The Palestine Chronology

The IDF tightens restrictions on Palestinian movement inside Gaza, declares the n. West Bank a closed military zone in preparation for disengagement; begins going door to door in the Gaza settlements, asking residents to leave within 48 hrs. In Aley Sinai, 56 of 59 families who had agreed to leave rescind their decision, vowing to resist evacuation until the Israeli government finds permanent living solutions for the community as a whole; the government had promised them space together in an Ashkelon hotel, but only today learned that not enough space was available. During the day, some 1,000 right-wing settlers in various locations in s. Gaza simultaneously begin marching toward Gush Katif to block troops, but are prevented fr. reaching the settlement bloc by IDF troops and border police. Other settler youths slash the tires of several army jeeps, spray liquid soap on windshields to limit visibility, spread nails on roads to delay convoys of movers. Jewish settlers fr. Neve Dekalim vandalize, attempt to set fire to several Palestinian homes in al-Mawasi. In Gan Or, local settlers who want the IDF’s help to evacuate scuffle with settler youths blocking soldiers fr. entering the settlement. In the West Bank, the last residents of Ganim (est. 1983, pop. 172) and Qadim (est. 1983, pop. 169) evacuate voluntarily by evening, while settlers in the other 2 West Bank settlement slated for removal, the hard-line enclaves of Homesh (est. 1980, pop. 228) and Sanur (est. 1982, pop. 105), refuse to accept their notices. The major Palestinian factions, including Hamas, agree to oversee jointly how the PA uses land evacuated by settlers and the IDF; the PA expects 5% of the land to revert to individual Palestinian owners, with the rest being state land that will fall under PA jurisdiction. In a signal to reassure Palestinians about how it will handle land use, the PA security forces demolish a house, cabana, pool built illegally on Gaza public land by 2 senior PA security officials; when a neighbor of one of the officials tells journalists that the demolitions were good because his neighbors “were criminals . . . a gang,” several PA security officers beat him, threaten to shoot him, before he retreats into his house. (BBC, HA, NYT 8/15; HA, NYT, WP, WT 8/16; PR 8/17; PCHR 8/18)

Meanwhile, the IDF continues arrest raids, house searches in villages around Tulkarm; launches arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem and in Birzeit, alMawasi; searches homes in Kafr Qadim; occupies 5 Palestinian houses (2 nr. Gaza’s Dugit settlement, 1 in Mughraqa, 1 nr. Tulkarm, 1 in Wadi al-Silqa) as observation posts; fires on residential areas of Rafah. Jewish settlers vandalize Palestinian homes in Hebron. The ICRC resumes field activities in Gaza, which were suspended on 8/7 after shots were fired at its Khan Yunis offices. (IMEMC 8/15; NYT 8/16)

An IDF aircraft fires 2 missiles at a well in Bayt Hanun, destroying it. Around 40 Jewish settlers fr. Tal Yam outpost in Gaza (see 6/27) chanting “Death to Arabs” occupy 2 Palestinian homes in al-Mawasi, throw stones at Palestinians and IDF soldiers nearby, severely beat 1 Palestinian in what observers describe as a near lynching (the incident, caught on video by an Israeli cameraman, is described by Sharon on 6/30 as “a barbaric, wild, and heartless act”); an Israeli reporter pulls the critically injured Palestinian to safety; the IDF arrests the settlers, evicts them fr. the area. The IDF fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, wounding 2 Palestinians; raids, occupies 2 Palestinian homes in al-Til as observation posts; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Aida r.c. and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Tulkarm. The AMB, Islamic Jihad, the PRCs take joint responsibility for firing 2 mortars at Netzarim, causing no damage or injuries. During the day, Palestinians fire 10s of rockets, at least 1 mortar at Gaza settlements, lightly injuring 1 foreign worker in Gush Katif. Israeli police arrest around 150 Israeli disengagement protesters who attempt to block roads across Israel during rush hour, causing limited tie-ups. (AFP, XIN 6/29; VOI 6/29 in WNC 6/30; BBC, PCHR, Palestine News Network, WP, XIN 6/30; HA 7/2; JP 7/2 in WNC 7/3; UPI, YA 7/3; NYT 7/5; OCHA, PR 7/6; PCHR 7/7; NYT 7/15)

The IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian allegedly attempting to plant a roadside bomb outside Morag; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron and nr. Bethlehem, Tulkarm. In al-Mawasi, Jewish settlers attack several Palestinian homes, seize 1, clash with Palestinians, leaving 1 Jewish settler injured; the IDF intervenes, removes the settlers; later the settlers return, throw stones at Palestinians, attempt to run them down, causing no injuries. Also in Gaza, Jewish settlers attack a car carrying 3 Palestinian journalists, lightly injuring them. Islamic Jihad fires 2 rockets at Sederot, causing no damage or injuries. PA Atty. Gen. Hussein Abu Assi says that he has instructed police to detain more than 5 fmr. PA officials on charges of misuse of public funds. Some fmr. officials may have to be extradited fr. Arab countries. (IMEMC, JAZ, REU 6/28; HA, IMEMC, XIN 6/29; PHRC 6/30)

The IDF openly assassinates wanted AMB Nablus cmdr. Mahmud Titi, firing rockets at him in Balata r.c., also killing 2 AMB mbrs, 1 Palestinian bystander, seriously damaging a nearby home. Hrs. later an AMB suicide bomber detonates a device in Rishon Letzion, killing 2 Israelis, injuring 25. Nr. Bethlehem, the IDF fires on a group of 20 Palestinian laborers attempting to circumvent a checkpoint, killing 1 Palestinian. In Jenin, Islamic Jihad mbr. Khalid Zakarni dies in a mysterious explosion; the IDF claims explosives he was carrying detonated prematurely, Palestinian sources say he was hit by an IDF tank shell. The IDF also bars a Palestinian woman needing kidney dialysis, a Palestinian man suffering a heart attack fr. crossing checkpoints to reach hospitals, allowing them to die; conducts house-to-house searches, directs heavy gunfire at residential areas in Salfit, detaining 100s of Palestinian men aged 15 to 50, arresting 13 PSF mbrs.; conducts arrest raids in Burkin (firing several shells at the home of a Hamas mbr.), Hebron, Husan, Nahalin, Tulkarm. In Gaza, the IDF shuts the main north and south road, claiming the action is in response to Palestinian mortar fire at Gaza settlements. The IDF also begins issuing magnetic cards to al-Mawasi residents; only residents with cards will be allow to cross through the al-Mawasi checkpoint. (MM 5/23; Interfax 5/23 in WNC 24; AP, JP, LAW 5/22; LAW, NYT, UPMRC, WP, WT 5/23; PCHR 5/30)

Under an agmt. reached on 5/21, 12 of the 13 Palestinians deported to Cyprus are sent on to 3d countries (3 each to Italy, Spain; 2 each to Greece, Ireland; 1 each to Belgium, Portugal). They will be treated as refugees, given 1-yr. residency permits; if they leave their host country, they will not be allowed to return. The 13th, PA Bethlehem intelligence chief Abdallah Daoud, considered by Israel the "most dangerous" of the 13 men, will remain in Cyprus until a country can be found that will take him. (NYT, WP 5/22; CNA 5/22 in WNC 5/23; NYT, WP 5/23; MEI 5/31; CNA 8/6 in WNC 8/8)