The Palestine Chronology

A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a device on a crowded bus nr. Sharon’s official residence in West Jerusalem, killing 10 Israelis, wounding 44. The bomber, whom the PA confirms was a Bethlehem PSF officer fr. Aida r.c., leaves 2 suicide notes claiming the attack in the name of the AMB, Hamas; the AMB initially claims responsibility, Hamas does so after the 2d letter is released; the groups do not claim joint responsibility, as they have done in the past, raising questions as to who really staged the attack. Israeli DM Shaul Mofaz says Israel will not routinely seal the territories in the wake of the bombing, so as not to aggravate Palestinians’ hardship; will specifically target militant groups. The IDF tightens checkpoints around Hebron; conducts house searches, arrest raids in Hebron, Jenin, Nablus. Hebron Jewish settlers attack Palestinians in nearby Yatta, forcing 9 Palestinian families out of their cave dwellings and mud houses; Hebron settlers reportedly seek to expropriate more than 37,000 dunams in the area for settlement expansion. In a plea agmt., an Israeli court sentences to 15 mos. in jail Havat Maon settlers Yitzhak Paz and Matityahu Shvu, arrested on 7/17/03 for transporting explosives, plotting a major bombing of a Palestinian school, carrying out 2 bombings at Palestinian schools that resulted in no deaths. (BBC, HA, MM 1/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/30; MM 2/3; WJW 2/5; JPI 2/6; al-Majallah [London] 2/8 in WNC 2/18; PCHR 2/12; JPI 2/13)

Israel, Hizballah begin to implement the 1st stage of their 2-stage prisoner swap. (BBC, HA, MNR, NYT, WJW, WP, WT 1/29; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/30; MM 2/2; JPI, MEI 2/6; JPI 2/13) (see 1/24)

Israel carries out 1 airstrike against a Hizballah base in n. Lebanon, wounding 2 Hizballah mbrs., before halting its attacks. IDF chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz notes that Israel's latest airstrikes mark the 1st time in the 18-yr. conflict that the IDF has targeted Lebanese infrastructure in response to army deaths rather than civilian casualties in n. Israel. Barak says the new retaliation policy will hold. (MM 2/10; IRNA, MENA, RL 2/10 in WNC 2/11; CSM, MM, NYT 2/11)

In Khazira village, West Bank, a car bomb explodes, killing 1 Palestinian, severely injuring another. PA, Israeli police think the men were Hamas mbrs. plotting an attack on Israelis. (WJW 2/17; JP 2/18)