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  • August 17, 2005

    Before dawn the IDF moves troops into Gaza en masse to begin the forcible evacuation of Jewish settlers and disengagement protesters who have not yet left, begins demolishing settler homes in n....

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  • November 10, 2003

    The IDF expels West Bank administrative detainee Idris to Gaza (see 10/14); arrests PA High Court Justice Shaykh Taysir al-Tamimi, 4 other Palestinians as they leave al-Aqsa Mosque after prayers,...

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  • April 9, 2003

    Hamas mbrs. fire 2 Qassam rockets toward Sederot (1 lands near the town, the other inside Gaza), causing no damage or injuries. The IDF then sends tanks into Bayt Hanun, sparking stone-throwing...

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Before dawn the IDF moves troops into Gaza en masse to begin the forcible evacuation of Jewish settlers and disengagement protesters who have not yet left, begins demolishing settler homes in n. Gaza. By the end of the day, evacuations of Bedolah (est. 1986, pop. 220, size 1,456 d., hrs. to evac. 6), Ganei Tal (est. 1979, pop. 350, size 2,050 d., hrs. to evac. 11), Kerem Atzmona (est. 2001, pop. 24, hrs. to evac. 6), Morag (est. 1972, pop. 220, size 1,300 d., hrs. to evac. 7), Tal Katifa (est. 1992, pop. 60, size 183 d., hrs. to evac. 5) are completed; most residents of Gadid leave voluntarily. Settlers in Atzmona agree to evacuate voluntarily by 8/21, those in Netzarim by 8/22. Settlers who have not arranged their evacuation with the government will be housed temporarily in hotels, mobile homes: e.g., more than half of Morag’s settlers take up temporary residence in the West Bank settlement of Ofra; Israel’s Jerusalem municipality temporarily houses 1,000 Neve Dekalim settlers who have left voluntarily in a Jerusalem hotel. Generally there is little strong resistance; the IDF optimistically says it hopes that the evacuations could be completed within days instead of wks., as earlier estimated. During the day, some scuffles btwn. soldiers, settlers are reported; in some areas settlers set fire to tires and in garbage bins to prevent soldiers fr. entering settlements; at least 2 settlers set fire to their homes before leaving. In Morag, a female IDF soldier is stabbed with a syringe, lightly injured by a disengagement protester. (In total, 13 Israeli soldiers and police are lightly injured during the day.) Gaza settlers and protesters also attack Palestinians: some 200 Kefar Darom settlers rampage through nearby Palestinian areas, set fire to a Palestinian house; 20 Neve Dekalim settlers march through al-Mawasi, spread nails on roads to damage Palestinian cars, try to provoke Palestinian residents (the IDF intervenes, removes the settlers); other Jewish settlers fire on Palestinian homes, vandalize Palestinian greenhouses in the same area. The IDF also demolishes a Palestinian home, conducts arrest raids in al-Mawasi. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Khan Yunis begin returning to their homes on the edge of town facing the settlements, which they had fled since the start of the intifada in 9/00 because of IDF gunfire. Islamic Jihad mbrs. in some 50 boats, carrying banners and weapons, hold a seaborne victory parade off Gaza to celebrate disengagement. Some disengagement protests in Israel turn violent: a disengagement protester tosses a grenade at an IDF checkpoint in s. Israel, wounding 5 IDF soldiers; a female settler fr. Keddumim in the West Bank sets fire to herself during a demonstration in Netivot, is seriously injured. In the West Bank, a Jewish settler fr. Shvut Rachel steals a gun fr. an Israeli security guard at the industrial area of Shilo settlement, fires on Palestinian workers, killing 4 Palestinians, wounding 1. Sharon denounces the attack as “Jewish terror”; Palestinian Authority (PA) PM Mahmud Abbas calls on Palestinian factions to maintain calm, refrain fr. retaliation. At Sanur (to be evacuated under disengagement), 600 Jewish settlers hold an antidisengagement rally. The IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron and in Nur al-Shams refugee camp (r.c.), Tulkarm. Also in Hebron, 4 bedouin children herding goats are injured when they accidentally trigger an unexploded IDF phosphorus shell; the IDF says it uses the shells only in training. A 9-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received when she accidentally triggered unexploded IDF ordnance nr. Karmil. (Arutz 7, BBC, HA, IMEMC, NYT, REU, USA Today, WP, WT, YA 8/17; Voice of Israel, VOP 8/17 in WNC 8/18; BBC, HA, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 8/18; MENA 8/18 in WNC 8/19; NYT 8/20; PCHR, PR 8/25; IMEMC 9/22; HA 11/10) 

The IDF expels West Bank administrative detainee Idris to Gaza (see 10/14); arrests PA High Court Justice Shaykh Taysir al-Tamimi, 4 other Palestinians as they leave al-Aqsa Mosque after prayers, charges them with being in Jerusalem without permits; fires on residential areas, demolishes 23 Palestinian homes, 5 commercial properties in Rafah; fires on residential areas of Rafah, wounding 3; conducts arrest raids in Balata r.c., Nablus, Nur al-Shams r.c., villages around Ramallah. A Palestinian attempts to stab an Israeli police officer in Jerusalem but is arrested without harming him. A 15-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received on 11/9. (BBC, HA, PRCS 11/10; MM, PCHR 11/11; PCHR 11/13)

Hamas mbrs. fire 2 Qassam rockets toward Sederot (1 lands near the town, the other inside Gaza), causing no damage or injuries. The IDF then sends tanks into Bayt Hanun, sparking stone-throwing protests by Palestinians; the IDF fires on demonstrators, killing 5 Palestinians, wounding at least 10. The IDF also raids Nur al-Shams r.c.; detains all men, arresting 16, busing others outside the camp; conducts house-to-house searches, breaking through walls; demolishes 1 Palestinian home. The IDF also demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Silwan, 1 in Ramallah; detains, beats 2 Palestinian cameramen working for AFP and Reuters for filming troops in Hebron forcing Palestinians to close their stores; conducts arrest raids in Abud. In Jaba‘, a bomb explodes in a Palestinian high school, wounding 19 students; although the Jewish militant group Revenge of the Innocent Babes, which has staged at least 1 (3/5/02, possibly 9/17/02) similar bombing, claims responsibility for the attack, the IDF says it is “confident” that a Palestinian brought the bomb to school. A 12-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. (AFP, HA 4/9; HA, LAW, NYT, PCHR, PM 4/10; QA 4/10 in WNC 4/11; al-Quds 4/11 in WNC 4/14; PR 4/16; LAW, PCHR 4/17)

Coalition forces secure control of most of Baghdad. By evening, the U.S. declares that Hussein’s government has “collapsed,” but warns that the military struggle may continue for some time, as troops continue to meet significant resistance in some areas. Looting is pervasive in Basra and Baghdad, mostly targeting government buildings, state-owned companies, hotels. (BBC, MM 4/9; NYT, WP, WT 4/10; XIN 4/10 in WNC 4/11; MA 4/11, XIN 4/13 in WNC 4/14; MM 4/14; MEI 4/18; MM 4/22; NYT 4/24)