Sunday, February 24, 2002

IDF soldiers fire at the car of Palestinian Council (PC) speaker and senior PA negotiator Ahmad Qurai` as it approaches a West Bank checkpoint. Qurai` is unharmed; Israel apologizes for the error. IDF soldiers at a checkpoint in Nablus shoot, wound a pregnant Palestinian woman, not knowing that she, her husband had been given IDF approval to pass through the checkpoint to reach a hospital where she could give birth. The IDF directs heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Balata, Rafah. (AFP 2/24; AFP, NYT, WP 2/25; PCHR 2/27; WJW 2/28)

The Israeli inner cabinet votes (12-0, with 3 abstaining) to loosen the tank cordon around Arafat's Ramallah headquarters, allow him to leave the compound, but require him to seek Sharon's permission if he wishes to leave the city. The PA says the decision has little positive effect, the requirement for permission is insulting. In protest, the PA cancels today's the trilateral security comm. mtg.; refuses Sharon's request to meet with Arafat senior adviser Mahmud Abbas, Qurai`, Rashid. (HA 2/24; RMC 2/24 in WNC 2/25; JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/25; AYM, DUS, SA 2/25 in WNC 2/26; AKH, JT, MENA, al-Quds 2/26 in WNC 2/27; WT 3/2)