The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, the IDF opens a major road fr. Hebron to Bayt ‘Awwa that passes by Kiryat Arba settlement to Palestinian traffic for the 1st time in 8 yrs. after the High Court rules that closing the road is not necessary to protect the safety of local Jewish settlers; however, 2 road blocks at either end of the road are replaced with permanently staffed IDF checkpoints, and Palestinians wishing to use the road must apply for special IDF permits (as of 8/31 only 22 vehicles and 44 drivers were on the list). The IDF also conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem and in ‘Askar r.c., Balata r.c., and Bil‘in. Israeli police carry out a predawn eviction of 2 Palestinian families (52 people, including 20 children) fr. the Ghawi and Hanun residences in Shaykh Jarrah (see 7/28), where they have lived for more than 50 yrs., after the High Court rules that the Jewish settlers who claim ownership can move in even while the authenticity of their deeds remains disputed; Jewish settlers move in immediately; Britain, the U.S. State Dept., and UN special coordinator for the Middle East Robert Serry issue statements denouncing the action, which in Serry’s words, “heighten[s] tensions and undermine[s] international efforts to create conditions for . . . achiev[ing] peace.” Jewish settlers fr. Harsina settlement nr. Hebron set fire to 10 d. of Palestinian agricultural land nearby in an effort to create territorial linkage btwn. the settlement and a 200 d. plot of land nearby fenced off by the IDF as a closed military zone. (NYT, WP, WT 8/3; OCHA, PCHR, WJW 8/6; OCHA 8/18; OCHA Humanitarian Monitor 8/09)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on a group of Palestinians collecting scrap metal nr. the border fence nr. the Erez industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, IDF troops patrol in, fire on residential areas of ‘Askar r.c. and Nablus, causing no injuries. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba severely beat a 12-yr.-old Palestinian boy; the IDF observes but does not intervene. Jewish settlers fr. Negohot nr. Hebron, attack and injure 2 Palestinians (including a 10-yr.-old boy) in a village nearby. FatahHamas clashes leave 6 Palestinians injured in ‘Abasan in s. Gaza. In Gaza’s Nussayrat r.c., unidentified gunmen shoot, wound a PA presidential guard mbr. (OCHA 3/28; PCHR 3/29)

Israel says it will not expand the Gaza cease-fire to the West Bank, noting that Palestinians have fired 15 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel since the unilateral truce went into effect on 11/26. IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Gaza City fire on Palestinian farmers who stray too close to the border fence, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF fires on stone-throwing youths in ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus, killing a 15-yr.-old Palestinian; patrols in Hebron’s al-Rajabi neighborhood, firing percussion grenades, severely beating a 16-yr.-old Palestinian boy who throws stones at troops; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah and in Hebron, Nur al-Shams r.c. nr. Tulkarm, al-Sammu‘. A Jewish settler injures 3 Palestinians in a deliberate hit-and-run at Hawara checkpoint outside Nablus. Jewish settlers fr. Haggai nr. Hebron fire on a Palestinian home in nearby Khirbat Qalqas, seriously wounding a 6-yr.-old Palestinian boy. Under IDF protection, Jewish settler women fr. Kiryat Arba hold a gathering on a plot of Palestinian land, which they have planned to confiscate for some time, adjacent to the settlement. (MM, NYT, WP 12/4; OCHA 12/6; PCHR 12/7; AIC 1/17)

The IDF fatally shoots 2 Palestinians in Rafah whom it suspected of smuggling arms; opens the Rafah crossing to Palestinians aged 16–35; fires, shells on residential areas of Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Askar refugee camp (r.c.), Balata r.c., al-Mawasi, Nablus; begins construction of a new separation wallsegment e. of Jerusalem nr. al-Ram. 5 armed Jewish settlers fr. Mitzpe Lakhish nr. Hebron severely beat a 17-yr.-old Palestinian grazing animals on his family property nearby. 10s of Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba rampage through Palestinian areas of Hebron, throwing stones at houses, beating 8 Palestinians. In Rafah, 1 PA security officer is killed, 1 is wounded trying to demolish a smugglers’ tunnel. A Palestinian dies of injuries received in Nablus on 10/27/04. (IMEMC, JP, MENA, VOP 2/20; HA, NYT 2/21; PR 2/23; PCHR 2/24; MM 2/25)

Hamas, the Fatah Hawks (Fatah’s armed wing, which has not staged an attack on an Israeli target since the 1st intifada) take joint responsibility for detonating a massive bomb underneath an IDF checkpoint on the Gaza-Egypt border, killing 5 IDF soldiers, wounding at least 10; armed Palestinians exchange fire with IDF soldiers attempting to remove the wounded, leaving 1 Palestinian attacker dead. The IDF imposes a curfew on Talluza nr. Nablus; shells an elementary school in Khan Yunis, injuring 7 children; fires on, detains crew mbrs. of 2 Palestinian fishing boats off the Gaza coast; fires on stone-throwing Palestinians in al-Fara‘a r.c.; shells residential areas, bulldozes 24 d. of agricultural land and 8 greenhouses nr. Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Askar r.c., Hebron. Palestinian shepherds herding nr. ‘Aqraba nr. Nablus severely beat a Jewish settler fr. Itamar settlement who attempts to steal their sheep; other Palestinians alert police, who intervene, detain several Palestinians. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba settlement in Hebron throw stones, bottles at Palestinian houses nr. the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs (IMEMC, WP 12/12; JAZ, MENA, VOI 12/12 in WNC 12/14; MM 12/13; JAZ 12/13 in WNC 12/15; HA, MM, PR 12/15; AYM 12/15 in WNC 12/18; PCHR 12/16; PR 12/22)

Casualties:

IDF denies it has offered to exchange 800 prisoners for 8 IDF, but confirms negotiations for prisoner exchange in progress; International Committee of Red Cross confirms prisoner exchange will take place shortly.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: 2000 demonstrators in Tel Aviv demand Sharon's removal as Minister with Portfolio; national conference of Arab organizations in Shfar Am protests transfer of 150,000 dunums of land to Misgav Regional Council, calls on Defense Ministry to close firing ranges in Triangle area so that farming can resume; 8 settlers from Kiryat Arba fire at house in Hebron, wound 4 year old girl inside; windows of two Israeli cars smashed by rocks near al-Amari camp outside Ramallah, driver of one fires several shots but not injuries reported; IDF officer stoned in Nablus, soldier stoned outside Askar camp.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese leaders end 4 days of talks with Habib, who travels to Jerusalem.