The Palestine Chronology

The IDF makes a massive predawn raid on Rafah, sending in nearly 300 military vehicles and helicopters, shelling residential areas, raiding and searching homes, occupying several as observation posts, demolishing 10 Palestinian homes, exchanging gunfire with Palestinian gunmen. During the day, Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb nr. an IDF bulldozer in Rafah but misjudge the placement of the device, inadvertently killing 3 Palestinians, wounding at least 10 (including a Reuters cameraman). In ongoing operations in Bayt Hanun, the IDF fires on residential areas, on Palestinians attempting to enter the town; demolishes 1 Palestinian home. Hamas warns that it will step up rocket attacks on Sederot unless the IDF withdraws fr. Bayt Hanun. The IDF also shoots, wounds, arrests a Palestinian in Hebron who reportedly failed to obey orders to stop; demolishes a Palestinian home, a bird farm, several agricultural warehouses and water tanks nr. Qalqilya for construction of the separation wall; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem and nr. Hebron, Jenin. (VOI 8/3 in WNC 8/5; NYT, PR, WP 8/4; PCHR 8/5; PR 8/11)

The IDF fires on international, Israeli, Palestinian peace activists staging a nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall nr. Biddu, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 8; demolishes the PA Agriculture Min. dir. gen.’s home in Dayr al-Balah; fires on stone-throwing youths in Bethlehem, Burqa, Hebron, Qalandia, villages nr. Ramallah, Silwad; fires on residential areas of Dayr al-Balah, Rafah, Tulkarm; conducts arrest raids, house searches in al-Arub r.c., Dahaysha r.c., Dura. Hamas fires 5 Qassam rockets at Israeli targets in Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. In Gaza City, 10,000s of Palestinians take part in the funeral of Rantisi, his bodyguards; the Church of the Nativity closes its doors for the afternoon in protest of the Rantisi assassination. Late in the evening, 2 Israeli Arabs fire on an Israeli border patrol in the Galilee, causing no damage or injuries; the patrol returns fire, killing 1, wounding 1; the AMB takes responsibility. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba bulldoze 5 dunams of nearby Palestinian land, clash with Palestinians who attempt to stop them; the IDF intervenes to arrest 3 Palestinians, does not halt the bulldozing. A Palestinian dies of injuries received on 4/16. (PSCT, VOP 4/18 in WNC 4/20; AFP, AP, NYT, WP, WT 4/19; PR 4/21; PCHR 4/22)