4 Palestinians killed.
This morning, the IDF begins pulling back
reinforcements fr. the West Bank, Gaza after reaching a new agmt. with the PA.
Initially, clashes abate, but fighting continues at old hot spots (e.g., Hebron,
Nablus, Netzarim Junction, Ramallah, Tulkarm). Within hrs., the IDF sends
reinforcements back in, firing antitank missiles and deploying helicopter
gunships, tanks against Palestinians, killing 3, injuring 40. In Nablus, 27
Palestinians are injured when and IDF helicopter fires rockets at an apartment
building. 1 Palestinian injured last wk. dies. (MM 10/3; AFP,
IRNA, MENA 10/3, JT, Le Monde 10/4 in WNC 10/6; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/4;
AYM 10/4 in WNC 10/10; MEI 10/13)
The IDF admits that its soldiers fired the shots that
killed a Muhammad al-Dura at Netzarim Junction on 10/1 but blames
Palestinians for the "cynical use" of children in confrontations with IDF
troops. (WP 10/4; NYT 10/5) (see 10/2)
Barak meets with Israeli Arab leaders to "ease
concerns about the neglect of their community," agrees to set up a special
cabinet comm. to address Arab concerns. Under pressure fr. Israeli Arab MKs, he
bans police fr. using live ammunition against Israeli protesters unless there is
"clear and immediate danger to life." The Israeli government also
releases plans to improve roads in schools in Israeli Arab towns, raise the
standard of living of the Arab minority. (MM 10/3; NYT, WT 10/4; MEI 10/13)
Inside Israel, massive
demonstrations continue across the Galilee following 2 funerals for Israeli
Arabs killed by the Israeli police earlier in the wk.
In Beirut, 20,000 Palestinians, Lebanese march
to UN House to protest Israeli actions. Some 10,000 Palestinian
refugees demonstrate in camps in Rashidiyya, Sidon, and
Tyre. In Amman, Jordanians observe a strike in solidarity with the
Palestinians, and Jordanian riot police wield clubs against 100s of
stone-throwing demonstrators marching on the Israeli emb. In Norway,
some 100 Norwegians take part in a violent protest outside the Israeli emb. in
Oslo, burning flags, throwing bottles, breaking windows. Rallies are also
reported in Egypt, Greece, Oman, Pakistan, the
UAE. In the U.S., anti-Israeli protests are held in Austin,
Cleveland, Philadelphia, Raleigh, San Francisco, Washington, and outside the CNN
offices in Atlanta, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Toronto. (JP [Internet], MM
10/4; JT 10/4 in WNC 10/6; Daily Star [Internet] 10/5; MM 10/6; MEI
10/13)
6 Palestinians killed.
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. 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)
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 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).
1 Palestinian killed. 1 Israeli killed.
The IDF fires on Palestinians in Jenin, killing 1 Palestinian
vendor in the central market; conducts arrest raids in Satar al-Gharbiyya.
Jewish settlers confiscate a Palestinian home in
Hebron's old city. (HA, JTA, NYT, PM 10/3; MA 10/3 in WNC 10/4; AP 10/4; PCHR,
PR 10/9)
An Israeli security delegation (comprising DMin. dir. gen. Amos Yaron,
IDF policy planning head Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland) arrives in Washington to
consulted with U.S. officials (including Dep. Defense Secy. Paul
Wolfowitz, Dep. Secy. of State Richard Armitage) ahead of a possible attack on
Iraq. (HA 10/3; MM 10/4; HA 10/8)
Palestinians fire on workers building Israeli security fence nr. Baqa`
al-Gharbiyya, killing 1 Israeli Arab laborer. Nr. Hebron, Jewish peace
activists, local Palestinians attempt to harvest Palestinian olive
groves, keep Jewish settlers away (see 10/2); when settlers become
increasingly hostile, the IDF intervenes, ordering peace activists,
Palestinians to leave, then leaving the area themselves, allowing settlers to
move in.
The IDF seals the West Bank and Gaza for the Yom Kippur holiday, which
ends midnight on 10/6. In addition, the IDF closes the gates through the
separation wall n. of Tulkarm, trapping residents of Baqa` al-Sharqiyya,
Nazlat Abu Nar, Nazlat Issa—located btwn. the Green Line and the separation
wall. The IDF also fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest
raids in Qabatya; bulldozes 3 dunams of land in al-Maghazi r.c. An IDF
soldier is found guilty of manslaughter in the deaths of 4 Palestinians
(ages 5, 6, 13, and 56) and the wounding of 5 others in Jenin on 6/21/02, when he ordered at least 10 tank shells, machine
guns fired at residential areas to enforce a curfew. (NYT, WP 10/4; HA 10/6;
PCHR 10/9, 10/16)
14 Palestinians killed.
Days of Penitence continues in n. Gaza with the IDF killing 10
Palestinians (including 7 armed Palestinians, 2–6 of them Islamic Jihad
mbrs.; 3 civilians, including 1 deaf mute, 1 child inside an UNRWA school);
demolishing a kindergarten, 2 factories, at least 7 Palestinian homes in
Jabaliya r.c.; firing toward reporters covering events in Jabaliya.
A 13-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received in Jabaliya
on 10/1. The IDF also assassinates senior Izzeddine al-Qassam Brigades
mbrs. Mahdi Mushtaha (reportedly one of the developers of the Qassam
missile), Khalid al-`Amriti in a missile strike on their car as they
drive in Gaza City, injuring 4 bystanders; attempts to assassinate 2 wanted
Hamas mbrs. in an air strike on Gaza City, wounding them, 1 bystander; fires
on residential areas of Khan Yunis, Rafah. In the West Bank, the IDF
fires rubber bullets, tear gas at a group of Palestinians, Israelis,
internationals protesting the separation wall nr. Bayt Awa nr. Hebron,
wounding 1 Dane, at least 14 Palestinians; reimposes a ban on Palestinians
entering the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron (see 9/26);
conducts arrest raids in and around Hebron, and in Bayt Laqia, Dahaysha r.c.,
Tulkarm. A Jewish settler seriously injures a 42-yr.-old Palestinian
woman in a hit-and-run nr. Hebron. A Palestinian wounded in Salfit 2 wks.
ago dies of her injuries. (NYT, WP 10/3; JAZ, VOI, VOP 10/3 in WNC 10/5; NYT, WP
10/4; JP, VOI 10/4 in WNC 10/6; PR 10/6; PCHR 10/7)
Palestinians fire 4 Qassam rockets at Sederot, causing no damage or
injuries.
The IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Tamun nr. Jenin,
fires on stone-throwing Palestinian youths who confront the troops, seriously
wounding a 13-yr.-old boy; patrols in, fires on residential areas of Tubas,
Tulkarm; later conducts arrest raids, house searches in Tubas, nr. Bethlehem;
allows the PA to open the Rafah checkpoint for several hrs. to allow
Palestinians making the hajj to leave for Saudi Arabia. Jewish settlers
fr. Alon Shvut nr. Bethlehem uproot 210 Palestinian fruit trees in neighboring
Artas. (PCHR 10/6)
In Gaza, the IDF withdraws troops fr. Bayt Lahiya after 3 days of operations;
fires missiles fr. a drone at a car moving btwn. Gaza City and Bayt Hanun,
wounding 3 AMB mbrs. (Ahmad Abu al-Kas, Ayman al-Dar‘awi, Haytham Abu
Hassanain), 7 bystanders in a failed assassination attempt; makes an air strike
destroying the home of a Hamas mbr. in Abasan (warning residents in advance to
leave), damaging 6 nearby homes and a kindergarten. In the West Bank, the IDF
conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Qalqilya, nr.
Jenin (firing on residential areas). Jewish settlers in Hebron throw stones at
Palestinians. (NYT, WT 10/4; PCHR 10/5; OCHA 10/11)
The AMB threatens to kill 3 senior Hamas leaders (including
Damascus-based leader Khalid Mishal, Interior M Siyam) whom they accuse of
sedition, “so these filthy people can be made an example.” Scattered Fatah-Hamas
violence is reported during the day, with at least 1 Palestinian wounded in
Rafah.
2 Palestinians killed.
Israel seals
its borders with the occupied territories until 10/6 to mark 3 minor Jewish
holidays. The IDF makes an air strike on Rafah, assassinating Hamas
mbr. Muhammad Hassan, wounding a 2d Hamas mbr.; sends tanks, bulldozers in to al-Fakhari nr. Khan Yunis, leveling agricultural land, firing on residential
areas, killing 1 unarmed Palestinian; sends tanks, a bulldozer into Gaza
e. of Rafah to level land, clashing with local gunmen, causing no reported
injuries; fires a surface-to-surface missile into Gaza at a group of armed men
nr. Bayt Hanun, missing them, causing no reported damage; sends troops into s. Gaza to arrest 2 Palestinian farmers nr. al-Maghazi r.c. In the West Bank, the IDF shoots, wounds 2 Palestinian children in Hebron with live ammunition, mistaking a toy for a gun; fires on residential areas of `Azun nr. Qalqilya, wounding a 14-yr.-old Palestinian boy; fires on stone-throwing youths in Bil`in, wounding a 9-yr.-old Palestinian boy, detaining 2 teens. (NYT, PCHR 10/4; OCHA 10/10; PCHR 10/11)
On the Rafah border, 2 Hamas mbrs. are killed when a smuggling tunnel collapses.
In Rafah, unidentified assailants
detonate an explosive device outside the Rafah municipal headquarters, causing no serious damage or injuries.
Israeli forces arrested 20 Palestinians in a raid in the village of Al-E'bayat east of Bethlehem. The IDF said that they found four hunting weapons and M16 rifles in addition to bullets and two knives during the raid. (Ma'an News Agency)
Israeli settlers clashed at an olive grove near Hebron with activists protesting the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Israeli police said. One activist was arrested, police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said. In a related development, settler leader Daniella Weiss, from the northern West Bank, was charged by an Israeli court with assaulting police, obstruction of justice, and hindering police investigations. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA))
A $ 50 million programme would see the water and sanitation infrastructure of the West Bank and Gaza expanded, repaired and rehabilitated over five years. The project, administered by the American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) is to be funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The programme is set to begin in October 2008 and would initially focus on providing emergency relief to Palestinians affected by last winter's drought and increasingly short supplies of water. (Ma'an News Agency)
The Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Nakba at UN Headquarters. (WAFA)
Ibrahim Khraishi, the new Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations Office in Geneva, presented his credentials. (www.unog.ch)