IDF troops on the Gaza border n. of Sufa crossing fire heavy machine guns into Gaza at a group of Palestinians preparing to launch rockets, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Abu Dis, and nr. Bethlehem, Ramallah, Tulkarm. Fatah mbrs. loyal to Dahlan manning a checkpoint in Gaza City fire on the car of PA Culture Min. dir. gen. ‘Izz al-Din al-Masri (Change and Reform) when his driver refuses to stop for inspection; no injuries are reported. In Bethlehem, unidentified assailants set fire to 2 cars, a shop owned by prominent Hamas mbrs. An 8-yr.-old Palestinian boy dies of injuries received during clashes btwn. the ESF, presidential guard on 2/1 in Bureij r.c. (OCHA 2/14; PCHR 2/15)
Wednesday, February 7, 2007