6 Palestinians killed. 1 Israeli killed.
Israeli-Palestinian clashes intensify, especially in
Gaza. 4 Palestinians are killed by IDF troops, 2 others die of injuries
received earlier. At Qarni crossing, a gun battle erupts
btwn. IDF troops, PA police; the IDF shells a building "used as
cover" by the policemen. IDF tank, heavy machine gun fire is reported in Aida
refugee camp, Bayt Jala, Bayt Sahur, Beitunia, al-Bireh, Hebron, Salfit; in Bayt
Jala, 1 house is completely destroyed, 6 homes and a school are damaged. The IDF
also uproots a Palestinian olive grove in Qalqilya. (al-Haq press release, LAW,
MM, PCHR 11/8; ADM, NYT, WP, WT 11/9; al-Quds 11/9 in WNC 11/13)
Under pressure fr. Israeli Arab MKs, Barak
upgrades the inquiry comm. into the deaths of Israeli Arabs during the recent
clashes to a state commission, which has more authority. (NYT, WP 11/9) (see
10/22)
Arafat flies to Cairo to confer with Mubarak, EU
special envoy Moratinos and then goes to London to meet with British PM
Blair before heading to Washington. After meeting with Arafat, Moratinos
leaves for a 2-day visit to Israel. (LPA, MENA 11/8 in WNC 11/9; MENA 11/8 in
WNC 11/13; WP 11/9)
UN Human Rights Commissioner (UNHRC) Mary Robinson begins
a 1-wk. tour of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Egypt, Jordan to investigate the
recent Israeli-Palestinian violence. (AP 11/8; NYT, WP 11/9; WP 11/11;
al-Quds 11/11 in WNC 11/13; WP 11/28) (see Doc. A7)
The UNSC holds a closed-door mtg. on the ongoing
clashes, the PA's request for international forces. The mtg. is adjourned
until 11/10, so Arafat may address the council. (XIN 11/8 in WNC 11/9; SA 11/8
in WNC 11/13; MM, NYT, WT 11/9; MEI 11/10)
1 Israeli customs official is ambushed and killed
in Gaza (both Fatah Uprising, Islamic Jihad claim responsibility).
Blaming Arafat for the ambush, Barak shuts the Gaza airport
and the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, reportedly sends more tanks and armored
vehicles into the West Bank and Gaza.
2 Palestinians killed.
In Baqa` al-Sharqiyya, a Hamas suicide bomber detonates a device as
IDF commandos raid his hide-out, wounding 2 commandos. A 2d Palestinian
dies of injuries received on 11/6. The IDF tightens the closures on
Jinin, Salfit, Tulkarm; directs gunfire at a Jordanian diplomatic vehicle
traveling nr. the Erez crossing; bulldozes agricultural land in Bayt Lahia. In
East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities evict, confiscate the home of a
Palestinian family; give evacuation orders to 2 other families. Israel
also bars PA Telecommunications M Imad al-Faluji fr. leaving the PA areas
to attend an Arab League mtg. in Cairo. A Jewish settler driving
nr. Bethlehem hits a 5-yr.-old Palestinian boy, seriously injuring him; the IDF
blocks his transportation to a hospital for over 1 hr. In a similar incident, a
4-yr.-old Palestinian boy is hit, injured by a Jewish settler nr. Jinin;
due to the closure, it takes the boy's father 2 hrs. to get him to a hospital
less than 1 mi. away. (HP 11/8; MA, MENA, Voice of Israel 11/8 in WNC 11/9; PMC
11/10; AYM 11/14 in WNC 11/19; PCHR 11/15)
Israeli police question Israeli Arab MK Talib al-Sana on suspicion
of sedition for reportedly stating in an interview with Abu Dhabi TV that a
Palestinian attack on the Israeli DMin. on 8/5 was legitimate since the target
was military and not civilian. (JP [Internet] 11/9) (see 11/6)
The Lebanese cabinet formally rejects U.S. requests to freeze
Hizballah assets. (SAF 11/8 in WNC 11/9; NYT, WP 11/9; SAF 11/10 in WNC
11/13; al-Nahar 11/10, al-Anwar [Beirut] 11/11 in WNC 11/14; MM
11/13; WJW 11/15; MEI 11/23) (11/2)
The White House says that Bush will not meet with Arafat
on the sidelines of the upcoming UNGA session because the PA has
not done enough to stop "terrorism." (WT 11/9; AN, QA 11/10 in WNC 11/13; AYM
11/11, Le Monde 11/13 in WNC 11/14)
2 Palestinians killed.
The IDF fatally shoots a wanted Palestinian in Tulkarm in what
may be an assassination; opens fire on stone-throwing Palestinians in Tal,
killing a PSF officer; conducts arrest raids in, fires on residential
areas of, demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Khan Yunis. (NYT 11/9; LAW,
PCHR 11/13)
After 3 wks. of debate, the UNSC (including Syria, which is a
rotating mbr.) votes unanimously for a tough resolution (UN Res. 1441) giving
Iraq the “final opportunity” to disarm, allow inspectors in, an fully comply
with all UN demands or face “serious consequences.” (MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/9; MENA,
QA, al-Quds 11/9, JT, MENA 11/10, SA 11/11 in WNC 11/12; MM 11/12; JT
11/13 in WNC 11/14; MM 11/14; MEI 11/22)
2 Palestinians killed.
The IDF continues intense house-to-house searches in Jenin, firing on
residential areas, demolishing 1 Palestinian home, precipitating rioting
in which 1 Palestinian protester is fatally shot. The IDF also
opens fire on stone-throwing youths in Burkin, nr. Jenin, killing a
16-yr.-old Palestinian boy; fires on Palestinians harvesting olives nr.
Salfit, wounding a 14-yr.-old boy; sends troops into Nablus, fires on
stone-throwing youths, wounding 1 seriously. On the eve of the anniversary of
the 1994 Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, Jewish settlers stone Palestinian
homes in nearby Wadi Nasara. (NYT, WP, WT 11/9; PR 11/12; PCHR 11/13)
The IDF sends 50 tanks into an area around Morag, bulldozes 2
Palestinian homes and 46 d., searches other homes, arrests at least 10
Palestinians; fires on residential areas of Nablus; conducts arrest raids, house
searches in and around Nablus and nr. Hebron, Jenin, Ramallah. (XIN 11/8; VOP 11/8 in WNC
11/10; PRCS 11/11)
The National
and Islamic Higher Coordinating Comm. of the Intifada organizes marches in
Ramallah, Tulkarm in support of ailing Arafat.
1 Palestinian killed.
During the day, the IDF shoots, wounds an
Islamic Jihad mbr. as he drives outside Nablus when he allegedly evades a
checkpoint; fires on a group of Palestinian youths allegedly planting a roadside
bomb outside Nablus, killing a 15-yr.-old Palestinian, wounding 3; fires
on residential areas of al-Zawiyya nr. Jenin; shoots, wounds a mentally
handicapped Palestinian who ignores orders to halt nr. a checkpoint outside
Qalqilya; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah. (HA, IMEMC 11/8;
NYT 11/9; PCHR 11/10)
Overnight, Palestinian gunmen exchange fire with an IDF undercover
unit that attempts to enter Jenin; no injuries are reported, the undercover
unit apparently retreats.
23 Palestinians killed.
In Gaza, the IDF makes predawn artillery strikes on Bayt Hanun in retaliation
for 11/7 rocket fire, hitting a residential area, killing 19 Palestinian
civilians (17 in 1 family, including 8 children, 6 women), wounding 60–80
(including at least 26 children) in what the army says is a regrettable error;
Israel suspends artillery fire on n. and e. Gaza pending an investigation. The
IDF also fatally shoots 2 Palestinians (at least 1 armed), wounding 6 in
Jabaliya; makes an air strike demolishing 1 Palestinian home in Gaza City after
warning residents to leave. By nightfall, the IDF completes withdrawal of its
forces fr. n. Gaza population centers into the border area btwn. the Strip and
Israel officially ending Operation Autumn Clouds, leaving a total of 78
Palestinians dead (including 1 PSF officer and 50 civilians, including 16
children, 10 women), 262 wounded (including at least 67 children, 58 women), 250
d. of land razed, at least 16 homes and a mosque demolished, some 120 homes, 3
mosques, several schools, a hospital severely damaged Palestinians fire 13
rockets fr. Gaza into Israel in retaliation, causing no damage or injuries. In
Damascus, Hamas leader Mishal calls on all factions to retaliate; a n. Gaza
faction of Hamas’s Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades issues a statement blaming the
U.S. for the casualties for its support of Israel and calls for attacks on U.S.
targets worldwide, but a spokesman for Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades rejects the
call, saying Hamas’s only theater of operations is Palestine. Bush sends his
condolences, calls on all sides for restraint. The IDF also makes an air strike
on a car in Gaza City, assassinating Hamas mbrs. Ahmad Awad (reportedly a chief
rocket maker and son-in-law of PA FM Mahmud Zahhar), Ramzi Shuhaybir.In the West
Bank, the IDF fires on Palestinians demonstrating against Operation Autumn
Clouds, wounding 5; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin
and Nablus, nr. Bethlehem and Jerusalem; orders 71 bedouin to evacuate land nr.
Ramallah on the grounds that it is “state land.” (BBC, HA, IFM, al-Mezan Center
for Human Rights 11/8; NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 11/9; OCHA 11/15; PCHR 11/16)
In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes
2 Palestinian homes nr. Bethlehem; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin, in Balata r.c., nr. Bethlehem. (PCHR 11/15)
The Israeli Air Force destroyed a remote-operated rocket launcher in the northern Gaza Strip which was set up to fire at Israel. No one was injured during the operation. Earlier in the day, IDF soldiers exchanged fire with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. (AP)
Palestinians said that a six-year-old Palestinian boy was hospitalized with moderate wounds after being beaten on the head with a stone by settler children in Hebron, which the settlers denied. The boy was attacked at the so-called "Worshippers' Way," which connects the "Kiryat Arba" settlement to the Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi (Tomb of the Patriarchs). He was first treated for wounds by IDF soldiers before being delivered to Palestinian authorities. (Haaretz)
The Egyptian authorities informed Palestinian delegates to the planned national dialogue that the internal Palestinian talks were being postponed at the request of Hamas. (IMEMC)
The Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, said that his "government" was willing to accept a Palestinian State within the 1967 borders, meaning the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, and to offer Israel a long-term "hudna" or truce, if Israel recognized the Palestinians' national rights. (Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post)
A third Free Gaza boat, with a number of parliamentarians from European countries, Arab leaders, human rights activists and journalists, anchored in Gaza. The aim of the trip was to break the Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip so that Gazans could move freely in and out of the territory. (IMEMC)