The Palestine Chronology

The IDF sends reinforcements into Tubas, where troops bombard a home, killing wanted Izzeddine al-Qassam Brigades regional cmdr. Qays Udwan, 5 other Hamas mbrs. Heavy Israeli attacks are reported in Askar r.c., Jenin r.c., Nablus (where the IDF shells, destroys the eastern market area), Yatta. Around 25+n35 Palestinians (including as many as 8 collaborators) are reported killed today, including the 6 in Tubas, 12 in Nablus; 1 IDF soldier is killed in Jenin r.c. An IDF helicopter fires at the car of wanted Islamic Jihad mbr. Ziyad Shuwayki in Hebron, missing him but injuring 11 bystanders. IDF troops search, vandalize the home of Nablus mayor Ghassan Shaka (who is not home), arrest his 2 sons. Troops also raid the Ramallah home of PA Information M Yasir `Abid Rabbuh, detain him while they search; fire on an diplomatic convoy evacuating EU nationals fr. Dahaysha, causing damage but no injuries. The IDF lifts the curfew in Ramallah for a few hrs. to allow Palestinians to buy food; Palestinians discover that the Amwaj, al-Nasr, Watan TV stations and the Ajyal, Angham, Love and Peace, Manara, al-Quds radio stations have been ransacked. The IDF says it is still holding around 900 of the 1,200 Palestinians it has detained since 3/29. Late tonight, the IDF releases 340 Palestinian detainees fr. Jenin r.c., Ramallah at the Qalandiyya checkpoint but does not allow them through the crossing to reach their homes; the UNRWA allows them to stay in its nearby school. In Gaza, 10,000 Palestinians attend a Hamas rally against Israel's actions. Israel bars Palestinian men under age 40 fr. attending prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque. (BBC, HA 4/5; AFP, MENA 4/5 in WNC 4/8; Adalah press release, MSNBC, NYT, WP, WT 4/6; WP 4/8; PCHR 4/9; MEI 4/19; WP 4/24)

     In a TV interview, Bush says that Arafat "certainly hasn't earned" his trust, that "there are others in the regions who can lead," citing Crown Prince Abdallah, King Abdallah, Mubarak. (NYT 4/6; al-Ra'i 4/6 in WNC 4/8)