In Genoa, G-8 heads of state endorse the FMs 7/19 statement calling
for third-party monitors. (DUS 7/21, MENA 7/22 in WNC 7/23; MM 7/23;
al-Quds 7/23 in WNC 7/24; MM 7/24; AFP, MENA 7/24 in WNC 7/25; MM 7/25)
Israel backs off plans to expel to Gaza 21 male
relatives of suspected Palestinian militants (see 7/19). Sharon tells
his cabinet that he will abide by Atty. Gen. Rubinstein's ruling
that family mbrs. would have to have been directly involved in supporting the
attacks in order to be deported. The IDF conducts arrest raids in
Jenin; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis. A Jewish settler driving
in Hebron deliberately runs over a Palestinian man, seriously injuring
him. (MM, NYT, WT 7/22; MM 7/23; PCHR 7/24; LAW 7/31)
Sharon, Housing M Natan Sharansky announce plans
to create 14 new Jewish localities in the Negev and Galilee to strengthen Jewish
control of the land, create a security buffer btwn. Jenin and Afula (the site of
numerous Palestinian attacks). (HA 7/22; Between the Lines 8/02)
A small remote controlled bomb explodes
underneath a commuter train in Rehovat nr. Tel Aviv, slightly injuring the
driver; no one takes responsibility.
The Knesset approves (47-27) Sharon’s decree authorizing the
removal of all unauthorized settlement outposts constructed in the past 2
yrs. (NYT 7/22)
The IDF bulldozes a main street, a deserted Palestinian home,
water and sewerage networks nr. Bayt Hanun; fires on residential areas of Dayr
al-Balah. Late in the evening, the IDF sends troops, military vehicles,
helicopters into Rafah, firing on residential areas, demolishing 18
Palestinian homes; fires missiles at a workshop in Khan Yunis, destroying
it. (JTA, MA, MM, PR 7/21; JAZ, VOI 7/21 in WNC 7/23; PCHR
7/22; VOI 7/22 in WNC 7/24; PR 7/28)
Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket into a Negev kibbutz,
damaging a home but causing no injuries. Armed AMB mbrs. kidnap Nablus
local governate head Fadil Shuli; accuse him of collaboration with Israel,
corruption, failing to provide local security; release him after several hrs.
without explanation.
The PC votes to support the recommendations of a report prepared by a
recently appointed special comm. on the political and security situation in
the Palestinian territories, urging Arafat to accept Qurai`’s
resignation, appoint a new government with expanded powers that could restore
stability in Gaza, undertake comprehensive reforms. (MM 7/21; JAZ, VOP 7/21 in
WNC 7/23; NYT, WP, WT 7/22; HJ 7/23 in WNC 8/3; NYT 7/26)
The IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, Jenin;
bulldozes 5 d. of olive trees in Kafr Qadim nr. Qalqilya; confiscates 8 d. of
land outside Nablus to expand a buffer around an IDF post. (IMEMC 7/21; NYT, WT, XIN 7/22; OCHA, PR
7/27; PCHR 7/28)
A rocket fired
by Palestinians at Gush Katif bloc hits a Palestinian house in Khan
Yunis, killing 1 Palestinian child, wounding a 2d. A mortar fired
by Palestinians at an IDF post in Gaza injures 1 IDF soldier. After an NIHC
mtg. in Gaza, the PA, Palestinian factions announce that all
factions have reaffirmed their pledge to observe a cease-fire, will remove all
armed forces fr. the streets (except those of the PA security forces), will halt
provocations and incitement. Israel agrees to renew contacts with the
PA regarding coordination on the disengagement, which were suspended
following the 7/12 suicide bombing.
5 Palestinians killed.
Overnight, the IDF withdraws fr. al- Maghazi r.c., leaving a total of 207 d.
of land, 4 Palestinian homes demolished, 9 other homes partially demolished.
Also in Gaza, the IDF fires a tank shell at a home in Gaza City, alleging that a
Hamas mbr. on the roof was preparing to fire an RPG, killing a handicapped
Palestinian on the roof, 3 relatives inside, wounding 2; shells areas nr. Khan
Yunis and the Sufa crossing in the south and in n. Gaza, wounding at least 6
Palestinian civilians. In the West Bank, the IDF withdraws troops fr. Nablus,
ending a 3-day operation; before leaving, troops blow up the main government
offices (killing a Palestinian bystander), fire on stone-throwing Palestinians
youths, wounding 21. The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches nr.
Qalqilya. (WP 7/21; NYT, PCHR 7/22; PCHR 7/27; B’Tselem 8/3)
The IDF calls up 3 battalions (several 1,000) additional reserves, positions
troops and armor on the n. Israel border in preparation for “limited” ground
operations to “mop up” Hizballah strongholds and weapons sites, continues
pinpoint special forces operations inside s. Lebanon, urges residents to
evacuate n. of the Litani River immediately (see 7/20; local officials estimate
that 70% of the southern population has left). The U.S. approves Israel’s
request to expedite delivery of precision-guided missiles (including at least
25, possibly 100, 5,000-lb GBU-28 bunker busters) to maintain the intensity of
IDF air strikes. IDF artillery hits a UN observation post in Zarit, s. Lebanon,
causing extensive damage but no injuries; makes air strikes on the
Beirut–Damascus highway and several bridges, targeting empty passenger busses
returning fr. Syria after evacuating foreigners; continues air strikes on
Baalbek (killing at least 5 Lebanese civilians, wounding 20) and on s. Lebanon.
At least 12 Lebanese are killed during the day. Hizballah fires 35–50 rockets
into n. Israel, 10 of them hitting Haifa (injuring 3 Israelis) and others
hitting Carmiel, Kiryat Shimona, Nahariya, Safad, Tiberias, and several n.
Israeli villages. Hizballah acknowledges that 6 Hizballah mbrs. have been killed
since 7/12, whereas Israel claims that around 100 have been killed. UN
humanitarian relief coordinator Jan Egeland estimates that 500,000 Lebanese are
in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, but says that the UN cannot provide
it without Israel, Lebanon guaranteeing safe corridors for movement of civilians
and aid. Today, Israel allows 1 Greek ship carrying 22 tons of humanitarian
goods to enter Beirut. (AP 7/21; NYT, WP, WT 7/22; NYT 8/11)
IDF troops on the n. Gaza border shoot, seriously wound 2 armed Palestinians nr. the border fence n. of Bayt
Lahiya. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin town and r.c., in al
-Khadir nr. Bethlehem. (AP 7/21; WT 7/22; OCHA 7/25; PCHR 7/26)
In Nablus, PA security forces loyal to Abbas release Hamas official and
senior adviser to fmr. Interior M Qawasmi Ahmad Dolah (arrested on 7/2); 6
other Hamas officials recently arrested in Nablus have been freed in the past
few days. In Gaza, Hamas says that it is installing a temporary legal
comm. comprising an Islamic law expert, a military court lawyer, and the head of the main prison temporarily to replace
the nonfunctioning PA court system.
The Israeli Army said an Israeli soldier caught on film shooting a bound and blindfolded Palestinian detainee in the
leg with a rubber-coated bullet had been detained. The footage of the incident had been released by Israeli human
rights group B'Tselem on 20 July. (AFP, www.btselem.org)
Israeli settlers launched a home-made projectile at the Palestinian villages of Orta and Odala, south of Nablus. The
projectile landed in agricultural land. No injuries were reported. (Ma'an News Agency)
Israel arrested some 20 Hamas activists in Nablus, including PLC member Muna Mansour, a Palestinian security source
said. (AFP)
In its "Human Rights annual report 2007" Britain's House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said, "Some of Israel's
actions against the Palestinians have been disproportionate, and we conclude that Israeli policies towards the
population of the Gaza Strip as a whole have been a form of collective punishment. We recommend that the Government
should urge Israel in the strongest possible terms to desist from activities that violate international law. We further
conclude that the Government is absolutely correct to condemn all forms of violence committed by Palestinians against
the Israeli population. We recommend that, in its response to this report, the Government should provide an assessment
as to what policy options are available to prevent the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel. We repeat our
condemnation of violence between Palestinians, and we welcome the Government's provision of significant financial
support to the Palestinian Authority." (www.parliament.uk)
During a speech to the Knesset, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, "I believe that a historic, hard won but
lasting peace is within your grasp by seizing the opportunity opened up by Annapolis - now taken forward by Prime
Minister Olmert and President Abbas and built on fundamentals: a two-State solution based on 1967 borders; a democratic
State of Israel, secure from attack, recognized by - and at peace with - all its neighbours; alongside a peaceful,
democratic and territorially viable State of Palestine that accepts you as its friend and partner; with Jerusalem the
capital for both, and a just and agreed settlement for refugees. … And to deliver this historic hard won and lasting
peace, it is vital also that both sides now create the conditions for a final agreement: the Palestinians acting with
persistence and perseverance against the terrorists who attack your country; Israel freezing, and withdrawing from,
settlements." (AFP, www.number10.gov.uk)
The Al-Bayan newspaper of the United Arab Emirates reported that Israel was willing to include imprisoned Fatah leader
Marwan Barghouti in a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners to be freed in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
(Haaretz)
The Consumer Protection Department of the PA Ministry of National Economy in Bethlehem said that their staff had
confiscated products made in Israeli settlements from local merchants. It urged Palestinian businessmen to refrain from
buying such products. (Ma'an News Agency)
Four IDF tanks with two bulldozers entered Khan Yunis in southern Gaza amid intensive gunfire, bulldozing large areas of agriculture lands. (Palestine Press Agency)
Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor told foreign reporters that US calls for a freeze on West Bank settlement construction run counter to past agreements between the two nations and could undermine US credibility. He underlined that it was important for past understandings to be honoured and said: “We never had an agreement with the previous Administration. We had an agreement with America.” (AP)
In a statement, the Presidency of the European Union [Sweden] urged Israel to refrain from provocative actions in East Jerusalem, including home demolitions and evictions, and declared that such actions are illegal under international law. The Presidency recalled the EU declaration of 24 March 2009 stating that these activities not only affect Palestinians living in East Jerusalem but further threaten the chances of peace. (www.se2009.eu)
Israel decided to declare as State land around 138,600 dunums of West Bank land which had emerged on the western shoreline of the Dead Sea as a result of water shrinkage, the Peace Now group reported. “It would appear that the primary purpose of registering this area as 'State land' is to prevent Palestinian use of the land or any Palestinian assertion of ownership over it,” Mr. Hagit Ofran of Peace Now said. (www.peacenow.org.il)
Haaretz reported that, according to Israel Lands Administration (ILA) rules, Palestinians in East Jerusalem were barred from owning the vast majority of West Jerusalem homes. Even Palestinians with an Israeli ID were considered foreigners, who must show the ILA proof of eligibility to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return. (Haaretz, WAFA)
Since it annexed East Jerusalem, Israel has expropriated 24,500 dunums (6,054 acres) privately owned by Palestinians. By the end of 2007, some 50,197 housing units had been built for Jews on the expropriated land, but none for Palestinians, according to the Association of Civil Rights in Israel, which released a report entitled “Life in the Garbage: A Report on Sanitation Services in East Jerusalem” stressing that Palestinian residents were compelled to provide solutions at their own expense to cope with the sanitation and environmental problems due to Israeli neglect. (www.acri.org.il)
Haaretz reported that the IDF was drafting a plan to evacuate 23 unauthorized outposts in one day but the IDF spokesman's office said in a statement that it had not received any order from the Israeli Government for a “lightning” evacuation of outposts and denied having begun preparatory operations for such a move. (Haaretz, Ma’an News Agency, Reuters, WAFA)
Israeli settlers continued to riot over outpost demolitions, hurling stones at IDF soldiers and Palestinian cars in the West Bank. They threw stones at the car of PLC member Walid Assaf as he drove north to Qalqilya. The IDF troops at the military checkpoint said they were unable to take measures against the unknown settlers. (Ma’an News Agency, The Jerusalem Post)
The Israeli State Prosecutor announced that the Israeli Government was considering confiscating privately-owned Palestinian land near the “Ofra” settlement, in the West Bank, to turn the site into a regional sewage treatment plant that would serve both “Ofra” and the nearby Palestinian communities. (Haaretz)
In Khan Yunis, some 60 Palestinians were injured in an explosion at a wedding party for a relative of Fatah leader Muhammad Dahlan. Ten people suffered serious injuries. Hamas official Ehab Al-Ghussein said security services arrested three suspects linked to the explosion. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine released a statement condemning the explosion and calling on Hamas to bring to an end such attacks which were harmful to the Palestinian people and their struggle. (Ma’an News Agency)
PA President Abbas told a Ramallah press conference: “We offer immediate presidential and parliamentary elections to end the issue of internal split. Who wins the elections leads the country”. In response, Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman rejected Mr. Abbas' call saying that: “First, there must be an agreement on the five files which are the PLO, the Government, the security, the reconciliation and the elections.” Hamas is not afraid of elections but “it should be preceded by lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip and releasing MPs detained by the Israeli occupation authority,” declared another Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri. (Ma’an News Agency)
A World Bank report said that the Bank would provide $40 million in budget support for the PA Palestinian Reform and Development Plan. The grant was authorized after the World Bank assessed adequate progress on a number of public financial management reforms. “It is important to remember that for the PA to meet its fiscal goals, reforms must be accompanied by substantial private sector growth. This can only be accomplished by further relaxation of the Israeli closure regime, enabling Palestinian enterprises to reliably access markets. In the immediate term, fiscal stability is dependent on the donor community,” said World Bank Acting Country Director for the West Bank and Gaza, Dina Abu-Ghaida. (WAFA)