The Palestine Chronology

A Hamas suicide bomber detonates a powerful device on a bus in Haifa, killing 14 Israelis, 1 Filipino, and injuring more than 40. Arafat condemns the attack, outlaws "any movement, organization, or gathering" that does not abide by his cease-fire order, orders confiscation of illegal weapons, reiterates plans for a crackdown, saying that around 90 Palestinians have already been arrested. Israel dismisses the arrests as "a stunt," seals PA areas, bans all Palestinian vehicular traffic, shells residential areas of Jinin. In one of several similar incidents in the Bethlehem area, 20 PSF officers attempting to arrest journalist Issa Zawahara, who has ties to Islamic Jihad, are chased off by an angry crowd of Palestinians. Arafat later meets with PA security heads, convenes the Palestinian Council (PC) to discuss the recent attacks. (AFP, AP, HA 12/2; AFP, ATL, Interfax, LPA, XIN 12/2 in WNC 12/3; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/3; DUS, MA 12/3 in WNC 12/4; WT 12/4; AYM 12/4 in WNC 12/5; LAW 12/5; WJW 12/6; MEI 12/7; JP 12/14)

Sharon, Bush meet at the White House. Sharon says he does not expect Arafat to take serious steps to arrest those responsible for recent suicide attacks, says Israel will "do what we have to do to protect our citizens." Neither Bush nor U.S. officials urge Israeli restraint. (JP [Internet] 12/2; LPA 12/2 in WNC 12/3; MM, WP, WT 12/3; WT 12/4; VIRI 12/4 in WNC 12/5; MM 12/5)

Meanwhile, Hamas also takes responsibility for a drive-by shooting in Gaza, which leaves 1 Jewish settler dead. In the Jordan Valley, 7 settlers are wounded in a 2d drive-by shooting. Palestinians in Bayt Jala fire on Gilo, injuring 2 settlers. Armed Jewish settlers accost Palestinians in Hizma. An Israeli security guard outside an East Jerusalem bank fatally shoots a Palestinian, apparently fearing that he was about to stage an attack. The IDF fatally shoots 4 Palestinians nr. a Jinin checkpoint, 1 Palestinian in Tulkarm; fires a tank shell at a Palestinian in Qabatiyya, killing him. The IDF also directs shells/heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Aida, Jinin, Khan Yunis, Salim; conducts arrest raids in Abu Dis, Azariyya, Burqa. In Gaza, some 1,000 Hamas supporters rally in support of continued attacks on Israeli targets. In Nablus, 300 Palestinians attend a rally against political arrests sponsored by the National and Islamic Higher Comm. for the Follow-up of the Intifada (NIHC). (HA 12/2; XIN 12/2 in WNC 12/3; PMC, REU, WP 12/3; LAW 12/5)

In an apparent assassination attempt on senior Fatah official Muhammad Mansur, the IDF fires rockets into the Fatah headquarters in a residential area of Ramallah, causing no injuries. Mansur left the building just before the attack. Nr. Rafah, an explosion in a building known to be used by tanzim mbrs. leaves, 1 tanzim mbr. dead, 1 injured; the tanzim accuses Israel of carrying out an assassination. Israel admits to the attempt on Mansur, but denies staging the Rafah incident. The IDF directs shells/heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Bayt Hanun, al-Bireh, Dura, Nablus, Rafah; closes roads around Khan Yunis, the al-Mawasi area; occupies a Palestinian home in al-Khadir; raids, shuts a secondary school in Baqa` al-Sharqiyya; conducts arrest sweeps in Burqa, Jinin, al-Khadir, Tulkarm, Yabid. Armed Jewish settlers fire on Palestinian shops in Hebron, causing serious damage but no injuries; IDF soldiers do not intervene. (HP 9/8; WP, WT 9/9)

The WCAR closes after agreeing on a final statement that expresses concern over the "plight of the Palestinian people under foreign occupation," endorses the right of Israelis and Palestinians to live in secure and independent states, recognizes the right of refugees to return to "freely return to their homes." Israel says it is "satisfied" with the text. (Globe and Mail, HP 9/8; NYT, WP, WT 9/9; MENA, al-Quds, SAPA 9/9 in WNC 9/10; WT 9/10; JP, MEI 9/14)

Islamic Jihad mbrs. fire on the Jewish enclave of Hebron, causing no injuries; the IDF tightens its closure on the Palestinian section of the city. The IDF also sends 5 armored vehicles into Silat al-Dahir (under curfew for 7 days) to occupy several homes under construction for use as military outposts; confiscates 100s of dunams of Palestinian land nr. Morag settlement; bulldozes Palestinian land in al-Qarara; conducts arrest sweeps in Dayr Istya (occupying 1 home as an observation post), Kfar Dik; reinforces the closure on Nablus by digging a trench across a road, establishing a new checkpoint; recloses the Birzeit+nRamallah road. Jewish settlers destroy Palestinian olive groves in Bizarya, Burqa, Ras Karkar, Tulkarm; attack a Palestinian farm in Bani Odeh, killing 50 sheep; throw stones at Palestinian cars on the Qalqilya-Nablus road. (HP, MM 6/26; NYT, WT 6/27)

In Washington, Bush, Powell hold "an unusually blunt" mtg. with Sharon on how to proceed with the cease-fire plan. Sharon says he will not move onto the 6 wk. cooling-off stage until violence completely ceases for 10 days; only after 8 wks. of total calm would Israel make any confidence-building gestures. Bush stresses the PA's progress in reducing violence to date, urges Sharon to be "more receptive" to the cease-fire proposals, recommends that the cooling-off period begin immediately. (AP, MM 6/26; AYM, al-Quds 6/26 in WNC 6/27; BBC, HA, JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/27; NYT, WJW, WP 6/28; MA 6/29, 7/1 in WNC 7/2; JP 7/6; see also WP 6/20)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate, leaving a total of 7 Palestinians, 1 Jewish settler dead. In Ramallah, an explosion destroys a home, wounding 5 Palestinians, killing 2 children and a Palestinian wanted by Israel for 1/18 murder an Israeli civilian in the West Bank. Israel claims the wanted Palestinian accidentally detonated a bomb he was building; the PA claims the IDF assassinated him. In Gaza, 2 Hamas mbrs. are killed when a bomb in their car, parked in a garage, explodes, destroying the building, wounding 4 bystanders. Israel claims a car bomb exploded prematurely; Hamas, noting that 2 IDF helicopters were reported in the area at the time, claims the IDF assassinated the pair with a remote controlled device. A Palestinian worker at a Gaza settlement is killed, another is wounded when a bomb in his employer's car explodes; the IDF claims the men were planting the bomb when it exploded. Palestinian snipers fire on 2 settler vehicles, wounding 1 settler and causing 1 car to crash, killing another settler. Palestinians fire mortars at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage. The IDF responds by heavily shelling residential areas of Khan Yunis. Jewish settlers open fire on the Palestinian villages of Bazarim and Burka, causing no injuries. The IDF also "eases" the blockade on Bethlehem and Qalqilya, allowing residents "to enter and exit the cities through 1 roadblock for each city after undergoing stringent security checks." (HA, REU 4/30; LAW, MM, NYT, WT 5/1; NYT 5/2; al-Quds 5/3 in WNC 5/4; LAW 5/4)

In New York, Peres discusses Israel's position on the Jordanian-Egyptian initiative with UN Secy.-Gen. Annan. (HA 5/1; AYM 5/1 in WNC 5/3; MM, WT 5/2; WJW 5/3; SA 5/3 in WNC 5/7; MM 5/4)

The State Dept. issues its annual report on global "terrorism," which notes--but does not support or dismiss--Israeli accusations that PA security officials, Fatah mbrs. have facilitated and/or taken part in attacks against Israelis. (MM 5/1, 5/2; AYM 5/3 in WNC 5/7; al-Ahram [Internet] 5/10)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue at a high level, leaving 2 Palestinians dead. In Jinin, senior Islamic Jihad mbr. Iyad Hardan, wanted by Israel, is assassinated when a bomb planted in a public phone he frequently uses explodes. In response to Palestinian mortar fire nr. Nahal Oz crossing and nr. Netiv Haasara kibbutz inside the Green Line that causes no damage, the IDF fires rockets at PSF posts and a power station in Gaza, wounding at least 5 Palestinians, destroying 4 buildings, damaging 10 homes, causing blackouts. The IDF also bulldozes 100 dunams of Palestinian land in Shaykh Ajlin; begins work on a new settler bypass road linking Beit El settlement with Jerusalem; raids Burqa village, arrests 2 Palestinians. Sharon announces plans to build another 708 housing units in the Jewish settlements of Ma'ale Adumim, Alfe Menashe; the State Dept. criticizes the move as "provocative." Reportedly to ease tensions over the Erez shooting on 4/4, Israel reopens the Rafah border with Egypt, says it will allow 3,000 Palestinian workers into Israel. (LAW 4/5; AFP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 4/6; MENA, al-Quds 4/6, ITAR-TASS 4/7 in WNC 4/9; MM 4/9; AYM 4/9 in WNC 4/11; al-Quds 4/11 in WNC 4/12; LAW, WJW 4/12; MA 4/17 in WNC 4/18; MEI 4/20)

Sharon orders the Israeli security services to find ways to let Jews visit the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. (MENA 4/10 in WNC 4/11; WT 4/11)

In Washington, Bush receives 2 letters signed by 87 Senators, 209 House mbrs. calling on him to reconsider U.S. ties with the PLO. (REU, WP 4/6; al-Quds 4/8, HJ, MENA 4/9 in WNC 4/10; MM 4/9; SA 4/13 in WNC 4/16; HA 4/16; MM 4/18; JP 4/20)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. A Palestinian woman stabs, injures an Israeli policeman in Jerusalem. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire on residential areas of al-Bireh, Burqa, Hebron, Nablus, al-Zababdi; tightens the closure around Anza, Aqaba, Hebron, Ramallah, Silat al-Dahir, Tulkarm, Yabad; bulldozes 117 dunams of Palestinian land along the Green Line nr. Rafah. Jewish settlers move 6 caravans onto a new settlement site nr. Jinin; uproot an olive grove, bulldoze Palestinian land around Shaked settlement; open fire on Palestinians in nr. Ariel, Susia settlements. (HP 3/8; LAW 3/17)

Arafat sends a letter to Sharon congratulating him on his swearing in on 3/7, urging him to resume negotiations. Sharon says he might agree to a face-to-face mtg. with Arafat if the relative calm of recent days holds. (MM, WT 3/9; NYT 3/10; JT 3/11, ITAR-TASS 3/12 in WNC 3/13)

After the Knesset approves his 7-party coalition, Sharon is sworn in as PM of Israel. The Knesset also passes a preliminary budget for 2001, a measure switching back to the 1-ballot voting system. The 7 parties in the unity government are Labor, Likud, One Nation, Shas, National Union Party, Yisrael Ba'Aliya, Yisrael Beitainu. Sharon's cabinet is the largest in Israeli history. (HA, JP [Internet], MM 3/7; MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/8; MM 3/9; MA, SA 3/9 in WNC 3/13; WT 3/10; WP 4/1)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. Israel seals the West Bank, Gaza. Hrs. after Sharon's swearing in, the IDF digs a trench, erects an earthen barrier on the Birzeit-Ramallah road, completely encircling Ramallah. Electricity, water lines to Birzeit University are cut. The IDF also tightens the closures on Bayt Lid, Bethlehem, al-Kifriyat, Nablus, Ramin, Safarin, Shufa, Tulkarm, Zayta; directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Rafah, Shaykh Ajlin; conducts arrest sweeps in Burqa. Jewish settlers establish a new settlement enclave on confiscated Palestinian land nr. Nablus. (HA, HP, LAW 3/7; HA 3/8; WP, al-Quds 3/12; JT 3/13 in WNC 3/14; HA 3/15; al-Quds 3/16 in WNC 3/20; MEI 3/23; Middle East Report 3/28; HJ 4/10 in WNC 4/18)