As Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, UN Secy.-Gen.
Annan announces that Arafat, Barak have dropped
preconditions and agreed to meet with Pres. Clinton, Mubarak,
King Abdallah, EU foreign policy dir. Solana on 10/16 in Sharm
al-Shaykh. In Gaza, 1,000s of Hamas supporters urge Arafat not to attend.
(NYT, WP, WT 10/15)
Anti-Israeli, anti-U.S. protests are reported
in France, India, Indonesia, Scotland, South
Africa, the UK. In U.S., rallies are held in Atlanta, Los
Angeles, Pasadena, San Francisco. (Times [London; Internet] 10/14; AFP
10/14 in WNC 10/16; SAPA [Johannesburg; Internet], NYT, WP 10/15)
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF assassinates senior Hamas mbr. `Abd al-Rahman Hamad,
fatally shooting him at his home in Qalqilya. Israel admits to the killing,
which the U.S. calls "unhelpful." Meanwhile, the IDF eases
closures in some Palestinian areas where there has been no violence but also
tightens access to Jerusalem, directs heavy machine gun fire at residential
areas of Dayr al-Balah, establishes a new police station in East Jerusalem,
conducts arrest raids in Bayt Amin. Jewish settlers attack, seriously
injure 3 Palestinian farmers on the Nablus+nRamallah Road. (AP, WP, WT
10/15; al-Quds 10/15 in WNC 10/16; HP 10/15)
The Israeli cabinet meets to discuss the dramatic reduction in
violence in recent days. Although the cabinet does not approve the decision,
Sharon declares that the IDF is prepared to pull out of areas A in
Hebron that the army seized on 10/4+n5. (WP 10/14; MM, WP 10/15; al-Quds
10/15 in WNC 10/16; WT 10/16; WJW 10/18)
Peres and Qurai` meet again in Jerusalem along with Israeli,
PA security officials to discuss cease-fire implementation. Israel agrees
to open the main road in Khan Yunis, which has been closed for months; reopen
Rafah crossing to Egypt, the Allenby Bridge crossing to Jordan for several hrs.
every day; gradually remove IDF roadblocks, withdraw IDF troops over a 3 wk.
period if calm remains; allow VIP passage btwn. the West Bank, Gaza for senior
PA officials, security forces; to allow family visits btwn. the West Bank, Gaza;
allow entry of 2,000 Palestinian businessmen into Israel. (JP [Internet] 10/14;
HP 10/15)
2 Palestinians killed.
The IDF fatally shoots 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs., Wassim Saba'na
and Muhammad Musa, in Nablus in what is likely an assassination; shoots at a
"suspicious figure" nr. a Jewish settlement nr. Nablus, wounding 1 Palestinian;
demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Jenin; fires on a Birzeit University
dormitory; shells residential areas of Bayt Hanun, Khan Yunis; conducts arrest
raids in Jenin, Rantis; lifts curfews on Nablus, Tulkarm, Ramallah for several
hrs. Late in the evening, the IDF raids Dayr al-Balah, bulldozes 2.5
dunams of agricultural land. In Hebron, Jewish settlers assault Israeli police investigating
complaints of settler violence on 10/12. (HA
10/14; NYT, PM, WT 10/15; LAW, PCHR, PR 10/16)
Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb nr. an
IDF APC in Nablus, another device nr. Qalqilya, neither causing damage. Following the funeral in Bethlehem for
Muhammad Ubayyat, assassinated by the IDF on 10/13, several mourners
seriously beat Fatah prisoner's club head Issa Qaraqa', toss a grenade
into the home of Bethlehem mayor and new elections comm. head Hanna Nassir;
Fatah says it considers the attacks an assault on Fatah itself.
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF sends troops back into Rafah in what is officially called
Operation Root Canal 2, demolishing 10 more Palestinian homes,
wounding 4 Palestinians, including a Palestinian photographer shot in the
face. International aid organizations note that since 10/10 the IDF has cleared
2 full blocks of homes in some neighborhoods to create an empty zone along the
Egyptian border. Amnesty International says the Israeli destruction
“constitutes a war crime.” The IDF also sends troops into Tulkarm town
and r.c., imposing a curfew, fatally shooting a Palestinian who fails to
obey orders to halt, firing on residential areas, arresting 4 ISM volunteers;
conducts arrest raids, fires on residential areas in Nablus; conducts arrest
raids, house searches in Hebron. Israel announces plans to expel to Gaza
15 West Bank Palestinian administrative detainees, mbrs. of Hamas
and Islamic Jihad. (AP, BBC, MM, PRCS, WP 10/14; MENA, PSCT, VOI, VOP
10/14 in WNC 10/16; NYT, PR, PRCS, WP, WT 10/15; PCHR 10/16)
5 Palestinians killed.
The IDF pulls tanks out of Bayt Lahiya, marking the 1st de-escalation
of Operation Days of Penitence; makes an air strike on Jabaliya r.c., killing
2 Hamas mbrs. allegedly planting a bomb, before withdrawing late in the
evening. In Rafah, the IDF conducts an air strike, killing 2 Hamas
mbrs., a 70-yr.-old Palestinian bystander; bulldozes 30
Palestinian homes. The IDF also bulldozes a Palestinian home
in Hebron; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem, Jenin r.c.,
Nablus, Yamun. Jewish settlers fr. Suissa nr. Hebron prevent Palestinian
olive pickers fr. reaching their groves. (JT 10/14; VOI 10/14 in WNC 10/16; NYT,
WP 10/15; ITAR-TASS 10/15 in WNC 10/19; PR 10/20; PCHR 10/21)
The PA opens an embassy in Belarus. (Interfax, VOP 10/14 in WNC
10/16; PR 10/20)
The IDF reopens the Qarni crossing (closed on 10/12); conducts
late-night arrest raids in Bayt Rima nr. Ramallah; reinforces troops around East
Jerusalem to check IDs of Palestinians following Friday prayers; bulldozes a
hill, small area of Palestinian agricultural land nr. Hamdat settlement nr.
Salfit; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya. (IMEMC 10/14, 10/16;
PCHR 10/20; OCHA 10/31)
6 Palestinians killed.
In response to Palestinian rocket fire on 10/13, Israeli DM Amir Peretz
approves an escalation in IDF border operations in Gaza. Overnight, the IDF
pulls out of Abasan but sends tanks, troops into n. Gaza nr. Jabaliya r.c.,
exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen, conducting air strikes on a house,
engaging in armed clashes nearby, killing at least 4 Hamas mbrs., 2 bystanders,
wounding 15 before withdrawing; launches air strike on Rafah, which destroys a
Palestinian house (warning the residents in advance to evacuate, damaging
several nearby houses); bulldozes a Palestinian home in Bayt Hanun. The IDF also
sets up a new Palestinian detention center inside Israel nr. the Gaza border. In
the West Bank, the IDF sends troops into Tubas nr. Jenin, firing on downtown
areas, wounding 3 Palestinian children; conducts arrest raids, house searches,
random ID checks in and around Hebron. IDF soldiers, Jewish settlers wall off 50
d. of Palestinian land around an IDF base outside Kiryat Arba. (NYT 10/14; NYT,
PCHR, WP, WT 10/15; PCHR 10/19)
IDF troops
on the Gaza border fire a shell into Gaza City, wounding a Palestinian
teenager. The IDF also sends troops into Gaza Valley village to conduct
arrest raids, house searches. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest
raids, house searches in and around Hebron. (OCHA 10/17; PCHR 10/18)
Rice opens 4
days of shuttle diplomacy in the region in an effort to encourage Israel and the PA to bridge gaps on a joint statement to be released at the proposed 11/15 Annapolis summit and to build regional support for the conference. (IFM 10/14; NYT, WP, WT 10/15)
Suspected Hamas mbrs. kidnap
and beat a Fatah activist in Khan Yunis. In Gaza City, some 200 Palestinians stage a sit-in outside the PC headquarters to protest the PA’s
refusal to issue passports and travel documents for Gazans
2 Palestinians killed.
The IDF arrested eight Palestinians in Hebron, PA security sources said. (WAFA)
The IDF killed 17-year-old Abdul Qader Al-Badawi and wounded two others in Al-Jalazone refugee camp in Ramallah, local sources said. The sources said that the IDF opened fire at a group of young men, killing Mr. Al-Badawi as he was walking near the camp's school (WAFA)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an address to the Palestinian Business and Investment Forum, held at the US Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Washington, D.C., that Israel had made some progress toward lifting movement restrictions in the West Bank, but roadblocks, checkpoints and other security measures still stunted Palestinian economic growth. Ms. Rice also said that Israel should stop building new homes for the settlers in disputed territory. She pledged to use her remaining three months in office to work toward a peace deal. She said Palestinians must continue to "dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism and to promote an atmosphere of tolerance," and "Israel must also halt settlement activity which can be seen as prejudging the outcome of negotiations and undermining its negotiating partner". "And while there have been some lowered restrictions to access and movement, more progress needs to be made in order for Palestinian business people and workers to be able to conduct business in an environment in which they can thrive," Ms. Rice told the audience, which included PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. (www.state.gov)
PA President Abbas met with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi. Mr. Abbas reviewed the latest developments in the peace process and the internal situation and briefed the UAE President on his international tour. He also praised the UAE political and financial support for the PA and the Palestinian people. (WAFA)
PA Ambassador to Egypt Nabil Amr delivered a letter from PA President Abbas to Egyptian officials concerning the Palestinian national dialogue. He told WAFA that the Egyptian reconciliation efforts had made huge progress and "we are waiting to determine the final dates for a comprehensive dialogue". He pointed out that "the efficiency of the dialogue is remarkably enhanced due to the Arab and Palestinian need to end the Palestinian divisions and to reinforce the National Unity to face the upcoming challenges." (WAFA)
Palestinian medical sources announced the death of a three-year-old child, Hani Al-Hasayneh, who had been refused permission to travel outside the Gaza Strip for medical treatment, bringing the total number of patients who had died due to the blockade of the Gaza Strip to 252. (WAFA)
Hamas announced that it would not permit thousands of striking teachers in the Gaza Strip to return to their jobs. Unspecified legal action was threatened against the strikers. (AP)
The National Campaign against the Wall, in cooperation with other Palestinian civil society organizations, announced that the national campaign for olive harvest would start the following day. The coordinator of the campaign, Jamal Joma', said at a press conference: "The campaign is aimed at supporting Palestinian farmers while they are working in their fields and protecting them from the continuous attacks by Jewish colonizers, which usually escalate in the olive season, especially in the Nablus, Qalqilya, and Hebron areas," adding, "The United Nations reported 222 attacks by Jewish colonizers [settlers] during the last six months and 291 attacks in 2007." (WAFA)