Hamas detonates a roadside bomb nr. a Jewish settler bus in Gaza, lightly injuring 8 Jewish settlers. The IDF fatally shoots a mentally disabled Palestinian in Bureij r.c.; shoots, wounds, captures a wanted tanzim mbr. in Tulkarm; demolishes a Palestinian home in Tubas; conducts arrest raids in Jenin. (HA, MM 5/23; al-Haq, WP 5/24; PR 5/28; LAW, PCHR 5/29)
In a carefully coordinated process, U.S. Secy. of State Colin Powell, Rice release a statement saying that Israel has explained its “significant concerns” regarding the road map and that the U.S. will take those concerns into consideration during implementation. Sharon says Israel “is prepared to accept the steps set out in the road map.” (HA, NYT, WP 5/23; MENA 5/23, DUS, QA, alQuds 5/24, JT, MA 5/25, AYM, SA 5/26 in WNC 5/27; HA, NYT, WP, WT 5/24; al-Quds 5/25 in WNC 5/28; MEI 5/30)