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  • May 7, 2012

    Hours before the Knesset is set to vote on whether to hold early elections, Israeli PM Netanyahu and opposition leader, Kadima party head Shaul Mofaz, make the surprise announcement that Kadima...

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  • April 11, 2005

    Israeli DM Shaul Mofaz says that Israel will not respond to the barrage of rocket and missile fire following the 4/9 shooting death of 3 Palestinian teenagers, effectively accepting the...

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  • January 29, 2004

    A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a device on a crowded bus nr. Sharon’s official residence in West Jerusalem, killing 10 Israelis, wounding 44. The bomber, whom the PA confirms was a...

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  • June 11, 2003

    A Hamas suicide bomber dressed as an Orthodox Jew detonates a device on a bus in Jerusalem, killing 15 Israelis, 1 Eritrean, injuring more than 60. Israeli DM Shaul Mofaz immediately authorizes...

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Hours before the Knesset is set to vote on whether to hold early elections, Israeli PM Netanyahu and opposition leader, Kadima party head Shaul Mofaz, make the surprise announcement that Kadima has agreed to join the governing coalition and that they will form a new unity government rather than send the country to early elections (see 5/6/12). The deal is contingent on meet 3 Kadima demands: (1) that Mofaz becomes a vice PM and “special minister in charge of the process with the Palestinians” (already agreed by Netanyahu); (2) that the Knesset passes legislation requiring all Israeli citizens including the ultra-Orthodox to perform military service if they are to receive government benefits; and (3) that unspecified elections reforms are enacted. With Kadima’s 28 Knesset seats, the coalition deal gives Netanyahu control of 94 of 120 seats in parliament and leaves no single faction in a position to topple the government. The deal is also a benefit to Netanyahu from the standpoint that he can keep Barak, a strong ally on the Iran issue, as DM. Kadima is seen (e.g., NYT 5/9) as being “given a life-line.” (NYT, WP 5/8; NYT, WP 5/9; WJW 5/10; JPI 5/18)

Israel’s High Court rejects appeals for the release of Islamic Jihad administrative detainees Diab and Halahleh, who have been on hunger strike for 69 days. The High Court also issues a ruling affirming the legal purchase by Jewish settlers of a Palestinian home in Jerusalem’s Old City, ordering the Palestinian family to vacate; and ruling ordering a Palestinian to vacate his shop in the Old City, ruling it is a historic Jewish property. A lower court in Jerusalem rules that Jewish settlers legally purchased a house in Shaykh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, ordering the Palestinian residents to vacate. (NYT 5/8)

The IDF raids the offices of the Palestinian People’s Party and the Public Comm. against the Annexation Wall in al-Bireh, confiscating computers, cameras, files, and photos. The IDF also conducts daytime patrols in Kafr Qaddum and 1 nearby village; conducts late-night patrols, arrest raids, and house searches in and around Tulkarm (rearresting 1 Palestinian released during the recent prisoner swap that freed captured IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit). (PCHR 5/10; OCHA 5/11)

Israeli DM Shaul Mofaz says that Israel will not respond to the barrage of rocket and missile fire following the 4/9 shooting death of 3 Palestinian teenagers, effectively accepting the Palestinian factions’ statement that the fire was a 1-time response. The IDF conducts arrest raids in Nablus targeting Palestinians it believes have ties to Hizballah, are planning a bombing; fires on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops, wounding 8 stone-throwers, 2 bystanders; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin, Nablus. (AP, HA, YA 4/11; OCHA, PR 4/13; PCHR 4/14)

Sharon holds his 11th mtg. with Bush in 4 yrs. at Bush’s Crawford, TX ranch; the Crawford venue is considered a gesture to “reward Sharon for taking the politically difficult step” of evacuating Gaza settlements and to highlight the close relationship btwn. the 2 leaders. (HA, MM, REU 4/11; BBC, HA, MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 4/12; MM, NYT, PR, WP 4/13; AYM, HA, HJ, JP, Jordan Times 4/13 in WNC 4/14; MM, WJW 4/14; Forward, HA, JPI, MEI, MM 4/15; see also JP 4/6 in WNC 4/7; WP 4/9, NYT 4/10)

A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a device on a crowded bus nr. Sharon’s official residence in West Jerusalem, killing 10 Israelis, wounding 44. The bomber, whom the PA confirms was a Bethlehem PSF officer fr. Aida r.c., leaves 2 suicide notes claiming the attack in the name of the AMB, Hamas; the AMB initially claims responsibility, Hamas does so after the 2d letter is released; the groups do not claim joint responsibility, as they have done in the past, raising questions as to who really staged the attack. Israeli DM Shaul Mofaz says Israel will not routinely seal the territories in the wake of the bombing, so as not to aggravate Palestinians’ hardship; will specifically target militant groups. The IDF tightens checkpoints around Hebron; conducts house searches, arrest raids in Hebron, Jenin, Nablus. Hebron Jewish settlers attack Palestinians in nearby Yatta, forcing 9 Palestinian families out of their cave dwellings and mud houses; Hebron settlers reportedly seek to expropriate more than 37,000 dunams in the area for settlement expansion. In a plea agmt., an Israeli court sentences to 15 mos. in jail Havat Maon settlers Yitzhak Paz and Matityahu Shvu, arrested on 7/17/03 for transporting explosives, plotting a major bombing of a Palestinian school, carrying out 2 bombings at Palestinian schools that resulted in no deaths. (BBC, HA, MM 1/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/30; MM 2/3; WJW 2/5; JPI 2/6; al-Majallah [London] 2/8 in WNC 2/18; PCHR 2/12; JPI 2/13)

Israel, Hizballah begin to implement the 1st stage of their 2-stage prisoner swap. (BBC, HA, MNR, NYT, WJW, WP, WT 1/29; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/30; MM 2/2; JPI, MEI 2/6; JPI 2/13) (see 1/24)

A Hamas suicide bomber dressed as an Orthodox Jew detonates a device on a bus in Jerusalem, killing 15 Israelis, 1 Eritrean, injuring more than 60. Israeli DM Shaul Mofaz immediately authorizes the IDF to use “whatever means necessary” to “completely wipe out Hamas,” saying Hamas spiritual leader Shaykh Yasin is a viable target. Half an hr. later, an IDF helicopter fires on a car stuck in a Gaza City traffic jam, assassinating senior Izzeddin al-Qassam mbrs. Titu Massud and Suhayl Abu Nahil, also killing 6 Palestinian bystanders, wounding 35 (including 14 children). In the evening, IDF helicopters strike another car in Gaza City, killing Hamas mbrs. Muhammad Daghmash and Rawi Abu Kumayl. The IDF also raids Hebron, imposing a curfew, building roads, blocking streets with sand barriers, concrete blocks; demolishes 3 Palestinian homes in Rafah (damaging another 11), 1 in Jaba; fires on a funeral procession outside Khan Yunis, wounding 1. (AP, BBC, HA 6/11; ITAR-TASS, MENA 6/11 in WNC 6/13; LAW, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 6/12; AFP, QA 6/12 in WNC 6/14; PR 6/18; LAW, PCHR 6/19; JPI 6/20; HA 6/25; MEI 6/27)