM 10/2; MEI 10/11)