Hamas agrees in writing to suspend suicide bombings in Israel, mortar attacks on Israeli targets for the sake of Palestinian unity (see 12/19). Islamic Jihad also agrees to a temporary halt to...
In response to mortar fire on settlements in Gaza and across the border into Israel, which cause no damage, the IDF raids Bayt Hanun, bulldozing 5 Palestinian homes, 3 PSF posts, the local Fatah...
Israel strikes PA targets for a 2d day, shelling Arafat's Ramallah compound (though not hitting the building housing his office, where he is staying), sending F-16s to hit PSF, Force 17 offices in...
An Islamic Jihad gunman opens fire on a bus in French Hill settlement in East Jerusalem, killing 2 Jewish settlers and wounding around 50 before being shot dead by 2 border police officers, 1 IDF...
Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 1 Palestinian dead. Overnight, Palestinian assailants throw hand grenades at an IDF post nr. Gaza's Dayr al-Balah refugee camp. In...
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Hamas agrees in writing to suspend suicide bombings in Israel, mortar attacks on Israeli targets for the sake of Palestinian unity (see 12/19). Islamic Jihad also agrees to a temporary halt to suicide bombings. Meanwhile in Gaza, 100s of Palestinians attend the funeral for an Islamic Jihad mbr. killed on 12/20. As the funeral procession passes, the PSF headquarters in Jabaliya, masked Islamic Jihad mbrs. smash a police car, open fire on PSF officers, sparking a riot involving 1,000s of Palestinians and an exchange of gunfire that leave at least 6 Palestinians (all civilians) dead, more than 80 injured. Tonight, 60 of Gaza's local leaders hold an emergency mtg. to discuss arrangements to prevent further intra-Palestinian clashes. Following Friday prayers in Ramallah, reps. of all Palestinian factions, followed by 100s of Palestinians, stage a peaceful unity march on occupying IDF tanks, but the march turns violent when a few demonstrators throw stones at the tanks, the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets on demonstrators, injuring 2. (AFP, HA 12/21; MA, VIRI 12/21, AYM 12/22, 12/24 in WNC 12/26; LAW, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 12/22; WP 12/23; NYT 12/24; SA 12/26 in WNC 12/27; AYM, SA 12/27 in WNC 12/28)
In response to mortar fire on settlements in Gaza and across the border into Israel, which cause no damage, the IDF raids Bayt Hanun, bulldozing 5 Palestinian homes, 3 PSF posts, the local Fatah headquarters and killing 4 Palestinians, wounding 70, arresting 15 before withdrawing. After troops fatally shoot a 5th Palestinian allegedly attempting to infiltrate a Jewish settlement in Gaza, the IDF sends tanks into Rafah. The IDF also bulldozes the Nablus-Tubas road; confiscates a Palestinian home in Ramallah as an IDF outpost; breaks into the Voice of al-Quds radio station, damaging equipment, confiscating broadcasting gear; fires at a Red Crescent ambulance, wounding the driver; reinforces positions outside Bayt Lahia, Jabaliya. The PA closes 4 Hamas, Islamic Jihad offices in Gaza. (NYT, WP, WT 12/16; LAW, PCHR 12/19; MEI 12/21)
Israel strikes PA targets for a 2d day, shelling Arafat's Ramallah compound (though not hitting the building housing his office, where he is staying), sending F-16s to hit PSF, Force 17 offices in Gaza City. The IDF also shells PSF, Force 17, PA military intelligence offices in Bayt Lahia, Jabaliya, Khan Yunis, Salfit, Qalqilya, and Tulkarm and the Information Min. offices in Ramallah; reoccupies the village of Iktaba and areas of al-Bireh, Nablus, Ramallah; fires on the home of PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Ghassan Shaka`. A total of 3 Palestinians are killed, over 150 wounded, including 60 schoolchildren; a 4th Palestinian, an ill baby, dies when the IDF prevents his transportation through a checkpoint to a hospital. The PA dismisses Tulkarm's PSF head Brig. Gen. Mahmud Awadala for releasing prisoners fr. Tulkarm's jail, including 6 Islamic Jihad mbrs., in fear that the IDF would shell the prison. (AFP, AP, HA, HP, MEZ, MM, NYT, PMC, WP, WT 12/4; MENA 12/4 in WNC 12/5; HP, LAW, MM 12/5)
An Islamic Jihad gunman opens fire on a bus in French Hill settlement in East Jerusalem, killing 2 Jewish settlers and wounding around 50 before being shot dead by 2 border police officers, 1 IDF soldier, 1 armed settler. Despite the attack, Sharon agrees to continue the withdrawal fr. PA areas beginning with Qalqilya on 11/5. The IDF launches a predawn missile attack on PSF posts in Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahia, Dayr al-Balah, and Jabaliya, which Israel claims housed mortar factories; 1 senior PSF officer is killed. The IDF also shells residential areas of Tulkarm; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Shatti camp; shells, partially destroys a PSF roadblock nr. Hebron. (NYT, WP 11/4; NYT, WP, WT 11/5; PCHR 11/8; JP 11/16)
Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 1 Palestinian dead. Overnight, Palestinian assailants throw hand grenades at an IDF post nr. Gaza's Dayr al-Balah refugee camp. In retaliation, the IDF sends tanks and bulldozers into the camp at dawn, firing 15 shells, demolishing 5 Palestinian homes and a PSF post; the 700 yd. incursion, the deepest into PA-controlled territory since IDF field cmdrs. were given (5/6) free rein to carry them out, leaves 27 Palestinians homeless. Later, the IDF fires machine guns toward journalists, Palestinians digging through the rubble in search of their possessions. The IDF also directs shells, heavy machine gun fire on residential areas of Bethlehem, Jabaliya, Jericho, Khan Yunis; opens a new settler bypass road linking the Jewish settlements of Mevo Dotan, Homesh, Shaked. A pipe bomb explodes in the Old City of Jerusalem, wounding 2 people. For the 2d day, Jewish settlers in Hebron attack, seriously injure 3 Palestinians (ages 6, 14, 16). (HP, PMC, WP 5/12; PCHR 5/17)
In Amman, Jordanian security forces violently disperse 100s of Jordanians taking part in 2 Palestinian solidarity rallies sponsored by the Muslim Brotherhood to mark the 53d anniversary of the Nakba. (HP 5/12; al-Ra'i 5/12, JT 5/13 in WNC 5/14; QA 5/14 in WNC 5/15; MM 5/15; JT 5/16 in WNC 5/17; MEI 5/18)
