The Palestine Chronology

The IDF makes a late-night raid into Bayt Hanun, firing on residential areas, clashing with local gunmen, killing 1 Islamic Jihad mbr., wounding 3. In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units into al-Bireh to raid a Fatah office, arresting an AMB mbr. who was among the 178 granted amnesty in 7/07; conducts arrest raids, house searches in al-Arub r.c., al-Fara‘a r.c. nr. Tubas, and nr. Hebron, Qalqilya. Jewish settlers take over a hilltop nr. Hebron to establish a new outpost (Givat Halhul); the IDF removes them by evening. Nr. Gaza’s Nussayrat r.c., Hamas-affiliated police fire on a car that fails to stop at a checkpoint, wounding a Hamas mbr. In a similar incident in Rafah, Hamas-affiliated security forces wound a PRC mbr. Unidentified assailants detonate a bomb nr. a police jeep in Gaza City, causing damage but no injuries. (WP 12/11; OCHA 12/12; PCHR 12/13)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire a surface-to-surface missile at a group of Palestinians preparing to fire a rocket into Israel, killing 2 Palestinian resistance mbrs., wounding 4; exchange fire with Palestinian gunmen across the border nr. Erez crossing, causing no reported injuries; make air strikes on as many as 5 suspected rocket-launching sites in the Bayt Hanun area, causing no reported injuries; shell an open area nr. Bayt Hanun, causing no reported injuries. Hamas organizes large rallies in Gaza City (7,000), Rafah (3,000), al-Bureij r.c. (2,000), and Nussayrat r.c. (2,000) to protest ongoing Israeli excavations nr. the al-Aqsa Mosque. A Palestinian is killed when a smuggling tunnel under the Rafah border collapses. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem; patrols in, fires on residential areas of Balata r.c., Nablus; erects checkpoints, checks IDs in al-Bireh. Jewish settlers fr. Aley Zahav and P’duel w. of Salfit vandalize a nearby Palestinian home, light a fire near the house, damage a car and an animal pen; IDF troops observe but do not intervene. In Gaza City, unidentified assailants detonate an explosive device outside an ESF post, causing damage but no injuries. Later, unidentified assailants detonate a bomb outside Fatah al-Yasir offices nearby, causing significant damage but no injuries.ESF officers find, dismantle another explosive device in Gaza City; the target of that attack is unclear. (OCHA 11/21; PCHR 11/22)

Overnight in Gaza, the IDF sends troops into Dayr al-Balah and al-Maghazi r.c., conducting arrest raids and house searches, bulldozing at least 55 d. of olive and citrus groves, firing on residential areas, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 3, withdrawing by evening. During the day, the IDF bulldozes 150 d. of citrus and olive groves, 2 greenhouses, 270 beehives e. of Bayt Hanun. In Bureij r.c., 2 Hamas mbrs. are injured when explosives they are handling detonate prematurely. In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units into Jenin in a vehicle with Palestinian license plates to ambush and assassinate AMB mbr. Muhammad Abu Sorour, also shooting, wounding, and arresting AMB mbr. Hilal al-Sa‘di, who is traveling with him; conducts arrest raids, house searches in al-Bireh, nr. Bethlehem and Nablus; demolishes the single shantylike structure comprising the Netzer unauthorized settlement outpost nr. Bethlehem (which has been removed by the IDF and rebuilt by settlers several times since its 1st incarnation in 2005). In ‘Azun nr. Qalqilya, the IDF deliberately fires on the main electricity transformer, cutting power to the village; bulldozes 7 d. of Palestinian crops; issues military orders confiscating 390 d. of Palestinian land for construction of the separation wall. A Jewish settler fr. Kiryat Arba injures a 2-yr.-old Palestinian girl in a deliberate hit-and-run. Some 700 Fatah mbrs. in al-Maghazi r.c. hold a rally commemorating local Palestinians killed in the 6/07 clashes with Hamas. (NYT 10/12; OCHA 10/17; PCHR 10/18)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Qarni crossing shoot, wound 2 Palestinian children (ages 11, 14) who stray nr. the border fence. Islamic Jihad fires a Grad rocket (more accurate, longer range [7.5–12.5 mi.] than homemade Qassam rockets [5–7.5 mi.]), 8 mortars fr. Gaza into Israel, striking 7 mi. fr. the border in Netivot, causing light damage and marking the 4th time a Grad has been fired; the IDF suspects that Islamic Jihad has about a dozen Grads, but the Israeli FMin. says Hamas is ultimately responsible. Palestinians also fire a rocket fr. Gaza toward Israel, but it lands nr. Bayt Hanun, injuring a Palestinian teenager. The ESF demolishes a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus (an IDF soldier is wounded in an exchange of gunfire in Balata r.c.), in alBireh and Ramallah, nr. Bethlehem and Jenin (targeting Islamic Jihad). A prominent Gaza Christian, Protestant Holy Bible Society dir. Rami Ayyad, is abducted and murdered, raising concerns among Gaza’s Christians; no group takes responsibility. Ayyad had previously received anonymous death threats accusing him of proselytizing; Hamas vows to bring the murderers to justice.Islamic Jihad mbr. ‘Ali Abu Rmila, wounded in an IDF assassination attempt on 8/25 that killed 2 other Islamic Jihad mbrs., dies of his injuries. (IFM, NYT, WP 10//8; OCHA 10/10; PCHR 10/11)

The IDF imposes a general closure on the West Bank and Gaza until 10/2 for the Sukkoth holidays. During the day in Gaza, the IDF makes an air strike on a car nr. Gaza City, assassinating 5 Army of Islam mbrs. (Hussein Ahil, Fawzi al-Ashram, Ayman Dalul, Osama al-Rifi, Sami al-Za‘im), wounding at least 1; makes 2 air strikes on suspected rocket-launching sites in n. Gaza and 3 on similar sites nr. Jabaliya r.c., causing no injuries; launches a major incursion into Bayt Hanun, with 50 tanks and bulldozers, cutting electricity to n. Gaza and firing a tank shell at a PRC gunman who fires on the troops (killing the gunman and hitting a home, killing 3 Palestinians inside), wounding 30 Palestinians in armed exchanges. Late in the evening, the IDF makes an air strike on a rocket-launching site nr. Bayt Hanun, killing 2 Hamas mbrs., wounding 3 Palestinians. Islamic Jihad fires some 10 rockets, 20 mortars fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the PA security forces, demonstrating their security cooperation with Israel, report turning over to the IDF 2 Qassam rockets they discovered in Bethlehem, giving no information on from whom they were seized; the IDF acknowledges receiving 2 pipelike “objects” that possibly could be used as rocket launchers. The IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in al-Bireh. Meanwhile, PA security forces raid 3 Islamic charities in Tubas, confiscating computers, files. In Gaza’s Dayr al-Balah, unidentified gunmen fire on an ESF post; ESF officers return fire; no injuries are reported. (NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 9/27; OCHA 10/3; PCHR 10/4)

Israel’s Bank Hapoalim and Discount Bank announce plans to terminate all dealings with banks in Gaza, fearing prosecution in light of Israel’s 9/19 declaration of Gaza as “hostile territory”; at Israel’s request, the suspensions are delayed until Israel’s Postal Bank can expand operations to assume sole control of clearing international financial transactions with Gaza. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in al-Bireh (raiding the home of Palestinian Council [PC] mbr. Maryam Saleh [Change and Reform], confiscating a computer and documents, arresting her son), Nablus and nr. Bethlehem, Ramallah. Jewish settlers and right-wing activists announce plans to set up 5 new unauthorized outposts in the West Bank; 1,000s of activists are expected to take part in the effort during the upcoming week-long Sukkoth holiday 9/27–10/2. (NYT 9/26; OCHA 9/26; PCHR 9/27)

IDF troops on the Gaza border fire on, send a drone to fire missiles at a group of armed Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel e. of Jabaliya, killing 1 armed Palestinian, wounding 4. For the 3d day, the IDF sends bulldozers and tanks into Gaza nr. Bayt Hanun to level land; this time, Palestinian gunmen fire an RPG at a tank, sparking an exchange of gunfire, causing no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF sends troops into Jenin town and r.c. late in the evening, exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen who confront the troops, wounding local AMB leader Zacharia Zubeidi; conducts arrest raids, house searches in alBireh, Nablus, Qalqilya; fires rubber-coated steel bullets on stone-throwing Palestinians nr. the Qalandia checkpoint, injuring 2; fires rubber-coated steel bullets at 10s of Palestinians and Israeli and international peace activists protest the separation wall nr. Bil‘in, injuring 14; similarly fires rubber-coated steel bullets on Palestinians, international peace activists protesting the construction of the separation wall nr. Um Salamuna nr. Bethlehem, injuring 8. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai set fire to a Palestinian car in Hebron; the IDF bars fire engines fr. reaching the scene. For a 2d day, Jewish settlers occupying a Palestinian building nr. Kiryat Arba throw bottles and stones at local Palestinians, use trained dogs to scare Palestinian children; the IDF observes but does not intervene. In ‘Abasan, Fatah-Hamas clashes leave 11 Palestinians wounded. A Palestinian wounded in an IDF artillery strike on ‘Abasan on 9/6/06 dies. (OCHA 4/11; PCHR 4/12)

IDF troops on the Gaza border shoot, wound 2 Palestinians hunting birds nr. the border fence. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin, nr. Bethlehem, and in al-Bireh, Tulkarm; sets up a checkpoint inside Hebron, checking cars and IDs. In Gaza, Hamas mbrs. attack Fatah bases with mortar, RPG fire. PA General Intelligence officers fire on the convoy of a PA Interior Min. official in Gaza City, wounding 2 bodyguards. In the West Bank, suspected Fatah mbrs. set fire to the bookshop of a prominent Hamas mbr. Throughout the day, Fatah, Hamas officials work to impose a cease-fire. In the evening, both sides exchange hostages, gunmen withdraw, joint Fatah-Hamas patrols monitor the streets. Two mbrs. of Abbas’s presidential guard die of injuries received in clashes with Hamas mbrs. in Gaza City on 2/2. (MM, NYT, WP 2/5; OCHA 2/7; PCHR 2/8)

For the 2d day, IDF troops stationed in the Erez industrial zone fire at Palestinians collecting scrap metal nr. the border fence, wounding 1. Palestinians fire a rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Abu Dis, Azariyya, Nablus, and Qabatya, in and around Hebron, and nr. Jenin, Tulkarm. Israel’s Local Committee at the Jerusalem Municipality submits plans to build 1,000 housing units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Har Homa. Plans reportedly are also being drafted to expand the Jewish settlements of Ramat Rachel, Mei Naftuah, New Arnona, Gilo, and Givat Hamatos. In Ramallah, unidentified assailants attempt to kidnap the acting mayor of al-Bireh; unknown gunmen fire on the offices of fmr. PA Finance M Salam Fayyad, causing no injuries; suspected Fatah mbrs. fire on 13 shops and offices run by Hamas mbrs., set fire to 1. In Gaza, 10,000s of Fatah supporters hold the largest Fatah rally since 1994 marking the 42d anniversary of the movement; speeches by Fatah leaders focus on rallying support for Fatah and against Hamas. (MM, YA 1/8; MM 1/9; OCHA 1/10; PCHR 1/11; OCHA 1/17)