The Palestine Chronology

The IDF assassinates Hamas spiritual leader and founder Shaykh Ahmad Yasin, firing 3 internationally banned flechette missiles at him as he leaves a Gaza City mosque after morning prayers, also killing 3 bodyguards, 4 bystanders, wounding at least 17 Palestinians, including Yasin’s 2 sons. Immediately, 100,000s of Palestinians take to the streets throughout the territories to protest the assassination. The IDF seals Gaza; clashes with Palestinian demonstrators in Balata r.c. (killing an al-Najah Radio correspondent in Balata r.c., apparently thinking his mobile phone was a weapon), Bethlehem, Dayr al-Balah, Hebron (fatally shooting 1 Palestinian watching fr. his balcony), Jenin, Khan Yunis (killing 3 Palestinians), Nablus; fires on residential areas of Rafah, Qalqilya, Tal Zu’rub; imposes a curfew on areas around Jenin, fires on residential areas; temporarily occupies a Palestinian home as an IDF post nr. Dayr al-Balah. 100s of Palestinian youths in East Jerusalem gather at checkpoints to throw stones at IDF soldiers; Palestinian prisoners in 2 Israeli jails riot. Palestinians fire Qassam rockets, mortars, antitank rockets at Gush Katif and Netzarim settlements, nearby IDF posts, the western Negev, damaging 2 apartments in Netzarim but causing no injuries. An ax-wielding Palestinian fr. the West Bank village of Bidiyya wounds 3 Israelis outside an army base in Tel Aviv before being arrested. An unidentified assailant said to be Arab stabs, lightly wounds 3 Israelis on a Jaffa bus. 4 Palestinians are arrested for beating up a Jewish settler in East Jerusalem. Jewish settlers detain, beat a Palestinian man in the Jordan Valley. An estimated 200,000 Palestinians, including reps. of all Palestinian factions, take part in Yasin’s funeral services later in the day, with 21 PSF officers forming an honor guard for Yasin’s coffin, Gaza churches ringing their bells, mosques broadcasting Qur’anic verses. Meanwhile, Israeli defense chiefs meet, agree to target the entire remaining Hamas leadership immediately, without waiting for another Hamas attack. Israel also announces that it will close the only mental health clinic serving East Jerusalem Palestinians (1,200 patients) because of “security concerns.” (AP, BBC, CSM, HA, MA, MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 3/22; AP, ATL, ITARTASS, MNR, MENA, IDF Radio, IRNA, ITARTASS, JP, VIRI, VOI, VOP, XIN 3/22 in WNC 3/24; al-Arabiyya TV [Dubai], Syrian Arab News Agency 3/22 in WNC 4/27; AFP, BBC, CSM, HA, JT, MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/23; AFP, AYM, DUS, HA, al-Hayat al-Jadida, JT, MA, MENA, al-Ra’i, THWR, TSHR, VIRI, YA 3/23 in WNC 3/25; MM, NYT, PR, WP 3/24; ATL, ITAR-TASS, Izvestiya, JT, al-Ra’i, SA, VOP, XIN 3/24 in WNC 3/26; AYM 3/24 in WNC 4/3; JT, MM, PCHR, WJW 3/25; ITAR-TASS, MENA, NHR, VIRI 3/25 in WNC 3/27; MM 3/26; MNR 3/27 in WNC 3/30; AYM 3/30, VOP 3/31 in WNC 4/2; MEI 4/2; PCHR 4/15)

In Washington, Shalom holds further talks on Sharon’s disengagement plan with VP Dick Cheney, Powell, Rice. (WP 3/23)

The IDF assassinates wanted AMB mbr. ‘Abd al-Hadi Natsha in Hebron, local PFLP military cmdr. Ahmad ‘Atiya in Qalqilya; bulldozes 20 dunams of land, fires a flechette shell at Palestinian houses nr. Qarni crossing, leaving 1 Palestinian brain dead; conducts arrest raids, blows up a Palestinian home nr. Hebron; beats up a Palestinian AP cameraman filming soldiers vandalizing Palestinian cars at the Salim roadblock. A car explodes in Balata r.c., killing 1 Hamas mbr., injuring 2; the IDF says the men suffered a “work accident”; Hamas claims it was an IDF assassination. A Palestinian gunman infiltrates Tal Rumayda settlement, shoots and wounds 2 Jewish settlers before being shot dead; the IDF places curfews on nearby Palestinian villages. Palestinians also fire a Qassam rocket at Sederot, causing no damage or injuries. Late in the evening, the IDF sends troops into al-Qarara, Satar al-Gharbiyya, conducting arrest raids, razing 49 dunams of land. A Palestinian dies of injuries received in the IDF attack on Nussayrat r.c. on 10/20, bringing that toll to at least 8; a 2d Palestinian dies of injuries received in Ramallah on 10/21. (HA, PR 10/22; HA, MM, PCHR 10/23)

Ward Boston, a fmr. Navy lawyer who helped lead the military investigation into Israel’s 1967 attack on the USS Liberty that killed 34 U.S. soldiers, files a signed affidavit that Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson and Defense Secy. Robert McNamara ordered those heading the naval inquiry to “conclude that the attack was a case of ‘mistaken identity’ despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.” (AP 10/22; NYT 10/23)

IDF undercover units raid a fire station in Jenin, assassinate wanted Hamas mbr. Iyad Musa, also killing a Palestinian firefighter. IDF tanks fire 3 flechette shells at a group of Palestinian children playing soccer in a field btwn. Jabaliya and Bayt Hanun, seriously injuring 3, lightly injuring 5 children, 4 adults in nearby homes; the IDF says the children setting up goal posts were mistaken for militants preparing to launch Qassam missiles. The IDF also demolishes 2 Palestinian homes in Hebron, 2 in Rafah; conducts arrest raids in Dayr al-Balah, Hebron, Tulkarm. (HA, PM, REU 1/31; HA, NYT, WT 2/1; HA 2/2, 2/3; REU 2/4; LAW, PCHR 2/5; MEI 2/7)