The Palestine Chronology

A day after the PA urges Egypt to destroy smuggling tunnels on the Gaza border, saying they pose a threat to Egyptian security and undermine Palestinian national unity efforts, Hamas officials in Gaza say that they will close tunnels on the Rafah border if Egypt opens the border to trade. (JPI 8/24)

An unconfirmed report says that unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Israeli naval vessels fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Salfit late in the evening, firing warning shots at a Palestinian car (no injuries reported) and ordering it to stop; the car is searched and allowed to go on its way. The IDF also conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron, Nablus, and Salfit. Jewish settlers fr. Susia settlement nr. Hebron spread poison on nearby grasslands used by local Palestinian shepherds, killing 7 sheep. (Mivzak Live [Internet] 8/12; PCHR 8/16; OCHA 8/18)

IDF Central Command formally reclassifies Bruchin outpost as a legal settlement, implementing a 3/2012 cabinet decision to legalize 3 outposts retroactively (see QU in JPS 163). The formal reclassifications of Rachelim and Sansanna have not been implemented yet. (JPI 8/24; PCHR 8/16)

Israel’s daily Ha’Aretz for the 2d time in recent days reports that a new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) by the Obama admin. has added a ‘‘lastminute update’’ on Iran stating that Iran has ‘‘boosted efforts’’ to advance its nuclear program. The U.S. meanwhile has not announced that a new NIE has been written. U.S. officials refuse to comment except to say that U.S. intelligence continues to believe: (1) that Iran has not made a decision on whether to develop a nuclear weapon and (2) that Iran’s is years away from being able to produce a nuclear bomb. Meanwhile, Israel’s dep. FM Danny Ayalon calls on the international community to issue a declaration that diplomacy toward Iran has failed, raising fears that Israel is preparing a military strike. (HA, REU 8/12; NYT, WP 8/13)

With Israel’s suspension of fuel shipments to Gaza since 8/5, rolling blackouts across Gaza increase fr. 8–10 hrs./day to 12 hrs./day. An uncorroborated report says that unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah in the morning; conducts arrest raids, house searches in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning and 2 villages nr. Hebron and Jenin late at night. OCHA reports that since 8/1, the IDF has demolished 3 structures in the Bethlehem area: a restaurant, part of another building, and a local road used by Palestinian farmers to access their crop land. (Mivzak Live [Internet] 8/7; PCHR 8/9; OCHA 8/10)

Israel’s Finance Comm. allocates nearly $1.8 m. to move some structures at Migron settlement outpost to the site near Psagot where Migron settlers are to relocate. (JPI 8/17)

An Israeli government-appointed commission headed by former Israeli supreme court justice Ephraim Levy issues a nonbinding legal judgment that Israel’s presence in the West Bank is not occupation and that the government should grant retroactive approval to unauthorized settlement outposts. The commission states that unauthorized outposts were established with the knowledge and encouragement of senior government officials that amounted to ‘‘implied agreement’’ by the government. (NYT 7/10) (see Doc. C1 in JPS 165)

During the day, unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the evening, Palestinian gunmen inside Gaza fire into Israel, hitting a parked civilian vehicle, but causing no injuries. Late at night, Israeli warplanes and helicopters carry out 3 air strikes on Khan Yunis and Rafah in s. Gaza, causing no reported casualties. The targets include a training site used by the al-Ansar Brigades (military wing of a small faction called al-Ahrar Movement, which was formed shortly after Hamas’s 2007 takeover of Gaza by disaffected Fatah members who aligned themselves with Hamas), and 2 open areas used by rocket-launching teams. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; in Tulkarm in the afternoon; and in Qalqilya, 1 nearby village, and 1 village nr. Jenin late at night. The IDF also bulldozes a plot of Palestinian agricultural land outside Qalqilya and conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Umar. Jewish settlers stone Palestinian cars driving nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers also enter a Palestinian area (exact location not reported) to pray at a local religious site without proper coordination with the IDF; the IDF intervenes to remove the settlers. (TOI 7/9; WT 7/11; PCHR 7/12; OCHA 7/13; JPI 7/20)

Israeli naval commandos raid a Liberian ship off the Gaza coast, suspecting of carrying weapons for “antiIsraeli militants,” but releases it after finding no arms. Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF stages a morning raid into Kafr Ra’i village nr. Jenin, photographing and ordering residents to abandon a protest tent they recently set up to show solidarity with hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners. The IDF also conducts morning patrols in Jericho and 1 nearby village, 2 villages nr. Jenin (in 1 instance firing tear gas and stun grenades at stonethrowing youths who confront them), and 1 each nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah; afternoon patrols in Qalqilya and 3 villages nr. Jenin, Jericho, and Ramallah; late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin; and late-night patrols in Jericho (firing tear gas and stun grenades at stone-throwing youths who confront them) and 1 nearby village. (JP 4/22; WP 4/23; PCHR 4/26; OCHA 4/27)

Israeli PM Netanyahu appoints a small ministerial panel (himself, DM Barak, Vice PM Moshe Ya’alon, and Minister-without-Portfolio Benny Begin) intended to legalize 3 unauthorized settlement outposts (Bruchin, Rachelim, and Sansanna) located on what Israel has classified as “state land” in the West Bank. Netanyahu previously pledged to bring the issue of the 3 outposts (which received initial approval from previous governments in the 1980s and 1990s but were never given final approval or permits for construction) “to the government for approval.” Netanyahu says the panel will deal only with these 3 outposts and has no relation to a separate committee, headed by Judge Edmund Levy, that was created earlier in 2012 to “examine the legal issues” of all the unauthorized outposts. However, the wording of the panel’s written mandate is potentially broader, stating its role is to “resolve the issues” of “settlements that are now unauthorized outposts and which were constructed years ago on state land with state funds or with initial agreements from state bodies.” By this definition, two-thirds of the 105 unauthorized outposts could be retroactively legalized. (JPI 5/4)

The state-operated Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company terminates its 2005 contract to ship gas to Israel, stating that Israel has not paid its bill in 4 mos. and that the decision to suspend shipments immediately “has nothing to do with anything outside o the commercial relations.” Israel denies this, calling the move politically motivated. (NYT, WP 4/23; JPI 5/4)

In Washington, Pres. Obama tours the Holocaust Memorial with Jewish-American Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel, stating in an address afterward that: “Too often the world has failed to prevent the killing of innocents . . . , and we are haunted by the atrocities that we did not stop and the lives we did not save.” Weisel follows with comments highly critical of Obama, asking: “How is it that [Syrian pres.] Asad is still in power. How is it that the Holocaust’s No. 1 denier, [Iranian pres. Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad, is still a president?” (WT 4/24)

Israel detains all but a few of 100s of pro-Palestinian protesters attempting to enter Israel through Ben-Gurion Airport to attend an anti-occupation rally in Bethlehem. Organizers claim that more than 1,500 supporters booked tickets to Israel, but only 3 make it to Bethlehem. Israel says most were stopped at their point of departure after it gave foreign governments no-fly lists identifying suspected activists. (NYT, WP, WT 4/16; JPI 4/27)

Israeli naval vessels detain a fishing boat that approaches the 3 naut. mi. boundary off the Gaza coast, detaining and questioning 3 fishermen onboard, releasing them by the end of the day, but confiscating their boat. Unidentified Palestinians fire at least 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Late at night, an Israeli warplane makes an air strike on an open area nr. Gaza City, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning patrols inside Jericho and Qalqilya (normally the PA security forces have security control during daylight hours and the IDF stays away), as well as in 1 village nr. Ramallah; conducts afternoon patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya (synchronized), 2 nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Jericho; and conducts late-night patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr. Nachliel settlement nr. Ramallah uproot around 250 olive trees on a nearby plot of Palestinian land. Jewish settlers fr. Ma’on settlement nr. Hebron fire at several Palestinian farmers and shepherds working nearby, causing no reported injuries. (JP, YA 4/15; PCHR 4/19; OCHA 4/20)

The New York Times reports that around this date, the PASF detains 2 prominent Palestinians for posting comments critical of the PA on Facebook: Palestinian blogger Jamal Abu Raihan for posing a satirical column depicting PA Pres. Abbas as a donkey and complaining of PA corruption; and Palestinian journalist Tareq Khamees for posting a comment in support of others who have recently been arrested for criticizing the PA (also seizing his laptop). By this date, the PA Atty. Gen. Ahmad al-Mughni has also ordered PA authorities to block several websites supportive of Abbas rival, former Gaza security chief Muhammad Dahlan. (NYT 5/7) (see 4/5/12 and Quarterly Update in JPS 164 for details)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Nr. al-Maghazi r.c., 2 Palestinians are injured when they accidentally trigger unexploded IDF ordnance while scavenging for scrap metal. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 4 villages nr. Tulkarm (2 simultaneously) and 2 in Ramallah in the morning; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Nabi Salih and nr. Jenin. Hunger-striking administrative detainee Hana Shalabi is “in grave danger of dying” according to Physicians for Human Rights–Israel, which provides her with a doctor. OCHA reports that since 3/14, 4 Palestinians have been injured in smuggling tunnel accidents on the Gaza border. (JP 3/20; WT 3/21; PCHR 3/22; OCHA 3/23)

JSC head Gen. Dempsey receives IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz in Washington for talks on Iran and Syria as part of the regular U.S.-Israel strategic dialogue. Gantz also meets with White House and Defense Dept. officials, but no details are released. (JPI 3/30)

Speaking at a conference on Palestinian refugees in Brussels, EU foreign policy adviser Catherine Ashton expresses condolences for the 3/19/12 Jewish deaths in Toulouse and regrets over recent tragedies worldwide that have resulted in child casualties, citing among them Israel’s recent air strikes on Gaza (3/9–12) that injured 14 Palestinian children. Israeli PM Netanyahu denounces her for making “the comparison between a deliberate massacre of children and defensive, surgical actions.” Ashton’s spokesman issues a statement saying that her words were “grossly distorted.” (NYT 3/21)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning patrols in 2 villages each nr. Jenin and Ramallah in the morning and afternoon patrols in Qalqilya and in 2 villages each nr. Jenin, Qalqilya (synchronized), and Tulkarm; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Nablus. (JP 3/19; PCHR 3/22; OCHA 3/23)

In Toulouse, France, a gunman on a motor scooter opens fire on a Jewish school, killing a rabbi and 4 students (all dual French-Israeli citizens), wounding another 6 students (1 seriously). Authorities say the shooting appears linked to 2 recent shootings of 3 French soldiers in and nr. Toulouse. In those attacks, an assailant believed to be targeting French soldiers of Arab extraction to punish them as traitors for participating in the French military given its involvement in Afghanistan allegedly lured and shot 3 soldiers; 2 of North African origin were killed, whereas a black soldier was wounded. (NYT, WP, WT 3/20)

British FM Hague meets with Israel’s Vice PM Dan Meridor on a 2-day official visit to Israel. Talks cover Iran but focus on economic cooperation. (JPI 3/30)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah, 2 nr. Tulkarm, 1 n r. Jenin in the morning; patrols in 2 villages nr. Jenin (firing tear gas and percussion grenades at stone-throwing youths in 1 instance), 2 nr. Qalqilya, and 1 nr. Tulkarm in the afternoon; and patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin late in the evening; and conducts arrest raids, house searches in Tulkarm (targeting Islamic Jihad mbrs.) and 1 nr. Jenin late in the evening. Jewish settlers vandalize a Baptist church and 3 cars in East Jerusalem. (JP 2/20; PCHR 2/23; OCHA 2/24; JPI 3/2)

U.S. National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon, Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) chmn. Gen. Michael Dempsey, and British FM William Hague are in Israel for talks on Iran and Syria, specifically urging Israel not to launch a preemptive attack on Iran. (WP, WT 2/20; WT 2/29)

In Jerusalem UN Secy.-Gen. Ban urges Israeli PM Netanyahu to draft a package of goodwill gestures (including a settlement frees) to offer in exchange for the Palestinians’ agreeing to resume direct talks. He then meets with PA Pres. Abbas and PA officials in Ramallah. (NYT, WP 2/2; NYT 2/3; JPI 2/10)

In the evening, unidentified Palestinians fire 8 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Late at night, the IDF directs artillery (2 shells) and helicopter gunfire at open areas northeast of Bayt Hanun, causing no reported injuries. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus stone a Palestinian vehicle driving nearby, breaking a window and hitting a passenger in the head, leaving injuries requiring hospitalization. (HA, JP, YA 2/1; PCHR 2/2; OCHA 2/10)

The New York Times reports that for the past 2 weeks, Palestinians (including the private sector, unions, elements of Fatah, and youth groups) have been holding demonstrations against PA PM Salam al-Fayyad in Ramallah and other cities to protest soaring prices and proposed PA austerity measures, including tax increases, cutbacks on services, and a plan to force retirement on 20,000 civil servants. (Electricity costs, for example, have nearly tripled in the past year.) Protesters demand salary increases and subsidies to compensate for inflation, but the PA faced a $350 m. budget shortfall for 2011. Even with Israeli transfers of VAT taxes restored, the foreign aid received by the PA is not enough to cover recurrent expenses. The demonstrations have been so heated that Fayyad has suspended imposition of the tax hike until mid2/2012 and dropped the early retirement proposal, pending talks to ease tensions. (NYT 2/1)

In a State of the Union address devoted to domestic affairs, Pres. Obama pointedly calls on Syrian pres. Asad to realize “that the forces of change cannot be reversed and that human dignity cannot be denied” and urges the international community to “isolate” his regime. He also stresses that the U.S. will not take any options (i.e., a military strike) off the table in dealing with Iran and emphasizes “our ironclad commitment—and I mean ironclad—to Israel’s security.” (NYT, WP, WT 1/25; WJW 2/2)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border nr. the Erez crossing fire warning shots and tear gas at a group of Palestinians and international activists staging a nonviolent march to the crossing to protest Israel’s imposition of a no-go zone; no serious injuries are reported. With a sharp increase in the number of Gazans seeking to exit to Egypt through the Rafah border, the Gaza Interior Min. reimposes requirements (lifted on 12/18/11) that Gazans register with the ministry before traveling. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 8 Palestinian homes in Anata village nr. East Jerusalem, displacing 52 Palestinians, including 29 children; escorts 100s of Jewish settlers to pray at Joseph’s tomb in Balata village nr. Nablus; patrols in 1 village nr. Salfit in the morning, briefly detaining several Palestinian for questioning; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron and Nablus. (JP 1/24; PCHR 1/26; OCHA 1/27)

After a long delay, Hamas authorities in Gaza allow the Central Elections Commission to open a voter registration office in Gaza to prepare for eventual elections in implementation of the 5/2010 national unity deal. (WP 1/25)

Jordan says King Abdallah will receive Hamas leader Mishal on 1/29, when he makes his 1st official visit to Jordan in 13 yrs. Officials say that the kingdom will continue to bar Hamas for undertaking political activities on its soil. Analysts view this as: (1) Jordan trying to take a more active diplomatic role and say reopening diplomatic ties with Hamas could be a step toward trying to broker reconciliation btwn. Hamas and Fatah (WP 1/25); and (2) the king engaging with Islamists, who have gained strength regionally during the Arab Spring, to quiet Jordan’s own Islamist opposition. (WP, WT 1/25)

Police in Azerbaijan arrest several people allegedly linked to an Iranian-backed Hizballah cell for plotting an attack against Israeli amb. to Azerbaijan Michael Lotem and on a Jewish school in Baku. (JPI 2/3; NHR 2/21)

A Lebanese court sentences fmr. brig. gen. Fayiz Karam to 2 yrs. in jail (including time served) for giving classified information to Israel. Karam, jailed in mid-2009, will be released in 6 mos. (NYT 1/25)

Israel releases Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Council (PC) mbr. Ahmad ‘Attoun, discharging him at the Qalandia crossing and ordering him to Ramallah. Israel revoked ‘Attoun’s Jerusalem residency status in 9/2009 on the grounds that he was affiliated with a “terrorist organization” (i.e., Hamas) and warned him in 5/2010 to leave the city or face deportation to the West Bank (QU in JPS 157). He was arrested in East Jerusalem on 9/26/11, when he went to address a protest rally in Shaykh Jarrah, and was charged with “being illegally present in the city.” (MNA 12/6; PCHR 12/8)

Israeli municipal forces in East Jerusalem demolish a Palestinian home. IDF troops make a brief incursion into al-Shuja’iyya neighborhood in Gaza City, leveling land to clear lines of sight and exchanging gunfire with Palestinians, causing no injuries. Late in the evening the IDF carries out 2 air strikes at armed Palestinians preparing to fire rockets fr. Gaza City into Israel, the 1st killing 1 Islamic Jihad mbr. and wounding 2 in al-Shuja’iyya, and the 2d seriously wounding an unidentified armed Palestinian in al-Zaytun neighborhood. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Jenin during the day; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Nablus and nearby Balata r.c., detaining around 12 PFLP mbrs. (including 1 senior mbr.) and 1 senior Hamas mbr. The IDF reports that 3 IDF soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of participating in “pricetag” attacks in the West Bank. Health officials in Gaza report that Gaza’s Central Drug Store is lacking 120 essential medicines and 140 essential medical supplies, including medicine for the anesthesia, cancer, hemophilia, and kidney dialysis (450 patients); the shortage is the result of poor coordination between the Min. of Health branches in Gaza and the West Bank (where no shortages are reported). (MNA 12/6; DUS, JP, Taiwan News, WT 12/7; PCHR, WP 12/8; OCHA 12/9; NYT 12/10; JPI 12/16; OCHA 12/23)

Ramadan begins. Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, lightly injuring 1 bedouin woman. Late at night, the IDF retaliates with air strikes on a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border and a “terrorist center” in n. Gaza, causing no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF searches a home in Issawiyya in the morning; conducts synchronized raids into 3 villages e. of Qalqilya, searching several homes and summoning 4 Palestinians for interrogation; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Umar. (AFP 8/1; AFP, JP, REU, YA 8/2; PCHR 8/4; OCHA 8/5)

Israeli and Lebanese troops briefly exchange fire across their common border, causing no injuries. Lebanese troops fired first, believing the IDF patrol strayed into Lebanese territory, though the IDF denies this. (DS 8/1; NYT, WP 8/2; WJW 8/5; JPI 8/12)

Israel’s Interior Min. issues building permits for construction of the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance on the site of the ancient Mamilla cemetery in Jerusalem, saying work can begin immediately; Palestinians denounce approval of the plans to desecrate a Muslim historic site. Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, lightly damaging 1 home but causing no injuries. The IDF responds with air strikes on 2 suspected weapons factories in n. Gaza, causing no reported injuries. Israeli naval vessels twice fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF makes a dawn incursion into al-Fara‘a r.c. nr. Tubas, fatally shooting a Palestinian who flees when he sees approaching troops; patrols in Jericho and 2 villages nr. Ramallah. (YA 7/12; AFP, HA, JTA, YA 7/13; PCHR 7/14; OCHA 7/15; JPI 7/22)

Israel’s Jerusalem planning comm. approves construction of 92 housing units in Talpiot settlement and 32 apartments in Pisgat Ze’ev settlement. Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts patrols in 3 villages nr. Qalqilya, 2 nr. Salfit, 1 nr. Jenin, and 1 nr. Ramallah during the day and evening; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches, and patrols nr. Hebron, Salfit, and Tulkarm. (YA 1/17; PCHR, WJW 1/20; OCHA 1/21)

Israeli DM Ehud Barak resigns as head of the Labor party, taking 4 rightleaning party mbrs. with him to form a “new centrist independence faction” within Netanyahu’s governing coalition. The 8 remaining Labor MKs immediately withdraw fr. the coalition, leaving Netanyahu with a smaller but more stable coalition, controlling 66 of 120 Knesset seats. (NYT, WP, WT 1/18; WJW 1/20; JPI 1/28)

Israeli DM Ehud Barak comes to the U.S. with a backchannel proposal for Israel to extend its temporary settlement freeze (set to expire on 9/26) for a short period in exchange for rewards and guarantees from the U.S. He shuttles between New York and Washington discussing the proposal with various senior U.S. officials. Separately, Israel’s chief negotiator Yitzhak Molcho, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat arrive in the U.S. for their own meetings with U.S. officials regarding the upcoming expiration of the settlement freeze and the consequences for peace talks. (NYT 9/21; WT 9/22; JPI 10/1)

Israel for the 1st time since 6/07 allows 20 used cars to be imported to Gaza. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them back to shore. Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, randomly checking Palestinian IDs, but making no arrests; late-night patrols in a village nr. Tulkarm, making no arrests. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Gilad settlement nr. Qalqilya begin working a Palestinian olive grove near the settlement, telling local Palestinians who challenge them that they purchased the land; they leave when the Palestinian owner arrives. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities stage a predawn raid on several houses in Silwan village, arresting 4 Palestinians. In addition, Jewish settlers seize a Palestinian house in the suburb of Bayt Safafa (home to 20 people), sparking fights between settlers and the Palestinian owners. Israeli police and municipal officials intervene, arresting 2 Palestinians, and issuing an order to demolish the house (not immediately implemented). (JP 9/20; NYT 9/21; PCHR 9/23; OCHA 9/24)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire 5 tank shells at Palestinian shepherds tending a flock 600 m. fr. the border fence, killing 3 Palestinian civilians (a 91-yr.-old man, his teenage grandson, and another teenager) and their 30 sheep. In response, the PRCs fire 2 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Marda nr. Salfit late at night, without incident; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem and nr. Qalqilya. (YA 9/12; AFP, WP, YA 9/13; PCHR 9/16; OCHA 9/17; JPI 9/24)

Overnight, the Israeli navy acting on “prior intelligence” fatally shoots 5 al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (AMB) mbrs. diving off the Gaza coast and the Palestinian fisherman manning their boat, wounding and capturing 2 other AMB divers. The AMB claims the men were unarmed and on a training mission; Israel claims they were en route to Israel to stage an attack. Later in the day, the IDF carries out an air strike on the n. Gaza border area, seriously wounding 1 Hamas mbr. preparing to launch a Qassam rocket. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials in the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, nr. Bethlehem and Jenin. (NYT, WP, WT 6/8; PCHR 6/10; OCHA 6/11; JPI 6/18)

In the morning, Netanyahu tours Capitol Hill, where he is greeted warmly. He then meets for 2 hrs. at the White House with Pres. Obama, who reportedly makes tough demands of Israel to put the peace process back on track. After a 90-min. sidebar with his advisors, Netanyahu makes a counterproposal that is rejected by Obama. (NYT, WP, WT 3/24; NYT, WP 3/25; JPI, NYT 3/26)

Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In retaliation, the IDF carries out an air strike on a suspected weapons depot nr. Jabaliya r.c., damaging a nearby home but causing no injuries. The IDF makes a brief incursion into the Erez industrial zone to level land and clear lines of sight. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. several settlements beat Palestinian farmers working their land in Sinjil village n. of Ramallah; the IDF intervenes, declaring the area a closed military zone and forcing settlers and Palestinians to leave. (JP, YA 3/23; JP 3/24; OCHA, PCHR 3/25)

The UNSC passes (14–0, with the U.S. abstaining) res. 1860, calling for an “immediate, durable, and fully respected cease-fire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza” but not outlining an implementation or enforcement mechanism (see Doc. A8). Israel says it will not halt its operations until a Hamas cease-fire can be guaranteed. Meanwhile, Egypt begins intensive bilateral talks with Israeli and Hamas envoys to mediate a cease-fire.

Combat notes: The IDF carries out another 60 air strikes across Gaza, with heavy bombing of the Rafah border. Targets include more than 18 homes of senior IQB members (all believed to be in hiding), “a number of armed operatives” assassinated (not named), several groups of armed men, 15 tunnels (including some homes believed to be covering entrances to tunnels), 11 suspected weapons depots (including 1 mosque in n. Gaza), 15 rocket-launching sites, the PASF headquarters and PA Youth and Sports Min. offices in Rafah, and an Islamic Jihad office in Abasan. Target areas include Abasan, Bani Suhayla, Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahiya, al-Bureij r.c., Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City (city center, al-Nasser), Jabaliya town and r.c., Khan Yunis, al-Nasser (n. of Rafah), Nussayrat, Rafah. Heavy naval shelling of Dayr al-Balah and the nearby al-Qur’an area of c. Gaza is also reported. As ground operations continue, the IDF begins moving a small number of reservists into the Strip for the 1st time since OCL began. Heavy artillery and ground fire is reported in Abasan, Gaza City (al-Sha‘af, al-Shuja‘iyya, Tal al-Hawa, alZaytun), al-Qarara. Late in the evening, IDF troops withdraw from al-Qarara; residents report at least 20 homes destroyed since the IDF took up positions in the city on 1/6.

Palestinians fire at least 15 rockets and 1 mortar into Israel, lightly injuring 4 Israelis. Areas hit by rockets include Ashdod, Ashqelon, Beersheba (4 Grads), Ofakim.

The Palestinian toll, including bodies recovered during the humanitarian lull today (see below), reaches at least 758 dead and more than 3,100 injured. In addition, a Ukrainian woman (married to a Gazan) and her toddler are killed by an IDF shell in Gaza City, becoming the 1st foreign casualties inside Gaza (1 Egyptian was killed on the Rafah border on 12/28). Today, 3 IDF soldiers are killed and 14 are wounded (1 seriously, 1 moderately, 12 lightly) during clashes inside Gaza, bringing the Israeli toll to 13–14 dead and more than 100 injured.

Humanitarian notes: IDF soldiers fire on relief workers in 3 incidents in which the UN and ICRC had fully coordinated their movements with the IDF in advance (providing the IDF with the license plates of the vehicles, giving precise times and routes of travel, and using clearly marked vehicles) and received IDF assurances that travel would be safe. One UN driver is killed and 2 other UN employees and 1 ICRC employee are wounded. The UN and other groups scale back or suspend aid deliveries to Gaza, citing security concerns.

During the humanitarian lull, the IDF allows ICRC workers back into a heavily damaged residential block of al-Zaytun (see 1/7), where they rescue 103 injured Palestinians who have been stranded since 1/5 and report finding 40–50 bodies, fearing that more dead and injured may be trapped under demolished homes. The Israeli human rights group B’Tselem reports (WP 1/9) new evidence that IDF soldiers stationed outside the destroyed houses were aware people were trapped but denied aid. UN Undersecy. Gen. for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes urges Israel to investigate, calling (WP 1/9) it “a particularly outrageous incident” and “absolutely horrifying.”

Israel allows 223 Palestinian dual nationals to exit Gaza via the Erez crossing for Jordan (see 1/2).

The UN estimates that 20,000 Gazans have been internally displaced by the fighting. (AP, HA, IDF, IHY, JP, MA, NYT, UNIS, YA 1/8; AFP, Daily Star, IDF, IFM, ITARTASS, MET, NYT, RFM, UNIS, WP, WT 1/9; AFP, AP, NYT, WT 1/12; AYM, JP, NYT, WT 1/13; IHY, MM 1/14; PCHR 1/15; WJW 1/16; NYT 1/17; ITIC 1/18; JPI 1/23)

In the West Bank, the IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian who allegedly attempts to set fire to a gas station outside the Ma’ale Adumim settlement e. of Jerusalem; fires live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets at Palestinians demonstrating against OCL in al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron, seriously wounding 2 (including a 12-yr.-old boy); fires live ammunition at Palestinians protesting against the separation wall in Bil‘in, wounding 1; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Qabatya nr. Jenin. (PCHR 1/15)

The PFLP General Command fires 4 rockets fr. s. Lebanon into Israel, 3 of which explode near Nahariya, lightly wounding 4 Israelis (5 others are treated for shock). The IDF fires 5 shells the border as a “measured response” and intensifies surveillance overflights of s. Lebanon. Hizballah, the Lebanese government, and Fatah and Hamas reps. in Lebanon condemn the fire, assuring Israel they have no intention of opening a 2d front. The Lebanese army and UNIFIL pledge to step up surveillance in s. Lebanon (ITV, MM, MNR, RFM 1/8; Guardian, HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT, SFR, al-Watan, YA 1/9; YA 1/10; AFP, AP, NYT, WT 1/12; HA, MM 1/15; JPI 1/23)

Israel’s security cabinet authorizes the IDF to open phase 2 of OCL at its discretion by sending ground troops into Gaza “to destroy the terrorist infrastructure of the Hamas in the area of operation, while taking control of some of [sic] rocket launching area used by the Hamas”; authorizes the call-up of 10,000s of additional reservists. The IDF does not immediately take action.

Israeli action: The IDF continues air strikes and naval bombardment of Gaza, carrying out 65 air strikes and hitting 65 individual sites. Target areas include al-Atatra, Bayt Lahiya, Dahaniyya, Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City (Shaykh Ridwan, al-Shuja‘iyya, Tal al-Hawa, al-Yarmuk), Jabaliya, Khan Yunis, Nussayrat, Rafah, Tal al-Za‘atar. Primary targets include the homes of more than 12 senior Hamas officials (including senior IQB official Imad Akel, who reportedly is killed along with 3 children nearby; and Haniyeh’s chief of staff Muhammad Madhun and fmr. PA Refugee Affairs M Atif Udwan, who are believed to be in hiding); a car carrying Hamas’s Gaza City military cmdr. Muhammad (Abu Zakariya) al-Jamal, assassinating him; the Rafah airport site (already heavily damaged by yrs. of IDF attacks); the American International School in al-Atatra in n. Gaza; a public works dept. building southwest of Gaza City; tunnels on the Rafah border; and suspected weapons depots across Gaza. The estimated Palestinian toll reaches 431 killed, more than 2,200 injured.

Palestinian actions: Palestinians fire 26 rockets and 5 mortars into Israel, including 10 rockets that strike nr. Ashqelon, 1 of which causes damage and lightly injures 2 Israelis.

Humanitarian notes: The IDF escorts 226 foreigners who opt to leave Gaza to the Allenby Bridge crossing into Jordan; allows 64 truckloads of humanitarian goods into the Strip.

Of note: By this date, nearly all of Gaza’s police stations and government buildings have been destroyed. One senior Israeli security official states that “All of the offices and databases are gone. When all this is over, no civil servant will have an office to sit in.” (HA, IDF, IFM, ITV 1/2; AFP, AP, HA, IDF, Nation, NYT, REU, WP, WT, YA 1/3; Adalah 1/4; IFM, JP, PCHR 1/8; WT 1/22; JPI 1/23)

In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists taking part in weekly nonviolent protests against the separation wall in Bil‘in (injuring 5 Palestinians), Ni‘lin (wounding 1 Israeli, 3 Palestinians), and Jayyus (injuring 3 Palestinians; 1 is hit with live ammunition). In Jerusalem, 100s of Palestinians clash with Israeli police after Friday prayers. Small demonstrations against OCL are reported in East Jerusalem and across the West Bank (including Bani Na‘im nr. Hebron, Bethlehem, Hebron, Issawiyya, Ramallah, Shu‘fat r.c.). IDF troops shoot at protesters in Bani Na‘im, wounding 5. The PASF breaks up large rallies against OCL in Hebron and Ramallah, firing tear gas at demonstrators, ripping up pro-Hamas placards and flags, beating and arresting suspected Hamas supporters, injuring at least 10 Palestinians. (HA, NYT, REU, WP, WT, YA 1/3; PCHR 1/8)

In continuing operations in n. Gaza, the IDF kills 5 Palestinians (including at least 2 civilians, one of them a 15-yr.-old girl) in shelling and gunfire in Jabaliya. In retaliation, Palestinians fire an antitank missile at an IDF patrol in n. Gaza, wounding 2 troops; fire 2 Qassam rockets at Sederot, lightly injuring 1 Israeli. Elsewhere in Gaza, the IDF fires warning shots at a group of Palestinians in Khan Yunis, killing a 4-yr.- old Palestinian; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, Rafah. In the West Bank, 2 wanted Palestinians and 1 IDF soldier are killed, a 3d wanted Palestinian and 4 bystanders are injured in an exchange of fire during an IDF arrest raid on Ramallah; the IDF says the soldier was killed by friendly fire. The IDF bulldozes a grove of 120 olive trees nr. Tulkarm, large areas of agricultural land in Surif for construction of the separation wall; imposes a curfew on Palestinians in Hebron to allow Jewish settlers to hold Sukkoth parades, during which settlers throw bottles, stones at Palestinian homes; conducts arrest raids in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah, Tulkarm. A 70-yr.-old Palestinian dies fr. injuries she received in Nablus on 7/22/04. (MM, NYT, WP 10/4; AFP, IDF Radio, VOI, YA 10/4 in WNC 10/6; HA, NYT, PRCS, WP 10/5; PCHR 10/7; JPI 10/15)

The IDF continues operations in Bayt Hanun and Jabaliya r.c. launched on 9/28, expands into Bayt Lahiya; occupies buildings as sniper posts; shells, fires on residential areas, killing 1 stone-throwing Palestinian youth, 4 armed Palestinian (including 1 Hamas mbr., wanted PRC mbr. Mosad Baradi), and 1 Palestinian bystander, wounding around 60. Palestinians target military vehicles with roadside bombs, antitank rockets, causing no injuries. Despite the maneuvers, Hamas fires a Qassam rocket at Sederot, killing 2 Israeli children, wounding 5; Sharon says that operations in n. Gaza will be expanded as a result. Late in the evening, the IDF carries out 2 missile strikes at Jabaliya r.c., killing 3 Palestinians and destroying an Islamic charitable organization. The IDF also continues operations begun 9/28 in Shaykh Ajlin, bulldozing 8 Palestinian homes, 8 d.; fires on stone-throwing youths outside Gaza City, killing 1 Palestinian; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, seriously injuring a 4-yr.-old Palestinian inside her home. In the West Bank, the IDF sends troops into Jenin town and r.c., fires on a taxi wrongly thought to be carrying wanted Palestinians, killing the Palestinian driver, a Palestinian man, wounding his wife. In Hebron, 5 Jewish settlers armed with heavy metal chains, rocks, sticks severely beat, rob 2 American women working with Christian Peacemaker Teams escorting Palestinian children to their school; 1 woman suffers a punctured lung, the other a broken arm and knee. Jewish settlers set fire to 400 d. of olive trees nr. Bayt Furik, damaging 100s of trees. (HA, MM 9/29; VOI, VOP, YA 9/29 in WNC 10/1; HA, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 9/30; AFP 9/30 in WNC 10/2; PCHR, PR 10/6, 10/13; JPI 10/15)

The IDF fires missiles at a metal workshop (alleged weapons factory) in Khan Yunis, wounding an 11-yr.-old Palestinian; raids ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c., fires on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops; fires rubber bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, international peace activists staging a nonviolent protest against the separation wall; conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem, Jenin; lifts the 9/24 ban on Palestinians entering the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Senior AMB mbr. Nimr Hassan is killed in Salfit when his M-16 explodes; the AMB claims that he was assassinated, his new gun was booby trapped by a collaborator. Palestinians fire 3 Qassam rockets at Sederot and 3 mortars at Gush Katif, causing no damage or injuries. Late at night, the IDF makes a major incursion into Jenin, raiding and searching a hospital (arresting 2 employees; wounding 7, including 2 children, with gunfire; damaging equipment), occupying buildings as sniper posts, conducting house searches. Outside Hebron, some 140 Jewish settlers attempt to reestablish 2 unauthorized settlement outposts previously evacuated by the IDF, scuffle with police, throw stones at Palestinian homes. (HA 9/26; IDF Radio, VOI, VOP, YA 9/26 in WNC 9/28; PCHR 9/30)

In Damascus, Hamas spokesman Izzeddin Khalil is killed when his car explodes in an apparent assassination. Anonymous Israeli security officials acknowledge Israel’s involvement; Sharon criticizes the “unnecessary babble.” (HA 9/26; JAZ, MA, VOP, YA 9/26 in WNC 9/28; VOI, YA 9/26, MA, VOP 9/27 in WNC 9/29; LBC, PSCT, SANA 9/26, AYM, HA, JP, SANA, Syrian Arab Republic Radio 9/27, JP, MA, Tishrin 9/28 in WNC 9/30; SANA, Syrian Arab Television Network 9/26 in WNC 10/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT, United Press International 9/27; MM 9/28; PR 9/29; MNR 9/29 in WNC 10/5; JPI 10/8)

A female Palestinian suicide bomber (mother of 2 small children) detonates a device at the Erez crossing, killing 3 IDF soldiers, 1 Israeli security officer, wounding 12; Hamas’s Shaykh Yasin claims responsibility for the attack, saying it was a joint operation with the AMB, noting Hamas’s 1st use of a female bomber, vowing to escalate attacks. Israel seals Gaza, sends home 4,000 Gazan laborers working in the Erez industrial zone. The IDF raids Budrus nr. Ramallah, detaining Ayid and Na‘im Morrar, the coordinators of the nonviolent protest group Popular Comm. Against the Wall, which stages rallies against the separation wall; places a curfew on Tulkarm r.c., demolishes 3 Palestinian homes there; raids a nursery in Hebron, confiscating files, demolishing furniture. Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets at Erez industrial zone, a mortar at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage or injuries in either incident. (AFP, BBC, HA, MM, PRCS 1/14; MNR, VOI, VOP, YA 1/14 in WNC 1/16; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/15; QA 1/15, AYM 1/17 in WNC 1/21; HA 1/19; WT 1/20; MM, PCHR 1/22; JPI, MEI 1/23)

The World Zionist Organization (WZO) begins offering young Israeli couples up to $9,000/yr. to move to the unauthorized settlement outpost of Givat Salit in northern Jordan Valley. (YA 1/14)

The IDF attempts to assassinate, wounds Hamas political leader and chief spokesman ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Rantisi, firing missiles at his car as he drives through Shati‘ r.c., killing a bodyguard and a Palestinian woman walking nearby, wounding 27. In a rare acknowledgment, Israel confirms it targeted Rantisi, saying it took the decision after Rantisi called off Hamas cease-fire talks with the PA. Later in the day, IDF helicopters fire missiles at a 2d car in Jabaliya, allegedly targeting 2 Palestinians who fired 5 Qassam rockets at Sederot earlier, causing no damage or injuries; 3 Palestinian bystanders are killed, 30 (including the 2 targets) are wounded. Abbas condemns the Rantisi attack as a “terrorist attack in the full meaning of the word,” saying it was aimed at sabotaging the road map; Hamas says it is a “declaration of war,” vows to “commit operations that will shake Israel.” The IDF also fatally shoots wanted Palestinian Issam Ibrahim in Jenin in what may be an assassination; fatally shoots 2 Palestinians in s. Gaza; fires on, wounds a Palestinian nr. Morag settlement; fires on residential areas of Hebron, Khan Yunis; bulldozes 5 dunams of land in Jabaliya; conducts arrest raids in Battir, Bayt Iba, Dura, Haris, Hebron, Jericho, Nablus (targeting Hamas), Qatanna, Tulkarm, al-Walaja, Yatta; dismantles another 5 unauthorized settlement outposts, all of them uninhabited. The Israeli High Court blocks the removal of 1 occupied outpost, Havat Gilad, which Israel attempted to dismantle in fall 2002. Jewish settlers rebuild 1 outpost taken down on 6/9. (BBC, HA, LAW, MM 6/10; ITAR-TASS, VOI, MENA 6/10 in WNC 6/12; MM, NYT, PR, WP, WT 6/11; AFP, AKH, DUS, HA, IDF Radio, JP, JT, MA, MENA, NHR, QA, al-Quds, VOI, YA, XIN 6/11 in WNC 6/13; JPI, LAW, PCHR, WP 6/12; AYM, JP 6/12 in WNC 6/14; PR 6/18, 6/25; MEI 6/27; MEI 7/11)

Israeli PM Ariel Sharon visits Hebron, calls for the expanding of Jewish settlements in and around Hebron to create “settlement contiguity” btwn. 4 Jewish enclaves in He-bron, the outlying Kiryat Arba settlement, the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs site. In response, Jewish settlers declare a new settlement on the site of the olive grove bulldozed by the IDF on 11/16 and move in 3 shipping containers, tents, cisterns; the IDF constructs a 7-ft. concrete wall around the site. IDF undercover units attempt to assassinate Riad ‘Abd al-Ghani in Tulkarm, missing him, killing his brother, wounding a 2d brother. The IDF fires rockets, tank shells at the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Preventive Security Force (PSF) headquarters complex in Gaza, sends troops in to set fire to 2 buildings, injuring 2 PSF officers, 1 Palestinian journalist. The IDF also fires on Palestinians in Gaza City, Nur al-Shams refugee camp (r.c.); bulldozes 8 dunams of Pal-estinian land in Bayt Lahia; blows up 2 Palestinian homes in Balata r.c.; detains for 2 hrs. a PRCS ambulance carrying Palestinians seriously injured in a car accident; fires on 2 ambulances outside a hospital in Gaza, nr. Shati‘ r.c.; detains, searches 6 ambulances, including 1 transporting a patient, for up to 70 mins. at checkpoints. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/18; MENA 11/18 in WNC 11/19; AFP 11/19 in WNC 11/21; PCHR 11/20; WJW 11/21; MEI 11/22; PRCS press release 11/23)

Israeli Arab passenger carrying only a pen knife that he does not wield attempts to hijack an El Al plane bound for Istanbul fr. Tel Aviv. He is quickly captured and detained, without injury to any other passen-gers; says that he intended to hijack the plane to protest Israeli actions against Palestinians, that he is not affiliated with any group. He is described by peers as frail, nervous, eccentric young man with a heart condition, who craves popularity and attention. (MM, NYT 11/18; ATL 11/18 in WNC 11/19; CSM, NYT, WP 11/19; NYT, WJW 11/21; NYT 11/26, 11/27; JPI 11/29