Israel seals the West Bank and Gaza through 6/14 for the Shavut holidays. The IDF patrols in villages nr. Tulkarm, firing live ammunition at Palestinian stone-throwers who confront them in Saida, seriously injuring 1 bystander; patrols in, fires on residential area of Nablus. The PA executes 4 Palestinian prisoners convicted of murder (3 by hanging, 1 by firing squad), marking the 1st time in 3 yrs. that the PA has carried out the death penalty. An ailing Palestinian dies at a checkpoint nr. Tulkarm when the IDF bars passage to a private car taking him to a hospital. Rival factions of the AMB exchange gunfire in central Ramallah, leaving 2 AMB mbrs. wounded. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba attack Palestinian homes s. of Hebron, causing damage but no injuries. (IMEMC 6/12; BBC, NYT, WT 6/13; HA 6/14; OCHA, PR 6/15; PCHR 6/16; PR 6/22)
Sunday, June 12, 2005