The Palestine Chronology

The IDF apparently attempts to assassinate DFLP West Bank head Qays Samurai (Abu Layla) by planting an explosive device in his home in Ramallah; tanzim mbr. Anwar Aliya in an ambush by undercover units in Tulkarm. Samurai is not home at the time; Aliya is wounded. The IDF completes its withdrawal fr. Bayt Jala, taking up positions just outside the town and warning it will reenter if shooting at Gilo resumes. Clashes in Hebron, Ramallah, Tulkarm leave a total of 1 Israeli civilian, 3 Palestinian dead, 40 Palestinians wounded. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at Qarni crossing and residential areas of Bayt Wazan, al-Bireh, Brazil refugee camp, Yatta; demolishes 6 Palestinian homes in Rafah; blocks a marked UN convoy fr. entering Rafah to inspect the demolished Palestinian homes; sets up new roadblocks at the entrance to Tulkarm, on 3 roads to Jerusalem; reinforces troops around Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids in Ni'lin, confiscating papers fr. the local Fatah office, arresting 3 Palestinians; opens the main Gaza road that was sealed on 8/28. (HP, JP [Internet], MM, PMC 8/30; MENA 8/30 in WNC 8/31; HA, JT, NYT, WP, WT 8/31)

Israel-Palestinian clashes in the Bayt Jala-Gilo area continue to escalate, spread to neighboring Aida refugee camp, leaving 13 Palestinians wounded. European Union (EU) foreign policy dir. Javier Solana shuttles btwn. Arafat and Peres, discussing the idea of a limited cease-fire that would incorporate an IDF withdrawal fr. the area. (Arafat, Peres speak directly by phone; Powell phones Sharon, Arafat.) This afternoon, the PSF sets up new roadblocks around Bayt Jala to deter Palestinian gunmen fr. entering. After 5 hrs. without gunfire, the IDF begins to leave Bayt Jala. Solana urges Arafat, Peres to discuss expanding the Bayt Jala-Gilo understandings into a full cease-fire. (BDL, HP, MM 8/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/30; WJW 9/6)

Meanwhile, the settler group, the Committee for Road Safety, fatally shoots a Palestinian in the West Bank. Nr. Tulkarm, tanzim mbrs. fatally shoot an Israeli civilian; the IDF fires on Palestinians, killing 1, wounding 4. The IDF also sends tanks into Rafah; bulldozes 2 Palestinian homes, agricultural land in Dayr al-Balah; reinforces tanks, bulldozers outside Khan Yunis; demolishes a PSF post, erects a new IDF checkpoint on the Rafah-Khan Yunis road. 15 Jewish settlers (mostly women and children) attack Palestinian vendors in the Hebron market; IDF soldiers watch but do not intervene. (HP 8/29; HP, NYT, WP, WT 8/30)

The IDF assassinates Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) leader Abu Ali Mustafa (Mustafa Zibri), the most prominent Palestinian leader targeted to date, firing missiles at his office in al-Bireh. (22 U.S. citizens also live in the building where Mustafa worked; 3 are lightly injured in the attack.) In response, 1,000s of Palestinians take to the streets in Bethlehem, Gaza City, Jinin, Nablus, Tulkarm to protest. The U.S. criticizes Israel for "inflaming an already volatile situation and making it much harder to restore calm"; says Israel must also take economic, security steps to alleviate pressure on the Palestinians. Also in response to the Mustafa killing, Palestinian gunmen fire on Gilo settlement; the IDF then sends tanks into neighboring Bayt Jala (area A). The IDF also sends tanks, bulldozers into Rafah in response to Palestinian gunfire; destroys 3 Palestinian houses, sparking a fierce gun battle. Palestinians ambush a settler vehicle nr. Nablus, kill 1 Jewish settler. (AP, CNN 8/27; AFP, Interfax, MENA 8/27 in WNC 8/28; BDL, LAW, MM, NYT, REU, WT 8/28; MA, XIN 8/28 in WNC 8/29; MM 8/29; AYM 8/28, ATL, IRNA, JT 8/29 in WNC 8/30; al-Ra'i 8/29, MENA, al-Quds, SA 8/30 in WNC 8/31; PMC 8/30; MEI, MM 8/31; AYM 8/31 in WNC 9/10; HA 9/1; JP 9/7; MEI 9/14)

Late this evening, 2 mbrs. of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) infiltrate an IDF post nr. Gush Katif settlement in Gaza, attack the barracks with hand grenades and automatic weapons fire, killing 3 IDF soldiers and wounding 7 before they are killed. In response, the IDF sends 16 tanks, heavy equipment deep into Rafah to bulldoze the PSF headquarters, take over several small PSF posts, killing 1 PSF officer, wounding 2 Palestinians; troops pull out after a few hrs. Earlier, mbrs. of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB) open fire on a car outside Givat Ze'ev in the West Bank, killing 3 Jewish settlers, wounding 2 children. (BBC 8/25; HA, JP [Internet], NYT, WP, WT 8/26; HA 8/27; SA 8/27 in WNC 8/28; MEI 8/31; JP 9/7)

In Gaza, IDF helicopters fire rockets at a car driven by most-wanted Izzeddine al-Qassam Brigades leader Muhammad Dayif, his aide Adnan Ghul; both escape unhurt but an accompanying vehicle is hit, killing Ghul's son and a bodyguard. Nr. Rafah, the IDF opens fire on Palestinians inspecting a building just bulldozed by Israeli soldiers; 1 PSF officer is killed. In response to Palestinian gunfire directed at Psagot settlement, which causes no injuries, the IDF enters PA-controlled Ramallah and bulldozes a PSF office. After Palestinians fire a mortar at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, damaging 1 home, the IDF fires 2 missiles at a PSF post, destroying it and wounding 7 PSF officers. Palestinians also fire on an Israeli truck leaving a Jewish settlement, wounding 2 Israelis. (LAW 8/22; NYT, WP, WT 8/23; MM, WT 8/24; MEI 8/31)

The IDF demolishes a Palestinian apartment building under construction in Bayt Hanina, East Jerusalem, destroying 8 empty apartments, a kindergarten, and 6 stores; shells residential areas of Beitunia, Bethlehem, Rafah; bulldozes land along the Egyptian border nr. Rafah, in al-Arub; places a closure on al-Jalma village on the Green Line nr. Jenin; reinforces the closures on Jenin, Qalqilya; flies low-level F-16 sorties over Gaza. The Temporary International Presence in Hebron withdraws its forces fr. the Jewish enclave of the city because of ongoing attacks on their vehicles by Jewish settlers. Jewish settlers also place new caravans on Palestinian property in nr. Yatta in the Hebron district. IDF soldiers occupy 2 Palestinian houses in the Hebron area, 3 nr. Netzarim Junction as observation points; bulldoze Palestinian land in al-Dura, west of Hebron. (HP 8/20; WT 8/21; LAW 8/22; HA 8/26)

German FM Joschka Fischer, in the region on a 3-day visit aimed at securing a cease-fire, discusses with Israeli FM Peres the idea of a phased truce, which would "eventually" be followed by implementation of the Mitchell Comm. recommendations. The U.S. welcomes Germany's involvement. (HP 8/20; MENA 8/20 in WNC 8/21; NYT, WT 8/21; NYT, WT 8/22; AYM 8/22 in WNC 8/24)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving a total of 7 Palestinians dead. IDF forces in Rafah refuse to allow a PA delegation to cross the checkpoint into Egypt unless they consent to be strip searched, which they refuse. Palestinians throw grenades at, fire on IDF posts on the border with Egypt, causing no injuries. The IDF shells residential areas of Rafah in response, hitting a Palestinian home and killing senior tanzim mbr. Samir Abd al-Az (Abu Zayd), his 2 young children in what may be an assassination. Palestinians fire mortars at an Israeli settlement in Gaza, causing no damage; the IDF responds by shelling, destroying a PA Preventive Security Force (PSF) post, a Force 17 office nr. Khan Yunis, injuring 3 PSF officers. IDF troops fatally shoot a 13-yr.-old Palestinian boy in Rafah, 2 Palestinians nr. Nablus; direct shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Hebron, Jenin, Khan Yunis. (HP 8/19; MENA 8/19 in WNC 8/20; AFP, HP, LAW, NYT, WP, WT 8/20; JT 8/20 in WNC 8/21; NYT 8/21; LAW 8/22; AYM 8/24 in WNC 8/27)

Israeli FM Shimon Peres says that Israel and the PA have had contacts "on different levels" regarding implementing cease-fire, that he plans to meet with PA head Yasir Arafat soon. The PA says it supports holding an Arafat-Peres mtg. in principle. (MM, NYT 8/20; AYM 8/20 in WNC 8/21; al-Quds 8/21 in WNC 8/22; MA 8/23 in WNC 8/24)

A Hamas suicide bomber detonates a device at a crowded West Jerusalem pizzeria, killing 13 Israelis, 1 American, 1 Brazilian and wounding at least 90. Afterward, angry Israelis in Jerusalem, Jewish settlers in Hebron attack Palestinians in the streets, with little intervention fr. Israeli police, soldiers. Fearing a massive Israeli strike, Palestinians throughout the occupied territories close offices and stores, take refuge in their homes. Meanwhile, Palestinian gunmen fire on a vehicle nr. Jinin, killing 1 Jewish settler, wounding 3. The IDF directs heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Bayt Lahia, Jericho, Khan Yunis, Nablus, Rafah; bulldoze a Palestinian home in Gaza. (AP, BBC, HA 8/9; ITAR-TASS, MENA 8/9 in WNC 8/10; NYT, PMC, WP, WT 8/10; JT 8/10 in WNC 8/13; WP 8/11)

Immediately after the bombing, the IDF senior command, Israeli cabinet convene separately to discuss response scenarios. The cabinet agrees to a new strategy of hitting PA targets only with the aim of forcing Arafat to choose btwn. a full cease-fire, destruction of the PA. This evening, Sharon meets with his security cabinet, which also decides to set up new police stations in East Jerusalem. (HA 8/9; CNN, HA, JP [Internet], LAW, NYT, REU, WP, WT 8/10; MENA 8/10 in WNC 8/13; WT 8/11; Times [London] 8/13; WT 8/15)

Late tonight (2:00 a.m. local time), Israel sends F-16s to destroy a PSF post in Ramallah; sends more tanks into Gaza, bulldozing 1 PSF post. Israeli security forces occupy 10 unofficial PLO offices in East Jerusalem, including Orient House (the symbolic PLO FMin.); also detain 8 Orient House employees for questioning, confiscate files, remove the Palestinian flag, raise an Israeli flag. The IDF takes over the Abu Dis mayor's residence, several surrounding homes Israel claims are used as PA security command centers, marking the 1st reoccupation of sites in area B. Sharon declares that "Orient House will not open again. Ever. We will not leave Abu Dis." The State Dept. says the actions mark a "political escalation." Russia warns Israel has crossed a "dangerous line." In response, Israel removes the Israeli flag fr. Orient House. (HA 8/9; CNN, HA, JP [Internet], LAW, NYT, REU, WP, WT 8/10; MENA 8/10 in WNC 8/13; WT 8/11; JT, al-Quds 8/12 in WNC 8/14; Times [London] 8/13; AYM 8/13, SA 8/14 in WNC 8/15; ATL 8/15 in WNC 8/16)

A PA security court in Nablus sentences another Palestinian to death for collaborating with Israel in the 2/19 assassination of Hamas mbr. Mahmud Madani. (Independent [Internet] 8/10)

A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a device at an IDF checkpoint in the West Bank, injuring 3 IDF soldiers. In retaliation for the killing of a settler on 8/7, the IDF places a curfew on `Ayn Bus, Jama'in; shells a Force 17 post, a PA military intelligence post in Salfit and a Force 17 office in Asira, destroying the buildings but causing no injuries. The IDF also directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Asira, Jericho; tightens closures on Khan Yunis, Qalqilya, Rafah; reinforces troops around al-Mahatin, Qalqilya; bulldozes 10 dunams of agricultural land in al-Qarara. (AP, HP 8/8; WP 8/9)

The IDF assassinates Hamas student activist `Amr Hadiri (also reported as Omar Madiri), firing missiles at his car as he drives in Tulkarm. Also nr. Tulkarm, the IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian allegedly planting a roadside bomb. A Palestinian opens fire outside the Israeli DMin. in Tel Aviv, wounding 8 IDF them soldiers, 2 Israeli civilians. He is wounded, captured in his attempt to flee and later dies of his injuries. Palestinians open fire on a Jewish settler family driving in the West Bank, killing 1 pregnant settler, seriously wounding her husband, lightly injuring 2 children. In response, the IDF seals Jericho, Nablus, Qalqilya, Ramallah, Tulkarm, and parts of Bethlehem, Hebron, Jinin. IDF helicopters shell the PSF headquarters in Rafah. The Israeli DMin. broadcasts a list of 7 wanted Palestinians (3 Islamic Jihad, 2 Fatah, 1 Hamas, 1 PFLP), vowing to take action against them if the PA does not arrest them immediately. (AFP [Internet], PMC, REU 8/5; AFP [Internet], JP [Internet], LAW, NYT, WP, WT 8/6; WJW 8/9; MEI 8/10)

The IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian said to be planting a bomb nr. Nablus, sparking a gun battle lasting several hrs., leaving 2 Palestinians wounded. Another Palestinian is caught attempting to plant a bomb on an Israeli bus in Kiryat Shimona. IDF commandos land a helicopter nr. a PSF post nr. Nablus, abduct low-level Fatah mbr. Murad Bisharat, who is released hrs. later; Israel Radio reports he was kidnapped by mistake, a senior Fatah mbr. was the intended target. Palestinians fire 2 mortars at Kefar Darom settlement in Gaza, causing no damage. In response, the IDF sends 3 tanks into a nearby PA-controlled area. The IDF also directs shells, heavy machine gun fire on residential areas of Bayt Sahur, Bethlehem, Hebron, al-Khadir, Khan Yunis, Rafah, Ramallah, Tulkarm; demolishes part of a girls' school in Hebron. Israel's Jerusalem Municipality confiscates 100 dunams of Palestinian land in the Jabal al-Mukabir neighborhood of East Jerusalem for a settler bypass road. A PA security court sentences a Palestinian to death for collaborating with Israel in the 7/25 Darwaza assassination. (HA, HP 8/2; NYT, WP 8/3; AYM 8/4 in WNC 8/10; MEI 8/10; HA 8/8)

In Nablus, 10,000s of Palestinians attend the funeral of those in the 7/31 IDF attack in Nablus. Palestinians across Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank observe a general strike; marches are held in Jinin, Qalqilya, Ramallah, Tulkarm, refugee camps in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israel continues to defend the assassination strike, saying it will carry out more such assaults if Israeli lives are at risk. Meanwhile, 1 Palestinian is killed in a severe clash with the IDF in Hebron. The IDF also directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Khan Yunis, Rafah, Ramallah, Silat Dahir, Tulkarm; conducts arrest raids, searches in Abu Dis, al-Arub, Nablus; reinforces positions around Birzeit, Jinin, Qalqilya, Tulkarm. A pipe bomb explodes in Jerusalem, causing no injuries. Palestinian gunmen kill 3 suspected Palestinian collaborators in Bethlehem, Ramallah. (REU 8/1; HP, NYT, WP, WT 8/2; LAW 8/6; MEI 8/10)

Responding to Mubarak's urgent appeal (8/1), Bush states that "we're still very much engaged in the process . . . that we take violence very seriously," but not indicating the U.S. will do more. Egyptian FM Maher says Egypt is "astonished that the United States has not reacted with the necessary firmness to this [latest] Israeli behavior." (NYT, WP, WT 8/8; AKH 8/8 in WNC 8/10)

The PA suspends participation on the trilateral security comm. to protest Israel's 7/31 strike against Hamas. (WP 8/2, 8/6)