6 Palestinians killed.
Barak formally suspends the peace process. In response,
Arafat states that Palestinians have a right to an independent state with
Jerusalem as its capital and "to accept it or not to accept--let [Barak] go to
hell." Meanwhile, Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate further, leaving
4 Palestinians dead, over 100 injured; 2 others die of injuries received
earlier. The most violent exchange is nr. Bethlehem, where the IDF orders
residents of Aida camp, Bayt Jala, Bayt Sahur to evacuate their homes before
ordering machine guns, tanks, and helicopter gunships to fire into the area,
targeting buildings fr. which snipers shot into nearby Gilo settlement
and destroying 2 Palestinian factories, several houses, a power plant. The
gunfire continues overnight. In Gaza, the IDF bulldozes Palestinian
agricultural land along roads leading to Morag settlement. Israel also
recloses the Gaza airport, reinstates the internal closure on PA areas,
shuts crossings into Egypt and Jordan. (ADM 10/22; BDL, LAW, MM, NYT, WP, WT
10/23; MM 10/24; MA 10/24 in WNC 10/25; MEI 10/27; AYM 11/12 in WNC 11/13)
Barak announces an inquiry will be held into the deaths
of Israeli Arabs during the recent clashes and a 4-yr. development plan
for Israeli Arab areas. Israeli Arabs complain that the inquiry's
recommendations will be nonbinding. (NYT 10/23; WJW 10/26; MM 10/30)
The Arab League closes its 2-day emergency session,
issuing a nonbinding resolution calling for a $1 b. Palestinian aid fund,
recommending Arab states postpone further normalization with Israel.
Tunisia orders Israel to shut its representative offices it Tunis. (MM, NYT,
WP, WT 10/23; MENA 10/23; HJ, IRNA 10/24 in WNC 10/25; HJ 10/24, 1025 HJ, SA
10/26 in WNC 10/30; WJW 10/26; MEI 10/27) (see Doc. B4)
In Cairo, 1,000s of Egyptian students protest the
failure of the Arab League summit to cut ties with or to call for
military action against Israel. There are also reports of at least 1 Palestinian
protest in Bethlehem denouncing Arab leaders, especially Mubarak,
for the weak Arab League statement. Other rallies in support of the Palestinians
are held in Bahrain, London, Ottawa. (WP 10/23; HJ 10/24,
SA 10/26 in WNC 10/30; Bahrain Freedom Movement press release 10/25; MM 10/26)
4 Palestinians killed.
The IDF has entered or surrounded and cut off every major
Palestinian population center in the West Bank. Fighting is especially heavy in
Bethlehem. In an apparent assassination, wanted Izzeddine al-Qassam mbr. Ayman Abu
Halawih is killed, his 3 passengers are injured when his car explodes in
Nablus. A 3d Palestinian is fatally shot by IDF troops nr. Tulkarm. A
4th Palestinian dies of injuries received on 10/21. A Palestinian woman
in labor is denied passage through an IDF checkpoint to a Bethlehem
hospital; she gives birth at the crossing, the baby dies. The IDF bulldozes land in Rafah, demolishing
4 Palestinian homes, at least 9 stores. Israeli authorities also demolish
3 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem. (LAW, MEZ, NYT, WP, WT 10/23; PCHR 10/24)
In Jerusalem, nearly 100,000 Israelis demonstrate in favor of
increased military attacks on the Palestinians, equating Arafat to Bin
Laden, calling for the removal of Arafat and the PA. (NYT, WP 10/23; MM
10/24; JP 11/9)
Hizballah fires rockets at IDF positions in Shaba` Farms. Israeli
warplanes, artillery strike Hizballah positions in response. No injuries are
reported. The U.S. warns Hizballah, Israel against escalating
tensions. (NYT, WP, WT 10/23; SAF 10/23 in WNC 10/24; SAF 10/24 in WNC 10/25;
MM, WJW 10/25)
The U.S. strongly condemns Israel's recent incursions into
Palestinian towns, calls for Israel's immediate withdrawal. The EU,
Russia, UN, and U.S. send a delegation of senior envoys to
meet with Arafat to urge him to "address Israel's security concerns," to
make "absolutely certain" that the PA arrests those responsible for the Ze'evi
assassination. (NYT, WP, WT 10/23; MA, QA 10/23 in WNC 10/24; AYM 10/23, MA,
al-Quds 10/24 in WNC 10/25; MM 10/24; NYT 10/27)
Peres arrives in Washington for 2 days of consultations with senior
U.S. admin. officials. Peres is accompanied by a dozen senior Israeli
officials, IDF officers, who plan to brief U.S. officials, Jewish leaders on the
Israeli-Palestinian situation. (NYT, WP 10/23; HA 10/26)
In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian opens fire on Jewish
settlers in Talpiot settlement, wounding 4 before being shot dead by the
IDF. A Palestinian,
detained since 10/18, dies in PA General Intelligence custody; the PA
claims he committed suicide.
1 Palestinian killed.
Israel says it will delay its military response to the 10/21 Hadera
bombing in deference to U.S. regional concerns, but will reimpose
curfews, blockades across the Palestinian territories and suspend steps to ease
restrictions. The IDF bars Palestinians across the West Bank fr.
harvesting olives, saying troops cannot protect pickers fr. Jewish settlers;
the ban is lifted late in the evening after Arab MKs file a petition with
the Israeli High Court opposing the order. Israel's Infrastructure M
Efi Eitam orders a halt to all drilling for water by West Bank
Palestinians, freezes the issue of permits for future drilling. The IDF
bars a Palestinian heart attack victim fr. crossing an IDF checkpoint to
reach a hospital, allowing him to die; demolishes 3 Palestinian homes
(Balata r.c., Nablus, Rafah); demolishes 4 barracks, 3 Palestinian homes,
3 bakeries, several cattle sheds in Yatta; bulldozes 10 dunams of land in Bayt
Lahia; conducts arrest raids in Khan Yunis, Rafah. Israel releases AFP
photographer Hussam Abu Alan, detained without charge on 4/24/02. (HA, PM,
REU 10/22; LAW, NYT, PCHR, PR, WP 10/23; WT 10/24; AYM 10/24 in WNC 10/28;
al-Quds 10/30 in WNC 10/31)
6 Palestinians killed.
The IDF assassinates wanted AMB mbr. `Abd al-Hadi Natsha in
Hebron, local PFLP military cmdr. Ahmad `Atiya in Qalqilya; bulldozes 20
dunams of land, fires a flechette shell at Palestinian houses nr. Qarni
crossing, leaving 1 Palestinian brain dead; conducts arrest raids, blows
up a Palestinian home nr. Hebron; beats up a Palestinian AP cameraman
filming soldiers vandalizing Palestinian cars at the Salim roadblock. A car
explodes in Balata r.c., killing 1 Hamas mbr., injuring 2; the IDF
says the men suffered a “work accident”; Hamas claims it was an IDF
assassination. After the Tal Rumayda incident, the IDF
places curfews on nearby Palestinian villages. Late in the
evening, the IDF sends troops into al-Qarara, Satar al-Gharbiyya,
conducting arrest raids, razing 49 dunams of land. A Palestinian dies of
injuries received in the IDF attack on Nussayrat r.c. on 10/20, bringing that
toll to at least 8; a 2d Palestinian dies of injuries received in
Ramallah on 10/21. (HA, PR 10/22; HA, MM, PCHR 10/23)
Ward Boston, a fmr. Navy lawyer who helped lead the military
investigation into Israel’s 1967 attack on the USS Liberty
that killed 34 U.S. soldiers, files a signed affidavit that Pres. Lyndon
B. Johnson and Defense Secy. Robert McNamara ordered those heading
the naval inquiry to “conclude that the attack was a case of ‘mistaken identity’
despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.” (AP 10/22; NYT 10/23)
A Palestinian gunman infiltrates Tal Rumayda settlement,
shoots and wounds 2 Jewish settlers before being shot dead. Palestinians also fire a
Qassam rocket at Sederot, causing no damage or injuries.
2 Palestinians killed.
The IDF fires on a funeral procession in Khan Yunis, assassinating
wanted Hamas mbr. Awad Yasir (whom Israel claims has been responsible for
recent mortar fire on Gush Katif), wounding 1; reinforces troops around East
Jerusalem; bulldozes 22 d. of greenhouses, agricultural land in Rafah; sends
troops into Bayt Furik, fires on Palestinian homes and stone-throwing youths who
confront the troops; sends bulldozers into Bayt Hanun to level 20 d. belonging
to al-Azhar University, 10s of d. belonging to local Palestinians; conducts rare
arrest raids in Jericho. A Palestinian
woman dies of injuries received on 10/4. (WP 10/22; VOI, YA 10/22 in WNC 10/26; WP, WT 10/23; PR 10/27; PCHR 10/28; PR 11/3)
In response to Israel’s 10/21 assassination of Hamas’s
Gul, Hamas fires 2 mortars, a Qassam rocket at Jewish
settlements in s. Gaza, causing no damage or injuries; 10,000s Palestinians
take part in Gul's funeral in Gaza City. Hamas mbrs. execute a suspected
Palestinian collaborator, dumping his body in Gaza City. Gaza municipal employees
begin a strike to protest the PA's inability to pay the remainder of their 10/4
salaries.
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF fatally shoots an unarmed Palestinian, arrests a 2d;
both were thought to be planting a roadside bomb nr. Ramallah; acknowledges the
error. The IDF reinforces
roadblocks around Nablus, Qalqilya; conducts late-night arrest raids, house
searches in and nr. Tulkarm and nr. Hebron, Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr.
Beit Hadasah attack 10s of Palestinian girls on their way to school; the IDF
observes but does not intervene (see 10/20). (IMEMC 10/22; HA 10/23; PCHR 10/27)
Citing retaliation for the death of an AMB mbr. on 10/21, AMB gunmen
fire on an IDF patrol in Jenin, injuring 2 soldiers.
1 Palestinian killed.
In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units into Tamun nr. Jenin,
occupies several Palestinian homes as observation posts, firing on
stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops (killing 1 Palestinian,
wounding 19), arresting 4 Palestinians; conducts arrest raids, house searches in
Yatta (occupying 3 Palestinian homes as military posts). Jewish settlers attack
Palestinian homes in Burkin nr. Nablus. (NYT 10/23; PCHR 11/2)
In Gaza City, PA security officers
aligned with Fatah enforce a general strike, burn tires to protest the Hamas-led
government’s continued failure to pay salaries. After senior AMB mbr. Muhammad
Shihadeh is found shot dead in al-Bureij r.c., a 2d Fatah mbr. is kidnapped in
Jabaliya r.c.; Hamas denies responsibility for both.
3 Palestinians killed.
In Gaza, the IDF makes an air strike
on an ESF vehicle in al-Bureij r.c., wounding 1 ESF mbr. In the West Bank, the IDF makes a major raid on Jenin targeting Islamic Jihad, demolishing 1 building, fatally shooting 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs. in an exchange of fire
that also leaves 1 IDF soldier wounded; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus. Around half of the 2,200 Palestinian prisoners in Israel’s Ketziot prison riot against searches by guards, leaving 14 prisoners, 15 guards injured. An 8-yr.-old Palestinian girl wounded by the IDF during 10/18
arrest raids in Tulkarm dies. (WT 10/23; NYT, OCHA, WP 10/24; PCHR 10/25)
Lebanese PM Siniora delays elections
for a 2d time until 11/12 to give the governing coalition and opposition more
time to agree on a compromise candidate. (NYT, WP 10/23) (see 9/22)
Palestinians
fire 7 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel; the IDF responds by shelling
suspected launching site; no injuries or damage are reported.
In Gaza City, 100 Palestinians protest
outside the UNSCO building against the PA’s halt to issuing passports and
travel documents for Gazans.
A 17-year-old Palestinian was critically wounded by a live bullet fired by Israeli forces in the town of Tubas in the West Bank. A 14-year-old boy was arrested in the same town. (WAFA)
More than 20 Israeli armoured vehicles entered the Al-Far'a refugee camp north of Nablus and imposed a curfew, after patrols had been attacked with firebombs. (IMEMC, Ma'an News Agency)
An IDF soldier was lightly wounded by a group of 12 masked far-right-wing settlers while his unit was protecting Palestinian farmers harvesting olives near the settlement of "Otniel" in the southern Hebron Hills. (Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post)
Abdul Nasser Ferwana, head of the Statistics Department in the PA Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs, said that "the Israeli excessive use of force against Palestinian prisoners was in continuous escalation" and said that the silence of the international community gave the Israeli authorities the green light to continue their excessive use of force against Palestinian prisoners. (WAFA)
The Security Council was briefed by B. Lynn Pascoe, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. Mr. Pascoe said that despite bilateral contacts between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as efforts by the Quartet, among other concerned parties, the situation on the ground was not improving "in the way that is required" to ensure a durable settlement. He said that on 26 September the Quartet had called on the Palestinian and Israeli sides to make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008. (www.un.org)
The Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Koďchiro Matsuura, warmly welcomed the adoption by consensus of two decisions concerning respectively the Old City of Jerusalem and the Bab al-Maghariba ascent in the Old City of Jerusalem by the Executive Board during its 180th session. (www.unesco.org)
PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and the Italian Consul-General in Jerusalem Luciano Pezzotti signed a grant agreement in the amount of €20 million which will provide direct support to the PA budget in the areas of social protection and development The sum was part of the €200 million pledge made by Italy at the 2007 Donors Conference held in Paris. (WAFA)
PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad announced that he had received $ 150 million in assistance from the United States Government in support of the PA budget. This assistance was in addition to the budget support provided to the PA in March 2008. With this transfer the United States will have provided more than US$ 700 million in humanitarian, development and budget support in the course of 2008, thereby exceeding the commitment made by the US Secretary of State Rice at the Paris Donors Conference. (AFP, The Jerusalem Post, Ma'an New Agency, WAFA)
PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad joined West Bank farmers in picking olives in the village of Mazra al-Gharbiyeh, north of Ramallah, which is surrounded by settlements. He denounced attacks by settlers on farmers as "nothing short of terrorism". Mr. Fayyad said that his visit was "a clear message that we are here to stay" and that "the settlers being there in itself is illegitimate". Mr. Fayyad stated further that the olive tree was not only a source of income for most Palestinians, but more importantly a "symbol of the determination of the Palestinian people to stay on their land and to preserve and defend it". (Haaretz, IMEMC, Reuters, Ynetnews)
In a meeting in Paris with the Director-General of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a delegation of Palestinian officials urged European Governments to work for the release of Palestinian prisoners. (Ma'an News Agency)