The Palestine Chronology

Unidentified Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb outside Erez crossing as a U.S. emb. convoy (carrying the cultural attache, en route to interview Fulbright scholarship candidates) passes, destroying 1 of 4 armored cars, killing 3 U.S. security officers, wounding 1 U.S. diplomat; the convoy passes along a route and at a time a CIA detail involved in monitoring road map progress usually passes through the area, despite mos. of warnings fr. the PA of the dangers of routine movements, conspicuous bodyguards. AMB, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Resistance Comms. (PRC) deny responsibility, though a phone call to the press claims the attack on the PRCs’ behalf. After this 1st successful targeted attack against Americans by Palestinians, the U.S. for the 1st time discloses that in 6/03 a roadside bomb went off nr. a CIA vehicle in Gaza, causing damage but no injuries. Palestinians also detonate a smaller roadside bomb nr. an IDF convoy in Gaza, injuring 3 IDF soldiers. The IDF sends troops back into Brazil r.c., fatally shooting 1 Palestinian, searching and occupying homes, bulldozing land, demolishing a number of houses, shelling residential areas; arrests a Palestinian woman who attempts to stab a soldier at a Tulkarm checkpoint; conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, Tulkarm; imposes a curfew on Nablus, escorts 100s of ultra-Orthodox Jews on a pilgrimage to Joseph’s Tomb. Israel orders another 3 West Bank Palestinian administrative detainees expelled to Gaza (see 10/14). An Israeli Arab dies of injuries received in the 10/4 Haifa bombing, bringing that toll to 21. (BBC, HA, MM, PR, PRCS 10/15; XIN 10/15, al-Ra’i 10/16 in WNC 10/18; AP, HA, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 10/16; MM, WP 10/17; AYM 10/18 in WNC 10/25; PR 10/22; WJW 10/23; JPI, MEI 10/24; JPI 10/31)

Overnight, IDF helicopters rocket a residential area of Khan Yunis, killing 4 Palestinians, wounding 21, destroying 2 Force 17 buildings. This evening, AMB, Hamas gunmen jointly detonate a roadside bomb nr. a Jewish settler bus outside Emmanuel settlement nr. Nablus, then open fire on the bus, 2 cars traveling with it, the medical workers who come to the scene, killing 9 Jewish settlers, 1 Israeli border police officer, wounding 30; 1 Hamas mbr. is run over, shot dead by the IDF. In Gaza, 2 Hamas suicide bombers detonate devices outside a Jewish settlement, wounding 4. Sharon severs all contacts with the PA, declares Arafat "irrelevant," says Israel will no longer wait for the PA to "wipe out terror networks" but will do the job itself. The IDF immediately begins F-16 air strikes on targets in al-Bireh, Gaza City, Jinin, Nablus, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Tulkarm, killing 1 Palestinian; tightens its encirclement of major Palestinian population centers; enters Jinin's area A with tanks, injuring 19 Palestinians before withdrawing; fires on a funeral procession in Khan Yunis, injuring 3. The Israeli inner cabinet agrees to "rapidly deploy" the IDF for "massive and continuous" operations "in cities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip." Arafat orders the closure of all Hamas, Islamic Jihad offices, schools, clinics. (AP, LAW, MEZ, PMC 12/12; AFP, AP, HA, HP, JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WJW, WP, WT 12/13; AFP, MENA, XIN 12/13 in WNC 12/14; ATL 12/13 in WNC 12/17; JP, JT [Internet], MM 12/14, 12/17, 12/18; JP, MEI 12/21)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue to abate, though 2 Palestinians are killed and a 3d Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. To mark Ramadan, Israel partially reopens Rafah crossing, says it will transfer some of the money owed the PA. In Gaza, 2 roadside bombs explode nr. IDF patrols, causing no injuries; after 1 explosion, IDF soldiers open fire on nearby Palestinians, injuring 15. The IDF shells residential areas of Aida, Bayt Jala, Hebron, Khan Yunis, and Rafah, injuring 30 Palestinians; bulldozes around 150 dunams of Palestinian agricultural land nr. Gush Katif settlement, Khan Yunis, Kissufim crossing, and Qarni crossing in Gaza, leveling a total of 8 homes, an irrigation network. Jewish settlers set fire to Palestinian crop land nr. Jinin, fire on a PSF post nr. the bypass road to Keddumim settlement. (HA, LAW, MM 11/28; MENA 11/28 in WNC 11/29; JP [Internet], PCHR, WP 11/29; HJ, al-Quds 11/29 in WNC 12/1; WJW 11/30)

The Knesset convenes to vote on 5 no-confidence motions. Expecting to lose the votes given the expiration of Shas's safety net, Barak opens by announcing his willingness to hold new elections as early as spring 2001. MKs overwhelmingly approve the 1st readings of the motions. (AFP [Internet], MM 11/28; MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/29; WJW 11/30; JT 11/30 in WNC 12/1; AYM , al-Quds 11/30 in WNC 12/7; WJW 12/7; MEI 12/8) (see 11/20)

Through a new series of campaign advertisements, PM Netanyahu admits that he has recently made "mistakes" that have caused Barak to take the lead in election polls by 6-8% in the past couple of wks., pleads with voters to "come back home." (WP 5/12; WT 5/13)

Israeli High Court approves appeal submitted today by Ir Shalem peace group to delay the closure of Orient House offices until after the Israeli elections. (MM, NYT 5/11; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 5/12; WJW 5/13) (see 5/10)

King Abdallah of Jordan arrives in London on his 1st official visit to Britain as head of state, discusses debt issue with PM Blair. (JTV, LPA, Petra-JNA 5/11 in WNC 5/12; MEI 5/21) (see 5/6)

In Damascus, Iran, Syria discuss joint industry projects; cooperation in banking, energy, justice, sports health. (IRNA 5/11 in WNC 5/12)

Ayman al-Amsi, a Palestinian detainee held by the PA police in Gaza since 3/14, is admitted to intensive care while still unconscious, showing signs of torture. (LAW 5/14)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah detonates a roadside bomb as an SLA convoy passes, killing 1 SLA mbr., wounding 4. 4 Lebanese homes are damaged by IDF shelling. (RL 5/11 in WNC 5/12)