The Palestine Chronology

Overnight, the IDF arrests 52 Islamic Jihad mbrs. in the largest raids against the group in the West Bank since 3/05; half of the mbrs. are arrested in Hebron, others in Jenin, Qalqilya, Ramallah. Minutes before Sharon and Abbas hold their 1st mtg. since the 2/8 Sharm al-Shaykh summit to coordinate disengagement, IDF aircraft fires 2 missiles at a group of Islamic Jihad mbrs. in Bayt Lahiya in what Israeli officials say is a failed attempt to assassinate a wanted Islamic Jihad mbr. The Israel FMin. says that “the message was very clear—that Israel cannot accept the fact that Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and the alAqsa Brigades have weapons.” The PA urges Islamic Jihad, the AMB to abide by the cease-fire. Palestinians fire a mortar at a Jewish settlement in s. Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches in Nablus, Qalqilya and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Tulkarm. (AFP, HA, JAZ 6/21; VOP 6/21 in WNC 6/21; Daily Star, HA, NYT, PR, WP, WT 6/22; PCHR, WP, WT 6/23; VOI 6/23 in WNC 6/24; QA 6/27 in WNC 6/28; Jordan Times 7/1)

The Knesset Interior Comm. discusses the civilian aspects of the Or Commission’s 9/1/03 report into the 10/00 riots during which 13 Israeli Palestinians were killed by police (see Peace Monitor in JPS 118; Chronology in JPS 130). Fmr. High Court Justice Theodore Or says that the government has done nothing to implement his comm.’s recommendations (particularly for achieving equal rights for Israeli Palestinians), address the issues raised in the report. (YA 6/21)

A Hamas suicide bomber detonates a device in Hebron, killing 2 Jewish settlers. Nr. Qalqilya, 2 Palestinian gunmen infiltrate a settlement, wound 2 Jewish settlers before being killed; no group takes responsibility. The IDF continues operations in Bayt Hanun, fatally shooting an Islamic Jihad mbr., wounding 24, bulldozing land, firing on residential areas; demolishes 7 Palestinian homes in Rafah refugee camp (r.c.), 2 in al-Mughraqa; bulldozes 120 dunams (4 dunams = 1 acre) of Palestinian agricultural land in Khan Yunis. The IDF also fires flares e. of Khan Yunis, staring a fire in a wheat field; bars Palestinian firefighters fr. reaching the area, allowing 32 dunams to burn. In Hebron, Jewish settlers beat a pregnant Palestinian, causing her to suffer a miscarriage; set fire to a Palestinian home. (NYT, WP 5/18; MM 5/19; PR 5/21; LAW, PCHR 5/22; NYT 5/30)

Despite the Hebron bombing, new Palestinian Authority (PA) PM Mahmud Abbas, Israeli PM Ariel Sharon meet in Jerusalem regarding the road map, marking their 1st meeting and the 1st senior-level PA-Israeli talks since 9/26/00. Sharon says he cannot accept the road map but offers to redeploy the IDF from 1 (unnamed) West Bank Palestinian city and fr. n. Gaza in exchange for a commitment to crack down on militant groups. (NYT, WP, WT 5/18; MM 5/19; AYM 5/20 in WNC 5/23; NYT, PR 5/21; HA 5/23; al-Musawwar 5/23 in WNC 5/27; HA 5/28; MEI 5/30)

In the 1^st suicide bombing in Israel since 11/21/02, 2 AMB suicide bombers fr. Nablus detonate devices on parallel streets nr. the Tel Aviv bus station during evening rush hr., killing 22 (14 Israelis, 6 foreign workers, 2 remain unidentified and are suspected to be illegal foreign workers) injuring around 100. (Of note, AMB cells in Gaza, Nablus issue statements claiming the operation, whereas cells in Ramallah disavow responsibility, pledge to continue cease-fire talks.) Sharon convenes his security cabinet, including Netanyahu, Mofaz to discuss how to respond. Soon afterward, IDF helicopters fire 8 missiles at, destroys 3 iron workshops in Gaza City allegedly used as mortar factories, injuring 10 Palestinians; 30 IDF tanks enter Rafah, arrest senior Islamic Jihad mbr. Hassan Abu `Armana, his 2 brothers and demolish their family home. During the day, the IDF raids a house in Jenin, arresting 3 brothers of a wanted Palestinian, informing the family that the 3 would not be released until the wanted man turns himself in; also raids Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, Kafr Khalil, Qalqilya. An IDF soldier is lightly wounded by a Palestinian sniper firing fr. Khan Yunis. (HA, REU 1/5; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/6; QA 1/6, ATL, XIN 1/7 in WNC 1/8; MM, WP 1/7; AYM 1/7, AN, JT, al-Nahar 1/8 in WNC 1/9; LAW, PCHR, PR 1/8; WJW 1/9; MEI 1/10; JPI 1/17; MEI 1/24; HA 2/10)

Due to severe weather, violence tapers off noticeably, though an Islamic Jihad suicide bomber lightly injures 5 Israelis outside a hotel in Jerusalem. The IDF demolishes 2 Palestinian homes, a water network in Rafah, nr. Morag settlement; directs shells, heavy machine gun fire a residential areas of Jinin, Nablus, Rafah; confiscates Palestinian land in Dayr al-Balah; reinforces positions around Nablus, Qalqilya. In the afternoon, Israel, which had already curtailed operations due to the weather, announces it is halting strikes on PA targets for 12 hrs. to give Arafat a chance to demonstrate he is cracking down on opposition groups; names 36 Palestinians it wants arrested immediately, vowing to resume strikes on the morning of 12/6 unless the PA shows progress. Meanwhile, in a briefing to Likud MKs, Sharon vows to step up Israel's assassination campaign, bans all Palestinian vehicles on interurban West Bank roads, bars Arafat fr. leaving Ramallah, bans VIP passage for PA officials, promises continued attacks on PA military and symbolic targets. Late this evening, the IDF raids the PA Central Bureau of Statistics, vandalizing the building and confiscating computers, financial records, raw survey data (especially on political and social issues), and the names and addresses of survey respondents. Attempting again to implement Arafat's 12/3 arrest order, the PSF takes up positions around the Gaza City home of Hamas's Shaykh Yasin, confiscates his car, cuts his telephone service. In reaction, 100s of Palestinians converge on Yasin's home to challenge the PSF; the sides exchange gunfire leaving 1 Hamas mbr. dead, 2 wounded. A Palestinian dies of injuries received on 11/28. (AP, HA, HP, JP [Internet], LAW, MM 12/5; LPA, XIN 12/5 in WNC 12/6; AFP, MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/6; MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/7; PR 12/12; WP 12/21)

An Islamic Jihad gunman opens fire on a bus in French Hill settlement in East Jerusalem, killing 2 Jewish settlers and wounding around 50 before being shot dead by 2 border police officers, 1 IDF soldier, 1 armed settler. Despite the attack, Sharon agrees to continue the withdrawal fr. PA areas beginning with Qalqilya on 11/5. The IDF launches a predawn missile attack on PSF posts in Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahia, Dayr al-Balah, and Jabaliya, which Israel claims housed mortar factories; 1 senior PSF officer is killed. The IDF also shells residential areas of Tulkarm; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Shatti camp; shells, partially destroys a PSF roadblock nr. Hebron. (NYT, WP 11/4; NYT, WP, WT 11/5; PCHR 11/8; JP 11/16)

In a phone call with Powell, Sharon again refuses to withdraw troops fr. PA-controlled areas. Instead, the IDF overtly assassinates senior Hamas mbr. Jamil Jadallah Qawasmi, firing rockets at his Hebron home. In other apparent assassinations, the IDF fires tank shells at the car of Hamas mbr. Abdallah Jarushi, killing him; soldiers ambush a car nr. Nablus carrying 4 PSF officers, killing 2; IDF special forces units enter Qalqilya, attack a PSF post, killing 2 PSF officers, wounding 1. The IDF also directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Rafah, Tal al-Sultan; conducts arrest raids in Araba, shelling a PSF post (injuring 2 PSF officers), demolishing a Palestinian home, arresting 7 Palestinians, including 4 Islamic Jihad mbrs. allegedly plotting a suicide bombing. (HP, LAW, REU 10/31; NYT, WP, WT 11/1; AYM 11/1 in WNC 11/2; MM 11/2)

The Israeli government reaches an agmt. with Israeli Arab residents of al-Tira, Taybeh under which residents would be compensated with other land of equal value to the land to be taken for the highway project. (HA 10/31) (see 10/30)

Under U.S. pressure, Sharon pulls the IDF out of Bethlehem, Bayt Jala. Jewish settlers assault journalists covering the pullout. Islamic Jihad gunmen kill 4 Israelis, wound 30 in a drive-by shooting in Hadera, are fatally shot by Israeli police. AMB gunmen kill 1 IDF soldier on the West Bank-Israeli border, escape into the West Bank. The IDF also conducts arrest raids in Nablus, al-Ubayat; reinforces positions in Jinin, Tulkarm; opens fire on 9 Palestinian schools in the PA-controlled section of Hebron, injuring 4 students with rubber-coated metal bullets, 15 with tear gas; directs heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Qalqilya. Jewish settlers stone Palestinian cars outside Silwad. (HP 10/28; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/29; QA 10/29 in WNC 11/1; LAW 10/31)

In response to Islamic Jihad gunfire in the Jordan Valley that leaves a Jewish settler dead, Peres sides with Sharon against holding a mtg. with Arafat. Fatah tanzim leaders, a senior mbr. of the Fatah-linked AMB state that, despite Arafat's recent calls, they will continue to view the IDF and settlers in the West Bank and Gaza as legitimate targets. Palestinians fire 1 mortar at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage. Israel's new 18 mi. buffer zone along the Green Line n. of Jerusalem goes into effect. The IDF bulldozes 20 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Oranit settlement; declares the Hebron market a closed military zone; begins work on a new settlement bypass road to Kefar Darom, damaging agricultural land, water networks belonging to Dayr al-Balah residents; conduct arrest raids in villages around Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Salfit; confiscates 1 Palestinian home in Harmala for use as an IDF outpost; reinforces the closure on Jinin. (HP, Los Angeles Times [Internet], MM 9/24; CNN, HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/25; al-Quds 9/25 in WNC 9/26; MEI 9/28)

The U.S. freezing assets of 27 individuals, organizations with reported links to Bin Laden; threatening to freeze U.S. assets of foreign financial institutions that do not follow suit. Affiliates of Hizballah, Palestinian opposition groups are not included. (NYT, WP, WT 9/25)