Lebanese troops take up posts in Jazzin for the
1st time since it was evacuated by the SLA in 6/99. (MM 9/18, 9/19)
Israeli-Palestinian clashes taper of dramatically, but incidents
are still reported. The IDF fatally shoots 1 Palestinian nr.
Nablus; demolishes equipment, buildings in the Gaza port; fires on 6 Palestinian
schools in Hebron, injuring 11 students, parents. (MM, NYT, PR, WP, WT 9/19;
ATL, Interfax 9/19 in WNC 9/20; WJW 9/20; SA 9/20 in WNC 9/26; Jerusalem
Times, WP 9/21; MEI 9/28; LAW 9/29)
Under extreme pressure fr. the U.S., Israel agrees to pull
tanks, troops out of and away fr. PA-controlled areas (including Jinin), halt
assassinations. Arafat orders the PSF to use "maximum
self-restraint," hold their fire even if attacked; threatens opposition groups
with harsh reprisals if they stage any attacks inside Israel. Sharon
still demands 48 hrs. of complete quiet before he will authorize Peres-Arafat
talks.
1 Palestinian killed. 3 Israelis killed.
The IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian
at a roadblock, claiming he attempted to run over soldiers; conducts
house-to-house searches in Rafah, bulldozing 1 Palestinian home, firing
on a UN delegation touring earlier damage; bulldozes 2 Palestinian
homes in Abu Dis, belonging to the families of suicide bombers; demolishes
34 residential units in a General Union of Palestinian Workers housing
project in `Ayn Sinya nr. Ramallah; fires on residential areas of Bayt Hanun,
barring an ambulance fr. retrieving at least 1 injured Palestinian; bulldozes,
paves over 5 dunams of agricultural land nr. Khan Yunis for a new settler bypass
road. (AP, JTA, LAW, PCHR, REU 9/18; HA,
NYT, WP, WT 9/19; QA 9/19 in WNC 9/20; MM 9/20; NYT 9/21; MM 9/24; PCHR, PR
9/25; MEI 9/27; WT 10/26)
In the 1st bombing since 8/4/02, an Islamic Jihad suicide bomber
detonates a device at a bus stop in a Umm al-Fahm in Israel, killing 1
Israeli policeman, wounding a 2d policeman, 1 Israeli Arab. An AMB gunman
ambushes a Jewish settler vehicle nr. Jenin, killing 1 Jewish settler,
injuring a Rumanian worker; a 2d Jewish settler is found murdered in East
Jerusalem; an alleged Palestinian collaborator is found murdered,
apparently by Hamas. According to the IDF, Palestinians fire 3 antitank missiles
at an IDF post nr. Rafah, causing no damage.
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF fatally shoots wanted Hamas Nussayrat r.c. leader Jihad Abu
Sawarih when he allegedly resists arrest; 3 IDF soldiers are injured in the
operation, at least 1 by a 2d Hamas mbr. who fires on them. The IDF also
sends troops into Jenin, allegedly to look for weapons, imposes a 24-hr. curfew
in an operation that is expected to last several days; uproots some trees,
bulldozes some land in Khan Yunis. (HA, MM 9/18; WP, WT 9/19; PR 9/24; PCHR 9/25)
In Gaza, the PSF arrests 7 Hamas
mbrs. in connection with the kidnapping of a PSF officer on 9/17; Hamas
supporters throw rocks at, exchange gunfire with PSF officers, leaving 5
Palestinians injured. The PSF later releases the 7 Hamas mbrs. in exchange for
the kidnapped PSF officer.
The IDF fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest raids,
house searches in Nablus and in and around Hebron, Jenin; bulldozes 7 d. in Wadi
al-Silqa. (VOI 9/18 in WNC 9/21; HA 9/19; VOP 9/19 in WNC 9/21; PCHR 9/23)
A Palestinian woman attempts, fails to stab an IDF soldier
at a checkpoint outside Nablus, is arrested. Palestinians in Issawiyya
demonstrate against the IDF confiscation of 1,000 d. for construction of the
separation wall around Jerusalem, the expansion of Ma’ale Adumim.
The IDF bulldozes Palestinian land n. of Bayt Hanun, some 200 m.
inside Gaza, as part of a plan (drafted before disengagement) to create a buffer
zone controlled by the IDF along the n. Gaza border. In the West Bank, the
IDF patrols in, fires on residential areas of Nablus; imposes a curfew on
Budrus nr. Ramallah, patrolling streets, searching homes. Jewish settlers
fr. Ramat Yishai throw stones, bottles, rotten vegetables at Palestinian homes
in Hebron. (JP, REU 9/18; AP, XIN 9/19; PCHR 9/22; HA 9/25)
A 5-day summit on Israeli-Palestinian issues opens in Israel attended by
17 mainline Protestant and Jewish officials. The summit, organized by
American Jewish groups, is aimed at convincing Americans to halt steps toward
divestment following a move a yr. ago by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
to consider divesting church funds fr. 6 corporations undertaking activities
that support the Israeli occupation. The World Council of Churches issued
similar recommendations to its mbrs. in 2/05, followed by the United Church
of Christ in 7/05, raising serious concerns in Israel and among U.S. Jewish
groups. Evangelical Christian groups were not invited to these mtgs., as they
are already considered solidly supportive of Israel. (WT 9/17)
In Gaza City, 10,000 Hamas supporters attend a military-style
victory parade celebrating disengagement, displaying RPGs, rockets, assault
rifles. Also in Gaza City, PA security forces and Hamas mbr.
intervene to stop the kidnapping of 1 American, 1 Palestinian journalist
by unknown militants.
1 Palestinian killed.
In Gaza, the IDF sends troops, bulldozers into Abasan nr. Khan Yunis, firing
on residential areas, leveling land, withdrawing in the evening; makes an air
strike destroying a house in al-Shuka after warning the residents to leave. In
the West Bank, the IDF raids Sanur nr. Jenin, surrounds and evacuates a
Palestinian home, fatally shoots wanted AMB mbr. Nabil Hanani in an apparent
assassination; patrols in al-Fara‘a r.c. nr. Jenin, firing on stone-throwing
youths who confront them, wounding 4; conducts arrest raids, house searches in
and around Nablus, nr. Bethlehem; issues military orders for the construction of
a new 4,500-m section of the separation wall s. of Qalqilya that will isolate
2,000 d. of Palestinian agricultural land btwn. the wall and the Green Line. An
Israeli military court extends the remand of 21 Hamas-affiliated PA legislators
detained on 6/28–29. (AP, REU,
WP 9/18; NYT 9/19; HA, PCHR 9/21)
In Gaza City, striking PA civil servants mob the PC
building, prevent Haniyeh fr. attending a cabinet mtg. there, prompting his
bodyguards to fire in the air to ensure his safety; Haniyeh cancels the PC
session, set to talk about economic problems, after Fatah PC mbrs. leave the
building to join the strikers. Later in the day, Hamas supporters hold a large
counterdemonstration in Gaza City in support of Haniyeh’s government.
2 Palestinians killed. 1 Israeli killed.
Overnight, the IDF makes a major
incursion into `Ayn Bayt al-Ma’a r.c. to arrest Hamas and PFLP
mbrs., imposing a round-the-clock curfew, firing on residential areas, occupying several homes as military outposts, moving from building to building by breaking
through walls (50 homes and 2 shops are damaged by the time the operation ends
on 9/21), clashing with local gunmen, leaving 1 armed Palestinian, 1 IDF soldier dead. At dawn, Palestinians fr. neighboring Nablus obey calls from local
mosques to march to the camp to force a lifting of the siege; when some throw
stones at troops, the IDF responds with live fire, mortally wounding a 17-yr.-old
Palestinian, barring ambulances from reaching the scene, allowing him to bleed to death; 4 other Palestinians are wounded. The IDF also conducts
arrest raids, house searches in and around Bethlehem, nr. Hebron; issues a
military order confiscating 523 d. of Palestinian land in al-Khadir and Artas
nr. Bethlehem for expansion of Efrat settlement. (NYT, OCHA 9/19; NYT, PCHR 9/20)
US. Secy. of State Condoleeza Rice begins the 1st of 3 visits to the region this quarter for
talks with Olmert, Abbas in preparation for Bush’s proposed fall peace
conference, now tentatively set for 11/15 in Washington. She returns to Washington on 9/20. (WP 9/18; WT 9/19; see also IFM, WT 10/17)
Haniyeh meets with Islamic
Jihad leaders in Gaza to ask them to halt rocket fire into Israel during Ramadan, which ends ca. 10/13, but no agmt. is reached; Damascus-based
Hamas leader Khalid Mishal intends to hold similar talks with Islamic Jihad
leaders in Syria in the next few days. In Gaza City, Hamas and Islamic
Jihad mbrs. armed with sticks and axes clash when Hamas mbrs. reportedly
attempt to take over the Islamic Jihad–run Asqalan Mosque; 3 Palestinians are
injured.
Seven Palestinians from the West Bank towns of Nablus, Bethlehem, Hebron and Ramallah were detained by Israeli troops. Israeli forces also detained Ra'ed Fayez Saleh Emteir, a resident of Al-Eizariya village near Jerusalem. Soldiers surrounded his house and raided a store he owned, destroying property. Mr. Ra'ed, affiliated with Fatah, had been released earlier after a six-month detention. (IMEMC, Ma'an News Agency)
Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won the primary of the Kadima party with 43.1 per cent of the vote, against Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, who won 42 per cent. She was expected to form a new Government with herself as Prime Minister. Saeb Erakat, Head of the Negotiations Affairs Department of the PLO, said that Ms. Livni "was deeply involved in the peace process so we think she will continue peace-seeking with us" and expressed hope that her election would lead to a return to political stability. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum stated that Ms. Livni's election "meant the continuation of Israel's aggressive policies against the Palestinian people." (The Financial Times, Haaretz, Ma'an New Agency, Reuters)
The IDF demolished several structures in the unauthorized outpost of "Yad Yair" near Ramallah, in the West Bank, prompting settler protests throughout the area. The army declared "Yad Yair" a closed military zone and announced that they would arrest anyone who came near the site. Palestinian sources stated that IDF troops had turned back settlers approaching the vicinity of the "Dolev" settlement near Ramallah, who threw stones at Palestinian homes. Palestinian sources indicated that settlers were also throwing stones at Palestinian vehicles on the road between the "Ofra" and "Shilo" settlements. (The Jerusalem Post)
The Israeli High Court of Justice issued a temporary restraining order against the intention of the IDF to tear down structures in the West Bank outpost of "Yad Yair." The order came too late since the IDF forces and Civil Administration officials had already razed the buildings. (Ynetnews)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, head of the United Nations High-level Fact-Finding Mission to Beit Hanoun, reported to the UN Human Rights Council that the shelling by Israel of the town of Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip in November 2006, in which 19 civilians were killed, might constitute a war crime. He criticized the Israeli inquiry that concluded that the shelling was due to a flawed artillery system, stating that the "Israeli response of a largely secret internal military investigation was absolutely unacceptable from both legal and moral points of view." Archbishop Tutu also criticized the international community for "failing to fulfil its role in respect of the suffering of the people of Gaza", saying that "it is the silence of the international community in the face of what is happening there which most offends. This silence begets complicity." He appealed to the Human Rights Council to show the same concern for protecting Israelis from Palestinian attacks as it does for Palestinian suffering under Israeli occupation. (AFP, BBC, Haaretz, IMEMC, The Jerusalem Post, Reuters, Voice of America)
Robert Serry, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General, told the Security Council that 10 months after negotiations were re-launched at Annapolis, the Middle East peace process stood at a crossroads. He said that while there were some positive developments, there were also several factors that caused concern and that the important period ahead must see decisive advances towards peace. Mr. Serry said, "It appears that so far no agreement has been reached on the core issues, however, it also appears that there have been substantive discussions, the potential of which must be built on with a continuation of intensive negotiations." While welcoming Israel's release of 198 Palestinian prisoners, he underlined that over 600 obstacles to movement remained across the West Bank and that actions taken so far to ease closures were insufficient. On the Gaza Strip, Mr. Serry stated that the humanitarian situation remained "extremely grim" but that one piece of positive news was the continuation of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. (www.un.org)
The President of the sixty-third session of UN General Assembly, Fr. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, during a speech in honour of his election, urged the UN to work toward implementing General Assembly resolution 181 (II). He said that the UN should work without delay to fulfil its old obligation of creating an independent Palestinian State. "The greatest failure of the United Nations is the lack of a Palestinian State … Article 22 of the covenant of the League of Nations pledged as a sacred trust to establish a Palestinian State on a Palestinian territory that was part of the Ottoman Empire. At this very moment, people continue to die as a result of our incapacity to implement a resolution adopted more than 61 years ago. As a consequence, today the Palestinian situation it at the lowest, more critical point in its tragic history." (Haaretz)
At least two Palestinians, 19-year-old Ibrahim Zo'rob and 23-year-old Ahmad Abu Silagh, were killed and three others were missing when a tunnel they had been digging beneath the Egypt-Gaza border collapsed. (Haaretz, IMEMC)