The Palestine Chronology

The Israeli security cabinet, IDF senior cmdrs., Fatah Central Comm., PLO Exec. Comm. hold emergency mtgs. to discuss Arafat’s failing health, after he reportedly slips into a “reversible coma.” The PLO Exec. Comm. grants PA PM Ahmad Qurai‘ temporary responsibility for urgent matters involving the PA security services and finances. Hamas calls for formation of a collective leadership, in which it would participate, to rule until elections are held. The IDF places troops in the West Bank and Gaza on alert, fearing an upswing in violence if Arafat dies; the PA does the same with its security forces. The IDF also demolishes 4 Palestinian homes in Rafah; fires on residential areas of al-Brazil r.c.; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Nablus, nr Hebron. (AFP, BBC, HA, REU, WP, XIN 11/4; AFP, JAZ, MENA, VOI, VOP, XIN 11/4 in WNC 11/6; BBC, CSM, HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/5; VOP, XIN 11/5 in WNC 11/9; PRCS 11/11)

In an incident in Dayr al-Balah, IDF soldiers grant permission to an international delegation, including 3 UN staff members, to visit and question a local Palestinian family, provided they stay only 30 mins. and not enter the family’s home; the delegation complies, but as it is leaving, an IDF soldier deliberately shoots the 15 yr. old son of the family fr. a distance of 20 m., hitting him in the back, partially paralyzing him; the international team transports the boy to a Gaza City hospital. IDF also fires on residential areas of Brazil r.c., wounding an 11-yr.-old Palestinian boy; bulldozes 15 dunams of land, demolishes a Palestinian home nr. Jenin, 1 in Salfit nr. Nablus, a poultry farm in Dayr al-Balah; conducts arrest raids in Bayt Hanina, Gaza City, nr. Jenin. Armed Jewish settlers attack a Palestinian neighborhood in Hebron, seriously beating a 13-yr.-old Palestinian girl. In Jenin, unidentified assailants open fire on Palestinian Authority (PA) health minister Jawad al-Tibi, Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction head Muhammad Ishtiyya during a visit to inaugurate a new hospital; neither is injured. (VOP 2/18 in WNC 2/20; PCHR 2/19; VOP 2/19 in WNC 2/21; LAW, PCHR 2/26; HA, DUS 2/28)

U.S. National Security Council Middle East Adviser Elliott Abrams, Dep. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Asst. Secy. of State William Burns arrive in Israel for3days of talks with senior Israeli, Palestinian officials on Israeli PM Ariel Sharon plan for unilateral disengagement fr. Gaza. (MM 2/18; VOP 2/18 in WNC 2/20; BBC, HA, MM, WT 2/19; VOP 2/19 in WNC 2/21; MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/20; HA 2/22; WP 2/26; Forward 2/28)

The IDF conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem in connection to the 1/29 bombing, but after informing the PAof its plans to enter the city and asking the PSF to evacuate its posts while the operation is underway; 4 Palestinians are arrested, 10s detained for questioning. The IDF also assassinates wanted Hamas mbr. Jihad Suwayti in Hebron, raiding a home, shooting him in the head; fatally shoots 1 AMB mbr., 1 Islamic Jihad mbr. (both armed) who attempt to infiltrate Gaza’s Dugit settlement to stage a joint attack; fatally shoots a 4th Palestinian nr. Nablus; demolishes 6 Palestinian homes in Ramallah, the home of the 1/29 bomber’s family in Aida r.c.; fires on residential areas of Brazil r.c. (BBC, HA, MM 1/30; NYT, WP, WT 1/31; LAW, PCHR 2/12)

Hizballah, Israel complete implementation of the 1st phase of their prisoner release, open contacts via Germany on the 2d phase. (MEI 2/6)

Overnight and early this morning, the IDF demolishes 22 Palestinian homes in Khan Yunis that allegedly provided cover for mortar attacks, leaving 178 Palestinians (25 families) homeless; another 6 Palestinian homes housing 40 Palestinians (6 families) are heavily damaged. The IDF also erects several new roadblocks in the Jenin area; fires on residential areas of Brazil r.c., Hebron, Nablus. The IDF also removes 1 uninhabited unauthorized settlement outpost nr. Nablus, scuffling with Jewish settlers who attempt to block the move. (BBC, PCHR 12/15; NYT 12/16; PR 12/17; PCHR 12/18; MEI 12/19)

The IDF drops a half-ton bomb on the Gaza City home of Hamas spokesman Mahmud Zahar in an attempt to assassinate him; Zahar is wounded, his son,a body guard, a 3d Palestinian are killed, 26 Palestinians (including Zahar’s wife, daughter) are injured, his house and an adjacent building are destroyed. The IDF also tightens restrictions on Palestinian movement around Tulkarm; opens fire on stone-throwing Palestinians in Balata r.c., killing 2 Palestinians, wounding 1; opens fire on Palestinian youths attempting to cross the separation wall nr. Silat al-Harith, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 1, arresting 1; arrests 20 Palestinians in Rantis, the home of both 9/9 suicide bombers; fires on residential areas of Abasan, al-Brazil r.c., Khan Yunis, al-Qarara, Rafah; conducts arrest raids, bulldozes a small plot of land in Dayr al-Balah. An IDF soldier dies of injuries received in the 9/9 Rishon Letzion bombing; an Israeli civilian dies of injuries received in the 9/9 Jerusalem bombing. Israeli FMin. spokesman Gideon Meir confirms that the Hamas leadership did not authorize the 8/19 suicide bombing, that it was staged by a renegade Hamas cell in Hebron. (BBC, HA, MM 9/10; YA 9/10 in WNC 9/12; NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 9/11)

Under pressure fr. the U.S., Qurai‘ drops his conditions for accepting the PM nomination, announces that he will begin forming a new government; may seek PC’s permission to form a security-oriented “crisis cabinet” of only 6–8 mbrs. in the next few days, rather than a full cabinet. (AP, HA 9/10; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/11; JP 9/11 in WNC 9/13)

The IDF stages a major predawn raid on Gaza City, sending in 30 tanks plus helicopter gunships to capture senior Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades cmdr. Yusuf Abu Hin, killing Abu Hin, his 2 brothers, 10 other Palestinians (including a 2-yr.-old, 2 13-yr.-olds), wounding more than 60, demolishing some 20 Palestinian homes; 9 IDF soldiers are also injured. Israel’s Gaza cmdr. calls the operation “very successful,” blames the Abu Hin brothers’ failure to surrender for the high death toll. The IDF also fatally shoots 2 Palestinians in Yatta, including senior AMB mbr. Khalid Makhamra, in what may be an assassination; fires on residential areas of al-Brazil, Rafah; fires on stone-throwing youths in Bayt Furik, injuring 10; conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus, Qalqilya; demolishes 2 Palestinian homes in Bayt Furik, 1 in Bayt Sira. Late in the evening, a Palestinian fires on an IDF post nr. Hermesh settlement, causing no injuries; is fatally shot by soldiers. A Tel Aviv court convicts a Nablus tanzim mbr. on 14 counts of murder, conspiracy for organizing 3 fatal attacks on Israelis in 1/02. International aid workers in Gaza report that since the 4/30 bombing, the IDF has required them to undergo long (up to 7 hrs.) interviews regarding their activities before entering or leaving the Strip (see 4/26). (BBC, HA, MM 5/1; MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/2; PR 5/7; PCHR 5/8; AIDA 5/12)

The IDF bulldozes 63 shops, market stalls in Nazlat Issa, 1 of the only thriving Palestinian commercial centers, located very close to the West Bank border with Israel; maps of Israel’s planned security fence show the fence running e. of Nazlat Issa, which would cut off the village fr. the rest of the West Bank. The IDF also beats 2 Palestinian photographers for international agencies as they try to photograph an IDF jeep driving through Nablus with 2 Palestinian youths clinging to the hood, threaten to kill the journalists if they see the photo published; fires on residential areas of Bayt Lahia; conducts arrest raids (targeting Hamas, Islamic Jihad) in Hebron, Jenin r.c., Jericho, Nablus, Ramallah; demolishes a Palestinian home in Yatta, nr. Hebron. Islamic Jihad says that 2 of its low-ranking mbrs. have escaped fr. the IDF’s Ofer detention center in the West Bank. Israeli border police halt a suspicious van nr. Umm al-Fahm, just inside the Green Line; the 4 occupants of the car flee (2 into Israel, 2 into the West Bank); police find 300 kg. of explosives inside. Shin Bet arrests the wife of jailed PFLP leader Saadat at the Allenby border crossing, on her way to Jordan to fly to Brazil for a conference; gives no reason for her detention. A Palestinian dies of injuries received on 3/4/02. (BBC, HA 1/21; HA, LAW, NYT, PCHR, PM, PR, WT 1/22; PM 1/23)

Reversing an 8/18/02 decision, the Israeli High Court rules that the IDF’s "neighborhood procedure" (i.e., sending a Palestinian to warn a wanted individual to surrender to IDF troops waiting nearby) is legal, saying the IDF may not force Palestinians to act as human shields, but it may use them if they “volunteer.” (HA, WT 1/22)