Before dawn, 60 IDF tanks encircle and raid Bureij r.c., Dayr al-Balah, Nussayrat r.c. in Gaza, demolishing 2 workshops, a Palestinian home belonging to a suspected militant. The IDF also bulldozes more than 100 dunams of agricultural land in al-Fukhari nr. Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids in Asira Shamaliyya. Israeli police announces that 3 wks. ago, they arrested 3 alleged Hamas mbrs. fr. East Jerusalem on charges of planning to poison food at a Jerusalem café. (WP 9/9; LAW, PCHR 9/11; MEI 9/13)
Israel's Interior M Yishai strips the citizenship of Israeli Arab Nihad Abu Kishak, accused of aiding a suicide bomber and membership in Hamas, the 1st time such a measure has been taken against an Israeli accused of a security offense. (HA 9/9; NYT 9/10; LAW, MM 9/11; MEI 9/13; PR 9/18)
In Ramallah, Arafat opens the 1st full session of the Palestinian Council (PC) since 5/15/02 with an address restating the PA's recognition of Israel, commitment to the peace process, condemnation of suicide bombings, opposition to "all types of terrorism, whether it is state terror or individual terror." (Gazan PC mbrs. attend by video link after Sharon bars 12 fr. traveling to Ramallah for "security reasons," citing their "involvement in terror.") Israel dismisses the statement, saying he did not specifically condemn suicide bombings for harming civilians, did not call for a complete halt to violence. The U.S. say the speech as weak, "we've seen remarks like that before," the Palestinians deserve a better leadership. (AP, HA, MM, WP, WT 9/9; MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/10; AYM, al-Quds 9/10 in WNC 9/11; AP, MM 9/11; MEI 9/13; JT 9/13 in WNC 9/16; MEI 9/27; Globe and Mail 11/12)