During the day, the IDF sends undercover units in a car with Palestinian license plates into Qalqilya to arrest 3 Palestinians; patrols in Aida r.c. nr. Bethlehem; issues military orders seizing 30 d. of Palestinian agricultural land nr. Hebron. Late in the evening, the IDF for the 1st time since the Gaza disengagement makes a major ground incursion into n. Gaza to prevent rocket fire, sending undercover troops to ambush and kill 3 Islamic Jihad mbrs. nr. the fmr. settlement of Dugit, immediately withdrawing to Israel afterward; minutes after the withdrawal an IDF helicopter fires missiles on the same area, wounding 4 Palestinian medics, 2 journalists covering the incident; soon after, helicopters fire on the area a 2d time, killing a PA security officer checking the area, wounding a bystander. The IDF also conducts late night arrest raids, house searches in al-Bireh (searching the home of Change and Reform mbr. and PC dep. secy. ‘Aziz Kayid, confiscating computer disks) and nr. Bethlehem, Qalqilya; sends undercover units into Balata r.c. (exchanging fire with wanted Palestinians, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 4) and Qabatya (firing on 4 wanted Palestinians without warning, assassinating Islamic Jihad mbr. Tariq Zakarna, wounding 3). (MM, NYT, WT 5/30; PCHR 6/1)
Monday, May 29, 2006