Sunday, March 21, 2010

Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF responds with an air strike on a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF fatally shoots 2 Palestinian farmers in a field nr. Nablus who allegedly tried to attack soldiers with an ax and pitchforks; there are no independent witnesses to the incident. The IDF also announces plans to seize 49 d. of Palestinian land in Beitunia for construction of a new checkpoint on Route 443 as a step to reopening the road to Palestinian traffic in accordance with an Israeli High Court ruling; conducts late-night house searches in al-Bireh but makes no arrests. A Palestinian dies of head injuries sustained in clashes with the IDF in Iraq Burin on 3/20. (NYT, WP, WT 3/20; OCHA, PCHR 3/25)