Sunday, October 1, 2006

The IDF sends troops, tanks, bulldozers into n. Gaza to occupy border areas nr. Bayt Hanun (the Shurrab Farm area), Bayt Lahiya to deter Palestinian rocket fire. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in, fires on residential areas of Tubas. In Gaza City, Fatah-led protests demanding that the Hamas-led government pay back salaries owed civil servants escalate dramatically, with some 3,000 Fatah-affiliated security forces attacking members of the predominantly Hamas ESF, sparking clashes that leave 6 Palestinians dead (3 bystanders, 1 Force 17 officer, 1 PSF officer, 1 ESF officer), around 61 wounded; the ESF reportedly uses grenades, antitank weapons, rifles to break up the demonstration and arrests 25 protesters. During the day, demonstrations spread to Khan Yunis (where Fatah-affiliated security officers clash with the ESF, leaving 26 wounded), al-Bureij r.c. (where Fatah, Hamas mbrs. exchange fire, killing 2 Palestinians), Ramallah (where AMB mbrs. demonstrate for the removal of the Hamasled government and vandalize, partially burn the empty PC building and adjacent building, vandalizing a Hamas newspaper office, temporarily occupying the PA Education Min.), as well as in Askar r.c. (where Fatah, Hamas mbrs. trade fire, wounding 1 Palestinian), Balata r.c. (where protesters attack a women’s center, a youth center), Hebron (where Fatah protesters ransack, set fire to offices of Hamas-affiliated PC mbrs.), Nablus (where Fatah mbrs. ransack, torch offices of Hamas-affiliated PC mbrs.; vandalize 2 Islamic private schools, wounding 2 Palestinians; fire on the home of an al-Jazeera TV reporter), and Salfit (where protesters attack the al-Nahda association offices). Late in the evening in Gaza City, suspected Hamas mbrs. throw grenades at a group of PSF protesters, killing 1 PSF mbr., wounding 30. Late in the evening, PA Interior M Siyam orders the ESF to return to barracks to reduce tensions. Abbas, Haniyeh appeal for calm. (AP, NYT, WP, WT 10/2; PCHR 10/5)

The IDF completes its withdrawal fr. Lebanon at 2:30 A.M. local time (8:30 P.M. 9/30 ET) but vows to continue surveillance overflights of Lebanon until UN Res. 1701 is implemented in full, including the release of 2 captured IDF soldiers and disarmament of Hizballah. The UN says that the overflights constitute violations of the cease-fire. (NYT, WP 10/1; NYT 10/2; see also NYT 9/27) (see 9/8, 9/19)