In an apparent assassination, IDF undercover units raid Qarawat Bani Zaid nr. Ramallah, chase and mortally wound wanted Hamas mbr. Samir Arar, barring ambulances fr. reaching him for 2 hrs., allowing him to bleed to death. The IDF also shells a group of Palestinian boys playing too close to the Rafah-Egypt border fence, killing a 12-yr.-old Palestinian boy, wounding an 11-yr.-old; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Aida r.c., Bethlehem; imposes curfews on 5 villages nr. Bethlehem. A Palestinian dies of injuries received during the 2/1 IDF raid on Jericho. (PM 2/12; VOP 2/13 in WNC 2/18; PR 2/18; PCHR 2/19)
Powell says that the U.S. is taking Sharon’s plan for unilateral disengagement seriously, will send senior officials to Israel next wk. to discuss it further. (NYT 2/13; al-Quds, VOP 2/14 in WNC 2/18)