September 30, 2003

The IDF demolishes 18 Palestinian homes in Rafah (housing 270 Palestinians), blows up 1 in Hebron; fires on residential areas of Hebron (wounding 6), Rafah (wounding 2); fires on a girls’ school in Rafah, wounding 1 girl in the head; rounds up 1,350 Palestinians laborers working illegally inside the Green Line, sends them back tothe West Bank. An Israeli court hands down jail terms of 12–15 yrs to 3 Jewish settlers convicted on 9/17 of plotting attacks on Palestinians. A Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. (HA, JP, MM 9/30; NYT 10/1; PCHR 10/2)