Obama’s senior Middle East adviser Dennis Ross and acting U.S. special envoy to the peace process David Hale make an unannounced visit to the region in effort “to find a formula for talks that would entice the Palestinians to drop their bid for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state” at the UN in 9/2011. (NYT 6/17)
Overnight, the IDF carries out an air strike on a smuggling tunnel on the c. Gaza border with Israel in retaliation for the 6/15 rocket fire, causing no reported injuries. During the day, unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket toward Israel, but it lands inside Gaza, hitting a Palestinian home nr. al-Maghazi r.c., injuring 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, the IDF raids the Hebron home of Hamas-affiliated PC mbr. Samir al-Qadi and arrests him. The IDF also patrols in 5 villages nr. Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Tulkarm during the day and in Jericho, 3 villages nr. Salfit, and 1 nr. Ramallah late at night; raids an auto repair shop in Nabi Elias nr. Qalqilya during the day, questioning but not arresting 2 Palestinians; and conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. The IDF also escorts Jewish settlers into Kafr Haris to pray at a religious site. (NYT, WP 6/17; PCHR 6/23; OCHA 6/24)