Saturday, March 11, 2006

The IDF seals crossings into the West Bank and Gaza through 3/15 for the Purim holidays; tightens restrictions on Palestinian movement btwn. Hebron and Bethlehem; shells the n. Gaza no-go zone in response to Palestinians firing a rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries; bars PC secy. Mahmud al-Ramahi (Change and Reform) fr. traveling to Jordan to attend a conference on the role of parliament mbrs. in democratic government; raids al-Shayukh nr. Hebron, searching homes, forcing 10s of stores to close, firing on stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops (injuring 6); conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Tulkarm and in Hebron (severely beating 2 Palestinians) and nearby Yatta (occupying 4 homes as observation posts); bans the call to prayer fr. the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. Beit Ein nr. Hebron uproot 10s of grape vines, demolish fences surrounding Palestinian agricultural land (IMEMC 3/11; YA 3/12; PCHR 3/16)