The Palestine Chronology

The IDF places a curfew on Jenin, sends in 70 jeeps and 25 armored personnel carriers, conducts arrest raids and house searches, exchanging gunfire with Palestinians, leaving 1 Palestinian stone-thrower dead, 9 Palestinians and 2 Israeli border police wounded; wanted Islamic Jihad Jenin cmdr. Iyad Abu al-Rub and an aide, fearing they would be assassinated, surrender in a deal brokered by local AMB head Zakariya Zubaydi. The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Nablus. (HA, Israeli FMin. press release, PCHR 11/24, 12/1)

The IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian, wounds a 2d inside Gaza, alleging they were planting a roadside bomb nr. the Qarni crossing; fatally shoots a Palestinian in ‘Issawiyya who allegedly attempts to run down a solider with his car. Late in the evening, the IDF launches arrest raids, house searches in Aida r.c. and nr. Bethlehem, Nablus, Qalqilya, Tulkarm; fires on residential areas of Jenin r.c. Israeli border police arrest 76 Palestinians, 3 Jordanians in a crackdown on illegal workers entering Jerusalem. Jewish settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles outside Qalqilya. (IMEMC 11/9; IMEMC, PCHR 11/10; PCHR 11/17)

The IDF seriously injures a Palestinian woman in a hit-and-run nr. Bayt Fajjar; bulldozes 24 d. of agricultural land, including 150 olive trees, in ‘Azun ‘Atma; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Aida r.c., Dahaysha r.c., Dura, Kharsa nr. Hebron; moves into and fires on residential areas of Bayt ’Awa nr. Hebron, then fires on stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops, seriously wounding a 13-yr.-old boy, moderately wounding a 12-yr.-old boy; conducts late-night patrols in Jenin, firing on residential areas. Palestinians throw a pipe bomb at an Israeli border police patrol s. of Jerusalem, lightly injuring 3 officers. Jewish settlers fr. Elon Moreh set fire to 300 d. of Palestinian olive groves in nearby Salim. A previously unknown group calling itself Knights of the Storm (thought to be a Fatah offshoot) claims to have kidnapped 2 Palestinian collaborators in Gaza City, saying they took action when the PA security forces failed to do so. (HA, IMEMC, PM, REU 10/18; WP, WT 10/19; PCHR 10/20)

The IDF officially “suspends” Operation First Rain, which began on 9/24, to “see if the Palestinian Authority is willing and capable of taking advantage of the new situation.” PA security forces clash with Hamas mbrs. in Gaza City, with violence spreading to Shati‘ r.c., leaving 1 PA police officer, 2 Palestinian bystanders dead, at least 50 Palestinians wounded over several hrs. in the first intra-Palestinian fighting in Gaza since the Israeli withdrawal, sparked when PA security forces allegedly tried to arrest Muhammad Rantisi, Hamas activist and son of assassinated Hamas leader ‘Abd al- ‘Aziz Rantisi; during the clashes Hamas mbrs. fire RPGs at 2 PA police stations, PA police run out of ammunition. Separately, shots are fired at the Gaza City home of Hamas political leader Mahmud Zahhar, causing damage but no injuries. Late in the evening, the IDF launches arrest raids, house searches nr. Tulkarm and in and around Bethlehem, Hebron. Israeli border police report that over the previous 2 days they have arrested 1,200 Palestinians in Jerusalem for failing to have travel or work permits. (AFP, IMEMC, YA 10/2; REU, UPI, WP, WT 10/3; HA, REU, WT, XIN 10/4; PCHR 10/6; DS 10/8; MEI 10/12)

The Israeli FMin. adopts a new “national image management” strategy to improve Israel’s image abroad, “rebranding” it as “cool,” “hip,” “relevant and modern,” by downplaying religion and “avoiding any discussion of the conflict with the Palestinians.” (Forward 10/14)

Some 200 Egyptian border police begin deploying along the Rafah border to prevent smuggling and illegal crossings after the IDF completes its Gaza withdrawal; all 750 will be deployed within 4 days. IDF moves into Bayt Furik nr. Nablus, fires on residential areas, then fires on stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops, wounding 1; conducts house searches nr. Hebron, Jenin. Some 200 armed AMB mbrs. take over 2 PA buildings in central Gaza demanding jobs. Masked Palestinian gunmen kidnap an Italian journalist in Dayr al-Balah, release him unharmed several hrs. later without explanation. (HA, JAZ 9/10; HA, NYT, WP, WT 9/11; PCHR 9/15)

In the morning, the IDF says that 70% of Gaza settlers have been evacuated, most Gaza residents have not resisted the evacuation, most protests and resistance are by West Bank settler youth (and some American Jewish youth) who have come to Gaza in recent wks. to block the withdrawal. During the day, the evacuations of Gan Or (est. 1983, pop. 350, size 1,692 d., hrs. to evac. 5), Kefar Darom (est. 1989, pop. 490, size 276 d., hrs. to evac. 12), Kefar Yam (est. 1983, pop. 15, hrs. to evac. 3), Netzer Hazani (est. 1973, pop. 460, size 250 d., hrs. to evac. 5), Neve Dekalim (est. 1983, pop. 2,700, size 1,443 d., hrs. to evac. 35), Shirat Hayam (est. 2001, pop. 40, hrs. to evac. 5) settlements are completed. An increasing number of settlers set fire to their homes and to greenhouses as they leave to prevent them fr. being turned over to Palestinians. For the 1st time, 1 armed resident in Kefar Yam, 4 armed disengagement protesters in Shirat Hayam threaten to shoot IDF soldiers if they follow orders to remove settlers, but only if soldiers fire first; the incidents defuse without violence. Some Shirat Hayam residents also throw rocks at Palestinians in Mawasi as they evacuate. In Kefar Darom, 65 resident families agree to leave, but as many as 2,000 outside protesters refuse, many of them barricading themselves inside and on the roof of a synagogue; for the 1st time during the disengagement, the IDF uses water cannons against protesters and 2 IDF soldiers refuse to obey their orders, are removed by fellow soldiers; 58 Israelis are injured in clearing the synagogue, including at least 3 IDF soldiers, 27 border police (1 seriously when he falls accidentally); protesters throw paint thinner at IDF Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Dan Harel, several soldiers. In Neve Dekalim, some 1,500 disengagement protesters hole up in 2 synagogues, refusing to leave even after residents have voluntarily evacuated, but are eventually extracted. Jewish settlers in s. Gaza spread nails along the coastal road in alMawasi to prevent movement of Palestinian vehicles. Meanwhile, Palestinians fire a rocket at Netzarim (still inhabited), lightly injuring an IDF soldier; 2 mortars at Gadid settlement (still inhabited), 3 mortars at Morag (evacuated) causing no damage or injuries. Palestinian gunmen fire on IDF troops nr. Kefar Darom, lightly injuring 1. The IDF conducts arrest raids in al-Mawasi; fires on residential areas of Bayt Lahiya, seriously injuring 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, Jewish settlers fr. Homesh and Sanur attempt to break into a Palestinian home in nearby Asa’sa village; the IDF intervenes to stop them. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim throw stones at Palestinian shops, cars nr. Qalqilya. The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches in Dura, nr. Tulkarm; confiscates 500 d. of agricultural land nr. Eli settlement nr. Nablus. In Israel, disengagement protesters block roads nationwide. (AP, BBC, HA, Israeli Radio, ITV 8/18; NYT, WP, WT 8/19; PCHR 8/25)

The IDF tightens restrictions on Palestinian movement inside Gaza, declares the n. West Bank a closed military zone in preparation for disengagement; begins going door to door in the Gaza settlements, asking residents to leave within 48 hrs. In Aley Sinai, 56 of 59 families who had agreed to leave rescind their decision, vowing to resist evacuation until the Israeli government finds permanent living solutions for the community as a whole; the government had promised them space together in an Ashkelon hotel, but only today learned that not enough space was available. During the day, some 1,000 right-wing settlers in various locations in s. Gaza simultaneously begin marching toward Gush Katif to block troops, but are prevented fr. reaching the settlement bloc by IDF troops and border police. Other settler youths slash the tires of several army jeeps, spray liquid soap on windshields to limit visibility, spread nails on roads to delay convoys of movers. Jewish settlers fr. Neve Dekalim vandalize, attempt to set fire to several Palestinian homes in al-Mawasi. In Gan Or, local settlers who want the IDF’s help to evacuate scuffle with settler youths blocking soldiers fr. entering the settlement. In the West Bank, the last residents of Ganim (est. 1983, pop. 172) and Qadim (est. 1983, pop. 169) evacuate voluntarily by evening, while settlers in the other 2 West Bank settlement slated for removal, the hard-line enclaves of Homesh (est. 1980, pop. 228) and Sanur (est. 1982, pop. 105), refuse to accept their notices. The major Palestinian factions, including Hamas, agree to oversee jointly how the PA uses land evacuated by settlers and the IDF; the PA expects 5% of the land to revert to individual Palestinian owners, with the rest being state land that will fall under PA jurisdiction. In a signal to reassure Palestinians about how it will handle land use, the PA security forces demolish a house, cabana, pool built illegally on Gaza public land by 2 senior PA security officials; when a neighbor of one of the officials tells journalists that the demolitions were good because his neighbors “were criminals . . . a gang,” several PA security officers beat him, threaten to shoot him, before he retreats into his house. (BBC, HA, NYT 8/15; HA, NYT, WP, WT 8/16; PR 8/17; PCHR 8/18)

Meanwhile, the IDF continues arrest raids, house searches in villages around Tulkarm; launches arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem and in Birzeit, alMawasi; searches homes in Kafr Qadim; occupies 5 Palestinian houses (2 nr. Gaza’s Dugit settlement, 1 in Mughraqa, 1 nr. Tulkarm, 1 in Wadi al-Silqa) as observation posts; fires on residential areas of Rafah. Jewish settlers vandalize Palestinian homes in Hebron. The ICRC resumes field activities in Gaza, which were suspended on 8/7 after shots were fired at its Khan Yunis offices. (IMEMC 8/15; NYT 8/16)

The IDF confirms that in recent wks. it has confiscated 2,000 d. of Palestinian agricultural land btwn. Jenin, Nablus for temporary housing for IDF soldiers responsible for evacuating 4 n. West Bank Jewish settlements under disengagement. The IDF also sends troops into Bayt Furik nr. Nablus, fires on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops, wounding 2; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Ramallah; occupies a Palestinian home in Gaza City as an observation post; patrols in villages nr. Jenin; fires on Palestinian farmers conducting a peaceful march to their lands being razed by the IDF for construction of the separation wall, wounding 3. Palestinian gunmen fire on Qadim settlement in the n. West Bank, causing damage but no injuries. Palestinians fire a mortar at an IDF base outside Gaza’s Neve Dekalim settlement, causing no damage or injuries. An Israeli border policeman injured on 7/3 dies. (HA 7/4; YA 7/4 in WNC 7/5; VOI 7/5 in WNC 7/6; OCHA 7/6; PCHR 7/7)

Some 20 IDF soldiers patrolling in Rafah exchange fire with Hamas mbrs., leaving 1 armed Palestinian injured. The IDF bulldozes part of a cemetery in Rafah to widen the Philadelphi route; sends troops into Bayt Furik nr. Nablus, fires on residential areas, then fires on stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops, wounding 2; temporarily seals ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c. nr. Nablus, searches houses; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Qabatya nr. Jenin, in villages around Hebron; occupies a Palestinian home in Mughraqa as an observation post. An Israeli border policeman is seriously injured in a fall during scuffles with Palestinians at a separation wall demonstration nr. Har Adar. Palestinians fire 6 mortars at Jewish settlements in Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. (XIN 7/3; VOI 7/3 in WNC 7/4; YA 7/4 in WNC 7/5; OCHA 7/6; PCHR 7/7)

The IDF bulldozes 5 Palestinian homes in Yatta nr. Hebron; fires on a Palestinian car nr. Bayt Furik checkpoint nr. Nablus, hitting the driver 7 times, wounding him; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya; conducts patrols in Jinata nr. Bethlehem. Israeli border police raid a Central Elections Commission (CEC) registration center in Nabi Samuel outside Jerusalem, check IDs of the staff; raid another center in Harmala nr. Bethlehem, holding staff for 3 hrs. In Bayt Lahiya, 2 Palestinian boys are injured when they accidentally trigger a roadside bomb; 2 Palestinian boys are injured in a similar incident nr. the Rafah border fence. (IMEMC 5/23; OCHA 5/25; PCHR 5/26)

The IDF demolishes 6 Palestinian homes in Bayt Hanina, East Jerusalem; severely beats a Palestinian shepherd herding his flock nr. the separation wall outside Hebron; conducts arrest raids, house searches in ‘Azun, Husan, Marda nr. Nablus, Nabi Elias nr. Qalqilya, al-Ras (drawing maps of several homes), al-Til; patrols inside Tubas. Israel posts an Israeli border police company nr. Yitzhar settlement to prevent settler violence against Palestinians. A Jewish settler fr. Kiryat Arba shoots, wounds a Palestinian farmer working his field nr. the settlement. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba, escorted by the IDF, begin leveling Palestinian land for construction of a bypass road. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim bar 10s of Palestinian farmers fr. neighboring Kafr Qadim fr. reaching their agricultural land. (YA 4/4; OCHA 4/6; PCHR 4/7)

The IDF eases some restrictions on Palestinian movement around Nablus; conducts a late-night raid on Budrus village nr. Ramallah, site of several recent demonstrations against the separation wall, rounding up women and children, photographing them; installs 2 new electronic gates at the entrances to the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs to control Palestinian access (see 3/13); conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron (occupying a Palestinian home as an observation post, then allowing settlers to move in), Husan (occupying a Palestinian home as an IDF post). Israeli border police drive through Bil‘in village nr. Ramallah, taunting local youths over loudspeakers, saying “All of Bil‘in’s children are cowards. Let’s see you throw stones”; detains a 14-yr.-old boy who throws stones, questions him, releases him 2 mi. fr. the village. In Hebron, a Jewish settler woman stops a 9-yr-old Palestinian boy on his way home fr. school, takes him to Ramat Yishai settlement, and severely beats him with a rock, breaking his teeth, injuring his back and limbs. Jewish settlers fr. Avraham Avino attack 4 nearby Palestinian homes, causing damage but no injuries. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba beat, injure an international peace activist in Hebron. (WT, YA 3/25; IMEMC 3/26; OCHA 3/30; PCHR 3/31)

An Israeli border policeman fires on a group of Palestinians attempting to circumvent a checkpoint btwn. Jerusalem and Bethlehem, seriously injuring 1. The IDF fires on a group of Palestinian children returning home fr. school who apparently stray too close to a separation wall construction site, wounding 3; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Saida, Nur al-Shams r.c. (targeting Islamic Jihad mbrs.), Tulkarm r.c.; bulldozes 22 d. of land in Surif nr. Hebron for construction of the separation wall. Palestinians fire a rocket toward Sederot, causing no damage or injuries. Unidentified Palestinian gunmen fire on an IDF patrol searching for stolen cars in al-Amari r.c. nr. Ramallah, wounding 2 soldiers seriously, 2 lightly; the IDF seals al-Amari, conducts house searches. A PA court sentences 5 Palestinians to jail terms of 3–5 yrs. for collaborating with Israel. (HA, VOP 3/20; VOI 3/21; OCHA 3/23; PCHR 3/24)

Palestinian gunmen fire on an Israeli border police post nr. the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, wounding 2. In response, the IDF imposes a 24-hr. curfew on Palestinian areas of Hebron (still in place as of 3/12), beats several Palestinians, raids and searches homes, rounds up 200 Palestinians ages 16–40 for interrogation. The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches in ‘Azun, Yatta, Qabatya nr. Jenin. Jewish settlers fr. Ma’on attack Palestinians herding sheep outside Hebron, injuring 3. Rival PA policemen clash in Ramallah, leaving 1 PA policeman dead. (MM 3/7; WT 3/8; OCHA, PR 3/9; PCHR 3/10; IMEMC 3/12)

A Damascus-based Islamic Jihad cell claims responsibility for the 2/25 Tel Aviv bombing, noting the end of the unofficial 1-mo. truce on 2/25 and stating that Israel had to be punished for cease-fire violations it committed; Islamic Jihad’s leadership in Gaza, however, denies responsibility, saying the group would continue to abide by an unofficial cease-fire. Israel shifts blame to Syria, which denies any responsibility, saying Islamic Jihad offices in Damascus have been closed for some time. Meanwhile, the PA security forces arrest 2 suspects in Gaza in connection with bombing; Israeli security forces arrest at least 5 suspects in Israel. The IDF tightens restrictions on Palestinian movement around Hebron; fires on 3 Palestinians attempting to sneak into Israel fr. Gaza to find work, killing 1 Palestinian, detaining 2; severely beats 2 Palestinians at a checkpoint at the entrance to al-Til nr. Nablus; places a curfew on Dayr al-Ghusun, hometown of the 2/25 suicide bomber, arrests the bomber’s 2 brothers, the village imam; fires on residential areas of Tulkarm town, r.c., and neighboring villages. An IDF border policeman shoots, wounds a Palestinian woman in Hebron after she allegedly tries to stab him during a security check. Some 15 Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba, escorted by IDF soldiers, severely beat a Palestinian farmer working his land outside Hebron; soldiers arrest the Palestinian, interrogate him before releasing him. PA security forces report that they have uncovered, sealed 12 smugglers’ tunnels in Rafah since deploying along the Gaza border. A Palestinian dies of injuries received on 2/26/04. (HA, JAZ, PRCS, VOI, VOP 2/26; IDF Radio, JAZ, NYT, PRCS, WP 2/27; MM 2/28; MM, PCHR 3/3; MEI 3/4)

The IDF arrests a 16-yr.-old Palestinian at Hawara checkpoint nr. Nablus for carrying a bag with “an apparent explosive belt, an improvised weapon, and 20 bullets”; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Ithna, al-Mawasi, Nablus; sends troops into al-Fara’a r.c. to search local Palestinians on the street, fires on Palestinian youths who throw stones at troops; issues military orders confiscating at least 130 d. of agricultural land s. of Nablus to establish a buffer zone around Emmanuel settlement; issues a military order confiscating 25 d. of Azariyya land for separation wall construction. A DFLP mbr. throws grenades at an IDF vehicle in s. Gaza, slightly wounding 2 soldiers; soldiers shoot, kill the assailant. 2 AMB mbrs. fire on an IDF jeep nr. Hebron, wounding 4 IDF soldiers, escaping. A Palestinian dies of injuries received in IDF shelling of Bayt Lahiya on 1/4/05. (IMEMC 2/3; HA, WP 2/4; NYT 2/6; PCHR 2/10; OCHA 2/23)

Inside Israel, some 1,000 Israeli border police backed by 16 bulldozers level 4,000 d. of bedouin land in the al-Araqib area of the Negev, seal off all roads leading to the area to prevent the bedouin owners fr. returning. The Israel Lands Dept. says the goal of the operation is to “salvage the state’s lands from the Arab bedouins who seized and exploited them.” (JAZ 2/4)