1 Palestinian killed.
Right-wing opposition MKs,
Jewish settlers accuse Sharon of not taking Israeli security
seriously and demand retaliation for suicide bombs, with Likud Education M Limor Livnat
saying Arafat should be targeted. Sharon's office says Israel will
respond "at the time and place we choose." (AFP [Internet], MM 3/27; ITAR-TASS
3/27 in WNC 3/28; MM, NYT, WP 3/28; WJW 3/29; AFP 3/29 in WNC 3/30; JP, MEI 4/6)
In the
West Bank and Gaza, Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 1
Palestinian dead. In Hebron, Jewish settlers attempt to storm Abu
Sunayna for a 2d day, are push back by the IDF (which continues to urge
Palestinian residents to evacuate the area). After dark, the settlers set fire
to 5 Palestinian-owned stores, 7 cars, Waqf offices in the PA-controlled section
of Hebron. Jewish settlers place caravans on confiscated Palestinian land
on Mount Jarzim in Nablus. Israel arrests 2 Israeli border policemen
for beating, torturing a Palestinian at a checkpoint into Israel earlier today.
(MM 3/27; HA, HP, NYT, WP 3/28; AFP [Internet], NYT 3/29; MEI 4/6)
The 1st
full Arab League summit in 12 yrs. opens in Amman. The agenda covers the
peace process, aid to the Palestinians, Arab solidarity, inter-Arab economic
ties, sanctions on Iraq. (MM 3/27; AN, DUS, JT, SA 3/27 in WNC 3/28; AYM 3/27,
HJ, JT, SA 3/28 in WNC 3/29; MM, WP, USIS Washington File 3/28; JP, MEI 4/6)
(see Peace Monitor)
On the
sidelines of the Arab summit, Syrian pres. Asad meets with Arafat,
marking the 1st senior-level Palestinian-Syrian mtg. since 1993. (JT 3/28 in WNC
3/29; MM, WP, USIS Washington File 3/28; JT, al-Quds 3/29 in WNC 3/30;
DUS 3/30 in WNC 4/2; al-Majd 4/2 in WNC 4/3; AYM 4/2, HJ 4/3 in WNC 4/5;
JP, MEI 4/6; MM 4/20) (see Peace Monitor)
After a
week of negotiations on 2 compromise proposals fail, the U.S. vetoes a
UNSC resolution backing a UN observer force to help protect the
Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza. (AP 3/27; XIN 3/27 in WNC 3/28; WP
3/28; MM, NYT, WJW, WT 3/29; al-Quds 3/29 in WNC 3/30; MM 3/30;
al-Quds 4/3 in WNC 4/5) (see Peace Monitor)
2 bombs,
the 4th and 5th since Sharon's 2/6 election, explode outside the Jewish
settlements of Talpiot, French Hill in East Jerusalem, killing an apparent
Palestinian suicide bomber, injuring 35 Israelis. Islamic Jihad
takes responsibility for both attacks.
19 Israelis killed.
The IDF shells Palestinian residential areas of Hebron; enters, directs
heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Brazil. (AP, CNN, HA, PCHR 3/27;
MM, NYT, PMC, WP, WT 3/28; ITAR-TASS 3/28 in WNC 3/29; MA 3/31 in WNC 4/1; JP,
MEI 4/5)
The Arab summit opens in Beirut. Crown Prince Abdallah presents
his 2/17 initiative for consideration. (HA, MM 3/27; AFP, MENA, QA, RMC, SA, XIN
3/27 in WNC 3/28; AKH 3/27, QA, al-Quds 3/28 in WNC 3/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT
3/28; HA 4/4; MEI 4/5)
In Netanya, in n. Israel, a Hamas suicide bomber detonates a device in
a hotel restaurant were Israelis are holding Passover dinner, killing at least
19 Israelis, wounding around 100. The PA denounces the bombing,
sends PSF branches a list of senior Hamas activists it wants arrested.
2 Palestinians killed.
After a wk.-long lull in violence accompanying the start of war on Iraq,
Israeli-Palestinian violence picks up. The IDF raids Bayt Hanun, fires
missiles at a PSF post, killing 2 PSF officers, wounding 3
bystanders; fires on, wounds a Palestinian woman tending a garden in Wadi
al-Silqa; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis; demolishes a Palestinian
home outside Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids in Jenin r.c. (targeting
Islamic Jihad). (AFP, HA 3/27; XIN 3/27 in WNC 3/28; LAW, MM, NYT
3/28; AYM 3/28 in WNC 3/31; PR 4/2; PCHR 4/3)
Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets at Sederot,
causing no damage or injuries.
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF sets up a new checkpoint outside Qalqilya; raids Balata r.c.,
fires on stone-throwing youths, trades gunfire with Palestinian militants; a
6-yr.-old Palestinian is killed inside his home during the exchange, but the
source of the gunfire is in question. The IDF also raids Sabastia nr.
Nablus, evacuates 2 secondary schools, imposes a curfew; shells residential
areas of Rafah, bulldozes tracts of already demolished homes; conducts arrest
raids, house searches in Dahaysha r.c. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba
rampage through Hebron for 18 hrs., harassing Palestinians, throwing stones and
bottles at Palestinian homes, setting up mobile homes on Palestinian land. (WP,
WT 3/28; PR 3/31; PCHR 4/1)
The IDF for no apparent reason severely beats 3 Palestinians in 3
separate incidents at checkpoints in Hebron; beats, detains a 50-yr.-old
Palestinian at a checkpoint outside Tulkarm after a prolonged interrogation;
issues military orders for 40 residents of Nahalin village nr. Bethlehem to
vacate their 4,000 d. of land nr. the Gush Etzion bloc within 45 days for
construction of the separation wall. An Israeli guard patrolling a
separation wall construction site near Bayt `Awwa fires on, injures a
Palestinian who accidentally strays too close to the area. Jewish settlers
fence off a piece of Palestinian land in Silwad nr. Ramallah for expansion of
Ofra settlement. (IMEMC 3/27; OCHA, PR 3/30; PCHR 3/31)
2 Palestinians killed.
The IDF begins imposing new regulations (announced 3/25) on Palestinians
entering Jerusalem through Qalandia crossing nr. Ramallah: only Palestinians
holding a permit to enter Israel may cross, even to enter the West Bank village
of al-Ram (between Qalandia and the Green Line), effectively making the crossing
an international checkpoint into Israel and annexing al-Ram. IDF drones fire on
the car of AMB cmdr. Muhammad Hijazi as he drives in Gaza City in an apparent
assassination attempt; Hijazi survives unharmed but his aide in the car, 2
Palestinian Security Forces officers nearby are wounded. The IDF also fires
artillery shells at a group of Islamic Jihad mbrs. attempting to fire a rocket
in the n. Gaza no-go zone, killing 1 Islamic Jihad mbr., wounding 3; fatally
shoots an Islamic Jihad al-Quds Brigade mbr. Samir Furayhat in disputed
circumstances during an arrest raid on Yamun (Islamic Jihad does not claim it
was an assassination); conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around
Bethlehem and Tulkarm, in Nablus, nr. Qalqilya. (IMEMC, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, XIN 3/27; PCHR 3/30, 4/6)
3 Palestinians killed.
IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of al- Maghazi r.c. fire on Palestinian
shepherds who stray nr. the border fence, causing no injuries. PA security
forces demolish a smugglers’ tunnel on the Rafah border. In the West Bank, the
IDF exchanges fire with AMB mbrs. in Nablus, leaving 2 wanted AMB mbrs. dead;
temporarily occupies several buildings in Jenin town and r.c., exchanging fire
with local Palestinians, leaving 1 armed Palestinian dead; conducts arrest
raids, house searches in Qalqilya, nr. Nablus; begins work on a new segment of
the separation wall s. of Wadi Rahan nr. Bethlehem. (REU 3/27; IMEMC, NYT, OCHA, WP, WT 3/28; PCHR 3/29)
After heavy rains, the
retaining wall of a sewage pond in n. Gaza collapses, flooding the village of Um
al-Nasser, killing at least 5 Palestinians (including 2-yr.-old and 5-yr.-old
boys), injuring 20, leaving 333 Palestinian families homeless (the UNRWA sets up
a temporary camp); villagers attack newly appointed PA Interior M Hani
al-Qawasmi when he arrives to survey the damage, forcing him to leave. Also in
Gaza, unidentified gunmen attack the PA Agriculture Min. offices (causing no
injuries), then demand jobs in the PA security forces; Palestinian Red Crescent
Society employees stage a sit-in outside the ICRC headquarters to demand payment
of back salaries.
1 Palestinian killed.
In Gaza, the IDF sends troops into
al-Qarara, where they exchange fire with local gunmen, killing 1 armed Palestinian,
wounding 2. In the West Bank, the IDF sends an undercover unit into
Tulkarm r.c., to raid a café in search of a wanted Palestinian but withdraws
without finding him; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and
around Nablus, in Azariyya e. of Jerusalem. A Jewish settler woman fr. Taffuh
settlement nr. Qalqilya beats a Palestinian woman waiting at a bus stop nr. the
settlement. Jewish settlers fr. Havat Ma’on nr. Hebron fire on a Palestinian
shepherd and sheep nearby, injuring 2 sheep. (OCHA 4/2; PCHR 4/3)
In Hebron, Palestinian
Polytechnic University suspends classes after a dispute on the student
council sparks unarmed clashes btwn. Fatah and PFLP student
groups.
Israeli soldiers stationed outside the southern Gaza Strip opened fire at civilian homes and agricultural land. Damage was reported but there were no injuries. Also, soldiers stationed at the Kissufim military camp, east of Al Qarara in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a number of homes and farmland in the area. (IMEMC)
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said in a message to Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu: “The European Commission is looking forward to working with the new Israeli Government in pursuit of a common agenda… It stands ready to assist and support you in your search for peace, prosperity and security for the people in Israel and the region, based on the vision of two States living side by side in peace and prosperity.” Mr. Barroso’s spokesman noted: “There are certain benchmarks that we would like to see followed in this relationship.” Another commission spokesman, Amadeu Altafaj Tardio, said that EU Foreign Ministers would be discussing developments in Israel, and the fallout from its war in the Gaza Strip. “There is a new administration, there is a new Prime Minister, and this has to be considered. Let’s see what the intentions of the future Government are going to be on a number of issues. … One of them is [humanitarian] access to Gaza. Restrictions are still there, and we will have to see what the policy of the new administration is,” he told reporters. (AFP)
US diplomats assessed Israeli settlement activity at the “E1” corridor near Jerusalem. A spokesperson for the US consulate in Jerusalem, Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm, confirmed the visit had taken place as part of “ongoing observation of activities in the area.” An assessment prepared by the diplomats would be sent to Washington. (Reuters)
Palestinians fired an anti-tank missile at an IDF force moving along the Gaza border fence south of the Karni crossing. There were no reports of damage or injury. (Ynetnews)