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  • December 20, 2023

    In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians, including a child, in Beit Einun and Husan. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians during a raid in al-Yamun. Elsewhere,...

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  • November 2, 2021

    In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian with live ammunition before arresting him during a raid in Dahariya. 11 others were arrested during late-night raids in Ramallah,...

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  • September 21, 2020

    In the West Bank, Israeli forces ordered 1 Palestinian family to demolish an agricultural structure in the northern Jordan Valley and ordered stop-work on 1 poultry farm and retaining walls in al-...

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  • July 20, 2017

    The atmosphere at Haram al-Sharif remains tense; Muslim worshippers continue praying and protesting outside the sanctuary throughout the day. Israeli forces violently disperse them after the 5th...

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  • June 7, 2012

    Israel’s Jerusalem municipality approves construction of 2,500 new housing units in Gilo settlement. Also in East Jerusalem, the IDF demolishes 5 residential tents and 5 sheds in the Arab al-...

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  • May 5, 2012

    Early in the morning and late at night, Israeli naval vessels fire at Palestinian fishing boats off the s. Gaza coast (forcing them to return to shore); they halt and confiscate 1 boat, detaining...

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  • April 15, 2012

    Israel detains all but a few of 100s of pro-Palestinian protesters attempting to enter Israel through Ben-Gurion Airport to attend an anti-occupation rally in Bethlehem. Organizers claim that more...

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  • July 28, 2011

    Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF drops troops from helicopters into an open area nr. Jenin, searching...

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  • June 12, 2011

    The IDF patrols in Qalqilya and a village nr. Salfit during the day; patrols in 3 villages nr. Jenin, Qalqilya, and Salfit late at night; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Salfit...

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  • June 15, 2007

    Firmly in control of Gaza, Hamas declares amnesty for Fatah leaders, except National Security Advisor (NSA) Dahlan, with the aim of quelling violence, releasing several of the 10 senior Fatah...

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  • June 14, 2007

    Hamas presses its offensive in Gaza, taking over all PA ministry offices in Gaza City, securing control of Rafah, forcing PSF officers to surrender their Gaza City headquarters (after destroying...

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  • May 15, 2007

    In Gaza, Fatah-Hamas fighting intensifies, leaving at least 15 Palestinians dead. Among the incidents: PA presidential guardsmen fatally shoot Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades cmdr. Ibrahim Maniah nr....

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  • February 6, 2007

    The IDF allows departures through Rafah crossing for the 1st time since 1/8, causing a near riot among the 10,000–12,000 Palestinians gathered in the exit area, forcing the EU monitors to close...

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  • February 3, 2007

    In Gaza, scattered Fatah-Hamas skirmishes continue throughout the day (including in Bayt Lahiya, Gaza City), leaving at least 2 Palestinians dead, 10 wounded. Fatah, Hamas officials meet for a 2d...

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  • January 28, 2007

    IDF troops on the n. Gaza border nr. Bayt Hanun shoot, wound 2 Palestinians who stray nr. the border fence while trapping birds. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in...

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  • January 23, 2007

    The Israeli navy fires on a Palestinian fishing boat off the Rafah coast, arrests 3 fishermen. IDF troops on the central Gaza border fire on 3 unarmed Palestinians attempting to sneak into Israel...

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  • December 14, 2006

    Israel closes the Rafah border to prevent Haniyeh fr. returning to Gaza, alleging that Haniyeh’s delegation intended to bring in some $30 m. in cash donations collected during his 16-day regional...

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  • March 31, 2006

    Senior PRC cmdr. Abu Yusuf Abu Quka (allied with Hamas) is killed in a car bombing in Gaza City; the PRCs blame PA security forces linked to Fatah (specifically to Gaza strongman and PC mbr....

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  • September 9, 2005

    The IDF blows up its last posts and observation towers in Gaza, completes removal of its equipment in preparation for a handover to the PA; the only settler or IDF structures left standing are the...

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  • April 21, 2005

    The IDF seals the West Bank, Gaza until 4/24 for the Passover holiday; bars Palestinian traffic on the main north–south Gaza road for the day; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah...

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  • January 26, 2005

    The IDF shells residential areas of Dayr al-Balah, killing a 3-yr.-old Palestinian girl outside her home; assassinates Hamas mbr. Mahir Abu Sunayna, firing on his car as he drives in Qalqilya,...

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  • November 11, 2004

    Within hrs. of Arafat’s death, the PC, in keeping with the Basic Law, formally swears in PC speaker Rawhi Fattuh as interim head of the PA until elections are organized within the next 60 days;...

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  • August 15, 2003

    The IDF conducts overnight arrest raids in Qalqilya, targeting the PFLP, exchanging gunfire with some wanted men, leaving 1 Palestinian injured; conducts other arrest raids in Nablus, Tamun;...

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  • August 14, 2003

    The IDF surrounds, fires on, then shells a car workshop where Islamic Jihad Hebron leader Muhammad Sidr (whom Israel attempted to assassinate in 12/01) is staying, killing him in an apparent...

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  • July 30, 2003

    The IDF conducts arrest raids in Hebron (targeting Hamas, Islamic Jihad); fires on farmers working their fields nr. Khan Yunis, forcing them to leave; makes incursions in Nablus; sends troops into...

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  • July 19, 2003

    Mbrs. of the AMB’s Jenin faction pull Jenin mayor Haidar Irshayd fr. his car, beat and kidnap him, alleging he is corrupt and has collaborated with Israel, demanding the PA put him on trial; they...

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  • July 6, 2003

    In Gaza City, PA workers begin whitewashing graffiti praising Palestinian militants as part of the road map’s requirements to halt incitement. The PA announces that as of 7/7 it will ban the...

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  • June 30, 2003

    The IDF completes its redeployment fr. Bayt Hanun, opens Gaza’s main north– south road to joint patrols with the PSF, removes many roadblocks and checkpoints in n. Gaza. Nr. Nablus, AMB gunmen...

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  • June 28, 2003

    The IDF arrests an ailing Palestinian being transported by ambulance to Jordan (with the permission of Israeli, Jordanian authorities) for treatment. The IDF also fires on residential areas of...

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  • June 14, 2003

    The IDF opens fire on stone-throwing youths in Askar r.c., killing 1 Palestinian; bars a Palestinian heart attack victim fr. crossing a checkpoint to reach a hospital, allowing him to die; places...

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In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians, including a child, in Beit Einun and Husan. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians during a raid in al-Yamun. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 2 homes under construction and a warehouse near Ni’lin and 1 residential structure in al-Jiftlik. Israeli forces also seized 10 vehicles in al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya. Meanwhile, Israeli forces delivered notices that they will seize 5 dunams (1.1 acres) of land near Bethlehem to build a settler road. In Gaza, Paltel reported a complete communications blackout in all of Gaza. Israeli forces bombed Jabalia refugee camp, Khan Yunis, Rafah, Dayr al-Balah, and Gaza City; it was unclear how many casualties there were due to the communications blackout. Israeli bombings destroyed 56 buildings in the Shuja’iya neighborhood of Gaza City. 3 Israeli soldiers were killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli forces shelled several sites, killing 2 members of Hezbollah. Israeli snipers also shot and killed a Lebanese civilian driving near Kfar Kila. (AJ, AP, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/20; AJ, AP, HA 12/21; NYT 12/26)

More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 7,729 children and 5,153 women, and around 54,000 have been injured since 10/7. At least 8,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 296 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 75 children. More than 3,387 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured since 10/7. 134 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 719 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12 due to the Israeli blockade. As of 12/3, at least 52,000 housing units had been destroyed and 253,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 60% of all housing units. 71 trucks entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing and 120 trucks entered via the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing. (AJ, AJ, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 12/20; NYT 12/21)

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released a statement saying it had received reports that Israeli forces had executed 11 unarmed Palestinians in front of their families in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. on 12/19. The Israeli forces also reportedly forced women and children into a room and threw a grenade at them, causing injuries. The Human Rights Office called for an immediate and independent investigation. (UN, UNOCHA 12/20; AJ, AJ 12/21)

Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia has banned all Israeli-flagged cargo ships from docking in its ports, citing the “Israeli massacre and brutality against Palestinians.” (AJ 12/20)

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials. Hamas official Ghazi Hamad told Al Jazeera that the party had tried to contact Fatah to begin talks about the situation in Gaza now and the future of a unified Palestinian political system, but that PA president Mahmoud Abbas had rejected talks. The Wall Street Journal reported that Hamas’ political bureau was in talks with other Palestinian factions about the situation in Gaza after the Israeli attack. Political bureau member Husam Badran told the Journal that the talks also included former Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad and former Fatah member Mohammed Dahlan. The Journal also reported that Hamas turned down a proposal to exchange a weeklong ceasefire for 40 captives held in Gaza. Hamas has said on several occasions that it will not negotiate while being attacked. (AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, WSJ 12/20; HA 12/21)

Israel, Cyprus, and the UK agreed to open an aid corridor between Gaza and Cyprus “under Israeli security supervision and control.” It was unclear how and when the corridor would be operational. (AJ, HA, REU 12/20)

The UN Security Council discussed a resolution on Gaza for the third day in a row without calling a vote. (AJ, NYT, WAFA 12/20)

Israeli Channel 12 reported that an Israeli tank shelled a house in Kibbutz Be’eri where Palestinian militants were holding Israeli captives, injuring an Israeli. (AJ 12/20)

In a report, Human Rights Watch charged Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, with silencing support for Palestine on the 2 social media platforms. (HRW 12/20; AJ 12/21)

Democracy for the Arab World Now said it submitted a list of 40 Israeli commanding officers to the ICC who have been involved in Israel’s attack on Gaza and should be investigated for war crimes. (AJ 12/20)

The Huffington Post reported that the U.S. was planning to pressure Switzerland not to hold a Geneva Convention conference on violations of international law during Israel’s assault in Gaza. (AJ 12/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian with live ammunition before arresting him during a raid in Dahariya. 11 others were arrested during late-night raids in Ramallah, Burqa, Qabatiya, Biddu, Fawwar refugee camp, and Dheisheh refugee camp; Israeli forces injured 2 Palestinians during the raid in Dheisheh refugee camp with rubber-coated bullets. In East Jerusalem, Israel authorities continued its work to demolish al-Yusufiya cemetery, making room for a public park. 2 were arrested during raids in Silwan. (WAFA 11/2; MEMO, WAFA 11/3; PCHR 11/4)

Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah rejected a “compromise” deal offered by the Israeli supreme court to allow them to stay in their homes for a minimum of 15 years, but forfeiting their ownership claims to the properties to the Israeli settler organization Nahalot Shimon and paying the organization rent. The Supreme Court will now have to rule on the residents’ appeals against eviction. The families explained their decision as a choice between their own “dispossession or submitting to an oppressive agreement.” (AJ, HA, MEE, MEMO, WAFA 11/2; HA 11/3; ALM 11/8)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Italian president Sergio Mattarella in Rome. (WAFA 11/2)

Former Fatah politician Mohammed Dahlan visited Russia and met with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. The meeting came ahead of PA president Mahmoud Abbas’s planned visit to Russia on 11/23. A Fatah official told Al Monitor that Dahlan’s meeting was made upon request from the UAE. (ALM 11/12)

The EU transferred $18 million to the PA to help pay salaries and pensions to PA public servants. (WAFA 11/2; MEMO 11/3)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces ordered 1 Palestinian family to demolish an agricultural structure in the northern Jordan Valley and ordered stop-work on 1 poultry farm and retaining walls in al-Walaja. Israeli forces also seized 1 water tank east of Tubas. PA security forces arrested 7 supporters of exiled Palestinian leader Mohammed Dahlan, accused of having aided in the UAE-Israel normalization deal. Israeli forces also arrested 4 Palestinians during raids in and around Tulkarm and Hebron; during a raid near Tulkarm, clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli forces; 1 Palestinian was injured by a tear gas canister. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian was arrested in Issawiyya. (REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/21; HA 9/22; PCHR 9/24)

BBC News Arabic reported that, according to leaked documents, Russian-Israeli citizen Roman Abramovich has donated more than $100 million to Elad, the Israeli settler group seeking to evict Palestinians in East Jerusalem to replace them with Israeli settlers. Abramovich is said to have used shell companies to make sure the donations could not be traced to him. (BBC, GDN, HA 9/21; AJ, DT, WAFA 9/22)

The atmosphere at Haram al-Sharif remains tense; Muslim worshippers continue praying and protesting outside the sanctuary throughout the day. Israeli forces violently disperse them after the 5th prayer of the day, injuring at least 37 (3 seriously). Separately, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian in Tuqu‘ village nr. Bethlehem after he allegedly attempts to stab 1 of them at a checkpoint; no Israeli soldiers are injured. The killing sparks minor clashes in the village (there are no serious injuries). The IDF returns late at night to interrogate the alleged killer’s family, and threatens punitive demolition of their home. IDF troops also arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid nr. Salfit and patrol during the day nr. Hebron and Qalqilya. Israeli forces issue stop-work orders to 3 homes under construction in Dura village nr. Hebron. In Israel, Israeli forces demolish a home in the Bedouin village Wadi al-Na‘am nr. Beersheba. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 7/20; MNA 7/21; PCHR 7/27)

In Gaza City, more than 2,000 Palestinians rally in support of exiled Fatah leader Dahlan, lending further credence to rumors that Egypt has facilitated an agreement between Dahlan and Hamas. (AP 7/20)

Israel’s Jerusalem municipality approves construction of 2,500 new housing units in Gilo settlement. Also in East Jerusalem, the IDF demolishes 5 residential tents and 5 sheds in the Arab al-Jahalin bedouin community e. of Jerusalem. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 5 wells and water and electricity networks in Bayt Qad village nr. Jenin (marking the 1st Israeli demolition in Area B in 2012). The IDF also patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 each nr. Jericho and Salfit in the morning; in Qalqilya and 1 nearby village, and in 1 village each nr. Jericho and Ramallah in the afternoon; and in 1 village each nr. Jenin, Qalqilya, and Ramallah late at night. Jewish settlers fr. Eliezer settlement nr. Bethlehem steal fencing surrounding a plot of nearby Palestinian crop land, leaving leaflets taking credit for the action signed by the ‘‘Green Helmets.’’ In Gaza, 1 Palestinian is killed and 1 is injured in a smuggling tunnel collapse on the Rafah border. (PCHR 6/14; OCHA 6/15)

A Palestinian court convicts Muhammad Rashid, the former economic adviser to late PA pres. Yasir Arafat and political ally to Abbas adversary Muhammad Dahlan, of embezzling millions of dollars in public funds during Arafat’s rule. Rashid had been charged in 4/2012 by an independent Palestinian anticorruption commission created in 2010. While few if any Palestinians thought that Rashid (who has lived abroad for years and was convicted in absentia) was innocent, many saw the case against him as, in the words of Palestinian analyst Hani al-Masri (WP 6/21), ‘‘a reaction to a political dispute [with Abbas], not a continuous fight against corruption.’’ Other critics noted (WP 6/21) that the commission had been selective about the cases it chose to investigate, and that of the more than 80 cases it had investigated, few had led to charges against senior officials. (WP 6/21)

Early in the morning and late at night, Israeli naval vessels fire at Palestinian fishing boats off the s. Gaza coast (forcing them to return to shore); they halt and confiscate 1 boat, detaining 2 fishermen for questioning before releasing them later in the day. IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire on agricultural areas in al-Qarara, killing a camel. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (2 synchronized) in the morning; 3 villages nr. Qalqilya and 1 each nr. Ramallah and Tulkarm in the afternoon; and 4 villages nr. Jericho, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Tulkarm late at night. The IDF also conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Salfit. Dozens of Palestinians rally outside Ofer prison to show solidarity with hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners; IDF troops fire live ammunition and tear gas at them, wounding 2. (PCHR 5/10; OCHA 5/11)

Under increased international criticism for recent PA arrests of Palestinian journalists and bloggers critical of his administration (e.g., 4/5/12, 4/15/12, 4/26/12), PA Pres. Abbas issues a statement ordering all PA agencies to take all steps to ensure the “sacred right” of freedom of expression, including ordering the PA Atty. Gen. Mughni to lift the block on websites supporting his political rival, Muhammad Dahlan. (NYT 5/7; JPI 5/18)

Israel detains all but a few of 100s of pro-Palestinian protesters attempting to enter Israel through Ben-Gurion Airport to attend an anti-occupation rally in Bethlehem. Organizers claim that more than 1,500 supporters booked tickets to Israel, but only 3 make it to Bethlehem. Israel says most were stopped at their point of departure after it gave foreign governments no-fly lists identifying suspected activists. (NYT, WP, WT 4/16; JPI 4/27)

Israeli naval vessels detain a fishing boat that approaches the 3 naut. mi. boundary off the Gaza coast, detaining and questioning 3 fishermen onboard, releasing them by the end of the day, but confiscating their boat. Unidentified Palestinians fire at least 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Late at night, an Israeli warplane makes an air strike on an open area nr. Gaza City, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning patrols inside Jericho and Qalqilya (normally the PA security forces have security control during daylight hours and the IDF stays away), as well as in 1 village nr. Ramallah; conducts afternoon patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya (synchronized), 2 nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Jericho; and conducts late-night patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr. Nachliel settlement nr. Ramallah uproot around 250 olive trees on a nearby plot of Palestinian land. Jewish settlers fr. Ma’on settlement nr. Hebron fire at several Palestinian farmers and shepherds working nearby, causing no reported injuries. (JP, YA 4/15; PCHR 4/19; OCHA 4/20)

The New York Times reports that around this date, the PASF detains 2 prominent Palestinians for posting comments critical of the PA on Facebook: Palestinian blogger Jamal Abu Raihan for posing a satirical column depicting PA Pres. Abbas as a donkey and complaining of PA corruption; and Palestinian journalist Tareq Khamees for posting a comment in support of others who have recently been arrested for criticizing the PA (also seizing his laptop). By this date, the PA Atty. Gen. Ahmad al-Mughni has also ordered PA authorities to block several websites supportive of Abbas rival, former Gaza security chief Muhammad Dahlan. (NYT 5/7) (see 4/5/12 and Quarterly Update in JPS 164 for details)

Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF drops troops from helicopters into an open area nr. Jenin, searching the area for some time before withdrawing; patrols in 4 villages nr. Jericho, Ramallah, and Tulkarm; enters a village nr. Hebron to arrest 2 Palestinian children for hurting cattle on a nearby Jewish settlement; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Tubas, detaining Hamas-affiliated PC mbr. Khalid Abu Tous. A day after a PA court rejected an appeal challenging Fatah’s 6/12 decision to expel Dahlan from the party, PA security forces raid Dahlan’s Ramallah home, arresting 23 guards and assistants and confiscating 16 guns, a computer, and 2 cars; Dahlan is currently in Jordan. (AFP, MNA, WAFA, YA 7/28; WP 7/29; PCHR 8/4; OCHA 8/5; see also AFP 7/27)

The IDF patrols in Qalqilya and a village nr. Salfit during the day; patrols in 3 villages nr. Jenin, Qalqilya, and Salfit late at night; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Salfit, firing rubbercoated steel bullets, and tear gas at stonethrowing Palestinians who confront them, injuring 1. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities begin archeological excavation work at al-Sultan Pool, a registered Islamic holy site nr. the Old City’s walls. (PCHR 6/16; OCHA 6/24)

The Fatah Central Comm. expels fmr. Fatah security chief in Gaza Muhammad Dahlan for criminal, financial, and other misdealings and “undermining Pres. Abbas.” (REU 6/12; NYT 6/14)

Firmly in control of Gaza, Hamas declares amnesty for Fatah leaders, except National Security Advisor (NSA) Dahlan, with the aim of quelling violence, releasing several of the 10 senior Fatah political security officials captured earlier in the day; orders all mbrs. of the PA security forces in Gaza to continue to report for duty to provide law and order, albeit under Hamas cmdrs. Hamas also calls for the immediate release of kidnapped BBC correspondent Johnston. With fighting suspended, Palestinian crowds loot abandoned Fatah buildings, targeting in particular Dahlan’s home and Abbas’s presidential compound; Hamas mbrs. surround and prevent looting at Abbas’s Gaza residence. Some violence persists, with a Fatah mbr. thrown to his death from a high building by the family of a man he killed earlier; a Fatah security official commits suicide after learning that he was on a Hamas wanted list. Meanwhile, Egypt reinforces its forces on the border with Gaza with riot police, APCs, and water cannons, fearing that Palestinians will attempt to flee Gaza for Egypt en masse at the first opportunity. Israel temporarily opens the Erez crossing to allow Fatah officials to escape Gaza for Ramallah. In the West Bank, Abbas names Finance M Salam al-Fayyad as his new PM, charging him with forming a government; issues a presidential decree suspending articles of the Basic Law (the interim Palestinian constitution) requiring the new government to receive a vote of confidence from the PC (currently controlled by the Hamas-affiliated Change and Reform party). Fatah-Hamas tensions remain high in the West Bank, where heavily armed Fatah mbrs. patrol in Ramallah in a show of force; Fatah mbrs. ransack Change and Reform offices, Hamas-run charity organizations in several cities; kidnap at least 9 Hamas mbrs. AMB mbrs. fatally shoot a Hamas mbr. in Nablus. Inside Israel, the Israel Prisons Service separates Fatah, Hamas detainees to prevent rioting. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches, patrols in villages around Jenin, firing on residential areas, causing no injuries. In Gaza, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Dayr al-Balah; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists attending weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall in Bil‘in, injuring 2. (AP, HA, WP, QA 6/15; NYT, WP, WT 6/16; Interfax 6/16 in WNC 6/17; PCHR 6/21; NYT 7/9)

Hamas presses its offensive in Gaza, taking over all PA ministry offices in Gaza City, securing control of Rafah, forcing PSF officers to surrender their Gaza City headquarters (after destroying all equipment, computers, archives; eye-witness reports say Hamas mbrs. summarily execute at least 7 PSF mbrs.) and other main security compounds; capturing and executing Fatah’s n. Gaza cmdr. Samih al-Madhun. At least 27 Palestinians are killed (14 of them in the fight for the PSF headquarters), 70 wounded in fighting during the day. Nearly 100 senior Fatah security and admin. officials flee Gaza for Egypt by boat (Egypt has already returned the 40 PA presidential guards who fled on 6/13). At the same time, the IDF occupies hills outside Bayt Lahiya to prevent rocket fire into Israel. With Gaza under almost complete Hamas control, Abbas declares a state of emergency, fires Haniyeh, and dissolves the national unity government. He also for the first time orders PA/Fatah forces to take offensive action against Hamas. Late in the evening, Hamas gains control of Abbas’s Gaza City offices, the only remaining Gaza institution still in the hands of Fatah/the PA. In the West Bank, PA forces under Abbas’s control begin rounding up 10s of Hamas mbrs. In and around Nablus and in Jenin, Tulkarm, masked AMB mbrs. raid offices affiliated with Hamas, Change and Reform, looting and sometimes setting fire to them, exchanging fire with Hamas mbrs., leaving at least 13 Palestinians injured. The AMB also abducts 5 Hamas mbrs. in Jenin. Meanwhile, Abbas’s national security adviser Muhammad Dahlan (the U.S. and Israel’s hope for restoring order to Gaza) returns from an extended stay in Egypt, where he underwent minor surgery, going to Ramallah instead of Gaza to confer with Abbas. Meanwhile, the IDF sends an undercover unit into Saida nr. Tulkarm, driving a car with Palestinian license plates, assassinating wanted AMB mbr. Muhammad Twair in a driveby shooting, also wounding 2 bystanders; sends patrols in Ithna nr. Hebron, Kafr Dan and Kafr Ra’i nr. Jenin, firing on residential areas and on stone-throwing youths who confront them, seriously wounding 1 Palestinian. Jewish settlers burn 10s of olive trees nr. Tulkarm; the IDF bars firefighters fr. reaching the scene. In Gaza, 5 Palestinian children (ages 10–15) are killed and 4 (ages 9–16) are wounded by IDF UXO nr. Shuka while collecting scrap metal; the 8 children are from 3 families: 2 Mansour boys are killed, 2 Hessi boys are killed, and 1 Barbakh boy is killed and 4 are wounded. (AFP, Jerusalem Post, MENA, MNA 6/14 in WNC 6/15; AP, BBC, NYT, WP, WT 6/15; WP 6/18; PCHR 6/21)

In Gaza, Fatah-Hamas fighting intensifies, leaving at least 15 Palestinians dead. Among the incidents: PA presidential guardsmen fatally shoot Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades cmdr. Ibrahim Maniah nr. Qarni (Hamas claims he was assassinated, Fatah says he died in an exchange of gunfire); in retaliation, Hamas mbrs. attack a PA presidential guard training facility at the Qarni crossing with rockets, mortars, and RPGs, also firing on other PA security forces who come to the guardsmen’s aid, killing 8 national security officers. IDF troops on the Gaza border nearby fire on 2 guardsmen fleeing the scene toward the border fence, killing 1. Outside Abbas’s Gaza City offices, PA security forces loyal to Abbas halt, harass, shoot execution-style 2 Palestinian reporters for a pro-Hamas newspaper. A 12th Palestinian is killed in interfactional fighting in Gaza City. Across the Strip, Palestinian civilians stay in their homes and most stores close, while Fatah and Hamas gunmen take up strategic positions along roads and atop high buildings, and Egyptian mediators work to establish a new cease-fire. PA National Security Adviser Muhammad Dahlan, currently abroad, orders 500 Fatah-affiliated PSF mbrs. undergoing training in Egypt to return to Gaza immediately to help defend the pro-Abbas forces; Israel gives its consent for the forces to enter. Hamas also fires more than 20 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, hitting a house and empty school, seriously wounding 1 Israeli, moderately wounding another. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, nr. Hebron. (BBC, HA, NYT, OCHA, WP 5/16; PCHR, WP 5/17; WP 5/18)

The IDF allows departures through Rafah crossing for the 1st time since 1/8, causing a near riot among the 10,000–12,000 Palestinians gathered in the exit area, forcing the EU monitors to close the crossing late in the morning. Palestinians later fire on Rafah crossing in an attempt to force it to reopen, wounding 1 Palestinian bystander. Palestinians also fire 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in ‘Azun, clashing with stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops; conduct arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, nr. Qalqilya, and in Hebron, Tulkarm town and r.c. Israeli authorities begin excavation work 50 yds. fr. the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount with the stated purpose of replacing a centuries-old walkway damaged in a snowstorm in 2004, denies archeological digging is underway though it admits that, by law, any artifacts must be salvaged before work can begin; Waqf officials protest the work; Hamas organizes peaceful demonstrations in Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City, Jabaliya r.c., Khan Yunis, Nussayrat r.c., Rafah against the construction. In Gaza City, Dahlan’s bodyguards kill 1 ESF mbr., wound 3 in a drive-by shooting. In Khan Yunis, ESF mbrs. release Dahlan’s nephew, kidnapped on 2/3, after severely beating him. ESF, Fatah mbrs. exchange fire in Khan Yunis, wounding 1 bystander. ESF mbrs. break into a Force 17 base in Bayt Hanun, temporarily detain 4 Force 17 mbrs. In Gaza City, 2,000 PA employees rally to call for a halt to intraPalestinian violence. (IFM, MM, NYT, OCHA 2/7; MM, PCHR 2/8; PLONAD 2/9)

In Gaza, scattered Fatah-Hamas skirmishes continue throughout the day (including in Bayt Lahiya, Gaza City), leaving at least 2 Palestinians dead, 10 wounded. Fatah, Hamas officials meet for a 2d day and order their mbrs. once again to observe a truce, withdraw forces fr. the streets, dismantle impromptu checkpoints, but there is no sign of a return to barracks by nightfall. Fatah accuses Hamas of kidnapping around 40 of its mbrs. in recent days, including the nephew of Fatah strongman Dahlan, abducted today in Khan Yunis. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Qalandia; raids municipal offices in Bir Nabala n. of Jerusalem, confiscating the land register, computers, financial records, seals, checkbooks. A Palestinian dies of injuries received during an IDF raid on Bayt Lahiya on 11/21. (NYT, WP 2/4; MM, NYT 2/5; OCHA 2/7; PCHR 2/8)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border nr. Bayt Hanun shoot, wound 2 Palestinians who stray nr. the border fence while trapping birds. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya, nr. Jenin; begins construction of a new fence around Karmi’el, Ma’on settlements nr. Hebron that will confiscate around 1,000 d. of Palestinian land to create territorial unity btwn. the 2 settlements. In Gaza City, Hamas-Fatah violence continues for a 6th day, leaving an ESF officer, 3 Hamas mbrs. dead, and 8 ESF mbrs. injured; among the incidents, a bomb explodes outside the home of a Dahlan bodyguard (causing no injuries), Hamas mbrs. fire mortars and antitank rounds at the Fatah-controlled PA police headquarters. Other clashes are reported in and around Khan Yunis, nr. Jabaliya, and in Bayt Hanun. Several Palestinians are also kidnapped during the day in Hamas-Fatah rivalries: Fatah’s Brig. Gen. Sayyid Shaban, head of the PA National Security Forces in central Gaza (quickly released); senior Hamas cmdr. Ashraf Firwana; 2 teenage children of a Fatah col.; a senior Fatah official; a Fatah municipal official. A Fatah mbr. dies of injuries received in the latest round of intra-Palestinian fighting. Fighting also spreads to Nablus, where Fatah mbrs. kidnap, quickly release several Hamas mbrs. In Jabaliya r.c., PFLP mbrs., Islamist parties hold a sit-in to protest the ongoing Palestinian violence. In Ramallah, AMB mbrs. kidnap, kill an alleged Palestinian collaborator with Israel. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/29; OCHA 1/31; PCHR 2/1; AIC 2/13)

The Israeli navy fires on a Palestinian fishing boat off the Rafah coast, arrests 3 fishermen. IDF troops on the central Gaza border fire on 3 unarmed Palestinians attempting to sneak into Israel to find work, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding and arresting 2; sends bulldozers, tanks 150 m into Gaza e. of Dayr al-Balah to level, excavate land. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian barn killing animals inside, an irrigation system, and heavily damages 3 greenhouses nr. Nablus; conducts arrest raids, house searches in ‘Azun, Bayt Fajjar. Jewish settlers fr. Ma’ale Adumim severely beat a 16-yr.-old Palestinian. Some 40 masked Palestinian gunmen raid a vacant beach resort at a fmr. Israeli settlement site in Gaza owned by Fatah strongman Dahlan, overpowering the few Palestinian security guards watching the site, blowing up a reception hall, stating, without being specific, that they are sending Dahlan a message; no one is injured. ESF, Fatah mbrs. exchange fire outside the Bayt Hanun hospital, causing no injuries. In Gaza City, gunfire erupts btwn. guards outside the Palestinian Electricity Company offices and some 50 Palestinians demonstrating against recent power outages, leaving 1 Palestinian wounded. In Nablus, AMB mbrs. temporarily detain a French diplomat and his 2 body guards, set fire to their car initially suspecting them of being an IDF undercover unit. (OCHA, WT 1/24; PCHR 1/25)

Israel closes the Rafah border to prevent Haniyeh fr. returning to Gaza, alleging that Haniyeh’s delegation intended to bring in some $30 m. in cash donations collected during his 16-day regional tour. In response, 10s of Hamas mbrs. raid the Rafah crossing, exchanging fire with expelling Presidential Guard mbrs. guarding the post, occupying the transit hall on the Palestinian side of the border, later trading fire with Egyptian border police, leaving 15 Palestinians (mostly Hamas mbrs.) injured. Late in the evening, Israel allows Haniyeh to cross Rafah without the money, which is escorted to the Arab League by 2 Hamas officials under an arrangement brokered by Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Sulayman. Suspected Fatah mbrs. fire on Haniyeh’s convoy as it crosses into Gaza in an apparent assassination attempt, killing Haniyeh’s bodyguard, wounding his son and a political adviser, more than 10 other Palestinians; Hamas accuses fmr. PA security chief and powerful Fatah PC mbr. Muhammad Dahlan of orchestrating the attack; Dahlan denies responsibility. Separately in Gaza, PA security forces arrest PRC mbr. Hisham Mukhaymar for participation in the 12/11 shooting death of intelligence official Balusha’s children, sparking an exchange of gunfire btwn. PRC mbrs. and PA security forces. PRC mbrs. later kidnap a PA security officer, saying he would not be released until Mukhaymar is freed. In the West Bank, suspected Fatah gunmen fire on a rally in Balata r.c. marking Hamas’s 19th anniversary, leaving 4 Hamas supporters wounded. Other rallies to mark Hamas’s anniversary are held in Qalqilya, Tulkarm. Meanwhile, the IDF moves tanks, bulldozers 100 m into n. Gaza nr. Bayt Hanun, but no land leveling is reported. Palestinians fire 1 rocket fr. Gaza into Israel in violation of the 11/26 cease-fire, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units in 2 vehicles with Palestinian license plates into ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c. nr. Nablus to ambush, assassinate wanted AMB mbr. Muhammad Zaytawi, wounding 1 woman, 5 children; fires on stone-throwing youths nr. Ariel settlement, fatally shooting a Palestinian bystander; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, Tulkarm (confiscating film fr. journalists covering the incident). (BBC, al-Jazeera, REU 12/14; NYT, WP, WT 12/15; OCHA 12/20; PCHR 12/21)

Senior PRC cmdr. Abu Yusuf Abu Quka (allied with Hamas) is killed in a car bombing in Gaza City; the PRCs blame PA security forces linked to Fatah (specifically to Gaza strongman and PC mbr. Muhammad Dahlan) in collaboration with Israel; the IDF denies involvement. Clashes erupt btwn. PRC mbrs., PA security forces allied with Dahlan at Abu Quka’s funeral later in the day, leaving 3 Palestinians dead, 35 wounded. In light of the 3/30 bombing, the IDF tightens restrictions on Palestinian movement in the n. West Bank, barring Palestinians ages 15–32 fr. crossing checkpoints in the Nablus area; carries out early morning air strikes, fires 10s of shells fr. naval vessels at the n. Gaza no-go zone, a soccer stadium in Gaza City, causing damage to a number of homes but no injuries; makes late-night F-16 air strikes on a hotel under construction nr. Bayt Lahiya, partially destroying it; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron (violently beating a 78-yr.-old Palestinian woman), nr. Nablus. Some 40 Jewish settlers fr. Elon Moreh nr. Nablus (including 2 off-duty IDF soldiers) beat, fire on Palestinian farmers working their fields nr. Salim. (AFP, REU 3/31; HA, JAZ, NYT, WP, WT 4/1; XIN 4/2 in WNC 4/3; MM 4/5; MM, PCHR 4/6; HA 4/16)

The IDF blows up its last posts and observation towers in Gaza, completes removal of its equipment in preparation for a handover to the PA; the only settler or IDF structures left standing are the IDF division headquarters nr. Neve Dekalim, which will be turned over to the PA, and the synagogues (see 9/8). In Gaza, the IDF shoots, wounds a mentally handicapped Palestinian who strays close to a checkpoint outside Khan Yunis. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Aqaba nr. Jenin; patrols in, fires on residential areas of Qabatya. In Gaza City, 1,000s of Palestinians attend Musa Arafat’s funeral; Abbas was expected to address the ceremony but does not attend because of the high number of gunmen present. The PRCs issue a further statement on the assassination, restating that the PRCs as an organization are not responsible but that some PRC mbrs. as individuals carried out the plot, which the PRCs claim was orchestrated by PA Civil Affairs M Muhammad Dahlan. (HA 9/9; NYT, WP, WT 9/10; PCHR 9/15)

The IDF seals the West Bank, Gaza until 4/24 for the Passover holiday; bars Palestinian traffic on the main north–south Gaza road for the day; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah and in Balata r.c. (exchanging fire with Palestinians, wounding 2), Dahariyya nr. Hebron, Jenin (targeting Islamic Jihad mbrs.) and nearby Araba, Saida nr. Tulkarm; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, international activists nonviolently protesting the separation wall nr. Ramallah, injuring 4 Palestinians, 2 internationals. Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb nr. an IDF patrol nr. the Qarni crossing, lightly injuring 3 soldiers. In Gaza City, 100s of PA police officers loyal to Civil Affairs M Muhammad Dahlan gather outside police headquarters in a show of force, to protest Abbas’s plans to forcibly retire some mbrs. of the security services. (AP 4/22; OCHA 4/27; PCHR 4/28)

The IDF shells residential areas of Dayr al-Balah, killing a 3-yr.-old Palestinian girl outside her home; assassinates Hamas mbr. Mahir Abu Sunayna, firing on his car as he drives in Qalqilya, wounding and arresting 2 AMB mbrs. riding with him, wounding a 15-yr.-old bystander; fires on residential areas of Rafah. Nr. Khan Yunis; 100 Jewish settlers protesting the deployment of PA security forces clash with PA officers, IDF soldiers, and Israeli police; slash PA and IDF jeep tires; 5 settlers are arrested. Palestinians fire 2 mortars at Sederot, causing no damage or injuries. (JAZ 1/26; PCHR, WP, WT 1/27; OCHA, PR 2/2; PCHR 2/3)

Sharon adviser Dov Weisglass, PA Negotiation Affairs M Saeb Erakat,Abbas security adviser Muhammad Dahlan hold the 1st high-level public political talks since Israel suspended contacts on 1/13 to begin planning for an Abbas-Sharon mtg. (BBC 1/26; HA, NYT, WP, WT, XIN 1/27; NYT 1/29; al-Ra’i, VOP 1/30 in WNC 1/31; PR 2/2)

Within hrs. of Arafat’s death, the PC, in keeping with the Basic Law, formally swears in PC speaker Rawhi Fattuh as interim head of the PA until elections are organized within the next 60 days;Qurai‘ maintains the position of PM, responsible for daily PA operations. Qaddumi is elected as head of Fatah by the 15-mbr. Fatah Central Comm. Abbas is voted head of the PLO by the PLO Exec. Comm. The State Dept. says that it is prepared to help the Palestinians hold elections if asked; says that Israel still must carry out Gaza disengagement. France sends Arafat’s body off to Egypt with full military honors. Throughout the day, Palestinians across the territories rally, demonstrate in honor of Arafat. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/11; JAZ, VOI, VOP 11/11 in WNC 11/13; MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/12)

The IDF raids Shaykh Ajlin, exchanging fire with armed Palestinians (leaving 1 Palestinian dead), shelling residential areas (killing 2 Palestinian civilians, wounding 7), bulldozing 120 d.; fatally shoots an Egyptian who apparently infiltrated into Gaza fr. Egypt; fatally shoots 3 Palestinians (at least 2 of them armed) s. of Netzarim; fires on stone-throwing Palestinians in Bayt Omar nr. Hebron, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 10; fires on stone-throwing Palestinians protesting the separation wall nr. Jayyus, wounding 2 with live ammunition; fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus. Some 100 AMB mbrs. (some armed and masked) outside Arafat’s headquarters in Ramallah call for an investigation into Arafat’s death and rumors he was poisoned by Israeli agents, chant slogans denouncing Abbas, fmr. PA security chief Muhammad Dahlan as agents for the CIA. Israeli border police disperse 100s of Palestinians conducting nationalist marches in East Jerusalem in memory of Arafat. In Haifa, Israeli police disperse some 100 Israeli Palestinians holding a candlelight vigil for Arafat, detain a woman carrying a Palestinian flag. ( JP, VOI, YA 11/11 in WNC 11/13; HA 11/17; PCHR 11/18)

The IDF conducts overnight arrest raids in Qalqilya, targeting the PFLP, exchanging gunfire with some wanted men, leaving 1 Palestinian injured; conducts other arrest raids in Nablus, Tamun; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Balata r.c.; arrests Hebron’s Shaykh Taysir Tamimi after Friday prayers on charges of incitement. The IDF also releases 73 Palestinian prisoners, including 1 woman, most of whom were convicted of being in Israel illegally. Israel eases restrictions on Bethlehem Palestinians’ entry into Israel, says it will allow 2 colleges in Hebron to reopen. (HA, MM8/15; HA 8/18)

Dahlan accepts Mofaz’s proposal to redeploy fr. Jericho and Qalqilya. Israel agrees to consider redeployment fr. Ramallah, Tulkarm. (HA 8/15; HA, NYT, WP, WT 8/16)

Israeli warplanes fly low-level sorties over Syrian pres. Bashar al-Asad’s summer palace in Latakia, on the Syrian coast, as a warning that he must curb Hizballah actions in Lebanon. (HA 8/17)

The IDF surrounds, fires on, then shells a car workshop where Islamic Jihad Hebron leader Muhammad Sidr (whom Israel attempted to assassinate in 12/01) is staying, killing him in an apparent assassination; demolishes the Nablus home of the 2d 8/12 suicide bomber. The PSF raids Shati r.c. in Gaza in search of Islamic Jihad mbrs. suspected of detonating a bomb outside PSF offices on 8/13; the raid sparks an exchange of gunfire that leaves 7 Palestinians, including bystanders, wounded; 1 senior Islamic Jihad mbr. is arrested. Islamic Jihad accuses the PA of complicity in Sidr’s assassination. (BBC, HA, MM, PCHR 8/14; NYT, WP, WT 8/15)

Mofaz meets with Dahlan, reiterates Israel’s proposal to turn over control of Jericho, Qalqilya; says it will accelerate the transfer of another city if the PA accepts. (HA, MM 8/15) (see 7/30)

Israeli warplanes break the sound barrier over Lebanon’s Biqa‘ Valley. Hizballah, after not responding for several days to the flights, fires antiaircraft missiles at them, but directs the missiles northward, to ensure that no shrapnel falls in Israeli territory. (HA 8/15)

The IDF conducts arrest raids in Hebron (targeting Hamas, Islamic Jihad); fires on farmers working their fields nr. Khan Yunis, forcing them to leave; makes incursions in Nablus; sends troops into Ramallah to halt a marked al-Ayyam vehicle, arrests 4 Palestinian journalists; announces that it has arrested 3 PFLP mbrs. in recent days for plotting an attack on IDF forces in the West Bank. Hamas, Islamic Jihad say their cease-fire may have to be reassessed if the U.S. fails to urge Israel to halt construction of the separation wall. (AP 7/30; PCHR 8/7)

Dahlan, Mofaz discuss IDF redeployment fr. Jericho (where the IDF has no presence) and Qalqilya (encircled by the separation wall, with 1 IDF checkpoint providing entry, exit). Dahlan rejects the offer as hollow. (HA, IDF Radio, MA, MM, NYT, YA 7/31; VOI 7/31 in WNC 8/1)

Mbrs. of the AMB’s Jenin faction pull Jenin mayor Haidar Irshayd fr. his car, beat and kidnap him, alleging he is corrupt and has collaborated with Israel, demanding the PA put him on trial; they release Irshayd after receiving a call fr. an aid to Arafat. Meanwhile, Dahlan announces that the PSF has begun “a large-scale campaign” to bring security to Gaza; the DFLP reports that the PSF has arrested 2 of its mbrs. The IDF fires at a Palestinian farmer who attempts to plant agricultural land previously bulldozed by the IDF, damaging his tractor, forcing him off the land. (XIN 7/19 in WNC 7/22; NYT, WP, WT 7/20; MM 7/21; PCHR 7/24)

In Gaza City, PA workers begin whitewashing graffiti praising Palestinian militants as part of the road map’s requirements to halt incitement. The PA announces that as of 7/7 it will ban the firing of guns at wedding celebrations, confiscating guns of violators; will begin inspecting cars for licenses and ownership, reportedly in an effort to confiscate and return vehicles stolen fr. Israel. Israel approves the entry to Israel of 1,500 Palestinian workers, 1,500 Palestinian merchants fr. the Bethlehem area. The Israeli cabinet votes (13-9, with 1 abstention) to release some 300 Palestinian prisoners in the coming days; most will be administrative detainees who are children under age 18 or women over 60; none will be mbrs. of Hamas, Islamic Jihad; each prisoner’s case will be reviewed by a monitoring comm. The PA says that the release would be too small to generate support for Abbas. Mofaz holds what he describes as “very positive” talks with Dahlan regarding further transfers of cities to PA control. Dahlan warns that if Israel blanketly excludes all prisoners fr. Palestinian opposition groups fr. release, it would undermine Abbas. Mofaz reportedly says that Israel agrees in principle to the PA rebuilding, reopening Gaza airport. Meanwhile, the IDF halts, searches an ambulance at a checkpoint nr. Qalqilya, arrests a seriously ill Palestinian patient being transported to the hospital for emergency surgery. (MM, NYT 7/7; VOI 7/7, HJ 7/9 in WNC 7/11; NYT 7/8; AYM 7/8 in WNC 7/10; PR 7/9; PCHR, WJW 7/10; MEI, PRCS 7/11; JPI 7/18)

The IDF completes its redeployment fr. Bayt Hanun, opens Gaza’s main north– south road to joint patrols with the PSF, removes many roadblocks and checkpoints in n. Gaza. Nr. Nablus, AMB gunmen ambush, fatally shoot a Bulgarian who works at a nearby Jewish settlement; the AMB has not signed on to the Hamas–Islamic Jihad–Fatah cease-fire. Israel acknowledges that for several days, police have been escorting Jews on tours of the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, despite the government’s failure to reach an agmt. on such visits with the Waqf; the holy site was closed to non-Muslims after Sharon’s controversial visit to the site in 9/01 that sparked the current intifada. Israeli authorities inform residents of Bayt Iqsa, northwest of Jerusalem, that 14,000 dunams of their communal land will be expropriated for construction of a new Jewish settlement to be called Alona. (BBC, HA, MM 6/30; MM, WP 7/1; PR, WT 7/2; AYM 7/2, al-Quds 7/3, MENA 7/4 in WNC 7/10; PCHR 7/3; REU 7/4; PR 7/9; HA 7/14)

Dahlan, Gilad finalize details for an IDF redeployment fr. Bethlehem, which they set to begin on 7/2. (HA 6/30; HA, NYT, WP 7/1)

The IDF arrests an ailing Palestinian being transported by ambulance to Jordan (with the permission of Israeli, Jordanian authorities) for treatment. The IDF also fires on residential areas of Abasan, Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids in Nablus, Tulkarm. Palestinians fire 5 mortars at Gush Katif, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, NYT 6/29; JP 7/2 in WNC 7/10; PCHR 7/3)

Rice holds talks with Abbas, Dahlan in Jericho on her 1st visit as Bush’s personal envoy on the peace process. (HA 6/28; NYT, WT 6/29; MM 6/30; NYT 7/1; PR 7/2)

The IDF opens fire on stone-throwing youths in Askar r.c., killing 1 Palestinian; bars a Palestinian heart attack victim fr. crossing a checkpoint to reach a hospital, allowing him to die; places a curfew on villages northwest of Nablus, patrols streets, firing in the air; fires on stone-throwing youths in Askar r.c., injuring 2; fires on residential areas of Hebron, Tulkarm; fires at Palestinians at a roadblock outside Dayr al-Balah for no apparent reason, causing no injuries; demolishes 7 Palestinian homes and 11 greenhouses, bulldozes 57 dunams of land in Rafah; demolishes 3 Palestinian homes, a bird farm, and 3 greenhouses, bulldozes 52 dunams of land in Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids outside Ramallah. (HA 6/14; VOI 6/14 in WNC 6/17; PM, WP 6/15; HP 6/16; LAW, PCHR 6/19)

Israeli DMin. security negotiations coordinator Amos Gilad, PA Security Affairs M Muhammad Dahlan meet in Ramallah to discuss Israel’s proposal to turn over security control for n. Gaza to the PA. (NYT, WP 6/15; JP 6/15 in WNC 6/17; NYT 6/16; PR 6/18)