The Palestine Chronology

The IDF withdraws fr. Tulkarm, leaving Jinin the only 1 of 6 major PA-controlled towns still reoccupied by the IDF following the assassination of Israel's Tourism M Rehavam Ze'evi by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) on 10/17. A closure on Tulkarm, however, remains in place. The IDF also conducts an arrest raid in Yabad. (WP 11/18; LAW 11/26)

In a predawn raid, the IDF send 12 tanks and armored vehicles, 6 bulldozers into Khan Yunis, firing shells and heavy machine guns at homes, killing 1 Palestinian, injuring at least 13, completely demolishing 15 Palestinian homes, partially destroying 11. The IDF claims the action was in response to Palestinian gunfire aimed at Neve Dekalim. The IDF conducts a similar raid into Tulkarm, damaging several homes, uprooting an orchard, cutting electricity; sends tanks under helicopter cover into al-Shawawra village, damaging several homes, arresting 7 Palestinians; shells, fires on residential areas of Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahia, Nablus; conducts arrest raids in Kafr al-Dik, Salfit. In Jinin, 100s of Palestinians still angry over the arrest of Islamic Jihad's Tawalbi clash with PSF mbrs. The PSF releases 2 PFLP mbrs. ordered freed by the PA High Court on 11/7. (AP, HP, JP [Internet], PCHR, WT 11/15; NYT 11/16; AYM 11/16 in WNC 11/19; AFP 11/18; MEI 11/23)

Peres, in his speech to the UNGA, says that there is support in Israel for a Palestinian state, Palestinian independence; the gap btwn. Israeli, Palestinian positions are more emotional than political. (HA, MM 11/15)

The IDF withdraws to the outskirts of Ramallah. Nr. Hebron, 1 Palestinian is shot dead, 2 are wounded allegedly by Israeli undercover units. The dead man, Issa Dababsa, reportedly had run-ins with local settlers over land he owns adjacent to their settlement. A 2d Palestinian is killed by heavy IDF gunfire in Khan Yunis. A 3d Palestinian dies of kidney failure at an IDF roadblock nr. Jinin after being denied passage to a hospital for dialysis. The IDF also fires on a PSF post outside Khan Yunis, injuring 1 officer; confiscates a Palestinian home in Tulkarm; reinforces troops outside Nablus. (AFP, HP, NYT, WP, WT 11/7; HP, PCHR 11/8)

The PA High Court orders the immediate release of 2 PFLP mbrs. arrested in connection with the 10/17 Ze'evi assassination, saying the PA had violated its own legal procedures in making the arrests, there is not enough evidence to hold the pair. The PSF does not release them. (al-Ahram 11/15; AFP 11/18; MEI 11/23)

The Israeli Interior Min. demolishes bedouin homes in the Negev that housed 60 individuals. (HA 11/8)

With Israeli-Palestinian clashes continuing unabated in Bethlehem, Israel postpones plans to withdraw fr. the area for at least 24 hrs. The IDF also directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Bayt Lahia (damaging a PSF post), Jinin, Khan Yunis, Qalqilya, Rafah, Tulkarm (killing 1 Palestinian); temporarily occupies a Palestinian school in the PA-controlled section of Hebron; reinforces troops in Bayt Lahia, around Ramallah. PFLP mbrs. arrested by the PSF since the Ze'evi assassination begin a hunger strike to protest their detention. (AFP 10/27; HP, NYT, WP, WT 10/28; LAW 10/31)

The IDF reinforces positions inside Bethlehem, where IDF shelling kills 3 Palestinians nr. a hospital; a 4th Palestinian is fatally shot while harvesting olive outside Jinin; a 5th Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. Other IDF shells land within 50 yds. of the Church of the Nativity, injuring 2 Palestinians. The IDF also fires on a UN ambulance in Bethlehem, seriously injuring the driver; rockets a power station in Tulkarm; occupies 2 Palestinian homes in Qalqilya, 1 in Khan Yunis; reinforces positions in Ramallah and al-Bireh, destroying a Force 17 office. Sharon says the PA must meet 3 conditions for a return to talks: a complete halt to "terrorism and incitement," the arrests of "terrorists" and the disbanding of their organizations, the extradition of those involved in the Ze'evi assassination. The PA outlaws the armed wing of the PFLP, detains another 13 PFLP mbrs. (AP 10/21; MENA 10/21 in WNC 10/22; AP, LAW, NYT, PMC, WT 10/22; MM 10/23; SA 10/23 in WNC 10/24; PCHR 10/24; HA 10/27)

The Labor party threatens to quit the governing coalition if Sharon expands the reoccupation of PA-controlled territories. (AFP 10/21; MM, WP, WT 10/22)

Israel cuts off all contact with the PA; gives Shin Bet, the IDF the "green light" to step up assassinations. Some MKs say Sharon should banish Arafat fr. the West Bank, Gaza. The PA arrests 3 PFLP leaders, but says it has not identified Ze'evi's assassins, will not extradite them to Israel once it does. Israel says if the killers are not extradited, it will treat the PA as a sponsor of terrorism. (The State Dept. refuses to back Israel's extradition demand.) Sharon declares that "Arafat has 7 days to impose absolute quiet in the territories. If not, we will go to war against him. As far as I'm concerned, the era of Arafat is over." (HP, MM 10/18; MENA, XIN 10/18 in WNC 10/19; NYT, WP, WT 10/19; MM 10/23)

The IDF reoccupies areas A in Jinin, Nablus, and Ramallah, sending in tanks and troops, shelling buildings, killing 3 Palestinians. In Bethlehem, 3 Palestinians, including Fatah tanzim leader Atif Ubayyat, 1 of Israel's most wanted, are killed when an explosion destroys their car. The deaths, which Palestinians claim were an assassination, spark a serious gun battle around the city; Palestinians in Bayt Jala also fire a mortar at Gilo for the 1st time in 2 mos., causing no damage. Palestinian gunmen fire on a group of Jewish settlers hiking in the Jordan Valley, killing 1 Jewish settler, wounding 2. (HP, MM, PMC 10/18; AP, HP, NYT, WP, WT 10/19; WP 10/20; PCHR 10/24)

At least 1 PFLP gunman assassinates Israeli tourism M Ze'evi in an East Jerusalem hotel, shooting him at point blank range, using a pistol equipped with a silencer, escaping undetected. The PFLP says it is retaliating for the assassination of PFLP secy. gen. Mustafa on 8/27; also takes responsibility for a suicide car bombing in Gaza that wounds 2 IDF soldiers. Arafat immediately condemns the assassination, orders the PSF to arrest the killers. The PSF quickly arrests 3 PFLP mbrs. but releases them after questioning. (AP, HA, HP, JP [Internet], MM, REU 10/17; AFP, ATL, XIN 10/17 in WNC 10/18; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/18; al-Quds 10/18 in WNC 10/19; Tehran Times 10/20 in WNC 10/22; WJW 10/25)

Meanwhile, Hamas mbr. Iyad al-Akhras is killed in an explosion in his Gaza home in what may be an assassination. The IDF also fires a missile at a Palestinian car in Nablus, but the rocket misses, 3 Palestinians escape unharmed. The IDF makes a predawn incursion into al-Qarara, firing heavy machine guns at homes, bulldozing 10s of dunams of cultivated land for construction of a settler bypass road; directs machine gun fire at residential areas of Gaza City, Jinin, Rafah; bulldozes secondary Palestinian roads around Ramallah. Palestinian gunmen reportedly fire at Neve Dekalim, wounding 2 Jewish settlers. In East Jerusalem, Jewish settlers angry over Ze'evi's murder attack, beat Palestinians. (HP 10/17; WT 10/18)

After a lengthy Israeli inner cabinet mtg., Sharon issues an ultimatum to the PA: arrest and extradite Ze'evi's killers and the PFLP's current leaders and "dismantle terror organizations" or face a response more severe than any recent reprisal. Sharon then convenes a special session of the Knesset (boycotted by Arab MKs), where he declares, "We will wage all-out war on the terrorists" and "those who collaborate with them." National Union+nYisrael Beitunia MKs suspend their resignations to see how Sharon responds. The IDF sends tanks, troops 2.5 mi. into area A around Jinin; reimposes tight closures on, places 24 hr. curfews on, and directs shells and heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Azariyya, al-Bireh, Jinin, Nablus, Ramallah; deploys helicopters to hover over major Palestinian population centers; bars Arafat fr. using Gaza airport. (HP, MM 10/17; AFP, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/18; JP [Internet], WP 10/29)

Powell phones Sharon to urge Israel to use restraint. The White House calls on the PA to "immediately find and bring to justice those who committed this murder," saying Arafat must "take vigorous action against terrorists." (MM, WP 10/18; Interfax, MENA, QA 10/18 in WNC 10/19)

The IDF assassinates Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) leader Abu Ali Mustafa (Mustafa Zibri), the most prominent Palestinian leader targeted to date, firing missiles at his office in al-Bireh. (22 U.S. citizens also live in the building where Mustafa worked; 3 are lightly injured in the attack.) In response, 1,000s of Palestinians take to the streets in Bethlehem, Gaza City, Jinin, Nablus, Tulkarm to protest. The U.S. criticizes Israel for "inflaming an already volatile situation and making it much harder to restore calm"; says Israel must also take economic, security steps to alleviate pressure on the Palestinians. Also in response to the Mustafa killing, Palestinian gunmen fire on Gilo settlement; the IDF then sends tanks into neighboring Bayt Jala (area A). The IDF also sends tanks, bulldozers into Rafah in response to Palestinian gunfire; destroys 3 Palestinian houses, sparking a fierce gun battle. Palestinians ambush a settler vehicle nr. Nablus, kill 1 Jewish settler. (AP, CNN 8/27; AFP, Interfax, MENA 8/27 in WNC 8/28; BDL, LAW, MM, NYT, REU, WT 8/28; MA, XIN 8/28 in WNC 8/29; MM 8/29; AYM 8/28, ATL, IRNA, JT 8/29 in WNC 8/30; al-Ra'i 8/29, MENA, al-Quds, SA 8/30 in WNC 8/31; PMC 8/30; MEI, MM 8/31; AYM 8/31 in WNC 9/10; HA 9/1; JP 9/7; MEI 9/14)

The IDF assassinates Hamas student activist `Amr Hadiri (also reported as Omar Madiri), firing missiles at his car as he drives in Tulkarm. Also nr. Tulkarm, the IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian allegedly planting a roadside bomb. A Palestinian opens fire outside the Israeli DMin. in Tel Aviv, wounding 8 IDF them soldiers, 2 Israeli civilians. He is wounded, captured in his attempt to flee and later dies of his injuries. Palestinians open fire on a Jewish settler family driving in the West Bank, killing 1 pregnant settler, seriously wounding her husband, lightly injuring 2 children. In response, the IDF seals Jericho, Nablus, Qalqilya, Ramallah, Tulkarm, and parts of Bethlehem, Hebron, Jinin. IDF helicopters shell the PSF headquarters in Rafah. The Israeli DMin. broadcasts a list of 7 wanted Palestinians (3 Islamic Jihad, 2 Fatah, 1 Hamas, 1 PFLP), vowing to take action against them if the PA does not arrest them immediately. (AFP [Internet], PMC, REU 8/5; AFP [Internet], JP [Internet], LAW, NYT, WP, WT 8/6; WJW 8/9; MEI 8/10)

Israeli-Palestinian violence continues to escalate, leaving 2 Palestinians, 1 Israeli civilian. Fatalities include a critically ill Palestinian woman who dies at a checkpoint nr. Ramallah after being held there for 2 hrs. and denied passage to a hospital, and an Israeli fatally shot by a Palestinian in a West Bank market. The PFLP detonates 2 remote-controlled car bombs in Yehud, inside Israel; 4 Israelis are treated for shock. The IDF begins work on a new settlement bypass road nr. Bethlehem; bulldozes 100s of dunams of Palestinian land nr. Gush Etzion where a new settlement enclave was set up 1 mo. ago; confiscates 5 dunams of Silwad land for a helipad serving Ofra settlement; sets up a new checkpoint outside Jinin; tightens roadblocks around Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers set fire to 5 Palestinian cars in Hebron; burn olive trees nr. Ramin. (HP, MM 7/2; NYT, PMC, WP, WT 7/3; MM 7/4; MEI 7/13)

The U.S. convenes a special mtg. of the trilateral security comm.; reprimands the PA for not doing enough to rein in violence, Israel for resuming "targeted killings." (AP 7/2; NYT, WP, WT 7/3; NYT 7/5)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 2 Palestinians dead. The IDF opens fire on Khan Yunis, killing a 4-mo.-old Palestinian girl inside her home, wounding at least 23 Palestinians, including 10 children. Sharon apologizes for the incident in which the IDF was responding to 4 mortars fired toward Neve Dekalim settlement that caused no damage. The IDF directs heavy machine gun fire at a car clearing a PA checkpoint nr. Hebron, killing 1 PSF officer, wounding 2. The Israeli navy captures a boat nr. the Israel-Lebanon border carrying a load of weapons, ammunition. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) acknowledges the boat is theirs; the PA denies any connection to the shipment. In the West Bank, the IDF enters 2 towns in area A in pursuit of Palestinians said to have fired on Israeli forces. The U.S. criticizes recent incursions into area A as a "serious escalation." The IDF also directs heavy machine gun fire on residential areas of Jinin; bulldozes 230 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Khan Yunis, 71 dunams in Gaza City. (AP, LAW 5/7; MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/8; al-Quds 5/8 in WNC 5/9; MM 5/9; SA 5/9 in WNC 5/10; PCHR, WJW 5/10; DUS 5/10 in WNC 5/11; LAW 5/11; AYM 5/11 in WNC 5/14)