In response to the Aley Sinai raid on 10/2, the Israeli inner cabinet suspends cease-fire implementation, security coordination with the PA; cancels planned mtgs. of the trilateral security comm., btwn. Peres and PC speaker Qurai`; authorizes the IDF to resume initiated actions against Palestinians, possibly including assassinations; demands that Arafat immediately arrest "militants." The State Dept. says that to maintain calm and restore trust, the PA must take "preventive action" to preclude attacks, Israel must halt incursions into PA-controlled territory and house demolitions. DM Ben-Eliezer says Israel will not resume cease-fire talks until the PA has "reined in terror." (al-Haq press release, JP [Internet], MEZ, MM, REU 10/3; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/4; HP 10/5; LAW 10/10; JP, MEI 10/12; LAW 10/13)
The IDF sends tanks, armored bulldozers into Gaza to carve out a 1-mi. buffer zone around Aley Sinai, flattening 100 dunums of Bayt Lahia's agricultural land, demolishing 7 PSF posts, and shelling a PSF jeep, killing 4 PSF officers, 2 Palestinian farmers. Some 6,000 Palestinians turn out for the funeral of 1 of the Hamas mbrs. who perpetrated the 10/2 raid. Elsewhere, Palestinian gunmen open fire on Jewish settlers celebrating Sukkoth in Hebron, wounding 2; fire on a vehicle nr. French Hill settlement in East Jerusalem, wounding 2 settlers. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Hebron, Satih Marhaba; occupies the roof of a Palestinian home in Hebron as an observation post; sets up 3 new checkpoints in East Jerusalem. (al-Haq press release, JP [Internet], MEZ, MM, REU 10/3; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/4; HP 10/5; LAW 10/10; JP, MEI 10/12; LAW 10/13)
The PFLP elects Ahmad Sadat as its new gen. secy., replacing Mustafa, who was assassinated by the IDF on 8/27. (PFLP press release 10/3)
Hizballah fires mortars at 2 IDF positions in Shaba` Farms, causing no injuries. (MM, WT 10/4; SAF 10/5 in WNC 10/9; MM 10/22)