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 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 youths breaking curfew, throwing stones at troops in Nablus, killing a 16-yr.-old Palestinian; fires on residential areas of al-Qarara; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron; imposes a curfew on, reinforces troops in al-Khadir village nr. Hebron; bulldozes 3 dunams of land in al-Qarara, additional land nr. Dayr al-Balah and Gaza City. In Nablus, 2 IDF soldiers are wounded by a roadside bomb. (NYT 1/2; LAW 1/8; PCHR 1/9)

The IDF assassinates a senior Islamic Jihad military leader, Muklid Humayid, firing a missile at his car as he drives in Gaza City, also killing another Islamic Jihad mbr. traveling with him, 3 Palestinian bystanders, wounding 15. Soon after, a PFLP suicide bomber detonates a device at a bus stop in Tel Aviv, killing 4 IDF soldiers, 1 Israeli civilian, wounding 15 Israelis; the PFLP says the attack is in retaliation for the IDF assassination of 2 PFLP mbrs. on 12/18. The IDF also sends troops back into Nablus, imposing a 24-hr. curfew; bars all vehicular traffic btwn. the occupied territories and Israel; conducts arrest raids in Jenin, Wadi al-Silqa; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis; bulldozes 1 Palestinian home and 3 dunams of land in Dayr al-Balah, 4 dunams of land in Khan Yunis. (NYT, WP, WT 12/26; HA 12/28; PCHR 1/1; MEI, PCHR 1/9)

As gestures to the PA, Israel announces a halt to deporting families of West Bank Palestinian militants to Gaza; releases 34 Palestinian prisoners, including senior Gaza PSF official Sulayman Abu Mutlak, who was arrested in early 5/03 and is freed for lack of evidence. Overnight, Palestinians fire an antitank rocket at Kefar Darom, wounding 4 Jewish settlers; the Palestinian resistance comms. (PRCs) and a Rafah-based Fatah offshoot called Abu Rish, neither of which agreed to the cease-fire, claim responsibility; meanwhile, the PSF arrests 4 PRC mbrs., an AMB mbr. in connection with the attack; the IDF shuts Gaza’s main north–south road for 6 hrs. to search for the assailants, without success. Abbas condemns the rocket attack and the 6/30 fatal shooting of a Bulgarian worker as “acts of sabotage.” The PSF also arrests 2 Palestinians in Khan Yunis on charges of firing mortars at Gush Katif on 7/1. The IDF raids Qalqilya, arresting local AMB head Ibrahim Mansur, fatally shooting his aide Mahmud Shawar (reportedly 1st wounding him in the leg, then executing him with gunshots to the head); the AMB vows to respond within 24 hrs. The IDF also imposes a curfew on, conducts arrest raids in Tulkarm; fires on Palestinians waiting to cross a Khan Yunis checkpoint, wounding 1; bulldozes 8 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Dayr al-Balah. Sharon authorizes Israeli police to crack down on crime among bedouin in s. Israel. (HA, MM 7/3; MA, VOI 7/3, AYM 7/5 in WNC 7/10; NYT, WP, WT 7/4; NYT 7/6; MM 7/8; PR 7/9; PCHR 7/10)

The IDF opens fire on stone-throwing youths in Askar r.c., killing 1 Palestinian; bars a Palestinian heart attack victim fr. crossing a checkpoint to reach a hospital, allowing him to die; places a curfew on villages northwest of Nablus, patrols streets, firing in the air; fires on stone-throwing youths in Askar r.c., injuring 2; fires on residential areas of Hebron, Tulkarm; fires at Palestinians at a roadblock outside Dayr al-Balah for no apparent reason, causing no injuries; demolishes 7 Palestinian homes and 11 greenhouses, bulldozes 57 dunams of land in Rafah; demolishes 3 Palestinian homes, a bird farm, and 3 greenhouses, bulldozes 52 dunams of land in Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids outside Ramallah. (HA 6/14; VOI 6/14 in WNC 6/17; PM, WP 6/15; HP 6/16; LAW, PCHR 6/19)

Israeli DMin. security negotiations coordinator Amos Gilad, PA Security Affairs M Muhammad Dahlan meet in Ramallah to discuss Israel’s proposal to turn over security control for n. Gaza to the PA. (NYT, WP 6/15; JP 6/15 in WNC 6/17; NYT 6/16; PR 6/18)

The IDF assassinates Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades mbr. Fuad Lidawi, firing missiles at his car as he drives in Gaza City, wounding 28 bystanders (including 11 children); later fires missiles at a warehouse in Gaza City that allegedly contains Qassam missiles, 50 yds. fr. the home of Shaykh Yasin. The IDF blows up a cave in Dayr Ghassana (see 5/24), burying 3 wanted Palestinians, leaving them for dead; local residents dig out, save the men; in retaliation, the IDF raids, vandalizes the village medical clinic. A Palestinian dies of injuries received in the IDF’s 6/12 assassination of Abu Srour and Taha, bringing that toll to 7. An AMB gunman fires on an IDF patrol nr. Karmela Menashe settlement, outside Jenin, fatally shooting 1 IDF soldier, wounding 2. The IDF also demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Dura, 1 in Hebron; bulldozes 3 dunams of land in Dayr al-Balah; places a curfew on, conducts arrest raids in Bayt Sahur; fires on residential areas of Rafah. Palestinians also fire a Qassam rocket at Sederot, damaging a house but causing no injuries. (AFP, HA 6/13; NYT, WP, WT 6/14; VOI 6/14 in WNC 6/17; HP 6/16; PR 6/14; LAW, PCHR 6/19)

In Umm al-Fahm, 100,000s of Israeli Arabs attend a rally in support of Islamic Movement mbrs. arrested by Israel on 5/13. (HA 6/13)

The IDF imposes a curfew on Ramallah; blows up 2 Palestinian homes before dawn in Jalbun; conducts arrest raids targeting AMB, Hamas mbrs. in Nablus; safely detonates a roadside bomb found in East Jerusalem, in an area usually patrolled by Israeli police; safely detonates a 2d explosive device found nr., Baqa’ Sharqiyya; fires residential areas of Bayt Hanun, Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, Tal Zu’rub; conducts arrest raids in al-Qarara; bulldozes 5 dunams of Palestinian land outside Khan Yunis. 2 Hamas gunmen open fire inside Dolah settlement in Gaza, wounding 2 Thai workers, 1 Jewish settler; 1 of the gunmen is shot dead. 2 IDF soldiers are lightly injured in an exchange of gunfire with a Palestinian nr. Neve Dekalim settlement. Israeli police arrest 2 Jews for stabbing, wounding a Palestinian in Jerusalem in an apparent hate crime. (JTA 11/29; HA, NYT, WP 11/30; LAW, PCHR 12/3)

Bush simultaneously imposes and waives a congressionally mandated sanction to “downgrade” the PLO office in Washington for at least 180 days, citing the PA for noncompliance with its commitment to work against violence. (NYT 12/3; MM 12/4; WJW 12/5; HA, WT 12/6; MEI 12/20)

A Hamas suicide bomber detonates a device on a bus in Tel Aviv, killing 5 Israelis, injuring more than 50. Sharon convenes his cabinet, which unanimously decides to launch Operation Matter of Time to "isolate” Arafat, calls for the immediate extradition of around 20 wanted Palestinians (including Force 17 head Mahmud Damara, PA General Intelligence chief Tawfiq Tirawi) allegedly among the 200 Palestinians hiding in Arafat's offices (8 surrender in the evening). The IDF immediately reimposes 24-hr. curfews on all West Bank areas except Hebron; sends tanks into Ramallah to surround Arafat's offices (1 tank fatally shoots a 10-yr.-old Palestinian boy 6 times; troops shoot, wound 2 Arafat bodyguards in the PA headquarters compound); fires on "Palestinian schoolchildren challenging the army's attempt to impose a curfew" in Amari r.c., killing a 11-yr.-old Palestinian; shells residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest raids in Bayt Hanun (where an IDF tank runs over a roadside bomb, injuring 2 soldiers), Jenin r.c. (blowing up 1 Palestinian home), Nablus, Qalqilya, the Tulkarm area; bulldozes 19 dunams of agricultural land nr. Kefar Darom settlement. Jewish settlers open fire on a Palestinian taxi nr. Tulkarm, seriously injuring the driver. (AP, HA, JTA, LAW, MM, PM 9/19; ATL, ITAR-TASS 9/19 in WNC 9/20; MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/20; Interfax, MA, Radio Monte Carlo 9/20 in WNC 9/23; MEZ, NYT 9/21; AYM 9/23 in WNC 9/25; LAW, PCHR, PR 9/25; MA 9/25 in WNC 9/26; WJW 9/26; MEI 9/27)

The IDF fatally shoots AMB Jenin cmdr. Muhammad al-Ott, wounds 5 in a shoot out in Jenin; fires tank shells at stone throwers in Nablus, injuring 9 Palestinians; reimposes the curfew on Hebron; shells residential areas of, razes 69 dunams of agricultural land in Abasan, Khuza; demolishes 3 Palestinian homes in Gaza, allegedly used as cover by AMB mbrs. who attempted to infiltrate Kefar Darom on 8/23; confiscates an apartment building in Hebron as an IDF post; raids a Hebron police station, detaining 1 PSF officer. In Tulkarm, AMB gunmen fatally shoot a Palestinian woman who allegedly collaborated with Israel in the 8/7/02 assassination of local AMB cmdr. Ziad Da'as. (WP, WT 8/25; al-Quds 8/24, XIN 8/25 in WNC 8/26; NYT, WT 8/26; LAW, PCHR 8/28; NYT 9/2)

In Nablus, IDF soldiers halt a Palestinian electric company employee driving a company truck who is returning fr. making authorized repairs during a curfew, kill him with 1 shot to the head; the IDF later apologizes, says it will investigate. The IDF fatally shoots an armed Hamas mbr. attempting to sneak into Israel fr. Gaza. An AMB gunman infiltrates Mehola settlement, fatally shooting 1 Jewish settler, seriously wounding a 2d before being shot dead. A 4th Palestinian dies of injuries received on 8/7. The IDF use water cannons, horses to break up a nonviolent demonstration by 500 Israeli, Palestinian peace activists nr. a Bethlehem-Jerusalem checkpoint, injuring 2; for no apparent reason opens fire with live ammunition, rubber bullets, percussion grenades on Palestinians waiting to cross Surda checkpoint in Ramallah, seriously injuring 2; bulldozes at least 4 dunams of agricultural land nr. Kefar Darom settlement in Gaza. (NYT, WP, WT 8/11; NYT 8/12; PCHR 8/16)