The IDF sends troops into Salfit, raids Prisoners’ Support Society offices, confiscates files and a computer, vandalizes furniture; raids offices, confiscates documents of 2 cultural societies in...
An AMB gunman ambushes, fatally shoots a Jewish settler security chief patrolling around Itamar settlement in the West Bank, is then shot dead by other security guards; the IDF later blows up the...
The IDF continues operations in Bayt Lahiya, clashing with stone-throwing youths and some armed Palestinians, fatally shooting 9 Palestinians and injuring more than 50, firing on and disabling 1...
In Gaza, 4 armed Palestinians in jeeps disguised to look like IDF jeeps try to attack the IDF post at Erez crossing: the 1st attacker detonates his jeep outside a gate, apparently as a diversion;...
IDF soldiers on missions to arrest wanted Palestinians fatally shoot 2 AMB mbrs. in Nablus, 1 Hamas mbr. in Tulkarm in what may be assassinations. IDF troops guarding a Jewish settlement in Gaza...
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The IDF sends troops into Salfit, raids Prisoners’ Support Society offices, confiscates files and a computer, vandalizes furniture; raids offices, confiscates documents of 2 cultural societies in Bethlehem, Qarawat Bani Hassan; conducts arrest raids, house searches in al-Bireh, Haris and nearby Nablus, al-Mughraqa, Qalqilya, Tulkarm r.c.; shells agricultural areas of al-Qarara. The IDF platoon cmdr. responsible for the deliberate shooting of a 13-yr.-old Palestinian girl in Gaza on 10/5/04 is indicted on charges of misuse of a firearm, ordering subordinates to lie about the shooting, violation of military regulations. Palestinians fire 6 mortars at a Jewish settlement in s. Gaza, 5 mortars at an IDF post on the Gaza-Egypt border, causing no damage or injuries. (XIN 11/22; VOI 11/23 in WNC 11/25; PCHR 11/25; WP 11/28)
The Fatah Central Comm. votes (13– 0, with 2 mbrs. not voting) to nominate PLO head Mahmud Abbas as the party’s candidate in the upcoming PA presidential elections, slated for 1/9/05; calls on the PA to hold legislative elections before mid-2005. (XIN 11/22; JAZ 11/22 in WNC 11/24; MM, WP 11/23; QA 11/23 in WNC 11/25; PR 11/24; al-Ahram 12/3; BBC 12/10)
U.S. Secy. of State Colin Powell ends a 2-day trip to Israel, Ramallah to discuss ways to accelerate the peace-making process and revitalize the Palestinian economy. He presses the sides to do everything possible to ensure that the maximum number of Palestinians, including those in East Jerusalem, are able to participate in the PA presidential elections on 1/9/05. Sharon says he will consider withdrawing troops fr. population centers, will do all he can to facilitate Palestinian movement during voting. (NYT, REU, WP, WT 11/22; JAZ, VOI, VOP 11/22 in WNC 11/24; al-Arabiyya TV 11/22 in WNC 12/25; MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/23; WP 11/28; MEI 12/3)
An AMB gunman ambushes, fatally shoots a Jewish settler security chief patrolling around Itamar settlement in the West Bank, is then shot dead by other security guards; the IDF later blows up the gunman’s home in nearby Bayt Furik. The IDF also continues operations in Gaza City, bulldozing 700 dunams of land, demolishing several Palestinian homes, firing on Palestinians, wounding 4 before withdrawing later in the day; fires on residential areas of Aida r.c., Bayt Furik, Tal al-Sultan, Yatta; raids, fires on stone-throwing youths in Balata r.c., Tulkarm r.c. and town; conducts arrest raids, house searches in al-Khadir, Bayt Sahur; shells an electricity tower in Rafah, cutting electricity to some neighborhoods and Brazil r.c. The IDF also fires warning shots at a Spanish emb. vehicle at the Abu Huli checkpoint in Gaza; Spain lodges a formal complaint, saying it had received Israeli approval for the trip. (NYT, WP 8/14; PCHR 8/19) The 20th summer Olympics opens in Athens. Palestine is represented by 2 track and-field athletes, 1 swimmer. The International Olympic Comm. (IOC) 1st recognized Palestine in 1934, but rescinded recognition in 1948, when it recognized Israel. After the signing of the Oslo Accord in 1993, the IOC recognized Palestine again. Palestinian teams have competed in the summer Olympics in Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000). (PR 8/18, 8/25)
The IDF continues operations in Bayt Lahiya, clashing with stone-throwing youths and some armed Palestinians, fatally shooting 9 Palestinians and injuring more than 50, firing on and disabling 1 ambulance and injuring 2 medics. The IDF also conducts arrest raids in and around Bethlehem; conducts arrest raids and house searches, bulldozes 48 dunams of land nr. Dayr al-Balah. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar set up tents btwn. the settlement and nearby Palestinian village of Burin, throw stones at Palestinian houses and cars. UNRWA resumes food aid to Gaza (suspended 4/1), saying that Israel has eased restrictions on the import of food to the Strip in the past 2 wks., is generally being cooperative. Overnight, armed Palestinians storm the PA’s Saraya Prison in Gaza City, free 3 PRC mbrs. being held in connection with the 10/03 Erez roadside bombing that killed 3 U.S. security officers. (VOP 4/21 in WNC 4/23; NYT, PCHR, PRCS, WP, WT 4/22; Guardian 4/23; PR 4/28; PCHR 4/29)
In Gaza, 4 armed Palestinians in jeeps disguised to look like IDF jeeps try to attack the IDF post at Erez crossing: the 1st attacker detonates his jeep outside a gate, apparently as a diversion; the 2d attacker drives to a PA Preventive Security Forces (PSF) post at the crossing, detonates his jeep, killing himself, 2 PSF officers, wounding 19 PSF officers, Palestinian taxi drivers; the 3d and 4th attackers crash their jeep into the IDF post, trade gunfire with IDF soldiers before being shot dead; no IDF soldiers are injured. The AMB, Hamas, Islamic Jihad issue a joint statement accepting responsibility, naming 2 AMB, 1 Hamas, Islamic Jihad mbr. as the attackers. The IDF withdraws troops surrounding Arafat’s Ramallah compound (see 3/5); lifts a curfew on Husan that has been in place since 2/27; fatally shoots a PSF officer in Tulkarm and fires on a PSF post in Bayt Hanun (wounding 1 PSF officer) for no apparent reason; fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem, nr. Hebron; bulldozes 15 dunams of land along the Hebron–Bethlehem road for construction of a 2-km fence to protect Jewish settler vehicles traveling on a nearby bypass road. Jewish settlers fr. Hebron raze 110 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Yatta (see 2/29). (NYT, WP, WT 3/7; PR 3/10; LAW, PCHR 3/11)
IDF soldiers on missions to arrest wanted Palestinians fatally shoot 2 AMB mbrs. in Nablus, 1 Hamas mbr. in Tulkarm in what may be assassinations. IDF troops guarding a Jewish settlement in Gaza fire on residential areas of Rafah, fatally shooting a Palestinian inside his home. The IDF also conducts arrest raids in Nablus and nearby ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c. (MM, REU, PRCS 1/7; JP, VOP, YA 1/7 in WNC 1/9; LAW, NYT, WP 1/8; PCHR 1/9, 1/15)
Hamas spiritual leader Shaykh Ahmad Yasin says that Hamas could accept a “temporary peace” or renewable “long-term truce” with Israel in exchange for creation of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. (HA, MM 1/9; JP, VOI 1/9 in WNC 1/13; al-Majallah [London] 1/11 in WNC 1/21) (see 12/10)
