Sunday, May 31, 2009

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin. During the day, as part of an ongoing campaign to arrest Hamas militants (at least 200 already detained) and confiscate their weapons, PA security forces (PASF) conduct a latenight raid into Qalqilya to arrest 2 wanted Hamas mbrs., sparking a heavy exchange of gunfire that leaves 6 Palestinians dead (3 PASF officers, 2 Hamas mbrs., and the owner of the building raided) and 4 PASF officers and 1 bystander wounded, marking the deadliest clash in the West Bank btwn. the 2 factions since 6/07. The PASF imposes a day-long curfew on Qalqilya. PA pres. Abbas, PM Fayyad praise the PASF for doing “their national duty” and vow to “strike with an iron fist against anyone harming the interests of the Palestinian people,” calling Hamas mbrs. “outlaws.” Hamas supporters in Gaza take to the streets in protest; Hamas-affiliated police arrest Fatah activists; and the Hamas leadership threatens to pull out of national unity talks in Cairo scheduled to resume in 7/09. (NYT, OCHA, WP, WT 6/1; OCHA, PCHR 6/4; Jerusalem Report 6/6; WP 6/26)