The IDF fatally shoots 2 armed AMB mbrs. hiding in a vacant house nr. Brakha settlement outside Nablus, alleging they were plotting an attack that had been financed by Hizballah; the AMB considers the shooting an assassination that violates the cease-fire. A Jewish settler driving nr. Hebron fires on 2 Palestinian boys throwing stones at vehicles on the settler-only bypass, killing a 15-yr.-old Palestinian boy, wounding a 14-yr.-old; the IDF also conducts arrest raids nr Hebron (capturing 1 tanzim mbr.) and Ramallah (capturing 8 Hamas mbrs.); delays passage to a Palestinian woman in labor through the Qalandia checkpoint to reach a hospital, allowing her to cross only after she gives birth at the checkpoint; confiscates 1.3 d. of land to expand the Jewish enclave in Hebron. Palestinians fire 2 mortars at Neve Dekalim, 1 mortar at an IDF base in Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. For the 2d time in 48 hrs., unidentified gunmen fire on the Gaza City home of Fatah Revolutionary Council mbr. Sakhr Bseiso, causing damage but no injuries. (HA 2/15; VOI, VOP 2/15, VOI 2/16 in WNC 2/18; NYT, PM, PR, WT 2/16; PCHR 2/17)
Tuesday, February 15, 2005