4 Palestinians killed.
Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. 2 Palestinians are shot dead
in Gaza. A 3d Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. An ailing
Palestinian dies after the car rushing her to a Ramallah hospital is delayed
45 minutes at an IDF checkpoint. Another Palestinian woman gives birth at an IDF
checkpoint after being held there almost 4 hrs. Around Morag settlement nr. Khan
Yunis, the IDF reinforces troops, bulldozes 10 dunams of Palestinian
land. The IDF also tightens the closure on the Tulkarm area, reseals the Rafah
crossing, shells Palestinian residential areas nr. Netzarim settlement.
Jewish settlers halt and damage a Palestinian car, threaten the driver nr.
Aley settlement; set up a checkpoint nr. Ashkalot settlement to stop, search
Palestinian cars. (MENA 1/24 in WNC 1/26; HP 1/25; NYT, WP 1/26; ADM 2/5; WP
2/16)
The new Bush administration takes its 1st step in defining its Middle
East diplomacy by having its regional ambs. contact Israel and the PA to urge
them to resume the Taba talks, to request briefings on the talks. Israel
agrees to resume the talks on 1/25. (NYT, WP, WT 1/25)
Aides to PM candidate Sharon arrive in Vienna to meet with top
Arafat aide Muhammad Rashid (Khalid Salam). Sharon says mtgs. are to stress
to the PA that he will not hold peace talks until all Palestinian violence
ceases. (HP, IDF Radio [Internet], IsRN, MM, YA 1/25; MA {Internet], MM, NYT
1/26; QA, SA 1/26 in WNC 1/29; AYM 1/28 in WNC 1/30; Die Presse [Vienna]
1/31 in WNC 2/1; MA 2/1 in WNC 2/5)
6 Palestinians killed.
The IDF assassinates senior Hamas mbr. Adli Hamdan
(Bakr Hamdan), firing missiles at his car in Khan Yunis, injuring 2
passengers. Another 5 Palestinians are killed in separate incidents,
including a PA intelligence officer fatally shot by the IDF in
Ramallah. A 6th Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. In Hebron,
the IDF raids, occupies a Palestinian bakery, shooting, wounding,
detaining 1 Palestinian. The IDF also conducts arrest sweeps in the
Bethlehem area, Tulkarm; occupies a Palestinian home in al-Khadir as an
observation post. (LAW, NYT, WP 1/25; PCHR 1/30)
The U.S. invites Sharon to come to Washington
to meet with Bush on 2/7. White House also issues a statement
regarding Israel's confinement of Arafat to his office in
Ramallah, saying, "The president understands the reason that Israel has taken
the action that it takes, and it is up to Chairman Arafat to demonstrate the
leadership to combat terrorism." Bush meets with senior national
security advisers to reassess U.S. Middle East policy. Some senior admin.
officials (including VP Dick Cheney, Defense Secy. Donald Rumsfeld)
are reportedly leaning toward sanctioning or severing ties with Arafat, the
PA/PLO. (MM, WJW 1/24; AP, CNN, JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/25; al-Quds
1/26, DUS 1/27 in WNC 1/28; MM 1/28)
5 Palestinians killed.
IDF helicopters fire 11 missiles at a metal workshop in Gaza City,
destroying it; 2 of the missiles are duds that go astray hitting, damaging an
Anglican church, a hospital. The IDF also demolishes 1 Palestinian
home in the city. Late in the evening, the IDF begins to demolish 4 bridges on the main
roads linking Bayt Hanun to Gaza City; says the demolitions will facilitate its
“control over main transportation axes,” ability to prevent Palestinians fr.
firing rockets, mortars into Israel; the IDF clashes with local
Palestinians protesting the demolitions, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding
14. The IDF fires on a group of Palestinians traveling close to a settler
bypass road nr. Bayt Iba checkpoint nr. Nablus, killing 2 Palestinians;
fires on residential areas of Beitunia, Ithna, Jenin; demolishes at least 14
Palestinian homes in Rafah. The IDF also fatally shoots 2 AMB
mbrs. involved in the fatal shooting of 3 IDF soldiers nr. Hebron on 1/23,
wounds and captures a 3d, while the 4th escapes. A Haifa district court
convicts senior Islamic Jihad mbr. Thabit Mardawi of responsibility for
the deaths of 21 Israelis in several attacks. (AP, HA, MM 1/24; AFP 1/24 in WNC
1/25; AP, HA, NYT, WT 1/25; LAW, NYT, WT 1/26; LAW, PCHR 1/29)
In response to IDF missile attack in Gaza, Hamas fires 3 Qassam rockets
fr. n. Gaza into the Israeli border town of Sederot, lightly injuring 1 Israeli.
2 Palestinians killed.
The IDF fatally shoots 2 alleged AMB mbrs., both unarmed, who
enter a closed military zone in Gaza; sets up 4 new checkpoints on the main road
to Qalqilya; fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest raids in
`Azun, Khan Yunis. In Hebron, Jewish settlers, Palestinians clash,
leaving 3 settlers, 2 Palestinians wounded. (VOI, VOP, YA 1/24 in WNC 1/27; HA, NYT 1/25; PR 1/28; PCHR 1/29)
After 3 yrs. of negotiations via a German mediator, Israel,
Hizballah conclude a prisoner swap deal under which Israel will release
401 Palestinian security prisoners, 29 Arab prisoners (including
Lebanon’s Shaykh `Abd al-Karim Obeid and Mustafa Dirani), the
bodies of 59 Lebanese fighters in exchange for captured IDF
Col. Elhanan Tennenbaum (res.), the bodies of 3 IDF soldiers. After
this 1st phase is completed, Israel, Hizballah will reopen negotiations toward
Israel releasing Lebanese prisoner Samir Kantar in exchange for
information on downed Israeli pilot Ron Arad. (HA, Israel Television
Network 1/24, AFP, MA, MNR, VIRI, VOP, YA 1/25 in WNC 1/27; HA, NYT, WP, WT
1/25; CSM, HA, MM, NYT 1/26; JP 1/27 in WNC 1/29; MM 1/28)
Palestinians fire 2
antitank missiles at an IDF patrol nr. Rafah, causing no damage or
injuries.
2 Palestinians killed.
The IDF reports that Palestinian violence has diminished significantly
in recent days, with no mortar fire since 1/19, no Qassam fire in more than a
wk. The IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian who approaches Qarni
crossing; sends troops into Askar r.c., fires on residential areas, then fires
on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops, wounding 2 boys (ages 10 and
12); imposes a 24-hr. curfew on Saida (in place until at least 2/2); conducts
arrest raids, house searches in `Abud nr. Ramallah, Nablus, Sa'ir nr. Hebron,
Silat al-Dahir nr. Jenin, Tulkarm. Israeli police arrest a 19-yr.-old
Palestinian girl who attempts to stab an Israeli policeman outside al-Aqsa
Mosque. Several
Jewish settlers in Hebron throw stones at local Palestinians, vandalize
several Palestinian homes. A Palestinian dies of injuries received on
12/27/04. (VOI 1/24 in WNC 1/25; JAZ, WP, WT 1/25; OCHA 1/26; PCHR 1/27; VOP
1/30 in WNC 1/31; PR 2/2)
In a move apparently targeting PA corruption, PA security forces
begin bulldozing wooden waterfront structures housing unlicensed shops along the
beach in Gaza City; the shops sprang up after the Oslo agmt. and are rumored to
be "protected by prominent personalities with influence inside the PA."
Palestinian militant groups agree to an informal 1-mo. truce while
Abbas appeals to Israel to stop targeting their mbrs. If Israel
agrees, the groups say they are prepared to enter a formal cease-fire agmt. (VOI
1/24 in WNC 1/24; WP, WT 1/25)
The IDF bars CEC officials fr. transporting election boxes
through a Tulkarm checkpoint to 21 al-Sha`rawiyya polling stations; conducts
arrest raids, house searches in Jenin. The Shin Bet summons PNN
correspondent Mais Abu Ghazaleh for questioning, releases her with an
"offer" to "consider cooperating with them to inform them on her future work
with PNN." Israel's Jerusalem Municipality fines
Fatah, Hamas, the PFLP $100,000 each for hanging campaign
posters in East Jerusalem. (AP, HA, IMEMC, PCHR, YA 1/24;
PCHR 1/26; PNN press release 1/28)
Palestinians fire a rocket fr. Gaza into the Negev,
causing no damage or injuries. Fatah gunmen in Nablus fatally shoot Fatah
election official Yusif Hassuna after he tells them to stop shooting at
campaign posters for Ghassan Shak`a` (opposed by some Fatah mbrs.) on his house;
1,000 Palestinians later march to Nablus's main police station to protest the
killing, the police's failure to end lawlessness. Some 40 Islamic Jihad mbrs.
march in Tulkarm, demanding the release of prisoners fr. Palestinian jails,
calling for an election boycott, firing on a PA police station (causing no
injuries); PA police disperse the crowd.
The IDF makes an air strike on a rocket launching site nr. Bayt Lahiya,
causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Hebron, sets up flying
checkpoints, searches Palestinian cars and checks IDs; fires on stone-throwing
Palestinian youths outside Nablus, wounding 1; conducts arrest raids, house
searches in Aida r.c., Halhul nr. Hebron, Yabad nr. Jenin. Jewish settlers
escorted by IDF troops vandalize Palestinian property, cars, a cemetery in
Awarta nr. Nablus.
ESF, Fatah mbrs. exchange fire in Bayt Hanun, leaving 2 Fatah
mbrs., 2 bystanders wounded. Suspected Hamas gunmen fire on a PA security post
e. of Gaza City, wounding 3 PA security officers.
PFLP mbrs. hold a sit-in outside al-Maghazi r.c. to protest ongoing
Palestinian violence. A Palestinian accused of drug dealing dies in ESF custody
in Rafah. (PCHR 1/25; OCHA 1/31; PCHR 2/1; AIC 2/13) 25 JANUARY
5 Palestinians killed. 1 Israeli killed.
With the Rafah
border breached, Israel halts emergency imports authorized on 1/22,
arguing that Gazans can now get food and fuel fr. Egypt. Meanwhile, the IDF
makes an air strike on a car nr. the Rafah border, assassinating Izzeddin
al-Qassam Brigades mbrs. Zayid `Abd al-`Aal and Ibrahim al-`Absi; sends
troops into areas e. of Rafah to conduct arrest raids, detaining and taking
back to Israel 25 Palestinians possibly connected to the 1/23 border breach. The IDF
sends troops into Bayt Umar, fires on residential areas, occupies the homes of
the 2 Kefar Etzion attackers, interrogates their families, fires on
stone-throwing Palestinians who confront them, killing 1 Palestinian
teenager, wounding 2 Palestinians; later, IDF troops posted at the
entrance to the village fire on a funeral procession for 1 of the assailants,
injuring 1 mourner. The IDF
also conducts arrest raids, house searches in Azun, nr. Hebron. Jewish
settlers fr. Karme Tzur in Hebron, guarded by IDF troops, add 5
mobile homes to an unauthorized outpost nearby in Halhul. (AP 1/24; NYT, WP, WT
1/25; OCHA 1/30; PCHR 1/31)
In
the West Bank, 2 Palestinians fr. Bayt Umar nr. Hebron infiltrate Kefar
Etzion settlement, stab and wound 3 Jewish settlers before being shot dead by
settlement security officers; no group takes responsibility.
A Palestinian gunman fires on Israeli border police
outside Shu`fat r.c. nr. Jerusalem, killing 1 Israeli border policeman,
wounding another, escaping unharmed; no group takes responsibility.
Gaza's children returned to school for the first time since the Israeli offensive on 27 December. UNRWA reopened all of its 221 schools, with some 200,000
Palestinian children expected to return to class. Many of the students had lost relatives, their homes, and in many classrooms there were empty desks.
Public schools run by Hamas also reopened. UNRWA spokesperson Christopher Gunness said, "There are going to be thousands of traumatized children coming to
school today… UNRWA's commitment to restoring a sense of normalcy for the next generation in Gaza is a test of our humanity and we are determined to
rise to the challenge." (AFP, BBC)
A group of 25 South African medical staff, who arrived in Egypt with 84 tons of relief supplies for Gaza, said they were being held up by Egyptian security
officers at the Rafah border crossing. The mission, which was supported by the South African Government and the Council of Churches, was bringing medical
equipment, generators and food. (BBC)