The Palestine Chronology

The al-Aqsa intifada enters its 5th yr. The IDF continues operations in Jenin, searching homes, arresting some 80 Palestinians, fatally shooting a mentally handicapped Palestinian who leaves his Jenin home after dark during the curfew (ongoing since 9/25); the death brings Palestinians to the streets to riot; the IDF fires on protesters (killing a 17-yr.-old Palestinian, wounding 6), blows up a Palestinian home. The IDF also raids Nablus, arrests, then fatally shoots wanted AMB mbr. Majdi Khalifa in an outright execution; sends troops into Shaykh Ajlin nr. Gaza City; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Jenin town and r.c., Tulkarm r.c. and villages around Nablus, Ramallah. Palestinians fire at least 4 Qassam rockets at Sederot, damaging a house but causing no injuries. Late in the evening, the IDF sends 30 tanks into Bayt Hanun, Jabaliya r.c. in response, also cutting electricity to n. Gaza. Palestinians release without comment CNN producer Ali (kidnapped on 9/27), who says his captors were AMB mbrs.; the AMB denies this. Jewish settlers fr. Itamar burn 100s of d. of olive groves belonging to nearby Bayt Furik. (AP, HA, MM, PM, REU 9/28; AFP, VOI, VOP 9/28 in WNC 9/30; MM, NYT, PR, PRCS, WP, WT 9/29; VOI, YA 9/29 in WNC 10/1; PCHR, WJW 9/30; PCHR 10/1)

After Friday prayers in Jerusalem, some Palestinians demonstrate against the U.S.-led attack on Iraq; Israeli police use stun grenades, tear gas to disperse the crowd, causing only light injuries. The IDF fires on Palestinians in Qalqilya who defy the 24-hr. curfew to attend Friday prayers, injuring 4; demolishes a Palestinian home in Bethlehem; bulldozes 64 dunams of land nr. Dayr al-Balah. (AFP, HA 3/21; al-Quds 3/22 in WNC 3/24; PCHR 3/27; LAW 3/28)

U.S.-led coalition forces launch the “shock and awe” air campaign across Iraq, intended to precede a major ground offensive toward Baghdad. Ground troops launch operations to capture Umm Qasr, Basra ports and the Rumayla oil field in the south, meeting significant resistance. (CNN 3/21; NYT, WP, WT 3/22)

Before dawn, the IDF reoccupies Amari r.c., al-Bireh, Qadura r.c., and Ramallah, surrounding Arafat's offices (placing Arafat under de facto house arrest), arresting 13 PSF officers, meeting no resistance; imposes 24-hr. curfews on Aqaba, Dura, Iktaba, Tamun, Taysir, Tubas, Yatta; fires shells at residential areas of Khan Yunis; continues operations in Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus (fatally shooting 1 Palestinian), Qalqilya, Tulkarm areas; lifts curfews in Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya for 3 hrs. The IDF assassinates 2 Izzeddine al-Qassam Brigades leaders, Yasir Raziq and `Amr Kufa, in Rafah, firing missiles at their taxis, also killing 2 passengers, 2 drivers, injuring 13 bystanders. Jewish settlers stone an ambulance nr. Tulkarm. In Gaza, Hamas supporters clash with PSF officers enforcing Shaykh Yasin's house arrest, leaving 1 Hamas supporter dead. (BBC, MM, NYT, PRCS press release, WP, WT 6/24; XIN 6/24 in WNC 6/25; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/25; LAW 6/26; PCHR, WJW 6/27; MEI 6/28)

After a wk.'s delay, Bush gives a major speech outlining the new U.S. policy toward the peace process. Without mentioning Israel's military escalations, Bush says in effect that the Palestinians must remove Arafat and create a Western-style democracy before the peace process can move forward. The U.S. halts direct dealings with Arafat. Bush's decision to call for Arafat's ouster was reportedly influenced heavily by an Israeli intelligence report he received last wk. (uncorroborated by the CIA) claiming that Arafat authorized a $20,000 payment to the AMB, which carried out the 6/19 suicide bombing. (AP, MM, NYT, WP 6/24; MA 6/24 in WNC 6/25; GS, MM, NYT, WP, WT, YA 6/25; AFP, ATL, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, MENA 6/25 in WNC 6/26; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/26; AFP, JT, Le Monde 6/26 in WNC 6/27; NYT, WJW, WP 6/27; JT, al-Nahar 6/27 in WNC 6/28; MEI, MM 6/28; NYT, USIS Washington File 6/30; WP, WT 7/1; AN 7/1 in WNC 7/2; JPI 7/5)

Arafat sends the U.S., Arab states a 6-page memorandum outlining an ambitious 100-day reform plan, including plans for presidential and legislative elections in 1/03 and municipal elections in 3/03. (MM 6/24; NYT 6/25; MM 6/26; El Pais 6/26 in WNC 6/27;NYT, WP, WT 6/27; XIN 6/27 in WNC 6/28; AYM 7/1 in WNC 7/3; AYM 7/10, 7/17, 7/21 in WNC 7/23)

Israeli atty. gen. Elyakim Rubinstein says he will not take legal action against those calling for the "voluntary transfer" of Arabs fr. Israel, saying "voluntary transfer" is "immoral" not illegal. (The 13 Palestinians deported to Cyprus in 5/02 were "voluntarily exiled" as part of a deal brokered by Israel and the PA; see 5/22) (HA 6/24; MM 6/27)

In response to Israeli appeals to local satellite channels to drop coverage of BBC World and CNN International because of their "pro-Palestinian bias" (1 channel replaced CNN with Fox News coverage on 6/20), CNN chief news exec. Eason Jordan arrives in Israel to apologize publicly on behalf of the network, to unveil a special 5-part series on Israeli victims of violence (aired 6/24-28) and a Web "memorial" to Israeli victims of Palestinian violence. (WT 6/24; NYT 6/25; WJW 6/27; MEI 6/2; see also JTA 6/20, MSNBC 6/21)

The IDF eases the closure on Jenin r.c. during the day, begins a comprehensive withdrawal to the outskirts of the camp and town by evening. The IDF makes a brief incursion into Qalqilya; lifts the curfew on Bethlehem for 4 hrs.; directs heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Rafah, killing 2 Palestinians; captures wanted senior Hamas mbr. Husam Ataf Ali Badran in a raid nr. Nablus, also killing 3 Palestinians. A newborn Palestinian baby dies when barred by the IDF fr. reaching a hospital. (AFP, AP, CNN, HA, MM 4/18; HA, JP [Internet], MEI, NYT, REU, UPMRC, WP, WT 4/19; REU 4/22; MM 4/23; JP [Internet] 4/24; MM 4/30; MEI 5/3)