The Palestine Chronology

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. Two explosions target an IDF patrol operating adjacent to the Gaza border nr. Qarni crossing, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops demolish residential and agricultural Palestinian-owned structures in the Jordan Valley, clashing with residents and injuring 5. There are also clashes in Nablus during an IDF arrest raid, leaving 2 Palestinians injured. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Jenin and 2 nearby villages, Hebron and 2 nearby villages at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm and 1 village each nr. Jenin and Hebron at night. (MNA, ToI, WAFA 9/2; PCHR 9/5)

Pres. Obama’s hopes of persuading the U.S. Congress to support military action against Syria are dealt a blow with Democratic lawmakers expressing scepticism following a briefing with Obama’s national security aides, according to Rep. Jim Moran. However, Obama picks up support from Republican sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham. (REU 9/2)

An Egyptian govt.-backed judicial panel recommends the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood as a legally registered nongovernment organization (NGO). It is a nonbinding decision. (Guardian, REU 9/2)

The IDF pulls out of the n. Gaza “security zone” it reoccupied on 3/7, having bulldozed at least 314 dunams of land, demolished 2 Palestinian homes in Bayt Lahia. The IDF fatally shoots 2 AMB mbrs. planting roadside bombs outside Kefar Darom settlement; shells residential areas of Hebron, killing 1 Palestinian, destroying his home; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Bayt Hanun, 1 in Jenin, 1 in al-Qarara; bulldozes 10 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Kiryat Arba settlement in Hebron; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Hanun. A Palestinian gunman ambushes an IDF patrol nr. the Tomb of the Patriarchs/ al-Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, killing 1 IDF soldier, wounding 5, taking refuge in an apartment building; Hamas, the PFLP each take responsibility; the IDF evacuates the building, shells and bulldozes it, killing the gunman. A Beit El military court sentences a Fatah mbr. to 4 consecutive life terms for planning a 3/21/02 suicide bombing in Jerusalem. The AMB and military wings of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP in Nablus issue a letter warning the IDF to withdraw fr. Nablus and other PA areas in 2 wks. or they will resume military operations inside Israel. (HA 3/10; VOI 3/10 in WNC 3/11; HA, MM, NYT 3/11; NYT, PR, WP 3/12; LAW, PCHR 3/13)

The Reston Connection (Reston, VA) reports that at a private function last wk. in Virginia, Rep. James Moran (D-VA) said, “If it were not for the strong support of the Jewish community for this war with Iraq, we would not be doing this [i.e., planning for war]. The leaders of the Jewish community are influential enough that they could change the direction of where this is going, and I think they should.” Jewish orgs. condemn his comments as “reprehensible and anti-Semitic.” House minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) says Moran’s comments “have no place in the Democratic party.” (HA, WP 3/11; WJW 3/13; WP 3/15; MEI 3/21; WJW 4/10)