Thursday, January 3, 2002

The IDF eases the closures on Bethlehem, Hebron, Jinin, Nablus, Qalqilya, Tulkarm; arrests 5 Palestinians in Hebron, a 6th in Kfar Ruman; fires on residential areas of Tal al-Sultan. The PSF arrested 3 Islamic Jihad mbrs. for alleging plotting an attack during Zinni's visit, which begins today. The IDF turns over the bodies of 3 Palestinian teenagers killed on 12/30; photos of the corpses clearly show that autopsies were performed on the bodies, prompting protests, accusations of mistreatment fr. the PA. (PCHR, MM 1/3; JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP 1/4; AYM 1/4, al-Quds 1/5 in WNC 1/7; LAW, PCHR, PR 1/9)

U.S. special envoy Zinni meets with Sharon, urges Israel to freeze expansion of settlements in light of sharply reduces Palestinian violence. Sharon claims that the PA's crackdown has been superficial, demands that PA take harsher action against militant groups. (MM 1/3; AYM, al-Quds 1/3 in WNC 1/4; JP [Internet], MM, WP 1/4; QA, al-Quds 1/4 in WNC 1/7; MEI 1/11)