Israel launches 1 of its most severe strikes since 9/28 after Palestinians fire
3 homemade mortars at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, wounding a 10-mo.-old
boy. IDF helicopter gunships, tanks shell 4 PA targets in Gaza
City and nr. Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, and Rafah, injuring 70 Palestinians,
destroying the Force 17 complex at the fmr. Ansar II Israeli prison.
Sharon says the strike "exacts a price from those who were supposed to
maintain security . . . and didn't."
The IDF also demolishes 7 Palestinian homes
in Anata; 2 homes, 1 shed in Azariyya; 1 in Zu`aym. Israel releases 3
Force 17 abducted fr. area A on 4/1, saying they have no connection to
"terrorism." (HP 4/3; LAW, MM, NYT, PMC, WP 4/4; Interfax 4/4 in WNC 4/5)
Palestinians fire
3 homemade mortars at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, wounding a 10-mo.-old
boy. Elsewhere in the West Bank and Gaza, the
IDF notes an increase in Palestinian drive-by shootings and sniper, grenade, and
Molotov cocktail attacks.
11 Palestinians killed. 2 Israelis killed.
Before dawn, the IDF sends tanks into Jenin r.c., meeting heavy
resistance, leaving at least 6 Palestinians (including 1 doctor), 1
IDF reservist dead. 1 Israeli wounded in the 3/27 Netanya bombing
dies bringing that toll to 24. The IDF reoccupies Nablus; reports
operations in Beitunia, Dahaysha, Qalqilya, Salfit, Tamun, Taysir, Tubas,
Tulkarm. In Ramallah, the IDF raids, confiscates files of PA
ministries, the PC. The International Comm. of the Red Cross
(ICRC) criticizes the IDF for hampering relief operations in
Bethlehem; the PRCS estimates that 14 Palestinians have died in
the city since 4/1, including 5 killed today. 10s of Christian clergymen,
including Latin patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabbah, attempt to walk to
Bethlehem to mediate a resolution to siege of the Church of the Nativity and
other holy sites, but they are blocked by the IDF. Israeli police
use tear gas, batons to disperse 2,000 Israeli, Palestinian peace activists
attempting to cross al-Ram checkpoint in Jerusalem to bring food, medicine to
Ramallah, injuring 20. (HA, MM, NYT 4/3; NYT, WP, WT 4/4)
3 Palestinians killed.
The IDF continues house-to-house searches in Tulkarm r.c.;
assassinates wanted Hamas mbr. Khalid Rayan (aka Khalid Bakir) in Nablus
(there is an exchange of gunfire during an “arrest raid” that wounds 2 IDF
soldiers, but soldiers walk up to Rayan’s body and shoot him in the head to make
sure he is dead); for no apparent reason fatally shoots a 14-yr.-old
Palestinian standing outside his home in Qalqilya; fatally shoots a
Palestinian farmer working in a field nr. a closed military zone in n. Gaza;
demolishes 6 Palestinian homes in Sur al-Bahir, 1 in al-Tur; raids
Nussayrat r.c., firing on residential areas, conducting house-to-house searches,
knocking through walls to move to adjoining buildings; extends indefinitely the
closure of Palestine Polytechnic University in Hebron, initially shut on
1/15/03. (HA 4/3; WP 4/4; PR 4/9; LAW, PCHR 4/10)
On the 1-yr. anniversary of the launch of Operation Defensive Shield in
Jenin town and r.c., 1,000s of Jenin residents demonstrate against
Israeli actions, the U.S.-led war on Iraq. Palestinians fire 3
mortars at Jewish settlements in Gaza, causing no damage or injuries.
The IDF blows up a 3-story Palestinian home in Rafah suspected
of hiding a smuggler’s tunnel; conducts major predawn arrest raids, house
searches in Nablus, detaining 29 Palestinians. (WT 4/4; PCHR 4/8)
The IDF shoots, wounds, then beats a Palestinian in Hebron for no
apparent reason; sends troops into Nablus, erects checkpoints, searches several
Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulances; conducts arrest raids in al-Tawani
nr. Hebron, Tubas, Yatta; fires steel-coated rubber bullets, tear gas at
Palestinians, Israelis, international peace activists conducting a nonviolent
demonstration against the separation wall in Bil`in, injuring an Israeli.
(OCHA 4/6; PCHR 4/7)
3 Palestinians killed.
IDF undercover units raid an apartment building in Bethlehem and assassinate
AMB West Bank cmdr. Ra’id Ubayyat, wounding and detaining his roommate. The IDF
also sends troops into Qalandia r.c., fires on residential areas, killing a
5-yr.-old Palestinian boy; patrols in Jenin; conducts arrest raids, house
searches nr. Tulkarm and in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus. The
IDF also fatally shoots a stone-throwing 13-yr.-old Palestinian nr. Qalandia
r.c.; arrests 5 unarmed Palestinians attempting to sneak into Israel fr. Gaza to
find work; conducts arrest raids in Qalqilya. (IMEMC, XIN 4/3; VOP 4/3 in WNC
4/4; PCHR 4/6)
The AMB fires
a rocket fr. Gaza into Israel in response, causing no damage or injuries.
Israeli DM Amir Peretz authorizes the IDF to resume “pinpoint operations
against terrorists” in Gaza, raising concerns that Israel has plans for a
serious IDF escalation. IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire on Palestinian
farmers who stray nr. the border fence at 2 sites nr. Wadi Gaza, nr. ‘Abasan,
seriously wounding 2 Palestinian children. (Jewish Telegraphic Agency 4/3; OCHA
4/4; PCHR 4/5)
Israel says
it has completed removal of 50 West Bank roadblocks, as pledged to Secy. Rice
on 3/30 during her visit; the PA says it has seen no changes and asks
the State Dept. to verify. Meanwhile, in Gaza, the
IDF sends troops into al-Qarara, where they clash with Islamic Jihad
gunmen, wounding 4 Islamic Jihad mbrs., 2 civilians, reportedly using several
Palestinians as human shields, bulldozing 58 d. of crop land and olive trees.
In the West Bank, the IDF fires on residential areas, demolishes a
monument to Yasir Arafat in Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; patrols in Hebron
(shooting, wounding 1 Palestinian who allegedly tries to seize a gun fr. a
solider); conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin. A Jewish
settler driving nr. Nablus injures a Palestinian in a deliberate hit and
run. Jewish settlers nr. Nablus break into a Palestinian nursery, steal
irrigation pipes, vandalize a car. (WT 4/4; OCHA, PCHR 4/9)
In Safa village in the West Bank, Israeli troops occupied three homes and declared them military posts. Several bulldozers blocked off entrances to the village as the Israelis search for the “axe attacker” continued. (Ma’an News Agency)
A Palestinian fisherman was injured and three boats were damaged after Israeli warships opened fire on the coastal areas near Rafah. (Ma’an News Agency)
Only the Kerem Shalom Gaza crossing was partially open and was expected to allow 85 trucks through, according to Raed Fattuh, Palestinian official in charge of crossings. No fuel had been allowed in. Meanwhile, Egypt had transferred thousands of aid packages through Rafah. (Ma’an News Agency)
Settlers in Hebron took over four shops in the Old City market in the area abutting the Israeli settlement of “Abraham Avinu”. (Ma’an News Agency)
US President Barack Obama reiterated his support for the Arab peace initiative in a meeting with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in London, the White House said in a statement. (The Jerusalem Post)
Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel called Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, urging him to support the peace process with the Palestinians. (Haaretz)
The President of the Human Rights Council, Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi, announced his decision to appoint the members of the fact-finding mission to Gaza established by the Special Session of the Council in January. Appointed were Justice Richard J. Goldstone of South Africa, former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, who would lead the mission, Christine Chinkin, Hina Jilani and Desmond Travers. Professor Chinkin had served on the fact-finding mission of the Council to Beit Hanoun. Ms. Jilani was a former Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Human Rights Defenders and Colonel Travers, retired from the Irish Armed Forces, was a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for International Criminal Investigations. (www.unhchr.ch)