The Palestine Chronology

The IDF sends tanks, APCs into Tulkarm, imposes a curfew. After the PA transfers 6 wanted Palestinians to British-U.S. custody, Israel lifts its 34-day siege of the Ramallah compound, grants Arafat freedom of movement, withdraws to the outskirts of Ramallah. In Bethlehem, an IDF sniper wounds 1 Palestinian inside the Church of the Nativity, evacuates him for treatment. Later, the IDF directs gunfire, smoke grenades at the Church of the Nativity complex, wounding 3 Palestinians, starting fires in the Franciscan and Greek Orthodox monasteries that burn uncontrolled for 20 mins. before being extinguished by those inside (the IDF bars fire fighters fr. the scene); 2 more Palestinians in the church surrender. In Gaza, 4 Palestinians, including an 11-mo.-old girl are killed by IDF fire. (MM 5/1; AFP, ITAR-TASS, SA 5/1 in WNC 5/2; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/2; MM 5/3; QA 5/3 in WNC 5/6; JP 5/10)

The IDF stages a major predawn incursion into Palestinian areas of Hebron, conducting house-to-house searches, arresting 150 Palestinians, killing 10 Palestinians, including apparently assassinating wanted Hamas mbr. Tarik al-Dufashi. The IDF threatens to raid Hebron hospital in search of 15 wanted Palestinians; destroys several buildings, including a TV station. In Bethlehem, an IDF sniper fatally shoots a Palestinian inside the Church of the Nativity. The IDF does not begin a withdrawal fr. Ramallah, with Israel demanding that the PA hand over PFLP head Saadat, Arafat aide Fuad Shubaki (wanted by Israel in connection with the Karine A affair) in addition to the 4 PFLP mbrs. The IDF bulldozes land in Rafah r.c., sparking clashes. (CNN, GS, WP, WT 4/29; MENA 4/29 in WNC 4/30; MM, NYT, WP, WT 4/30; AYM, al-Quds 4/30 in WNC 5/1; MEI 5/3)

The IDF raids Qalqilya, killing (possibly assassinating) local PFLP leader Ra'id Nazil, detaining 16 Palestinians. The IDF also conducts arrest raids into Jenin and Nablus, arresting 26 Palestinians. In Bethlehem, IDF snipers again fire on the Church of the Nativity, seriously injuring 2 Palestinians, who are evacuated for treatment; 4 PSF officers surrender to the IDF. In Ramallah, 100s of Palestinians demonstrate outside the PA compound against Arafat's confinement, clash with the IDF, leaving 11 injured. In Gaza, 15,000 Palestinians attend a Hamas rally calling fo the continuation of the armed intifada. The IDF detains without explanation Agence France-Presse's (AFP) Palestinian photographer Hossam Abu Alan. (AFP, HA, MM, REU 4/26; NYT, WP, WT 4/27; al-Quds 4/27 in WNC 4/29; WP 5/4)

The IDF sends tanks into PA-controlled Hebron, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 4 before withdrawing. In Gaza, the IDF fatally shoots 4 Palestinians who allegedly try to infiltrate Kefar Darom settlement, sparking an exchange of gunfire with local PSF officers that leaves 1 PSF mbr. dead. A 7th Palestinian is fatally shot at an IDF checkpoint elsewhere. In Bethlehem, IDF snipers fatally shoot 2 Palestinians inside the Church of the Nativity, but the IDF allows 9 Palestinian children, 2 corpses to be evacuated. In Arafat's Ramallah compound, a PA judge sentences 4 PFLP mbrs. to terms of 1-18 yrs. for their involvement in the Ze'evi assassination; Israel dismisses the trial as invalid, repeats demands their extradition. In Jenin r.c., Palestinians reject U.S.-donated emergency aid, saying the U.S. is culpable in the destruction of the camp. The IDF begins constructing a security fence, buffer zone along 7.5 km of the Green Line nr. Tulkarm. (CNN, Irish Times [Internet], Jewish Telegraphic Agency, MM, NYT, WT 4/25; AFP, USIS Washington File, WP, WT 4/26; AYM 4/26 in WNC 4/29; AFP, HA, MM 4/30; JP 5/16; AYM 5/16 in WNC 5/21)

An IDF soldier is killed during a raid on a village nr. Nablus; a total of 5 Palestinians are killed by the IDF during the day, including senior AMB mbr. Marwan Zallum who is assassinated in Hebron. In his Ramallah compound, Arafat opens a military trial of 4 PFLP mbrs. (not including PFLP head Ahmad Saadat) wanted by Israel for involvement in the Ze'evi assassination; AMB gunmen fire on 3 Palestinian collaborators in Manara Square, killing 1, wounding 2. In Bethlehem, a serious exchange of gunfire is reported nr. the Church of the Nativity; the IDF confiscates the credentials of 17 journalists trying to approach the area. The IDF lifts the curfew in Dahaysha for 3-4 hrs. (AP, HA, Israeli Trade Min. press release, MM 4/22; NYT, WP, WT 4/23; Le Monde, al-Quds 4/23 in WNC 4/24; NYT, WP, WT 4/24; QA 4/24 in WNC 4/25; MA 4/26 in WNC 4/29; MM 4/30; MEI 5/3)

Early this morning, IDF helicopters, tanks attack the PSF West Bank headquarters in Beitunia, where some 200 PSF officers and staff have encamped since 3/30, setting the building ablaze. The CIA intervenes to secure the safe evacuation of the staff, surrender of 180 officers, but some refuse to leave. In Ramallah, the IDF continues house-to-house searches, stumbling upon 22 PSF officers hiding in an apartment, fatally shooting 2 though none resist arrest; raids, shuts Ramallah's al-Quds Educational TV, arresting 2 employees; revokes the credentials of 2 Abu Dhabi TV journalists, threatens legal action against CNN and NBC for broadcasting fr. Ramallah; confiscates 3 ambulances, detains 9 paramedics. PRCS suspends services in Ramallah, noting the IDF now has 15 medical workers in custody. This afternoon, the IDF lifts the Ramallah curfew for 3 hrs. so residents can buy food, bury those killed since 3/29 (bodies have been double-stacked in morgues, with no electricity). In Bethlehem, IDF troops order all men age 14-45 to surrender; fight their way to the doorway of the Church of the Nativity, where some 200 Palestinian gunmen, civilians have now sought refuge; fire on 20 journalists on the balcony of the Star Hotel, injuring 1; fire a warning shot at a clearly marked Reuters car. Palestinians also take refuge in Bethlehem's Omar Mosque, Santa Maria Church, the Russian Orthodox Church and hospice; the IDF surrounds those holy sites, occupies Bethlehem University as its main staging area. In Aida and Dahaysha, the IDF orders Palestinian women age 15-25, men age 14-45 to surrender. A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a device at an IDF checkpoint into Jerusalem, killing only himself, causing no injuries. At least 7 Palestinians are killed today, including 2 motorists ambushed by settler vigilante group Tears of the Orphans and Martyrs (see 3/5) nr. Tulkarm, a mother and son shot by the IDF and allowed bleed to death, a woman shot dead by an IDF sniper as she left a Ramallah hospital (troops fire on medical workers attempting to retrieve her body). 3 Israelis injured in the 3/27 Netanya attack die, bringing the toll of the bombing to 23; 1 Israeli injured in the 3/31 Haifa attack dies, bringing that toll to 16. Israel expands its list of "wanted" Palestinians to include some of Arafat's top aides, including intelligence chief Tawfiq Tirawi, PSF 2d in command in Gaza Rashid Abu Shabak, Fatah tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti, but not PSF heads Dahlan or Rajub. (AP, HA, PRCS press release, NYT, WP, WT 4/2; MENA 4/2 in WNC 4/3; NYT, WP, WT 4/3; WP 4/4; QA 4/4 in WNC 4/5; MEI 4/5)

Sharon tells envoys of EU, Russia, UN they may meet with Arafat if they agree to escort him into exile. Peres proposes that Arafat "voluntarily" leave the territories asylum in foreign country. (AP, HA, MM 4/2; AFP 4/2 in WNC 4/3; NYT, WP 4/3)