The Palestine Chronology

A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a car bomb at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, killing only himself, lightly injuring 2 IDF soldiers. The IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian, wounds a 2d nr. Dayr al-Balah; bulldozes tents and tin shacks housing 95 Palestinians nr. a settler bypass road leading to Gaza’s Gush Katif bloc; bulldozes 12 dunams of land in Wadi al-Silqa nr. Dayr al-Balah, 9 dunams nr. the Rafah crossing; fires on residential areas of Dayr al-Balah; imposes a curfew on, conducts house searches and arrest raids in Jaba‘ nr. Jenin; confiscates 5,500 m2 of agricultural land nr. Salfit, located btwn. the separation wall and the Green Line, that provides income for some 60 Palestinian families. In Hebron, 15 Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba, escorted by IDF troops, attack Palestinian homes. A Palestinian dies of injuries received during the IDF raid on Rafah on 5/20. (VOP 5/28 in WNC 6/1; NYT 5/29; PCHR 6/3)

The IDF fatally shoots wanted senior Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades mbr. Imad Janajra (target of assassination on 4/23 when the IDF killed a college professor in a case of mistaken identity) outside Nablus in an apparent assassination; raids Dayr al-Balah, demolishes 1 building, fires on stonethrowing Palestinians, killing 1 Palestinian, seriously wounding 17, including a Palestinian photographer covering the scene for AFP; fires on 2 Palestinians who approach Gaza’s Qarni crossing through a closed military zone, killing 1 Palestinian while the other escapes; begins construction of the separation wall nr. Qalandia; conducts large-scale arrest raids in Hebron, taking at least 60 Palestinians to an unknown destination; conducts smaller arrest raids in Bethlehem, Nablus, Tulkarm (reportedly detaining Hamas’s Tulkarm head Rifat Nafif); confiscates 22 dunams of Palestinian land in Far‘un nr. Tulkarm; bulldozes 7 dunams of land, 1 Palestinian home in Wadi al-Silqa; demolishes a 3-story apartment building and 7 Palestinian homes, severely damages 9 homes, bulldozes 3 dunams of land in Rafah; fires at stone-throwing youths outside Nisanit settlement. Without explanation, Israel releases Hamas cofounder Muhammad Taha, held in administrative detention since 3/03, in Gaza. (VOI, VOP, XIN 5/5 in WNC 5/7; NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 5/6; VOI 5/6 in WNC 5/8; VOP 5/8 in WNC 5/11; PCHR 5/13)

The IDF continues operations in Rafah, withdrawing early in the morning; bars Palestinians ages 16–35 fr. traveling through the Rafah checkpoint, Palestinians under age 45 fr. praying at al-Aqsa Mosque; shells a Palestinian car that accidentally enters a closed military zone in Tulkarm, seriously injuring the driver; opens fire on Palestinians demonstrating against the separation wall nr. Beitunia, fatally shooting 1 Palestinian; bulldozes 25 dunams of land in al-Qarara, 8 dunams nr. Dayr al-Balah; conducts house searches, arrest raids in Dura, al-Walaja nr. Bethlehem. Jewish settlers fr. Hebron seriously beat a Palestinian, fracturing his shoulder. (AFP 4/16; VOP 4/16 in WNC 4/20; WT 4/17; PCHR 4/22)

The IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinians demonstrating against the separation wall nr. Biddu, wounding 12; blows up 2 Palestinian homes in Bethlehem, 1 in Nablus; conducts arrest raids in and around Bethlehem and in a-lArub r.c., East Jerusalem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus; demolishes a PSF post, bulldozes 1.5 dunams of agricultural land nr. Dayr al-Balah. In Gaza City, 3,000 Palestinians demonstrate for the release of jailed Fatah tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti, other Palestinian prisoners. Jewish settlers attempting to rebuild the illegal outpost in Hebron removed on 4/13 scuffle with IDF troops; 2 settlers are injured. Late in the evening, the IDF begins sending troops into Rafah allegedly to search for smugglers’ tunnels, firing on residential areas. (HA 4/14; VOP 4 /14 in WNC 4/16; PCHR 4/15, 4/22)

Meanwhile in Washington, Bush meets with Sharon, formally endorses Sharon’s unilateral disengagement plan, marking a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward the peace process (HA, MM, REU 4/14; JP, VOP 4/14 in WNC 4/16; al-Ra’i 4/14, AFP, DUS, THWR, TSHR, VOP, XIN 4 /15 in WNC 4/17; HA, JP, MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 4/15; CSM, HA, FT, JT, MEI, MM 4/16; AFP, DUS, ITARTASS, MENA, NHR, al-Ra’i 4/16 in WNC 4/20; NHR 4/16 in WNC 4/27; WP 4/17; JTA 4/19; PR 4/21; MEI 4/30)

The IDF cuts down 180 olive trees in a Palestinian grove nr. Biddu northwest of Jerusalem to make way for the separation wall, sparking clashes in which 35 Palestinians, 2 IDF soldiers are injured; the IDF later replants some of the stumps on a new plot, but Palestinians have little hope they will survive through the dry season. The IDF also imposes a curfew on Nablus and surrounding villages, conducts arrest raids, fires on stone-throwing Palestinians; conducts arrest raids in Dahaysha r.c., al-Duha nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jayyus, Ramallah, Tulkarm; occupies a Palestinian home in Dayr al-Balah as an observation post; demolishes a well and 3 greenhouses, bulldozes 4 dunams of land nr Rafah. Armed Jewish settlers seize 2 Palestinian homes in Silwan; the IDF erects 2 observation posts nearby to protect them, prevent clashes like those of 3/31. (PM 4/7; VOP 4/7 in WNC 4/9; PCHR, PM, WT 4/8; PCHR 4/15)

The IDF fires on Palestinian farmers working their fields nr. Khan Yunis, seriously wounding 1; fires on a Khan Yunis cemetery, wounding 1 Palestinian; detains 4 Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Dayr al-Balah; bulldozes 45 dunams (4 dunams = 1 acre) of Palestinian agricultural land, irrigation works nr. Rafah; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, in Dahaysha refugee camp (r.c.), nr. Jenin, in Qalqilya; orders confiscation of 141 dunams of land in al-Mughayar village e. of Jenin for construction of the separation wall. A Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. (VOP 2/17 in WNC 2/19; PCHR 2/19)

The IDF issues confiscation orders for 700 dunams of Palestinian land (including 10 Palestinian homes) in Dayr al-Balah nr. Kefar Darom settlement; for no apparent reason, fires on Palestinians waiting to go through the Erez crossing, wounding 25; fires on residential areas of Rafah, seriously injuring 1 woman outside her home; fires on, seriously wounds a deaf-mute Palestinian woman who strays too close to the separation wall nr. Qalqilya; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, Nablus, Qalqilya, Tulkarm. (PCHR 1/20; VOI, VOP, YA 1/20 in WNC 1/22; LAW, PCHR 1/22)

The IDF sends a bulldozer into Lebanese territory to clear mines laid by Hizballah along the de facto border. Hizballah shells the bulldozer when it crosses the demarcation fence into Lebanon, killing 1 IDF soldier, wounding 2. (HA 1/19; LBC, MNR 1/19 in WNC 1/21; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/20; IDF Radio, MNR 1/20 in WNC 1/22; MM 1/21; IRNA 1/21 in WNC 1/23; MM 1/22, 1/23; NYT 1/29)

The IDF sends additional tanks, troops into Nablus, making the incursion begun on 12/18 (now dubbed Operation Still Water) the largest into the city in over a yr., firing on stone-throwing youths, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 17; closes all roads leading to Tulkarm; erects a number of new roadblocks at entrances to villages around Tulkarm; tightens existing checkpoints, erects 3 new ones around Jenin; demolishes a Palestinian home in Balata r.c.; bulldozes 85 dunams of olive groves east of al-Bureij r.c.; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, wounding a Palestinian toddler in her home; conducts arrest raids in Dayr al-Balah. The IDF also bars 2 bus-loads of international peace activists fr. reaching a 2d day of separation wall protests (see 12/26) in Qalqilya, where 1,000s of Palestinians demonstrate, throw stones at IDF troops. Jewish settlers place mobile homes on the 2 sites of unauthorized settlement outposts previously removed by the IDF nr. Hebron. (NYT, WP, WT 12/28; PM 12/29; PCHR 1/1)

The IDF tightens restrictions on Palestinian movement in the Jenin region, central Jordan Valley; uproots 2,000 Palestinian trees southeast of Jerusalem, confiscates 130 dunams s. of Tulkarm for construction of the separation wall; demolishes 2 Palestinian homes in Rafah completely, 11 partially; bulldozes 4 dunams of land s. of Khan Yunis, a stand of trees in Dayr al-Balah; fires a percussion grenade at an ambulance in Nablus, damaging it; conducts arrest raids in Dayr al-Balah, Nablus. (VOI 9/16 in WNC 9/18; PR 9/17; PCHR 9/18)

In Dayr al-Ghasun, Palestinians, accompanied by ISM volunteers, for the 1st time attempt to gain access to farmland newly cut off by Israel’s separation wall to plant fall crops, but the IDF denies them passage; the wall cuts off 500 farmers fr. 3,000 dunams of village crop land. Nr. Nablus, the IDF arrests 6 ISM mbrs. who remove 2 earthen roadblocks barring Palestinian traffic on a local road. The IDF also issues order for the confiscation of 424 dunams of land n. of Tulkarm (for construction of the separation wall), 100s of dunams of land in al-Khadir (reportedly to expand Ofra settlement); tightens roadblocks around Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah; fires on a PSF post in Rafah, causing no injuries; fires on residential areas of Dayr al-Balah; demolishes a Palestinian home in Rafah; conducts arrest raids in Hebron. Palestinians rally in Khan Yunis to call for Israel’s release of Palestinian prisoners. Jewish settlers scuffle with IDF soldiers attempting to evacuate an unauthorized settlement outpost nr. Nablus. A Palestinian boy is hit and killed by a Jewish settler driving nr. Nablus. (AP, HP, ISM press release 7/10; NYT, PMC 7/12; PR 7/16; PCHR 7/24)