January 7, 2004

IDF soldiers on missions to arrest wanted Palestinians fatally shoot 2 AMB mbrs. in Nablus, 1 Hamas mbr. in Tulkarm in what may be assassinations. IDF troops guarding a Jewish settlement in Gaza fire on residential areas of Rafah, fatally shooting a Palestinian inside his home. The IDF also conducts arrest raids in Nablus and nearby ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c. (MM, REU, PRCS 1/7; JP, VOP, YA 1/7 in WNC 1/9; LAW, NYT, WP 1/8; PCHR 1/9, 1/15)

Hamas spiritual leader Shaykh Ahmad Yasin says that Hamas could accept a “temporary peace” or renewable “long-term truce” with Israel in exchange for creation of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. (HA, MM 1/9; JP, VOI 1/9 in WNC 1/13; al-Majallah [London] 1/11 in WNC 1/21) (see 12/10)