In Ramallah, IDF commandos assassinate senior Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) mbr. Muhammad Saadat, brother of PFLP head Ahmad Saadat; the IDF also raids Tulkarm r.c., fatally shoots wanted tanzim mbr. Afsam Salima in an apparent assassination. A Hamas sniper fatally shoot an IDF soldier nr. Gadid settlement in retaliation for the IDF sniper shooting of a Hamas mbr. a wk. ago; IDF forces in the area return fire killing a 15-yr.-old Palestinian bystander. IDF also shells Khan Yunis, Tulkarm r.c. (killing 1 Palestinian); raids Dayr al-Balah (conducting house-to-house searches), Jenin r.c. (firing live ammunition and tank shells at stone throwers, injuring 5), al-Yamun (occupying 2 Palestinian homes). (MM 8/20; HA, LAW, NYT, PCHR, WP 8/21; PCHR 8/26; MEI 8/30)
Israel's American PR consultants urge Israel, American Jewish groups to adhere to a new PR strategy based on equating Israeli and U.S. values, not attacking PA head Yasir Arafat directly, being more hopeful. The changes come as a result of polls showing that Americans are increasingly blaming both sides in the conflict. (JTA 8/20)