6 Palestinians killed.
With Israeli-Palestinian clashes showing no sign of
abating, IDF chief of staff Gen. Shaul Mofaz announces that the army will
begin initiating attacks on Palestinian targets, especially Fatah
leaders, and using more force against demonstrators. During the day, 5
Palestinians are killed, over 100 injured; a 6th Palestinian dies of
injuries received earlier. Nr. Qarni crossing in Gaza, IDF tanks fire on
Palestinian demonstrators, killing 2, wounding 25. In drive-by shooting in East Jerusalem,
Jewish settlers wound a Palestinian security guard outside Agusta
Victoria hospital. Armed settlers also open fire on Palestinians in Haris,
wounding 3. Other hot spots are nr. Jinin, Nablus, Ramallah. Nr. Ariel
settlement, the IDF bulldozes Palestinian olive groves. (MM, NYT, WP,
WT 10/30; AYM 10/30 in WNC 11/1; NYT, WP 10/31; AIC 11/2; al-Quds 11/9 in
WNC 11/13)
A day before the Knesset reconvenes, Barak and
Sharon are still unable to reach an agmt. on forming a unity government
despite 7 days of talks. The Shas party, which pulled out of Barak's
coalition in 7/00, before the Camp David talks, says it will give Barak a 1-mo.
safety net against no-confidence votes. In return, Barak suspends plans for
secular social reforms (see 8/20). (MM, NYT, WT, YA 10/30; MM, WT 10/31; MM
11/1; WJW 11/2; MEI 11/10)
In Gaza, Palestinian
gunmen fire on and detonate a small bomb nr. a bus carrying Jewish settlers
under IDF escort, causing no injuries.
The U.S. convenes another trilateral security comm. mtg. to
press Israel to withdraw fr. Jinin, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. No
agmt. is reached. Israel says the U.S.'s repeated urgings are as
counterproductive, only encourage Palestinian obstinacy. (NYT, State Dept.
briefing, WT 10/30)
Meanwhile, the IDF shells residential areas of al-Maghazi refugee
camp, a PSF post in Tulkarm; bulldozes a Palestinian home in Dayr
al-Balah; announces that a permanent fence will be build around 3 Jewish
settlements in n. Gaza, effectively annexing the area to Israel proper. (LAW
10/31; al-Ahram 11/1)
The Israeli General Security Service (GSS) announces it has arrested
11 Israeli Arabs on suspicion of planning "terrorist attacks," including
kidnapping, murdering soldiers. This reportedly brings to 30 the number of
Israeli Arabs detained by the GSS in the past wk. (JP [Internet] 10/27; MA 11/12
in WNC 11/14)
3 Palestinians killed. 3 Israelis killed.
An IDF undercover unit assassinates senior Hamas mbr. Asim Sawafta
in Tubas. The IDF also shoots a 14-yr.-old Palestinian boy in the
head in Tubas, seriously wounding him; shells residential areas s. of Gaza City,
in and around Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids in Aqraba, Khirbat Karma; blows
up 1 Palestinian home in Jenin r.c.; detains 2 ambulance workers in Jenin
town. Jewish settlers begin rebuilding the Havat Gilad site.
(JTA 10/29; al-Quds 10/29 in WNC 11/5; LAW, MM, NYT, PCHR 10/30; WP
10/31; MEI 11/8)
A Palestinian gunman infiltrates the West Bank settlement of
Hermesh, opens fire on residents outside their homes, killing 3 Jewish
settlers (including 2 teenage girls), injuring 2 before being shot dead. A PA security
court sentences a Palestinian to death for collaboration with Israel.
Arafat announces the make up of his new cabinet. Although most PC
mbrs. angrily criticize Arafat’s failure to remove old EA mbrs. accused of
corruption, they approve (56-18) the new cabinet. (AP, HA 10/29; MM, NYT, PR,
WP, WT10/30; ITAR-TASS 10/30 in WNC 10/31; MM 10/31; AYM 10/31 in WNC 11/1; QA
10/31, 11/1 in WNC 11/5; MEI 11/8) (see Doc. B???; Quarterly Update)
2 Palestinians killed.
Israeli DM Shaul Mofaz announces that Israel is immediately “easing”
restrictions on Palestinians by allowing 3,000 Palestinian businessmen fr. the
West Bank, 1,000 fr. Gaza into Israel; allows 1,500 West Bank laborers into the
Atarot industrial area. At the same time, however, the IDF reinforces
checkpoints in Gaza; reduces the number of hours that Rafah border crossing with
Egypt is open; fires on stone-throwing Palestinians in Balata r.c., killing a
12-yr.-old Palestinian some distance away; fires on 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs.
planting a roadside bomb in Gaza, killing 1, wounding the other; sends tanks
into the center of Nablus, firing tear gas at a girls’ elementary school; sends
tanks into Jenin, shelling 2 carpet stores, causing extensive damage; fires on
residential areas of Rafah. (AFP, IDF Radio 10/29; VOP 10/29 in
WNC 10/30; NYT, PCHR, WP 10/30; PCHR 11/11)
Palestinian gunmen fire on a Jewish
settler vehicle nr. Jenin, wounding 1.
The IDF continues operations in Jenin for a 3d day, firing on
stone-throwing youths, conducting arrest raids and house searches; demolishes 7
Palestinian homes in Rafah; confiscates 308 d. of Palestinian land in
Shufa nr. Tulkarm for military purposes; bulldozes 31 d., 3 wells nr. Rafah;
conducts arrest raids, house searches in `Ayn Bayt al-Ma', al-`Aza, al-Khadir.
Armed Jewish settlers fr. Shvut Rachel chase Palestinian olive harvesters
away fr. their groves; the IDF intervenes, allowing Palestinians to continue the
harvest. (HA, PM 10/29; VOI 10/29 in WNC 10/30; PRCS 10/30; PCHR 11/4)
Arafat arrives at a military hospital in Paris. Before leaving
Ramallah, he authorizes Abbas, who is secy. gen. of the PLO Exec. Comm.
and the dep. secy. of the Fatah Central Comm., to assume responsibility for
day-to-day affairs of the PLO and Fatah in the territories.
(Technically, Faruq Qaddumi, as secy. of the Fatah Central Comm.,
automatically becomes Fatah chmn. in Arafat's absence, but since he based in
Tunis, Abbas, as dep. secy., assumes his duties in the territories.) (BBC, HA,
MM, WT 10/29; AFP, HJ, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, JAZ, al-Quds, PSCT, VOI, VOP
10/29 in WNC 10/30; NYT, WP, WT 10/30; MM 11/1; WJW 11/4; MEI 11/5)
As Operation Starting All Over Again continues, IDF warplanes
launch 12 more air strikes on Gaza, cutting electricity to 1,000s of Palestinian
homes, causing serious damage but no injuries; continue conducting sonic booms
over the Strip roughly every 20 mins. almost around the clock. The IDF
also drops leaflets on Gaza warning of more air strikes until there is a "total
cessation of terror attacks"; responds to Palestinians firing a rocket at
Sederot (no damage or injuries) with artillery fire on the launch site in n.
Gaza, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest
raids, house searches and fires on residential areas in and around Balata r.c.,
Nablus; Palestinians set fire to 1 IDF vehicle in Nablus during the operation.
The IDF also fires on stone-throwing Palestinians in Dura, wounding 8.
Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba rampage through Palestinian areas of Hebron,
damaging 10s of houses, seriously injuring 1 Palestinian. Jewish settlers
fr. Carmiel, rampage through Yatta village, damaging 10s of Palestinian homes
and 1 car. (ABC News, YA 10/29; AFP, HA, IMEMC, WT, YA 10/30;
IMEMC, OCHA 10/31; PCHR 11/10)
In Ramallah, PA police break up a protest in front of the PA
headquarters by Birzeit University students demanding the release of
jailed student leader of the Islamic movement at Birzeit, Ala' Barahma;
several students are injured.
In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units into Jalazun r.c. nr.
Ramallah to conduct random ID checks, withdraws without making arrests; conducts
arrest raids, house searches in Jericho, Nablus. A Hamas mbr. is killed when a
tunnel he is digging under the Rafah border collapses. Jewish settlers in Hebron
attack Palestinians harvesting olives; the IDF intervenes. (NYT 10/30; OCHA
11/1; PCHR 11/2)
4 Palestinians killed. 1 Israeli killed.
The Israeli navy fires on Palestinian
fishermen along the Rafah coast, damaging an UNRWA building; the UNRWA
condemns the incidents. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus (exchanging fire with local Palestinians, leaving 1 IDF soldier wounded), in Qalqilya, and nr. Hebron, Jenin. In Hebron, unidentified gunmen fire on a PSF patrol, wounding 5 PSF officers. (NYT, WP 10/30; OCHA 10/31; IFM, PCHR 11/1; NYT 11/2)
Before dawn, Hamas mbrs. fire at
least 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel fr. the property of an UNRWA school
in Bayt Hanun, causing no damage or injuries. Nearly 2 hrs. later, the IDF sends troops into the area in response, occupying the school and surrounding
area while classes are in session, clashing with and making an air strike on
Hamas mbrs., leaving 3 Hamas gunmen, 1 Palestinian civilian, 1 IDF soldier dead and 2 IDF soldiers, 2 Hamas mbrs., 7 bystanders (including 2
children) seriously wounded.
In Ramallah, Palestinians demonstrate for the release of Hamas mbrs. held by the PA; PA security
forces disperse the protesters.
1 Palestinian killed.
Israeli troops killed a 67-year-old Palestinian farmer during a night-time raid outside the town of Al Yamun in the West Bank. (AP, Ma'an News Agency)
Israeli forces seized 11 Palestinians during raids in Nablus, Qalqilya, Jenin and Ramallah. (Ma'an News Agency)
An Israeli military court sentenced two PLC members from the Hebron area, both from Hamas, to three-year prison terms and fines, a Palestinian judge said. (Ma'an News Agency)
Israel prevented three members of the PLC from leaving the West Bank for Indonesia to attend a solidarity conference, citing "security reasons," the lawmakers said. (Ma'an News Agency)
The current Israeli transitional Government, while it can continue to negotiate with the Palestinians, cannot make any actual decisions regarding the peace process, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said. (The Jerusalem Post)
In a meeting of top military and legal officials headed by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the Government of Israel decided to reduce government services to unauthorized outposts in the West Bank in an attempt to combat settler violence. According to the data presented at the meeting, the number of attacks by settlers on security forces stood at 450 during the first nine months of 2008, some 50 more than for the same period the year before. The same day, Mr. Barak instructed the heads of the defense establishment to step up issuance of restraining orders against right-wing activists in the West Bank. The Israeli High Court of Justice also made it clear to 20 families occupying a building which they had named "Beit Hashalom" located on "Worshippers' Way" in Hebron that they would not be allowed to continue living there. (Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post)
The success of the Palestinian national dialogue is subject to Egypt taking Hamas reservations into consideration, the office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said, adding that reservations "were also raised by more than one … Palestinian faction inside and outside Palestine." (Xinhua)
PA Prime Minister Fayyad said his Government had received $1.6 billion in aid. "This perfectly fulfils what was pledged at the Paris Donor Conference," he told reporters in Ramallah. Mr. Fayyad said the PA would require another $250 to $300 million through the end of the year. (AFP)
PA President Abbas instructed the PA Health Ministry to send dozens of types of medications to the Gaza Strip, the Health Ministry said in a statement. (Ma'an News Agency)
The second Free Gaza boat carrying 27 international activists, as well as humanitarian supplies, sailed into the Gaza Strip defying an Israeli naval blockade, to call attention to Israeli sanctions on the territory. The Jerusalem Post had quoted unnamed Israeli officials that they had "no plans to tolerate a repeat performance." Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire who was on board, said: "The Government of Israel cannot cut off Gaza forever. We will come again and again." (AP, The Jerusalem Post, Ma'an News Agency)