Wednesday, November 19, 2003

The IDF continues operations in Rafah, bulldozing 2 shops, 2 greenhouses; fires on residential areas of Gaza City; conducts house searches, arrest raids in villages around Ramallah, in Salfit. An IDF soldier dies of injuries received in the 9/9 Rishon Letzion suicide bombing, bringing that toll to 9. The Palestinian Authority (PA) Preventive Security Forces (PSF) arrests 1 of its own officers in connection with the fatal shooting of 2 IDF soldiers on 11/18. Palestinians fire 3 mortars at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing light damage, no injuries. (JP, MM 11/19; VOI, YA 11/19 in WNC 11/21; PCHR, WP 11/20; PCHR 12/4)

A joint task force comprising the Jewish Agency, Israeli government, IDF announces plans to invest tens of millions of dollars in a project to bring Jewish Diaspora youths (ages 18–26) to Israel for yr.-long visits aimed at “reinforcing Jewish identity and Zionist feelings in the Diaspora.” The goal is to bring 20% of Jewish Diaspora youths to Israel by 2010, in hopes that 30% of those would eventually immigrate. (HA 11/19)