The Palestine Chronology

The IDF blocks all branch roads leading to the main Jerusalem–Ramallah road; fires on stone-throwing Palestinians in Qalandia r.c., fatally shooting a wheelchair-bound Palestinian; fatally shoots a Palestinian in a cemetery nr. Gaza’s Neve Dekalim, suspecting he might attack; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis (seriously wounding a Palestinian woman inside her home), Rafah r.c.; raids Balata r.c., firing on houses, stonethrowing youths who confront troops, injuring 4; begins work on a new segment of the separation wall around Jerusalem nr. Salfit; conducts arrest raids in Balata r.c., Dayr Ghassana nr. Ramallah, Nablus, Tamun nr. Jenin. Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb nr. an IDF patrol in central Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. Jewish settlers in Hebron raze a 1.5 dunam Palestinian garden nr. the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs. Jewish settlers fr. Gil’ad nr. Qalqilya fire on a herd of Palestinian sheep, killing several; the IDF arrests 2 Palestinians who confront the settlers in protest. An Israeli court sentences Fatah’s Barghouti to 5 life terms plus 40 yrs. for conspiracy and membership in a “terror” organization (see 5/20). (XIN 6/6; MENA, VOI, VOP 6/6 in WNC 6/8; NYT, WP, WT 6/7; MA, VOI, VOP 6/7 in WNC 6/9; HA 6/8; PR 6/9; PCHR 6/10; MEI 6/11)

Sharon’s cabinet endorses (14-7) his revised Gaza disengagement plan to withdraw fr. all settlements in Gaza, 4 in the West Bank in 4 stages, each requiring cabinet approval. (HA 6/6; al-Quds 6/6, ITAR-TASS 6/7 in WNC 6/10; NYT, WP, WT 6/7; VOI 6/7 in WNC 6/9; PR 6/9; MM 6/10; Forward 6/11)

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)

A Palestinian suicide bomber fr. Hebron detonates a device on a bus in West Jerusalem, killing 15 Israelis, 5 Americans, wounding more than 100 (13 seriously, 13 moderately), and violating a unilateral 3-mo. Palestinian cease-fire declared on 6/29. (Initially, Islamic Jihad claims responsibility, and Hamas denies it. After the bomber is identified as a known Hamas mbr., Hamas accepts responsibility but says it still adheres tothe cease-fire, this was a 1-time action to retaliate for the 8/14 IDF assassination of Islamic Jihad Hebron cmdr. Muhammad Sidr. Analysts suggest the bombing may be a joint operation or the work of a Hamas offshoot.) PA PM Mahmud Abbas, whois meeting with Islamic Jihad leaders at the time tourge them toextend the cease-fire to 6 mos., breaks off the mtg., denounces the attack, cancels cease-fire talks with Hamas scheduled for 8/20. Israel suspends further talks on a transfer of territory to PA control. The IDF sends tanks, troops into Hebron, surrounding villages to conduct searches, arrest raids; demolishes 4 Palestinian homes in Jabal Mukabir in East Jerusalem; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis. Israeli authorities demolish an Israeli Arab home in Lod, the 40th to be demolished in 2003; the Prime Minister’s Office reports that Israel has also demolished 117 bedouin homes in the Negev this yr. In Nablus, a shootout btwn. rival AMB factions fr. Nablus, Balata r.c. leaves 1 AMB mbr. dead. (HA, JP, MM 8/19; MENA 8/19 in WNC 8/21; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/20; IDF Radio, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, JP, MA, MENA, VOI, YA 8/20 in WNC 8/22; MM, PCHR, WJW 8/21; QA, al-Quds 8/21 in WNC 8/23; al-Ra’i 8/21, AYM, al-Ra’i 8/22 in WNC 8/26; JPI 8/22; JPI, MM 8/29)

The IDF launches a predawn raid on Balata r.c. and Hebron, placing the area under curfew, sparking clashes that leave 30 Palestinians wounded. The IDF also fires on a PSF post outside Bayt Hanun, killing a PSF officer; imposes a closure on Nablus; lifts the closure on Ramallah; demolishes a Palestinian home in Tulkarm; conducts arrest raids in Jaba, Kafr Haris. 2 Palestinians die of injuries received earlier. Israel releases some 100 Palestinian detainees, including Ahmad Jubara, the longest-serving detainee, jailed in 1975 for staging a bombing that killed 14 Israelis. Kach activists set up 4 new unauthorized settlement outposts in the West Bank. (HA, MM 6/3; NYT, PR, WP, WT 6/4; MA 6/4 in WNC 6/8; PCHR 6/5)

In Sharm al-Shaykh, Bush meets with Abbas and the leaders of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia for talks on “issues of common interest,” including the peace process, Iraq, international efforts to combat terrorism, economic cooperation. (BBC, MM, WP 6/3; DUS, ITAR-TASS, MENA, XIN 6/3 in WNC 6/4; SARR, THWR 6/3 in WNC 7/10; MM, NYT, PR, WP, WT 6/4; QA, al-Quds 6/4 in WNC 6/7; DUS 6/6 in WNC 7/10; THWR 6/6, THWR, TSHR 6/7 in WNC 7/11; MM 6/10)

A Palestinian suicide bomber fr. Balata r.c. detonates a device at the Kfar Saba railway station in Israel, killing 1 Israeli security guard, injuring 13 Israelis. A statement faxed to Reuters claims the AMB carried out the act with the help of the PFLP, but AMB’s chief spokesman denies this, saying the attack was staged by Nablus breakaway faction of the AMB (see 4/10). Israel says it will not stage a massive retaliation in response. The IDF fires on stone-throwing Palestinian youths in Qarawat Bani Zayt, killing 2 Palestinians; fires on an elementary school in Qalqilya, injuring 3 students, 1 teacher; shells residential areas of Rafah; bulldozes nearly 300 dunams of land in Bayt Hanun, 34 dunams in Rafah; conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem (targeting Hamas), al-Qarara, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers fr. Mitzpeh Yeriho seize a hilltop nr. Jericho as a new outpost, called Givat Haherut (Liberty Hill), to “prevent invasion” of the area by bedouin shepherds; Israeli police urge the settlers to evacuate the site but leave when they refuse. (HA, LAW, MM 4/24; AFP, ITAR-TASS 4/24 in WNC 4/25; NYT, WP, WT 4/25; al-Quds, VOI 4/25 in WNC 4/28; PR 4/30; LAW, PCHR, WJW 5/1; MEI 5/2)