The Palestine Chronology

The IDF bulldozes 2 Palestinian homes in Anata nr. Jerusalem, conducts arrest raids, house searches in Dahaysha r.c. The Israeli Housing Min. approves plans for 350 new housing units in Ma’ale Adumim settlement. (IMEMC, PM 11/22)

After several days of mtgs. with advisers and Likud colleagues, Sharon asks Israeli pres. Moshe Katsav to dissolve parliament, announces his departure fr. Likud and plans to form a more moderate centrist Forward party (Kadima) to run in 2006 elections; 15 of Likud’s 40 MKs pledge to follow Sharon. (AP, BBC, JTA, NYT, REU, WP, WT 11/21; CSM, HA, WP 11/22; WP 11/25)

The IDF conducts arrest raids in villages around Hebron; patrols in Qabatya, temporarily occupying a Palestinian home as an observation post; begins construction of a new segment of the separation wall in East Jerusalem nr. Azariyya; bulldozes land in Kafr Haris nr. Nablus for an observation tower. (IMEMC 11/10; PCHR 11/17)

Vice PM Peres loses the Labor party primaries to Histadrut labor union leader Amir Peretz, who ran on the promise to end Labor’s participation in a coalition government with Likud (to protest Likud’s cuts to economic spending and increased privatization) and to push for early elections if he won. (BBC, NYT, WP, WT 11/10; HA, WP, WT, YA 11/11; CSM, HA, JTA 11/14)