Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Khan Yunis, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Nablus at night; patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron and in Tulkarm and 1 nearby village in the afternoon, and in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Ramallah at night. Jewish settlers destroy more than 50 olive trees nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces enter Haram al-Sharif and clashes break out with Palestinian worshippers, wounding 4 with rubber-coated metal bullets. (MNA 3/16; PCHR 3/20)
PA Pres. Abbas meets with U.S. Secy. of State Kerry in Washington, where, according to an unnamed State Dept. official, Kerry urges him “to make the tough decisions that will be necessary” before the 4/29 deadline for the peace negotiations. The same official describes the talks as “frank and productive.” (REU, HA 3/16)
A suicide car bomb attack kills 4 people in al-Nabi Othman, a Lebanese village nr. the Syrian border. The dead include 2 Hizballah mbrs. Jabhat al-Nusra Front in Lebanon claims responsibility on Twitter. (AFP 3/16)
