January 12, 2006

An IDF undercover unit enters Jenin, fatally shooting Islamic Jihad mbr. Azmi Abu Khalil, arresting a 2d, while a 3d Islamic Jihad mbr., Ali Abu Hizma, detonates an explosive device as troops move in, killing only himself. The IDF also shells the n. Gaza no-go zone, causing no injuries; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Tulkarm and nr. Bethlehem, Ramallah. The IDF arrests 5 Jewish settlers who attack troops dismantling an unauthorized settlement outpost nr. Gush Etzion. Jewish settlers fr. Avraham Avino angry over IDF plans to evacuate settlers from the Hebron market and fr. the northern West Bank unauthorized outpost of Amona (established ca. 1997; 25 families) set fire to 2 Palestinian homes, damage 2 Palestinian cars in Hebron. AMB gunmen fire on the Ramallah home of PA Interior M Nasr Yusuf, the PC building; 1 body guard, 2 family mbrs., 1 attacker are wounded in the exchange. Separately, 3 AMB gunmen conduct a drive-by shooting on the Interior Min. headquarters in Ramallah, causing no injuries; PA police pursue their vehicle, arrest them. (AP, HA, IMEMC, JAZ 1/12; IMEMC, NYT 1/13; HA 1/15; PCHR 1/19)