February 17, 2005

Citing the relative calm since Palestinian factions and Israel declared an unofficial 1- mo. truce on 1/25 (see Quarterly Update in JPS 135), the IDF says it will stop “punitive” house demolitions against the families of Palestinian suicide bombers and gunmen, though it defends its legal right to reinstate them “if an extreme change in circumstances takes place”; will continue demolitions to clear buffer zones for the IDF and Jewish settlers (85% of home demolitions overall). (AP, BBC 2/17; BBC, NYT, WP 2/18; PCHR 2/24)