January 4, 2008

Overnight, the IDF sends troops, bulldozers into areas northeast of Bayt Hanun, clashing with local gunmen, killing 2 Hamas mbrs., leveling 120 d. of land before withdrawing in late morning. In the West Bank, the IDF continues operations in and around Nablus; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron; fires rubbercoated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists taking part in nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall in Bil‘in (injuring 4) and Bayt Umar nr. Hebron (injuring a journalist, 2 protesters). (NYT, WP 1/4; WT 1/5; NYT 1/6; OCHA 2/9; PCHR 1/10)