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  • June 30, 2009

    In Washington, Israeli DM Barak presents U.S. envoy Mitchell and other U.S. officials with a compromise settlement freeze proposal, offering a “complete freeze” to settlement construction for 3–6...

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  • June 5, 2002

    An Islamic Jihad suicide bomber marking the 35th anniversary of the 1967 war detonates a large car bomb nr. a bus in Meggido, killing 14 IDF soldiers, 3 Israeli civilians, wounding 38...

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In Washington, Israeli DM Barak presents U.S. envoy Mitchell and other U.S. officials with a compromise settlement freeze proposal, offering a “complete freeze” to settlement construction for 3–6 mos., excluding construction already under way and/or in East Jerusalem. (WP 7/1)

The Israeli navy halts a ship of international peace activists organized by the Free Gaza Movement attempting to sail fr. Cyprus to Gaza with humanitarian supplies to challenge Israel’s blockade; the IDF detains the 21 persons on board, including former House rep. Cynthia McKinney (D/Green Party-GA) and Nobel laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire (all 21 are deported on 7/6). The UN reports that in the previous wk., 1 Palestinian was killed and 6 were injured in a tunnel collapse on the Rafah border. In the West Bank, the IDF partially demolishes a Palestinian home in al-Tur nr. Jerusalem; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron and Jenin. (IFM, WP, WT 7/1; OCHA, PCHR, WJW 7/2; NYT 7/3; WT 7/7; WJW 7/9)

An Islamic Jihad suicide bomber marking the 35th anniversary of the 1967 war detonates a large car bomb nr. a bus in Meggido, killing 14 IDF soldiers, 3 Israeli civilians, wounding 38. In response, the IDF sends tanks, helicopters into Jenin, declaring the area a closed military zone, imposing a curfew, conducting house-to-house searches; makes raids on Hebron, Qalqilya, Tulkarm; continues operations in Nablus. Late in the evening, the IDF sends tanks, troops into Ramallah, imposes a curfew, declares the area a closed military zone, shells Arafat's offices in what remains of the PA compound; bulldozers pile debris in front of the headquarters' exits; Arafat, who is inside, is not harmed. (AP, CNN, LAW, MM 6/5; AFP, Interfax, XIN 6/5 in WNC 6/6; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/6; GS 6/7; QA 6/7 in WNC 6/10; MEI 6/14)

American PR firms representing Israel urge the Israeli government not to respond to the Meggido bombing for 24 hrs. so that the U.S. newspapers, TV news programs would open with pictures of the bombing, victims' funerals rather than IDF retaliatory attacks. (MM 6/7)

Mubarak arrives in Washington, reportedly carrying a proposal for Bush to support recognition of a Palestinian state in early 2003, with permanent status talks to be completed within 3 yrs. thereafter. (MM, WP 6/5; MM 6/6, MM 6/7) (see Quarterly Update)

In light of the economic downturn since the intifada began, the Knesset passes (74-28) an amendment to the National Insurance Law (1995) applying a 4% cut to all child allowance payments, an additional 20% cut in amounts paid to parents of children without a relative serving in the IDF (i.e., mostly Israeli Arabs). (Adalah press release 6/6)

Polls show that Reps. Earl Hilliard (D-AL) and Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), both 5-term incumbents, are struggling to win renomination this yr., largely because of their statements critical of the U.S.'s pro-Israel policy. Their challengers are highlighting their own strong support of Israel, tapping large Jewish donors. The races are creating Black-Jewish tensions in Congress, as Hilliard and McKinney are African American, most of the Jewish money donated to the rival campaigns is fr. outside the candidates' home states. (WP 6/6; AP 6/26; WJW 6/27; WT 7/2)