1 Palestinian killed. 1 Israeli killed.
Israeli-Palestinian clashes
continue to escalate. In Rafah, the IDF assassinates Islamic Jihad
activist Muhammad `Abd al-Al, firing wire-guided missiles fr. helicopter
gunships at his truck. (2,000 Palestinians attend his funeral later in the day.)
The IDF also eases open-fire regulations; shells residential areas of
Aida camp, Bayt Jala, Nablus; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in al-Khadir,
1 in al-Tur. In Hebron, Jewish settlers blow up 4 Palestinian
shops; afterward, the IDF bulldozes the buildings, surrounding area to
create a buffer around the Abraham Avino settlement. Palestinians fire
homemade mortars at the Qarni industrial zone. In Jerusalem, a Palestinian
attacks, injures an IDF soldier, steals her M-16. (JP [Internet] 4/2;
AFP, MA 4/2 in WNC 4/3; MA 4/2, QA 4/4 in WNC 4/5; HP, JP [Internet], LAW, MM,
NYT, WP, WT 4/3; NYT 4/4; MEI 4/6; NYT 4/7)
In Washington, Mubarak briefs Bush on the Jordanian-Egyptian
"nonpaper" (see 4/1), urges him to support the proposal and to become more
involved in the peace process. Bush says the nonpaper ideas should be discussed;
the U.S. can "facilitate" talks btwn. Israel, the PA, but it
"can't force a peace." Bush also urges Egypt to return its amb. to Israel. (MM
4/2; MENA 4/2, JT, MENA, al-Quds 4/3, MENA, al-Ra'i 4/4 in WNC
4/5; JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 4/3; WJW 4/5; MEI 4/6; MENA 4/6 in WNC 4/9;
MENA 4/11 in WNC 4/12; WJW 4/12) (see Peace Monitor)
The
State Dept. certifies PLO compliance with the Oslo agmts. for the
period 6/16/00+n12/15/00, saying PA security coordination with Israel was very
high prior to 9/28/00, it is uncertain to what degree PLO or PA officials were
actively involved in starting or encouraging violence after 9/28. (JP [Internet]
4/4; MM 4/10; MM 5/2) (see Doc. D3)
After an Islamic Jihad sniper kills an IDF soldier nr. Rachel's
Tomb in Bethlehem in retaliation, the IDF fires missiles, tank shells,
machine guns, grenades at Palestinian residential areas of the city, damaging 15 homes and wounding 8 Palestinians, including a 2-yr.-old girl, 3-mo.-old baby.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
detonates a car bomb nr. an IDF patrol outside Keddumim settlement,
causing no injuries.
7 Palestinians killed. 4 Israelis killed.
Early this morning, IDF helicopters, tanks attack the PSF West
Bank headquarters in Beitunia, where some 200 PSF officers and staff have
encamped since 3/30, setting the building ablaze. The CIA intervenes to
secure the safe evacuation of the staff, surrender of 180 officers, but some
refuse to leave. In Ramallah, the IDF continues house-to-house searches,
stumbling upon 22 PSF officers hiding in an apartment, fatally shooting 2
though none resist arrest; raids, shuts Ramallah's al-Quds Educational TV,
arresting 2 employees; revokes the credentials of 2 Abu Dhabi TV journalists,
threatens legal action against CNN and NBC for broadcasting fr.
Ramallah; confiscates 3 ambulances, detains 9 paramedics. PRCS
suspends services in Ramallah, noting the IDF now has 15 medical workers in
custody. This afternoon, the IDF lifts the Ramallah curfew for 3 hrs. so
residents can buy food, bury those killed since 3/29 (bodies have been
double-stacked in morgues, with no electricity). In Bethlehem, IDF troops
order all men age 14+n45 to surrender; fight their way to the doorway of the
Church of the Nativity, where some 200 Palestinian gunmen, civilians
have now sought refuge; fire on 20 journalists on the balcony of the Star
Hotel, injuring 1; fire a warning shot at a clearly marked Reuters car.
Palestinians also take refuge in Bethlehem's Omar Mosque, Santa Maria Church,
the Russian Orthodox Church and hospice; the IDF surrounds those holy sites,
occupies Bethlehem University as its main staging area. In Aida and Dahaysha,
the IDF orders Palestinian women age 15+n25, men age 15+n45 to
surrender. At least
7 Palestinians are killed today, including 2 motorists ambushed by
settler vigilante group Tears of the Orphans and Martyrs (see 3/5) nr.
Tulkarm, a mother and son shot by the IDF and allowed bleed to death, a woman
shot dead by an IDF sniper as she left a Ramallah hospital (troops fire on
medical workers attempting to retrieve her body). 3 Israelis injured in
the 3/27 Netanya attack die, bringing the toll of the bombing to 23; 1
Israeli injured in the 3/31 Haifa attack dies, bringing that toll to 16.
Israel expands its list of "wanted" Palestinians to include some of
Arafat's top aides, including intelligence chief Tawfiq Tirawi,
PSF 2d in command in Gaza Rashid Abu Shabak, Fatah tanzim leader
Marwan Barghouti, but not PSF heads Dahlan or Rajub. (AP, HA,
PRCS press release, NYT, WP, WT 4/2; MENA 4/2 in WNC 4/3; NYT, WP, WT 4/3; WP
4/4; QA 4/4 in WNC 4/5; MEI 4/5)
Sharon tells envoys of EU, Russia, UN they may meet
with Arafat if they agree to escort him into exile. Peres proposes
that Arafat "voluntarily" leave the territories asylum in foreign country. (AP,
HA, MM 4/2; AFP 4/2 in WNC 4/3; NYT, WP 4/3)
A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a device at an IDF
checkpoint into Jerusalem, killing only himself, causing no injuries.
5 Palestinians killed.
The IDF raids Tulkarm r.c., rounds up all males ages 14-40, detains
some 2,000, buses them outside of the r.c., bars those released fr. returning
home for 3 days, begins house-to-house searches, breaking through walls to move
btwn. residences; raids Jenin, firing on residential areas; conducts other
arrest raids in Bethlehem, Hebron (targeting Hamas); demolishes 3
Palestinian homes in Amari r.c., 1 in Bayt Hanina, 1 in Hebron; blows up a
Palestinian apartment in Tulkarm, damaging 2 others. A 15-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received
on 3/28. The 1st Jewish settlers move into homes in Ras al-Amud/Ma’ale
Ha’Zeitim. In the Negev, the IDF sprays toxic chemicals on bedouin crops.
(GS, HA, PM, PR 4/2; VOI 4/2 in WNC 4/3; ADL, HA, PCHR 4/3; HA, WP 4/4; AFP 4/7
in WNC 4/9; PR 4/9; LAW, PCHR, WJW 4/10)
Outside Rafah, an
IDF tank rolls over, detonates an explosive device, injuring 4 IDF soldiers;
in response, the IDF raids Rafah, fatally shooting 4 Palestinians,
wounding 8, demolishing at least 4 Palestinian homes; 1 IDF soldier is
injured in the raid.
3 Palestinians killed. 1 Israeli killed.
Israeli riot police clash with Palestinian worshipers at al-Aqsa
Mosque after Friday prayers in the greatest violence there since Sharon’s
9/00 visit that sparked the al-Aqsa intifada; after some worshipers throw stones
at police guarding Jews praying at the Wailing Wall, Israeli police wielding
batons, firing stun grenades and rubber bullets charge the al-Aqsa Mosque
compound, injuring at least 45, arresting 14, driving 1,000s of worshipers into
the mosque; Palestinians are allowed to leave after more than an hr. when Waqf
officials negotiate their peaceful dispersal. The
IDF also fires on stone-throwing youths in Bethlehem, killing a
16-yr.-old Palestinian; fires on 2 “suspicious figures” nr. the Gaza
boundary fence with Israel, killing 1 Palestinian; stages a major raid
into Rafah, demolishing 38 Palestinian homes; conducts arrest raids in
Aida r.c. and nr. Hebron, Ramallah. (MM 4/2; WP, WT 4/3; NYT, WT 4/4; PCHR 4/8)
An armed Palestinian
infiltrates Avnei Hefetz settlement nr. Tulkarm, fires on a house, killing 1
Jewish settler, wounding 1 before being shot dead by the IDF.
The IDF attempts to break up a Land Day demonstration nr. Tulkarm,
sparking clashes in which 1 Palestinian is injured; conducts arrest raids, house
searches in Dayr al-Ghusun, Tubas nr. Jenin uproots 1,500 olive trees nr. Hebron
for construction of the separation wall; fires steel-coated rubber
bullets, tear gas at Palestinians conducting a nonviolent demonstration against
the separation wall in Nazlat Issa nr. Tulkarm, wounding 1 Palestinian.
Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai, escorted by IDF soldiers, occupy
a Palestinian home in Hebron, throw the contents of the home into the
street, also rampage through the area damaging several other Palestinian homes.
Jewish settlers fr. Ma'on and Suissa settlements attack 3 Palestinians
working on their lands in nearby Yatta. (IMEMC 4/2, 4/3; OCHA 4/6; PCHR 4/7)
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF shells Gaza’s Jabaliya r.c., seriously wounding a 7-yr.-old
Palestinian boy and his father harvesting vegetables in their field; sends
undercover units in a car with Palestinian license plates into Qalqilya to
arrest a wanted Palestinian; later sends troops into Qalqilya to arrest another
Palestinian, firing on stone-throwing youths who confront them, wounding 6;
conducts other arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Qalqilya
(also firing on residential areas), nr. Hebron and Jenin; seriously beats a
Palestinian in Hebron for no apparent reason.
In retaliation for the 3/31 Abu
Quka assassination, the PRCs fire 3 rockets fr. Gaza towards an IDF post at
Kissufim crossing causing no damage or injuries. The IDF responds by shelling n.
Gaza, targeting and hitting a truck hauling vegetables in Bayt Lahiya
(apparently thinking it belonged to militants who fired the rockets), injuring 2
farmers. A Palestinian dies, a 2d is injured when heavy rain run-off obstructed
by the separation wall, which effectively creates a dam nr. Bil‘in, causes flash
flooding that washes the men into the razor wire cordoning off the wall,
trapping them. (IMEMC, JAZ, PRC communiqu´e, XIN 4/2; VOP 4/2 in WNC 4/3; PCHR
4/6)
The IDF sends bulldozers into s. Gaza nr. Wadi Gaza to level land along the
border fence to improve lines of sight. In the West Bank, the IDF sends
undercover units into Balata r.c., exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen,
leaving 1 Palestinian wounded; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Tubas.
(NYT, WP
4/3; OCHA 4/4; PCHR 4/5)
Palestinian journalists protesting the 3/12 kidnapping of the BBC’s Johnston
begin a 3-day boycott of coverage on the PA and Abbas’s office, with some 100
journalists also staging a sit-in outside the PM’s office in Gaza City.
In Gaza, the IDF bulldozes 24 d. of
olive groves and a small Gaza police outpost nr. al-Maghazi r.c. Egyptian
border police discover, demolish a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border. In
the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in Anata nr.
Jerusalem; occupies a Palestinian home nr. Jenin as a military outpost;
conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Tulkarm and in al-Bireh
(raiding and searching the municipal building, rounding up 2 municipal
employees fr. their homes and bringing them to the offices to log onto
password-protected computers), Ramallah (raiding the chamber of commerce
offices), Jericho. The Israeli Housing Min. presents Olmert with
a proposal for construction of 1,900 new Jewish settler housing units across
the West Bank in 2008: 682 units in Beitar Ilit nr. Bethlehem, 510 units in
Givat Ze’ev n. of Jerusalem, 302 units in Ma’ale Adumim e. of Jerusalem, 160
units in Binyamin settlement n. of Jerusalem, 158 units in Efrat nr. Bethlehem,
and 48 units each in Ariel nr. Salfit and Kiryat Arba in Hebron. Palestinians
throw stones at Jewish settler vehicles nr. Nablus; the settlers respond
by shooting, killing 3 Palestinian sheep nearby. Jewish settlers fr.
Keddumim nr. Qalqilya stone Palestinian vehicles driving nearby, causing no
reported injuries. PA security forces impose a night curfew on Kafr Thuluth
nr. Qalqilya to prevent clashes btwn. feuding families (the curfew is still in
place as of 4/8). (PCHR 4/3; OCHA, PCHR 4/9)
1 Israeli killed.
The Israeli army arrested 28 Palestinians in Jenin, Qalqilya, Jericho, Bethlehem, Nablus and Al-Izriyah near Jerusalem. Israeli troops also detained a PA intelligence officer at his home in Tulkarm. (IMEMC, Ma’an News Agency)
Egyptian security forces closed nine smuggling tunnels at the Egyptian side of Rafah and confiscated fuel pumps. (Ma’an News Agency)
Israel allowed the smallest quantity of vital supplies into the Gaza Strip in weeks, opening just one of three key crossing points. Raed Fattuh, Palestinian official in charge of crossings, confirmed that the Kerem Shalom crossing would be partially opened. (Ma’an News Agency)
The Italian geopolitical review Limes reported that at least 19,000 Palestinian homes had been destroyed by Israel since 1967. In five per cent of cases, demolition had been defined as punitive, and 35 per cent based on lack of proper permits, the magazine said. “[It] is important to remember that very often, the Palestinians have no other choice but to build illegally because obtaining permits has become almost impossible,” it reported, adding that 95 per cent of permit applications made between 2000 and 2007 had been denied. (Ma’an News Agency)
Israeli authorities issued orders to confiscate 1,000 dunums of Palestinian land in the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus, to construct a road and three settlements. (Ma’an News Agency)
A group of Israeli settlers took over a Palestinian-owned house in Jerusalem’s Old City. The owner said that he had been renovating his house when a group of settlers came and tried to take over the house. Israeli police arrived after the scuffle and allowed the settlers to take control of the house after forcing the owner away. (IMEMC)
"The comments issued by the new Israeli Foreign Minister [Liberman] refusing to recognize the Annapolis process are regrettable and are the first setback to peace efforts coming from this new Israeli Government," Egypt's Foreign Ministry said. (AFP)
Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to distance himself from remarks by Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman rejecting the Annapolis process. "When something so dramatic is said and does not receive a response, it either reflects weakness on the part of Bibi [Netanyahu] or he actually believes it," she told Israel Army Radio. (DPA)
Spanish public prosecutors had asked a Spanish court to temporarily shelve a complaint against seven top Israeli military figures over an Israeli air strike on 22 July 2002 on Gaza City. The attack had killed Hamas leader Salah Shehadeh, along with 14 civilians, mainly infants and children, according to a judicial source. The prosecutors justified the move on the grounds that the alleged crimes against humanity in question were already the subject of a legal procedure in Israel, the source said. Judge Fernando Abreu had agreed in January to pursue the complaint filed by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in line with Spain’s assumption of the principle of universal jurisdiction in alleged cases of crimes against humanity, genocide, and terrorism. (AFP)
A Palestinian with an axe and a knife killed a 13-year-old Israeli boy and wounded a seven-year-old boy in the “Bat Ayin” settlement and then fled. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility in a statement. (Reuters)
Palestinian Authority (PA) Foreign Minister Riad Malki said President Abbas had rejected the resignation of Prime Minister Fayyad and asked him to stay on until Fatah and Hamas had reached a deal. “This Government will stay on to avoid having a constitutional vacuum,” Mr. Malki said. (Reuters)
Fatah and Hamas had decided to suspend Egyptian-mediated unity talks for three weeks. Senior Fatah official Nabil Sha’ath said: “There are new creative proposals and each movement needs to consult its leadership. … We decided to resume the negotiations at a later date, sometime between 21 and 26 April”. (AFP)