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  • July 12, 2005

    After mos. of IDF operations in which an Islamic Jihad leader was assassinated on 3/10, another leader survived an attempted assassination on 7/10, and more than 300 cadres were arrested following...

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  • March 1, 2005

    Israeli security officials say they now believe that a renegade Islamic Jihad cell fr. Jenin, commanded fr. outside the territories, was responsible for the 2/25 bombing. IDF severely beats a...

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  • February 8, 2005

    Abbas, Sharon hold their 1st talks in Sharm al-Shaykh, then each meets separately with Mubarak, King Abdallah of Jordan. Afterward, Abbas announces that “Palestinian will stop all acts of violence...

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  • January 9, 2005

    The IDF confiscates 352 d. in northwest Jerusalem for construction of the separation wall; fires nr.aPalestinian polling station in Khan Yunis; obstructs Palestinian movement in al-Mawasi; fires...

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After mos. of IDF operations in which an Islamic Jihad leader was assassinated on 3/10, another leader survived an attempted assassination on 7/10, and more than 300 cadres were arrested following the 2/25 suicide bombing carried out by a renegade Islamic Jihad mbr., an Islamic Jihad suicide bomber fr. al-Til outside Tulkarm detonates a device outside a mall in Netanya, killing 3 Israelis, wounding up to 48, marking the 1st suicide bombing since 2/25/05 (1st inside Israel since 11/1/04); Islamic Jihad at first denies, then confirms responsibility. Israel suspends all contacts with the PA regarding disengagement, seals the West Bank and Gaza, vows to respond harshly against the group. Abbas states, “We condemn this terrorist attack. It’s a crime against the Palestinian people. Those traitors are working against the Palestinian interest. . . . They did a stupid thing that they should be punished for,” though he notes Islamic Jihad’s denial. At almost the same time as the bombing, a stolen car breaks through the fence of Shavei Shomron settlement in the West Bank and explodes, injuring the driver but causing no other casualties; the IDF says the driver was an Islamic Jihad mbr. who had been working as an informant for Israel; he had been handcuffed to the wheel of the car and the bomb he was carrying was detonated by cell phone, suggesting an attempt to assassinate him for collaboration. The IDF demolishes 2 Palestinian homes built without permits in Issawiyya and Silwan, East Jerusalem, where Israel intends to construct a park; conducts house searches, detains Palestinians for interrogation in Bayt Fajjar nr. Bethlehem. Palestinians detonate aroadside bomb under an IDF jeep outside Netzer Hazani settlement in s. Gaza, injuring 2 soldiers. Masked Palestinian gunmen fire on senior PA Interior Min. Ibrahim Salama as he drives in Ramallah, force his car to stop, severely beat him; no group takes responsibility. (AP, BBC, HA, IMEMC, XIN 7/12; VOI, VOP 7/12 in WNC 7/13; NYT, OCHA, PR, WP, WT, YA 7/13; HA, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, JP, MA, XIN, YA 7/13 in WNC 7/14; PCHR 7/14; al-Safir 7/16 in WNC 7/17; PR 7/20; XIN 7/21)

Israeli security officials say they now believe that a renegade Islamic Jihad cell fr. Jenin, commanded fr. outside the territories, was responsible for the 2/25 bombing. IDF severely beats a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Hebron; demolishes 10 shops built without permits in Bardala, ‘Ayn al-Bayda; blows up a workshop in al-Yamun nr. Jenin that it claimed was a Hamas weapons factory; issues military orders for the demolition of 1 Palestinian home, 3 wells in Wadi Fukin nr. Bethlehem; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Nablus, nr. Tulkarm. Jewish settlers fr. Ma’ale Shomron nr. Qalqilya beat a Palestinian. PA Interior M Nasr Yusuf takes part in a ceremony in Jenin r.c., marking the opening of a new security headquarters there; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB) mbrs. fire in the air to protest that the PA security services did not coordinate Yusuf’s visit with them; Yusuf, local AMB head Zakariyya Zubaydi meet at the Jenin headquarters to discuss the issue, with Yusuf saying such incidents would not be tolerated. The PA says it has arrested a total of 6 Palestinians in connection with the 2/25 Tel Aviv bombing. (MM, VOI, VOP 3/1; PR 3/2; JAZ, VOP 3/2 in WNC 3/3; PCHR 3/3; NYT 3/6)

British PM Tony Blair hosts a 1-day conference aimed at encouraging and supporting PA reform, strengthening PA governance in advance of Israel’s disengagement fr. Gaza in mid-7/05. The U.S., EU, and World Bank agree to lead an international effort to coordinate “institutional renewal” in the Palestinian territories. (AFP, AP, BBC, MM 3/1, ITAR-TASS, JAZ, MENA, VOP 3/1; Independent, MM, NYT, PR, WP, WT 3/2; DUS, ITAR-TASS, JP, MENA, al-Quds al-Arabi, VOI, VOP 3/2 in WNC 3/3; HA, MM, WJW 3/3; HJ, VOP 3/6 in WNC 3/7; MM 3/9; JPI 3/11; see also WP 2/26)

According to the U.S. State Dept.’s annual report on human rights, the Palestinian population of Israel and the occupied territories has reached 5.3 m., for the first time exceeding the Israeli Jewish population of 5.2 m. (Electronic Intifada 3/1)

Abbas, Sharon hold their 1st talks in Sharm al-Shaykh, then each meets separately with Mubarak, King Abdallah of Jordan. Afterward, Abbas announces that “Palestinian will stop all acts of violence against all Israelis everywhere,” Sharon vows to “cease all military activity against all Palestinians anywhere,” including assassinations, to the extent that the Palestinians halt violence. Sharon announces a package of gestures to be implemented if quiet is maintained, including Israel’s turnover of security control for 5 West Bank cities, a prisoner release, easing restriction on Palestinian movement. Hamas, Islamic Jihad say that they will not officially sign onto the cease-fire, but will not abrogate it. (BBC, HA, MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 2/8; AFP, ATL, AYM, HJ, ITAR-TASS, JAZ, MENA, QA, VOI, VOP 2/8, XIN 2/9 in WNC 2/9; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/9; al-Quds 2/12 in WNC 2/13; PR 2/16; MEI 2/18)

The IDF reopens Qarni commercial crossing after a 4-wk. closure, allowing only about one-third of normal traffic through, limiting imports to basic goods and exports to flowers, tomatoes; raids, searches a secondary school in al-Khadir; conducts arrest raids in al-Mawasi; confiscates a strip of land 2 d. long and 350 m. wide to create a corridor linking Hebron’s Tal Rumayda settlement with Shuhada Street. Late in the evening, after the Sharm al-Shaykh summit, AMB gunmen fire on a Jewish settler vehicle in the West Bank, throw Molotov cocktails at IDF jeeps that arrive on the scene, causing no injuries. PA security forces find, seal 2 smugglers’ tunnels in Rafah. The NIHC protests the PA security forces’ arrest of 3 DFLP central comm. mbrs. on 2/5; demands the immediate release of Issam Abu Duqqah, who is still in custody. (HJ, VOI, YA 2/8 in WNC 2/9; WT 2/9; PCHR 2/10; PR 2/16)

The IDF confiscates 352 d. in northwest Jerusalem for construction of the separation wall; fires nr.aPalestinian polling station in Khan Yunis; obstructs Palestinian movement in al-Mawasi; fires on 3 Palestinians attempting to infiltrate Gaza fr. Egypt, wounding and detaining all 3. Palestinians fire 3 Qassam rockets at the western Negev, causing no damage or injuries. (JAZ 1/9; VOI 1/10 in WNC 1/12; OCHA 1/19)

After a robust campaign period, PA presidential elections are held. Abbas wins with 62% of the vote. Hamas, Islamic Jihad do not participate. (HA, NYT, WP 1/9; HA, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, JAZ, MENA, Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation TV, PSCT, al-Quds, al-Ra’i, VOI, VOP, XIN, YA 1/9 in WNC 1/11; JAZ 1/9, AFP, AP, ATL, HA, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, JAZ, MENA, PSCT, VOI, VOP, XIN, YA 1/10 in WNC 1/12; HA, MM, National Democratic Institute press release, NYT, WP, WT 1/10; VOP 1/10, AYM, HJ, JP 1/12 in WNC 1/15; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/11; VOP 1/11 in WNC 1/13; PR 1/12; HJ 1/12 in WNC 1/14; MEI 1/21)