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  • April 2, 2002

    Early this morning, IDF helicopters, tanks attack the PSF West Bank headquarters in Beitunia, where some 200 PSF officers and staff have encamped since 3/30, setting the building ablaze. The CIA...

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  • March 5, 2002

    Israeli-Palestinian violence continues to escalate, leaving 1 Israeli civilian, 1 Jewish settler, at least 6 Palestinians dead. A package bomb planted by a Jewish vigilante group called Revenge of...

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  • May 16, 1983

    Political Responses:

    Israel/ Occupied Territories: Knesset votes 55-8, with 46 abstentions, to affirm government's decision to sign agreement with Lebanon; High Court increases fines from...

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Early this morning, IDF helicopters, tanks attack the PSF West Bank headquarters in Beitunia, where some 200 PSF officers and staff have encamped since 3/30, setting the building ablaze. The CIA intervenes to secure the safe evacuation of the staff, surrender of 180 officers, but some refuse to leave. In Ramallah, the IDF continues house-to-house searches, stumbling upon 22 PSF officers hiding in an apartment, fatally shooting 2 though none resist arrest; raids, shuts Ramallah's al-Quds Educational TV, arresting 2 employees; revokes the credentials of 2 Abu Dhabi TV journalists, threatens legal action against CNN and NBC for broadcasting fr. Ramallah; confiscates 3 ambulances, detains 9 paramedics. PRCS suspends services in Ramallah, noting the IDF now has 15 medical workers in custody. This afternoon, the IDF lifts the Ramallah curfew for 3 hrs. so residents can buy food, bury those killed since 3/29 (bodies have been double-stacked in morgues, with no electricity). In Bethlehem, IDF troops order all men age 14-45 to surrender; fight their way to the doorway of the Church of the Nativity, where some 200 Palestinian gunmen, civilians have now sought refuge; fire on 20 journalists on the balcony of the Star Hotel, injuring 1; fire a warning shot at a clearly marked Reuters car. Palestinians also take refuge in Bethlehem's Omar Mosque, Santa Maria Church, the Russian Orthodox Church and hospice; the IDF surrounds those holy sites, occupies Bethlehem University as its main staging area. In Aida and Dahaysha, the IDF orders Palestinian women age 15-25, men age 14-45 to surrender. A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a device at an IDF checkpoint into Jerusalem, killing only himself, causing no injuries. At least 7 Palestinians are killed today, including 2 motorists ambushed by settler vigilante group Tears of the Orphans and Martyrs (see 3/5) nr. Tulkarm, a mother and son shot by the IDF and allowed bleed to death, a woman shot dead by an IDF sniper as she left a Ramallah hospital (troops fire on medical workers attempting to retrieve her body). 3 Israelis injured in the 3/27 Netanya attack die, bringing the toll of the bombing to 23; 1 Israeli injured in the 3/31 Haifa attack dies, bringing that toll to 16. Israel expands its list of "wanted" Palestinians to include some of Arafat's top aides, including intelligence chief Tawfiq Tirawi, PSF 2d in command in Gaza Rashid Abu Shabak, Fatah tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti, but not PSF heads Dahlan or Rajub. (AP, HA, PRCS press release, NYT, WP, WT 4/2; MENA 4/2 in WNC 4/3; NYT, WP, WT 4/3; WP 4/4; QA 4/4 in WNC 4/5; MEI 4/5)

Sharon tells envoys of EU, Russia, UN they may meet with Arafat if they agree to escort him into exile. Peres proposes that Arafat "voluntarily" leave the territories asylum in foreign country. (AP, HA, MM 4/2; AFP 4/2 in WNC 4/3; NYT, WP 4/3)

Israeli-Palestinian violence continues to escalate, leaving 1 Israeli civilian, 1 Jewish settler, at least 6 Palestinians dead. A package bomb planted by a Jewish vigilante group called Revenge of the Innocent Babes (in reference to the 3/2 Beit Israel attack) explodes on a playground at a Palestinian school in East Jerusalem, injuring 2 teachers, 24 children. In response to the 3/4 AMB attack in Tel Aviv, IDF F-16s rocket Palestinian targets across Gaza and in Bethlehem, Nablus, Ramallah, Tulkarm; helicopters fire a missile at a car in Ramallah, killing 3 Palestinians, including 2 wanted AMB members, Muhannad Abu Halawa and Fawzi Murrar. The IDF also makes incursions into Palestinian areas nr. Bayt Lahia, Jabaliya, Khan Yunis, Tamun; direct shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Bethlehem, al-Khadir, Qalqilya; demolishes greenhouses in Issawiyya. Nr. Gush Etzion settlement, Palestinian gunmen fire on a Jewish settler vehicle, killing 1 settler. A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a devices on a bus in Afula, Israel, killing 1 Israeli. Palestinians also launch 2 Qassam-2s fr. Gaza into Israel, for the 1st time hitting an apartment building in Sederot, injuring 2 children. Jewish settlers attack a PSF post in Qalqilya, stone a Palestinian car nr. Ramallah. (HP, MM 3/5; XIN 3/5 in WNC 3/6; LAW, MM, NYT, PCHR, PMC, WP, WT 3/6; MA 3/6 in WNC 3/7; AYM 3/7 in WNC 3/8; MEI 3/8; JP 3/15)

     Sharon convenes his inner cabinet, then his full cabinet to discuss how to respond to the 3/4 Tel Aviv attack. Participants reportedly debate launching massive "mopping-up" operations in refugee camps, incursions into a list of villages in areas A and B, escalating attacks on Ramallah (including removing Arafat). The cabinet gives the IDF "free rein to further intensify military pressure on the PA, especially in Ramallah," bars all Palestinian vehicular traffic in the West Bank. (MM 3/5; NYT, PMC, WP, WT 3/6) quote in PMC 3/6

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Knesset votes 55-8, with 46 abstentions, to affirm government's decision to sign agreement with Lebanon; High Court increases fines from IS2,000 to IS10,000 on 4 Jewish students convicted and sentenced by Haifa court for attacking 2 Arab students at the Technion in 1981, leaves standing their suspended 6 to 9 month jail sentences; "Fist of Defense," secret Jewish vigilante group reportedly under investigation, has claimed responsibility for slashing tires, breaking windows of Arab cars, planting bomb outside Hebron mosque; stones thrown at Israeli vehicles in Ramallah, school closed; students at Tireh women's college march in Ramallah carrying Palestinian flags, IDF disperses demonstration, closes school for remainder of academic year; several arrested in Nablus for stone throwing; 3 persons placed under house arrest for 6 months.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Parliament unanimously affirms agreement with Israel; text of withdrawal agreement published; Gemayel says Shultz should return to Middle East to assist Lebanon negotiate withdrawal of Syrian forces, negotiations will begin this week in Tunis with PLO on withdrawal of its forces; Fateh Central Committee meets in Damascus to deal with undisciplined behavior of military unit in Bekaa Valley; pamphlets prepared by Fateh rebels accuse Arafat of plotting to sell out Palestinian cause to US, Israel and reactionary Arab regimes.

US and Other Countries: US intelligence officials reportedly have evidence linking the government of Iran with April 18 bombing of US Embassy in Beirut.