The Palestine Chronology

The IDF makes air strikes on 2 groups of armed Palestinians nr. Abasan, killing 5 Hamas and PRC mbrs., wounding 8; sends bulldozers into the Gaza airport site nr. Rafah to level land. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus (searching a mosque), nr. Jenin; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists taking part in nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall in Bil‘in (injuring 4). (NYT 12/2; OCHA 12/5; PCHR 12/6)

In Gaza, the IDF sends tanks, a bulldozer into the Gaza airport site, exchanging heavy fire (heavy machine guns, mortars) with Hamas mbrs., causing no reported injuries; occupies a strip of land in the al-Hawouz area northeast of Bayt Lahiya. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Mas’ha nr. Salfit, firing percussion grenades and live ammunition in residential areas, causing no reported injuries; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin, Nablus; begins bulldozing confiscated land nr. Salfit for the expansion of the Burkin industrial zone; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists taking part in nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall in Bil‘in (injuring 5, including a journalist covering the demonstration) and al-Ma‘sara nr. Bethlehem (lightly injuring 3). Hamas, Islamic Jihad mbrs. exchange fire in Khan Yunis’s al-Rihab Mosque, wounding 3 Palestinians, after Hamas allegedly attempts to seize control of the building. (OCHA 10/24; PCHR 10/25)

In Gaza, the IDF fatally shoots 2 armed Palestinians on the border nr. Jabaliya; sends troops into al-Shuka nr. Rafah to bulldoze 6 d. of agricultural land nr. the Gaza airport; bulldozes Palestinian land along the border fence n. of Bayt Lahiya. In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units into Sa‘ida nr. Tulkarm to raid 2 Palestinian homes, mortally shooting Islamic Jihad cmdr. Tariq Milhem in an exchange of fire, allowing him to bleed to death over 2 hrs., also fatally shooting his 11-yr.-old brother, wounding 2 other family mbrs. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in, fires on residential areas of Balata r.c. nr. Nablus, wounding 1 Palestinian woman; conducts house searches in ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’a; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists taking part in the weekly nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in Bil‘in, injuring 2. Jewish settlers fire on a Palestinian wedding party nr. Nablus, wounding 2 Palestinians. Jewish settlers in Hebron assault an 11-yr.-old Palestinian boy riding his bike, breaking his arm. Meanwhile, 500 Fatah mbrs. hold an unauthorized protest against the Hamas-led government outside the main security headquarters in Gaza City, throwing stones at ESF officers guarding the building, who fire into the air and beat back the demonstrators, injuring 15. Separately in Gaza City, ESF officers raid a wedding to halt celebratory gunfire, scuffling with guests, beating and injuring 1 Palestinian. (WT 8/25; OCHA 8/29; PCHR 8/30)

Under a temporary cease-fire brokered by the Palestinian Clerics Association btwn. the Lebanese army and Fatah alIslam (FI) militants who have been fighting in and around the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Barid nr. Tripoli since 5/07, army soldiers escort the remaining families of FI mbrs. (22 women, 41 children) out of the r.c. in anticipation of a final assault. The army estimates that 70 FI mbrs. are left in the camp and are refusing to surrender. (NYT, WT 8/25)

The PSF announces it has arrested Shubaki, Mughrabi in connection with the Karine A; has issued a warrant for Razim, who is believed to be in Jordan. Israel, dismissing the arrests as insufficient, shells PA naval targets in Gaza and residential areas of Rafah, destroying 19 Palestinian houses, damaging another 100, injuring 8 Palestinians, leaving up to 850 homeless; bulldozes the remaining Gaza airport runways; shells, destroys the main sewerage network serving Khan Yunis, Rafah; conducts arrest raids in Nablus, Rafah; closes the main southern road in Gaza." The IDF also fires tear gas, rubber coated steel bullets to disperse a peaceful Palestinian demonstration in Ramallah, injuring 2. (AFP, HA, MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 1/11; NYT, WP, WT 1/12; QA, al-Ra'i 1/12 in WNC 1/14; Amnesty International press release, MM 1/14; LAW, PCHR 1/16; MA 1/16 in WNC 1/17; al-Quds 1/22 in WNC 1/24)

The IDF cuts electricity to Gaza City, Ramallah; sends tanks and F-16s to shell the control tower at Gaza airport, the PA headquarters in Gaza City and Ramallah (Arafat is unharmed), the PA naval police offices in Bayt Lahia, and PSF and Fatah offices nr. Gaza City, Ramallah, and Jinin; blows up the main radio, TV transmitters in Ramallah; bulldozes the Palestinian Media Center offices in Ramallah; occupies the home of Fatah tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti (who is not there at the time); makes incursions into PA-controlled areas of Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahia, Beitunia, Jinin, Nablus, Ramallah, Sudaniyya, Tulkarm, al-Zahra; bulldozes Palestinian land in Rafah. A total of 4 Palestinians are killed during the day; shells strike the Friends Boys School, damaging 3 classrooms. In Gaza City, 2 Israeli missiles land nr. a mosque while Hamas spiritual leader Shaykh Yasin, Hamas spokesman Mahmud Zahar are inside. Israel declares that the Zinni cease-fire talks are over, though Zinni had already planned to leave on 12/14 for Jordan and Egypt, then return to Washington. (AP, HP, MM, NYT, WP 12/13; MENA 12/13 in WNC 12/14; JP, HA, HP, NYT, WP, WT 12/14; HA 12/16; LAW, PCHR 12/19; MEI 12/21)

In implementation of the Sharm agmts., the PA releases a statement, read on Palestinian TV, urging Palestinians to "refrain from anything that would lead to tension or violence and to work to calm down the situation." Barak orders IDF troops to do their utmost to avoid causing casualties. By the end of the day, Israel lifts the internal closure on areas A, pulls tanks back fr. Nablus, reopens border crossings with Egypt and Jordan, and reopens the Gaza airport (see 10/7). Hamas reports that the PA has rearrested all mbrs. released since 9/28, plus others. (MM, PCHR 10/18; NYT, WP, WT 10/19; MEI 10/27)

Israeli, PA, U.S. security officers meet to discuss implementing Sharm agmts. Although Israeli officials for the 1st time acknowledge that Arafat does not have "monolithic control" over Palestinian protesters, Israel expects "total tranquility" by the afternoon of 10/20, is still working on plans for a unilateral separation fr. the Palestinians. (REU 10/18; NYT, WP 10/19; HA [Internet] 10/20; MENL, NYT 10/22)

Despite these actions, Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue unabated, with the IDF continuing to fire live ammunition at Palestinians, but causing no fatalities. 1 Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. In a joint operation, Shin Bet and IDF special forces capture 8 Palestinians suspected in the killing of the IDF reservists in Ramallah on 10/12. The PA says the 8 may have been taken in area A, which would be the 1st incursion into area A since clashes began. In Gaza, 2 roadside bombs explode as a convoy of Jewish settlers under IDF escort pass, causing no injuries. In Gaza, the IDF clears 35 dunams of woodland along the road to Erez checkpoint. (Abu Dhabi TV [Internet], ADM, BBC, MM, PCHR, UPMRC press release 10/18; HA [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT, YA 10/19; Globes [Internet] 10/25)

Rallies protesting Israeli actions are held in Canada, Italy, Portugal. In the U.S., similar demonstrations are held in Providence, San Francisco. (Diario de Noticias 10/18 in WNC 10/19)