Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. A Palestinian woman stabs, injures an Israeli policeman in Jerusalem. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire on residential areas of al-Bireh, Burqa, Hebron, Nablus, al-Zababdi; tightens the closure around Anza, Aqaba, Hebron, Ramallah, Silat al-Dahir, Tulkarm, Yabad; bulldozes 117 dunams of Palestinian land along the Green Line nr. Rafah. Jewish settlers move 6 caravans onto a new settlement site nr. Jinin; uproot an olive grove, bulldoze Palestinian land around Shaked settlement; open fire on Palestinians in nr. Ariel, Susia settlements. (HP 3/8; LAW 3/17)
Arafat sends a letter to Sharon congratulating him on his swearing in on 3/7, urging him to resume negotiations. Sharon says he might agree to a face-to-face mtg. with Arafat if the relative calm of recent days holds. (MM, WT 3/9; NYT 3/10; JT 3/11, ITAR-TASS 3/12 in WNC 3/13)