Israel orders borders with Gaza sealed after an early warning system detects a rocket launch fr. Gaza into Israel, but later admits that the system malfunctioned and no rocket was fired; the seal is lifted. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Bethlehem, and nr. Hebron (raiding 2 Palestinian colleges, detaining 27 students for questioning); demolishes 36 structures (approx. 23 dwellings and 13 animal pens) belonging to bedouin families in Mughayyir al-Dir, outside Ramallah and adjacent to Mitzpe Dani settlement outpost, displacing 97 individuals (including 51 children), on the grounds that the structures were built in a closed military zone. Jewish settler girls (ages 12–17) stone Israeli border police demolishing an “illegal structure” in Givat Harsina outpost in Hebron, injuring 2 officers; the girls are arrested. Hamas releases 17 Fatah mbrs. fr. detention in Gaza, saying they are the only political prisoners being held and are being freed as a gesture to Fatah before national unity talks set to open in Cairo on 11/9 (see 10/20). (OCHA, REU, YA 10/30; YA 11/2; XIN 11/5; OCHA 11/5; PCHR 11/6)
Thursday, October 30, 2008