The Palestine Chronology

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. 100s of reps. of Palestinian NGOs, Arab MKs, and Palestinian solidarity groups fr. inside Israel conduct a nonviolent march to the al-Ram checkpoint in the West Bank. The IDF soldiers fire tear gas, percussion grenades, rubber bullets at the crowd; beat many with their rifles to break up the march, injuring 35. Palestinian writers, journalists, Information Min. reps. hold a smaller nonviolent march to Netzarim Junction in Gaza, where IDF soldiers fire tear gas, rubber bullets at them. The IDF bulldozes 30 dunams of land along the Green Line nr. Khaza. (HA, UPMRC 3/24; HP 3/26; MEI 4/6)

In Netanya, a Palestinian suicide bomber kills himself and 3 Israelis, injures 66. Afterward, Israelis seize, beat any Arabs they find, leaving 1 in serious condition. Hamas claims responsibility. Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue in the West Bank and Gaza, leaving 1 Palestinian dead. Palestinians fire 2 homemade mortars at Netzarim settlement causing no injuries. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/5; AFP 3/5 in WNC 3/6; WT 3/6; JP [Internet], NYT, WT 3/7; MEI 3/9; MM 3/12; HA 3/13; JP 3/16; Toronto Star 4/30)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes intensify, leaving 1 Palestinian dead. After Palestinians fire 4 homemade mortars at Dugit, Aley Sinai settlements in Gaza overnight, the IDF seals the Strip, blocks roads across Gaza to divide the Strip in half, punitively destroys 2 PA Preventive Security Force (PSF) outposts. Later in Gaza, 2 large roadside bombs explode on roads used by IDF convoys, lightly injuring 1 soldier. The IDF shells Palestinian residential areas in Bayt Lahia (destroying 1 PSF outpost, severely damaging a 2d), al-Bireh, Jinin; bulldozes Palestinian land nr. Bayt Lahia, Nablus, Netzarim Junction; conducts arrest sweeps in Surif. Israel says it plans to ease the closure on the West Bank, Gaza further (see 2/20) by allowing food and medicine in, letting agricultural goods out, facilitating the transportation of patients for medical care in Israel. Israel, however, denies exit visas to several Palestinian Council (PC) mbrs. who are scheduled to attend an Arab parliamentary conference in the UAE. (HA, HP 2/23; WP, WT 2/24; LAW 3/1)