The Palestine Chronology

The IDF fires on a jeep approaching Kefar Darom settlement at high speed; the jeep, disguised as an Israeli civilian vehicle and packed with explosives, explodes, killing the Palestinian driver, wounding 4 IDF soldiers; Hamas claims responsibility. The IDF also briefly detains al-Quds University pres. and peace activist Sari Nusseibeh for hiring illegal Palestinian workers; demolishes 2 Palestinian homes in Sura nr. Nablus; conducts arrest raids nr. Hebron. In Gaza, an early morning explosion damages the entrance to the home of PSF Gaza cmdr. Ghazi al-Jabali; no one takes responsibility. (MM, PR 4/28; NYT, PCHR 4/29; NYT 4/30; PCHR 5/6)

In Ramallah, the IDF blows up 6 buildings (including the 4-story PA Interior Min.) in the PA compound in Ramallah, destroys 11 caravans that temporarily house PSF offices, leaving the building in which Arafat is taking shelter the only structure in the compound still intact; digs a trench around the Arafat's building and fires on, demolishes staircases inside to keep him confined to 1 floor; another 20 Palestinians surrender to the IDF, but Israel says none of them are among the wanted Palestinians; an IDF sniper fatally shoots a PSF officer nr. the compound. The IDF makes a predawn raid on an area of Gaza City, fatally shooting 2 Palestinians, blowing up 6 metal workshops, damaging 2 nearby workshops, 5 stores, and 10s of houses. In response, Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb nr. an IDF patrol in Gaza, injuring 1 IDF soldier, 1 border policeman. The IDF also raids Rafah, firing live ammunition and tanks shells at residential areas, killing 2 Palestinian boys; closes PLO Jerusalem affairs adviser Sari Nusseibeh's offices in Jerusalem as well as offices of a Palestinian sports team union and the Jerusalem Society of Culture and Art, confiscating computers; conducts arrest raids in Burqa. A Scottish teenager injured in the 9/19 Tel Aviv bombing dies of his injuries, bringing that toll to 6. (HA, NYT, PM, WP 9/20; AFP, MENA 9/20, QA 9/21 in WNC 9/23; MEZ, NYT, WP, WT 9/21; LAW, PCHR, PR 9/25; MM 9/26; MEI 9/27)

The IDF exchanges gunfire with 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs. nr. Gush Katif settlement, leaving the 2 Palestinians dead, 2 soldiers wounded; fires on residential areas of, conducts arrest raids in Tulkarm; reopens PLO Jerusalem affairs rep. Nusseibeh's offices at al-Quds University. Late in the evening, the IDF assassinates Izzeddine al-Qassam Brigades founder and head Shaykh Salah Shihada, no. 1 on Israel's most wanted list, sending an F-16 to fire a 1-ton guided missile at a building where he is staying in Gaza City, collapsing 3 buildings, heavily damaging 20 others, killing 14 Palestinian bystanders (including 9 children, 4 women), injuring 140. Palestinians across Gaza take to the streets to demonstrate against the assassination, which comes hrs. after the AMB, tanzim, Hamas, Islamic Jihad agreed to declare a unilateral cease-fire after wks. of intra-Palestinian talks. (HA, JP, MM, REU 7/22; AFP 7/22 in WNC 7/23; AP, B'Tselem press release, HA, MEZ, MM, NYT, PCHR, UN press release, WP, WT 7/23; ATL 7/23 in WNC 7/24; HA, LAW, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT, YA 7/24; ITAR-TASS, MENA al-Quds 7/24 in WNC 7/25; Gulf Times 7/24, AFP, JT, MA, al-Quds, SA, XIN 7/25 in WNC 7/26; HA, MM NYT, WJW, WP, WT 7/25; MEI 7/26; JT, al-Nahar 7/26 in WNC 7/29; MM 7/29, 7/30; JPI, MM 8/2; MA, SA 8/2 in WNC 8/5; MEI 8/16) (see 5/14/00)

IDF fatally shoots Islamic Jihad mbr. Mu`ammar Daraghma, as he drives nr. Jenin in what is likely an assassination. The IDF raids, shuts the admin. offices of al-Quds University in Jerusalem, confiscating files, computers; seals the office of university pres. Sari Nusseibeh, who is also the PLO official in charge of Jerusalem affairs. In Jerusalem's old city, an exchange of gunfire btwn. an Israeli police officer, a Palestinian motorist stopped for an ID check leaves 1 Palestinian bystander dead, the police officer wounded. The IDF also demolishes 6 Palestinian homes in Rafah, severely damages 2 others; reoccupies Bayt Rima, ordering all men to surrender for questioning; imposes a curfew on Husan; conducts arrest raids in Bayt Awa, Bethlehem, Nur al-Shams r.c., Qalqilya, Tafuh, al-Til, Tulkarm r.c. Jewish settlers under IDF protection take control of 1,400 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Jaba', outside Jerusalem.(HP 7/9; LAW, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP 7/10; MA 7/10 in WNC 7/11; WJW 7/11; AFP 7/11 in WNC 7/15; MA 7/11 in WNC 7/16; MA 7/15 in WNC 7/17; MM 7/17, 7/19)

A group of 400 Jewish immigrants fr. the U.S. and Canada arrive in Israel; 75% of them will live in Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem. They arrive as part of a new Jewish Agency program to encourage entire established Jewish communities in N. America to immigrate to Israel with their rabbis. American Evangelical Christians representing the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) donated $5,000 to each of the 400 to help finance the move. Another group of 130 is expected to arrive in the next few mos. (JP 7/9; Trenton Times 7/10; WJW 7/11; MEI 7/26) (see 6/22)

All Palestinian factions agree to halt attacks inside Israel, for 1 wk., conditional on Israel suspending assassinations; Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP reject calls to halt attacks on Israeli targets in the West Bank, Gaza. Hrs. later, IDF helicopters fire 2 missiles at the car of Islamic Jihad's Sidir in Hebron in a 2d assassination attempt. Sidir jumps fr. his car before the missiles strike, receiving only minor injuries, but 2 cars behind his are destroyed, killing 2 Palestinian children, injuring at least 2 adults. Also in Hebron, the IDF fatally shoots wanted Hamas mbr. Yakub Idkaydik; 2 other Palestinians are shot dead in Gaza, Nablus. Israeli police bar PLO Jerusalem affairs official Sari Nusseibeh fr. holding an reception for foreign dignitaries in Jerusalem, marking the end of Ramadan; detain him for 2 hrs. of questioning. The U.S. denounces the action as "provocative." Palestinian gunmen ambush 2 vehicles in the West Bank, injuring 3 Jewish settlers. (AFP, AP, MM 12/17; AFP, MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/18; Guardian, LAW, PCHR 12/19; WJW 12/20; HA, MEI 12/21; JT [Internet] 12/25)

Secy. of State Baker meets with Pres. Mubarak in Cairo, then travels to Damascus to meet with Pres. Asad, FM Faruk al-Shara'. (Syrian Arab Republic Radio 7/22 in FBIS 7/22; WP 7/23)

Peace Now reports there are 10,443 housing units under construction in W. Bank and Gaza Strip, 8,000 of which are in advanced stages. Population of these units could add 50,000 settlers to the current total of about 120,000. (WP 7/23)

Political committees in o.t. headed by Sari Nusseibeh issue statement warning against "excessive optimism" in Palestinian approach to negotiations. (ITV 7/22 in FBIS 7/24)

Mahmud Abu Hasan al-Zarini, "no. 2 fugitive in the o.t." and leader of Fateh-affiliated Black Panthers in Janin, is shot dead by undercover Border Police in Janin. Suspected collaborator and his father are killed in Kafr Ra'i, near Janin, by Palestinian militants. (MM 7/23; Qol Yisra'el 7/23 in FBIS 7/24)

IDF squad breaks into, searches Gaza home of Palestinian delegation mbr. Zakariya al-Agha. IDF later states that his home was not searched, but that the roof was needed as a temporary lookout post. (Al-Agha, who lives on the 2nd floor of a 4-story building, asserted that soldiers entered and remained only in his apartment.) (Qol Yisra'el 7/22 in FBIS 7/23)

IDF upholds restriction of Gazan laborers under the age of 20 from travelling to Israel for work, stating most violence is committed by those under 20. (Ha'Aretz 7/22 in FBIS 7/24)

After meeting with Gaza Strip farmers, Israeli ag. min. upholds ban on marketing Palestinian goods in Israel, but says Israel must better facilitate Gazan exports to EC. (HaAretz 7/23 in FBIS 7/24)

United Torah Jewry submits motion of no-confidence in Rabin govt. to protest appointment of Shulamit Aloni as education min. (Qol Yisra'el 7/22 in FBIS 7/22)

General Electric Co. pleads guilty to charges of fraud and corrupt business practices in connection with its sale of military jet engines to Israel in the 1980s, agreeing to pay nearly $70 million in fines. A GE manager had conspired with Israeli Gen. Rami Dotan to divert $27 million in U.S. military aid with fraudulent vouchers. Dotan is now serving 13 years in Israel, which refuses to hand him over to U.S. investigators. (WP 7/23)

Six U.S. helicopter crewmen are killed in 2 separate crashes; 3 airmen are missing after B-52 crashes in Indian Ocean [LAT, NYT, WP, WT, MEM 2/4].

Investigators confirm that 7 U.S. soldiers killed 1/31 were victims of friendly fire [LAT, NYT, WP, MEM, WT 2/4].

Allied air war passes 40,000 sortie mark; U.S. command reports that 25 of 35 major Iraqi bridges leading to Iraqi front line have been destroyed as allies continue pounding Iraqi positions. 68 Iraqi aircraft are reported destroyed, and number of Iraqi prisoners stands at "about 800" [LAT, NYT, WP 2/4].

EC foreign ministers meet in Brussels for 1st time since war began [LAT, MEM 2/4].

Knesset approves cabinet addition of anti-Arab Rehavam Zeevi, former general [IDF, JDS 2/3 in FBIS 2/4; LAT, NYT, WP, MEM 2/4].

In Rabat, at least 300,000 people take to streets in pro-Iraqi demonstration [PDS 2/3 in FBIS 2/4; NYT 2/4; LAT 2/5].

Jerusalem District Court confirms detention of Sari Nusseibeh, reducing sentence from 6 to 3 months. Nusseibeh was detained on 1/29 as alleged spy for Iraq [IDF 2/3 in FBIS 2/4].

Lebanese gov't. says it has arrested 4 senior Palestinian fighters, including top aid to Abu Nidal, and is sending troops to S. Lebanon to check PLO military power there [NYT 2/4].