Barak says that he is prepared to sign a partial agmt.
with the PA that would include a comprehensive agmt. on most final
status, a time limit for agreeing the rest. The PA rejects the idea of another
interim agmt. (WP 9/25; MM 9/26; MEI 9/29)
1 Israeli killed.
In response to Islamic Jihad gunfire in the Jordan Valley that leaves
a Jewish settler dead, Peres sides with Sharon against
holding a mtg. with Arafat. Israel's new 18
mi. buffer zone along the Green Line n. of Jerusalem goes into effect.
The IDF bulldozes 20 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Oranit settlement;
declares the Hebron market a closed military zone; begins work on a new
settlement bypass road to Kefar Darom, damaging agricultural land, water
networks belonging to Dayr al-Balah residents; conduct arrest raids in villages
around Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Salfit; confiscates 1 Palestinian home in
Harmala for use as an IDF outpost; reinforces the closure on Jinin. (HP, Los
Angeles Times [Internet], MM 9/24; CNN, HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/25; al-Quds
9/25 in WNC 9/26; MEI 9/28)
Fatah tanzim leaders, a
senior mbr. of the Fatah-linked AMB state that, despite Arafat's
recent calls, they will continue to view the IDF and settlers in
the West Bank and Gaza as legitimate targets. Palestinians fire 1 mortar
at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage.
9 Palestinians killed.
Before dawn, the IDF launches a major incursion (90 tanks, bulldozers,
helicopter cover) into Gaza City and Bayt Lahia, killing 9 Palestinians
(including wanted local AMB leader Muhammad Kishku, senior Izzeddin
al-Qassam Brigades mbr. Yasin Nassar in what may be assassinations),
wounding 24, blowing up 1 Palestinian home, 13 metal workshops.
Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb underneath 1 of the 20 tanks entering
Gaza City, disabling it, injuring 2 IDF soldiers (see 9/5). Israel says
the incursions are the start of a major campaign in the Gaza Strip targeting
Hamas, though troops withdraw fr. Gaza City by the end of the day. The
IDF also fires live ammunition at stone-throwing children in Bayt Hanun and
Khan Yunis, wounding 8 and 2 respectively; fires live ammunition, rubber-coated
steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinian protesters defying the curfew in Hebron;
conducts arrest raids in al-Ram. Israeli police place Fatah secy. in
Jerusalem Salah al-Zuhaykha under house arrest for allegedly arranging
protests under orders fr. Arafat. (AP, HA, MEZ, MM, PCHR, WP, WT 9/24;
AFP 9/24 in WNC 9/25; HA, LAW, NYT, PCHR, PR, WP 9/25; al-Quds 9/25 in
WNC 9/26; MEI 9/27, 10/11)
After 2 days of debate, the UN Security Council (UNSC) passes (14-0,
with the U.S. abstaining) Res. 1435 on the siege in Ramallah, which
expresses grave concern over the Palestinians' humanitarian plight and
reoccupation of Palestinian cities, "demands" Israel's immediate halt of attacks
on the PA headquarters. The IDF says its operations will continue "until
their objectives are met." (HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/24; ATL, MENA 9/24 in WNC
9/25; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/25; al-Quds, XIN 9/25 in WNC 9/26; DUS 9/25
in WNC 10/1; AP, HA, MM, NYT, WJW, WT 9/26; JT 10/7 in WNC 10/8; MEI 10/11)
Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb underneath 1 of the 20 tanks entering
Gaza City, disabling it, injuring 2 IDF soldiers (see 9/5).
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF raids, searches a Qalqilya hospital (including emergency and
operating rooms), looking for wanted men, leaves without finding any; sends
tanks and bulldozers into Rafah in response to the mortar fire at Gush Katif on
9/23, sparking an exchange of gunfire with local Palestinians, killing a
14-yr.-old Palestinian boy, wounding 14; occupies a kindergarten in Khan
Yunis as a military post; fires on residential areas of Dayr al-Balah, Khan
Yunis; demolishes 3 Palestinian homes in Rafah (seriously damaging
another 18), 2 nr. Khan Yunis, 1 nr. Jenin, 1 in Kfar Rantis; 13 greenhouses, 9
dunams of land are also bulldozed in Khan Yunis. 27 retired and reserve
Israeli air force pilots sign a letter to the air force cmdr. saying they
will not participate in operations in the occupied territories, which they term
“illegal and immoral”; 1 of the 27 is Brig. Gen. Yiftach Spector (res.),
who took part in the 1981 bombing of Iraq’s Osiraq nuclear reactor. (AFP, HA,
PCHR, PR 9/24; VOP 9/24 in WNC 9/26; HA, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 9/25; MM 9/26,
9/29; PR 10/1; PCHR 10/2)
1 Palestinian killed. 1 Israeli killed.
Late in the evening, the IDF stages a major raid into Khan Yunis in retaliation,
for Neve Dekalim attack firing on and shelling residential areas, killing a 60-yr.-old Palestinian,
seriously damaging the physiotherapy wing of a hospital. The IDF also
tightens restrictions on entry to East Jerusalem, Bayt Sahur nr. Bethlehem; bars
Palestinians fr. entering the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron;
raids Balata r.c. and Nur al-Shams r.c., firing on stone-throwing youths who
confront the troops; fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest raids,
house searches in Qalqilya. (HA 9/24; AFP 9/24, XIN 9/25 in WNC 9/28; WT 9/25;
PCHR 9/30; JPI 10/8)
Hamas fires mortars at Neve Dekalim, killing a Jewish
settler woman (a dual Israeli-U.S. citizen).
2 Palestinians killed.
Early in the morning, the IDF fires
missiles fr. helicopters at warehouses and an alleged weapons factory in Gaza
City and Jabaliya r.c., marking Israel's 1st military operations against Gaza
since disengagement; orders the Rafah crossing shut, saying it will allow
humanitarian aid only into Gaza through the Sufa crossing; fires missiles fr.
naval vessels at Palestinian fishermen who attempt to go out to sea; drops
leaflets on Gaza warning of harsh retaliation against further rocket fire; warns
the PA that it is responsible for preventing attacks fr. Gaza. Abbas
meets with Hamas officials in Gaza, secures their pledge to halt all
armed demonstrations. Hrs. later, IDF aircraft fire 5 missiles at 2 cars
in n. Gaza, assassinating 2 Hamas mbrs. (Nafiz Abu Hassanian, Rawad
Farhat); 2 other Hamas mbrs. may have been targeted but escape. During the day,
IDF fighter jets bomb open areas along the n. Gaza border used by
Palestinians to launch rockets, while tanks, artillery, infantry gather along
the n. Gaza border in preparation for a major operation. Meanwhile, the IDF
seals the West Bank, fires on Palestinians waiting to cross a checkpoint outside
Nablus, wounding 3 (1 seriously); conducts patrols in Jama`in village nr.
Nablus; raids 20 houses in Hebron, interrogating and photographing residents. In
the evening, Sharon convenes his security cabinet, which approves
an "all-out continuous offensive" called Operation First Rain, using
artillery, air strikes, assassinations in Gaza, saying that if Palestinian
violence continues after several days, the full cabinet will convene to consider
sending infantry back into the Strip. (JP, REU, WP, YA 9/24; AP, HA, IMEMC, JAZ,
NYT, WP, WT, XIN, YA 9/25; MEI, PCHR 9/29; IDF press release 10/9)
Before dawn, Islamic Jihad and Hamas fire more than 30
rockets fr. Gaza at Sederot and the Negev, 3 of which lightly wound 3
Israeli security guards, 2 civilians.
In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in al-Fara‘a r.c. (firing on residential
areas, damaging a UNRWA clinic), al-Khadir (firing on stone-throwing youths who
confront them, wounding 1); conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron
(arresting a Force 17 officer), Jenin, Nablus. (PCHR 9/28)
In Gaza, the IDF sends troops into
areas southeast of Khan Yunis, bulldozing 4 Palestinian homes, 15 greenhouses, 57 d. of agricultural land.
In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and
around Nablus and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Tulkarm. (OCHA 9/26;
PCHR 9/27)
Palestinians fire an antitank missile at an
IDF patrol inside Israel nr. the Qarni industrial zone, causing no injuries.
Nr. Gaza City, Fatah and Hamas mbrs. exchange gunfire,
wounding 1 Palestinian.
Three East Jerusalem residents were charged with organizing two attacks in which two Israeli border policemen were killed. The group was allegedly responsible for the killing a border policeman in January 2008 at the Shu'fat refugee camp in East Jerusalem and for another shooting attack in July at the Lion's Gate to the Old City. (Haaretz)
IDF troops positioned near the village of Singil, north of Ramallah, were able to stop a convoy of Palestinian vehicles as it attempted to run them over after bursting through a West Bank roadblock. (Haaretz)
Likud chairman and opposition leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu told Army Radio he would not join in a national unity coalition led by Tzipi Livni that would "relinquish the Golan Heights and divide Jerusalem." Mr. Netanyahu criticized Ms. Livni for pledging to continue negotiations for a final settlement with the Palestinian Authority saying, "Today, there is no partner. There is a partner to talks but not to deeds. There is no Palestinian alive today who will kill a terrorist operative." Mr. Netanyahu said, "Jerusalem is ours. We did not spill blood so that Hamas can settle in Jerusalem." (Haaretz)
Official sources at PA President Abbas' office in Ramallah said that Israel had released senior Fatah leader Ahmed Hillis from the Ashkelon prison, who was escorted to Ramallah. (Xinhua)
US President George W. Bush addressed the UN General Assembly at its sixty-third session saying, "We must stand united in our support of other young democracies, from the people of Lebanon struggling to maintain their hard-won independence, to the people of the Palestinian Territories, who deserve a free and peaceful State of their own." (www.whitehouse.gov)
A report published by a coalition of 21 aid agencies and human rights organizations, including Oxfam International, Save the Children, CARE International, Christian Aid, World Vision Jerusalem and Medico International, accused the Quartet of having "lost its grip" on the Middle East peace process. The report called on the Quartet to take "decisive action" and to "radically revise its existing approach" in order to avoid a further deterioration of the situation. The group also criticized Quartet Representative Tony Blair for "not making sufficient progress in improving the lives of Palestinians." "Today's study shows that the Quartet has fundamentally failed to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground," said David Mepham, policy director of the Save the Children charity in the United Kingdom. (DPA)
The Swiss Federal Administrative Tribunal ruled that the refugee status conferred by UNRWA did not entitle the Palestinians seeking asylum in Switzerland to "any differentiated treatment". The Tribunal said that Switzerland only recognized the special refugee status accorded by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. (AFP)