The Palestine Chronology

The IDF fires missiles at a metal workshop (alleged weapons factory) in Khan Yunis, wounding an 11-yr.-old Palestinian; raids ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c., fires on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops; fires rubber bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, international peace activists staging a nonviolent protest against the separation wall; conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem, Jenin; lifts the 9/24 ban on Palestinians entering the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Senior AMB mbr. Nimr Hassan is killed in Salfit when his M-16 explodes; the AMB claims that he was assassinated, his new gun was booby trapped by a collaborator. Palestinians fire 3 Qassam rockets at Sederot and 3 mortars at Gush Katif, causing no damage or injuries. Late at night, the IDF makes a major incursion into Jenin, raiding and searching a hospital (arresting 2 employees; wounding 7, including 2 children, with gunfire; damaging equipment), occupying buildings as sniper posts, conducting house searches. Outside Hebron, some 140 Jewish settlers attempt to reestablish 2 unauthorized settlement outposts previously evacuated by the IDF, scuffle with police, throw stones at Palestinian homes. (HA 9/26; IDF Radio, VOI, VOP, YA 9/26 in WNC 9/28; PCHR 9/30)

In Damascus, Hamas spokesman Izzeddin Khalil is killed when his car explodes in an apparent assassination. Anonymous Israeli security officials acknowledge Israel’s involvement; Sharon criticizes the “unnecessary babble.” (HA 9/26; JAZ, MA, VOP, YA 9/26 in WNC 9/28; VOI, YA 9/26, MA, VOP 9/27 in WNC 9/29; LBC, PSCT, SANA 9/26, AYM, HA, JP, SANA, Syrian Arab Republic Radio 9/27, JP, MA, Tishrin 9/28 in WNC 9/30; SANA, Syrian Arab Television Network 9/26 in WNC 10/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT, United Press International 9/27; MM 9/28; PR 9/29; MNR 9/29 in WNC 10/5; JPI 10/8)

In Gaza, 3 Palestinian gunmen fr. the Abu Rish Brigades (a Fatah offshoot), Islamic Jihad, the Palestinian Resistance Comms. (PRC) attack an IDF post outside Morag, fatally shooting 3 IDF soldiers before 2 are shot dead; 1 escapes, wounds an Israeli journalist, is then shot dead. The IDF sends troops into Nablus and surrounding camps, fires on residential areas, blows up 2 Palestinian homes; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, Rafah; fires rubber bullets at Palestinian, international peace activists staging a nonviolent protest against the separation wall outside Hebron; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron and Nablus, and in al-‘Aza, Bethlehem, Jenin town and r.c., al-Khadir, al-Mughraqa; demolishes 2 Palestinian homes in al-Mughraqa; bulldozes 6 Palestinian homes, 40 d. of agricultural land in Khan Yunis. Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets at Sederot, lightly injuring 1 Israeli. A Palestinian dies of injuries received in Nur al-Shams on 9/14; a 2d Palestinian dies of injuries received in Rafah on 9/19. (BBC, MM, XIN 9/23; VOP 9/23 in WNC 9/25; MM, NYT, WP 9/24; HA, PR 9/29; PCHR 9/30)

The IDF launches a major incursion into Jenin, imposes a curfew, conducts house-tohouse searches, fires on residential areas, arrests at least 15 Palestinians; bulldozes 70 d. in Khan Yunis; fires on Palestinians, internationals holding a nonviolent protest against the separation wall in Budrus, where the IDF has bulldozed 250 d. in the past wk.; fires on residential areas of Nablus; conducts arrest raids and house searches in Asira, ‘Azun nr. Qalqilya, Bethlehem, Jenin r.c., Kharas nr. Hebron, Nablus, Silat al-Harith nr. Jenin, Silwan, Tulkarm r.c., Yatta. Palestinians fire 3 Qassam rockets at Sederot and the Negev, causing no damage or injuries. Jewish settlers fr. Itamar nr. Nablus attack, severely beat a Palestinian farmer picking dates, leaving him with skull fractures, multiple injuries. (PM 9/21; VOI, VOP 9/21 in WNC 9/23; PR 9/22; PCHR 9/23)

The IDF assassinates senior Hamas cmdr. Khalid Abu Silmiyya by firing a missile at his car as he drives in Gaza City, wounding 8 bystanders; fatally shoots a Palestinian who crosses fr. Gaza into Israel nr. Kissufim crossing; fatally shoots a mentally handicapped Palestinian who strays too nr. Gush Katif; fires live ammunition, rubber bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, international peace activists demonstrating against the separation wall nr. Hebron; fires tear gas, stun grenades outside 2 girls’ schools in Beitunia while classes are in session, seriously wounding 1 student in her classroom; fires on stone-throwing youths in Aida r.c. nr. Bethlehem; fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bir Basha nr. Jenin, Dahaysha r.c., Duha, Qalqilya; tightens access to Tulkarm and places a curfew on nearby Bayt Awa. (VOI, VOP 9/19 in WNC 9/21; AP, PCHR, WP, WT 9/20; JAZ, VOI, VOP, YA 9/20 in WNC 9/22; PCHR 9/23)

The IDF fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Nablus and in and around Hebron, Jenin; bulldozes 7 d. in Wadi al-Silqa. A Palestinian woman attempts, fails to stab an IDF soldier at a checkpoint outside Nablus, is arrested. Palestinians in Issawiyya demonstrate against the IDF confiscation of 1,000 d. for construction of the separation wall around Jerusalem, the expansion of Ma’ale Adumim. (VOI 9/18 in WNC 9/21; HA 9/19; VOP 9/19 in WNC 9/21; PCHR 9/23)

The IDF sends tanks into the Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahiya, Jabaliya r.c. in what it says will be a “limited operation,” shelling residential areas, wounding at least 17 Palestinians (including 13 children). The IDF also conducts arrest raids, fires on residential areas in Khan Yunis. In Hebron, the IDF surrounds, evacuates the home of a wanted Palestinian; fires 3 shells at the house when he does not emerge, wounding him; arrests him, demolishes the house. The IDF demolishes a 2d Palestinian home in Salfit. IDF undercover units storm a Jericho caf´e, assassinate senior Amari r.c. AMB mbr. ‘Amr A‘idiyya, wounding 3 Palestinian bystanders, arresting 19. Palestinians retaliate by firing 5 Qassam rockets toward Sederot (damaging a car but causing no injuries), firing 5 mortars at Neve Dekalim (damaging a house). The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches, bulldozes 15 d. in al-Qarara; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Aida r.c., Bethlehem, Dahaysha r.c., Hebron and neighboring Bani Na‘im, Nablus, Thinnaba, Tubas; seals an iron gate in the separation wall southeast of Jerusalem, cutting off access to the West Bank fr. Abu Dis, Azariyya, Sawahara. Israeli police reportedly enter 7 Palestinian voter registration offices in East Jerusalem; order 3 registration workers to report for questioning, photograph voter roles to deter Palestinians from registering. (HA, MM, WP, WT 9/8; VOI, VOP 9/8 in WNC 9/10; PCHR 9/9; BBC 9/21)

The IDF tightens roadblocks btwn. Jerusalem, Ramallah; imposes a curfew on Silwad nr. Ramallah; shoots, wounds a mentally handicapped Palestinian who strays into a closed military zone nr. Morag; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, and in Aida r.c., Balata r.c., Bayt Rima and Dayr Ghassana nr. Ramallah, Madama nr. Nablus, Salfit; begins work on new segments of the separation wall running s. of Hebron and btwn. East Jerusalem and the Qalandia checkpoint s. of Ramallah, bulldozing 500 d.; reportedly bulldozes large areas in Wadi al-Malih in the n. Jordan Valley. Palestinians in Nablus report that the IDF is digging a trench 3 m deep and 4 m wide to encircle Salim, Azmut, Dayr Hatab, Bayt Dajan, and Bayt Furik villages (combined population 30,000); 3 km have been completed. Armed Palestinians calling themselves the Fatah Fighters kidnap the PA’s security dir. for the Rafah checkpoint Saad al-Sayfan, accusing him of corruption. 15 armed Palestinians occupy the Khan Yunis governate building for 2 hrs., demand that the PA compensate local Palestinians who have lost their homes to IDF bulldozing. Palestinians fire 5 mortars at Gush Katif, causing no damage or injuries. A PA court in Gaza opens a trial against 7 alleged collaborators, including Muhammad and Rami Abu Qaynas, accused of providing Israel with information used to assassinate Hamas leader ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Rantisi on 4/17/04. ( JAZ 9/5; MENA 9/5 in WNC 9/7; VOI 9/6 in WNC 9/8; PR 9/8; PCHR 9/9; PR 9/15)