3 Palestinians killed.
In the West Bank and Gaza, the IDF pulls back tanks
and some troops fr. major Palestinian cities, and the PSF clears
Palestinian protesters fr. major Israeli outposts, implementing the 1st steps of
the Sharm al-Shaykh agmts. Some clashes still take place in the West Bank and
Gaza (including at Netzarim Junction), leaving 2 Palestinians dead; a 3d
Palestinian dies of wounds received earlier. (MM 10/5; MENA 10/5 in WNC 10/6;
CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/6; DUS, JT, MA, al-Musawwar 10/6 in WNC 10/10; AYM
10/6 in WNC 10/13)
The board of directors of the Israel Broadcast Authority
(IBA) agrees to "not provide a stage for the leaders of the Palestinian
inciters and rioters and not give excessive voice, exposure, or coverage to
radicals" during the clashes. The IBA includes state-run and independent media.
(MK Azmi Bishara press release 10/6)
297 SLA mbrs. and dependents who fled to Israel in
5/00 return to Lebanon. (al-Nahar 10/6 in WNC 10/10)
In Sharm al-Shaykh, Albright, Arafat brief
Mubarak on the 10/4 Paris talks. Israeli and PA officials meet with U.S.
special envoy Ross on the sidelines. (MM, MENA, IRNA 10/5 in WNC 10/6;
MM, WP, WT 10/6; AYM, al-Quds, XIN 10/6 in WNC 10/10; AYM 10/11 in WNC
10/12; MEI 10/13)
At Wihdat camp, Jordanian riot police fire tear gas
Palestinians protesting Israeli violence to keep them fr. marching out of
the camp. Anti-Israeli, anti-U.S. demonstrations are held in
Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan. Rallies in solidarity
with the Palestinians are held in London, Princeton, St. Louis,
Toronto. (MM 10/5; REU, UPI 10/6; REU 10/8; MEI 10/13)
6 Palestinians killed. 1 Israeli killed.
In its largest military operation since the start of the al-Aqsa intifada (in
terms of area, size of the force involved), Israel sends IDF infantry,
tanks, armored bulldozers, and helicopters to occupy the PA-controlled sector of
Hebron, leaving 6 Palestinians dead, wounding at least 40,
demolishing 3 homes, occupying 15 houses and 1 school. The IDF also send
tanks into areas A outside Netzarim to demolish 2 Palestinian homes;
occupies 2 Palestinian houses in Kafr Dik, al-Khadir as military posts;
bulldozes a PSF post nr. al-Sudaniyya; directs shells, heavy machine gun
fire at residential areas of Bayt Hanun (destroying 8 Palestinian homes),
Khan Yunis, Rafah; conducts arrest raids in Azun, Dayr al-Ghasun, Kafr Dik; bar
farmers nr. Bethlehem fr. harvesting their lands. Jewish settlers attack
Palestinians harvesting olives outside Nablus, vandalize nearby
Palestinian homes. (AFP, AP,
HP, LAW, MM 10/5; AFP 10/5 in WNC 10/9; HP, NYT, WP, WT 10/6; al-Quds
10/6 in WNC 10/9; MEI 10/12; LAW 10/13)
The White House rebukes Sharon for his harsh statements of 10/4
saying they are "unacceptable"; urges Israel to resume peace talks and to
refrain fr. invading PA-controlled areas, demolishing houses, conducting
assassinations. (AP, MM 10/5; NYT, WP, WT 10/6; MM 10/8)
A Palestinian sniper fatally shoots a Jewish
settler nr. the Green Line nr. Tulkarm. The PC calls an emergency
mtg., reiterates the call on Palestinians to adhere to the cease-fire.
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF fires on stone-throwing Palestinian youths violating the
curfew in Nablus, killing 1 Palestinian teenager; sends an APC into the
demolished areas of Arafat's Ramallah compound for the 1st time since the
IDF pullback on 9/29 (pulls it out by the end of the day); arbitrarily reimposes
a curfew on Jenin, immediately firing on a taxi, seriously wounding the driver.
Jewish settlers attack Palestinians picking olives in Aqraba,
pistol whipping several, stealing the day's harvest. (PM 10/5; XIN 10/5 in WNC
10/7; NYT, WP, WT 10/6; NYT 10/8; PCHR 10/9)
1 Palestinian killed.
Israeli aircraft strike an alleged Islamic Jihad training camp
deep inside Syria, just 10 mi. northwest of Damascus in `Ayn Sahib,
injuring at least 1 security guard. Israel says the attack is in response
to the 10/4 suicide bombing, in which it claims Syria played a “detailed role in
orchestrating.” Syria denies this, denounces the strike as a “grave
escalation,” says its response will be diplomatic. (The Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine–General Command [PFLP-GC] says `Ayn Sahib is its
fmr. training base, which is no longer active; says the site was patrolled by 1
civilian guard, who was injured.) The U.S. says that “we have repeatedly
told the government of Syria that it is on the wrong side in the war on terror
and that it must stop harboring terrorists.” Bush phones Sharon
after the attack on Syria, expresses condolences on the 10/4 bombing, agrees
with Sharon on “the need to continue fighting terrorism,” does not criticize
Israel’s strike. (AFP, IDF Radio, MENA, VOI, XIN 10/5 in WNC 10/7; XIN 10/5, AN,
ATL, DS, DUS, IRNA, JT, MENA, QA, al-Ra’i, THWR, TSHR, VIRI, XIN 10/6 in
WNC 10/8; SATN 10/5 in WNC 11/8; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/6; NHR 10/6, AN, IRNA,
ITAR-TASS, SA, SFR, THWR, TSHR 10/7 in WNC 10/9; SFR 10/6, THWR, TSHR 10/8 in
WNC 10/11; SANA, SARR, SATN 10/6, SANA, SATN 10/7 in WNC 11/11; MM 10/7; AFP,
AYM, DUS, HA, ITAR-TASS, JT, MA, MENA, NHR, al-Quds, al-Ra’i, SFR,
YA 10/7 in WNC 10/10; MM, PR 10/8; MM, WJW 10/9; MEI 10/10; PR 10/15; JPI 10/17;
NHR 10/17 in NC 10/23)
In the occupied territories, the IDF fires on Palestinians attempting
to bypass a new checkpoint separating Rafah and Khan Yunis (imposed after the
10/4 bombing), killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 3; begins bulldozing
Palestinian land nr. Morag settlement, 100 dunams nr. Hebron; demolishes 19
Palestinian homes in Rafah, 2 in Jenin (including the home of the 10/4
bomber’s family). (HA, NYT, WP 10/6; PCHR 10/7, 10/9)
Arafat declares a 30-day state of emergency in the occupied
territories, issues a presidential decree appointing a 9-mbr. emergency cabinet,
with Qurai`, negotiating a regular cabinet since 9/10, as PM. The
emergency cabinet is to serve for 1 mo. (VOP 10/5 in WNC 10/7; HA, MM, NYT, WP,
WT 10/6; VOP 10/6 in WNC 10/8; WP 10/7; VOI, VOP 10/7 in WNC 10/9; AYM 10/7 in
WNC 10/10; PR 10/8; PSCT 10/9 in WNC 10/11; MEI 10/10)
10 Palestinians killed.
The IDF assassinates Islamic Jihad’s military leader Bashir
al-Dabash, his bodyguard Ahmad al-Arayir, firing 2 missiles at their
car as they drive in Gaza City, also wounding 3 bystanders. In n. Gaza, the
IDF fires a missile at a group of AMB mbrs. allegedly preparing an attack on
IDF forces in Jabaliya r.c., killing 2 AMB mbrs., wounding 3; shells
residential areas of Bayt Lahiya, hitting 3 homes, killing 3 Palestinians
(2 may be Islamic Jihad mbrs. targeted for assassination), wounding at least 11
(including 9 children ages 7 mos.–13 yrs.). A Palestinian militant dies
of injuries received in Jabaliya on 10/4. In s. Gaza, an IDF platoon
leader wounds, then executes a 13-yr.-old Palestinian girl identified by
soldiers under his command as a "nonthreat". The IDF
also shells residential areas, conducts arrest raids and house searches,
bulldozes 9 Palestinian homes and 52 d. in Khan Yunis; fires on
residential areas of al-Qarara. In the West Bank, the IDF kills an AMB
mbr. in an overnight exchange of gunfire in Hebron; seals, imposes a curfew
on, fires on residential areas of, conducts arrest raids and house searches in
Qabatya; lifts the 10/3 ban on Palestinians entering the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of
the Patriarchs in Hebron. The IDF announces that it has recently arrested
13 UN employees whom it plans to indict for “suspected links to
terrorism”; says it has recently arrested a 24-yr.-old
tanzim mbr. fr. Silwad for the Wadi al-Haramiyya shooting in 3/3/02 in which
a gunman killed 7 IDF soldiers and 3 Jewish settlers using an antique rifle.
(HA, PM 10/5; PSCT, VOI, VOP 10/5 in WNC 10/7; NYT, PR, WT 10/6; VOI 10/6 in WNC
10/8; PCHR 10/7; NYT 10/10; VOI 10/10 in WNC 10/12; NYT 10/12; MM 10/13;
al-Quds 10/13 in WNC 10/19; MM, WP 10/14; WP 11/28)
The IDF continues for a 2d day to bulldoze Palestinian land inside the
Gaza border s. of Kissufim crossing. (NYT 10/6; MEI 10/12)
Unidentified Palestinian gunmen
allegedly wearing PA police uniforms kidnap 2 Hamas mbrs. in Shati` r.c.;
in response, Hamas mbrs. detain, seriously beat a PA general
intelligence officer. In the 2d such incident in 2 days, a Palestinian
man knifes, wounds an IDF soldier at a checkpoint outside Nablus, is shot,
wounded, arrested.
Rafah crossing remains partially open. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts
arrest raids, house searches in and around Tulkarm (sending an undercover unit
into Allar village in a car with Palestinian license plates to raid a
Palestinian home), nr. Bethlehem and Jenin, in Balata r.c., Hebron (searching a
Palestinian Red Crescent Society clinic, an orphanage run by an Islamic
charity). (REU
10/5; Ma’an News 10/5 in WNC 10/6; OCHA 10/11; PCHR 10/12)
An unidentified Palestinian throws a homemade bomb at a group of ESF
mbrs. in Rafah, injuring 4; soon after unidentified gunmen fatally shoot a Fatah
mbr. nearby. In Bayt Lahiya, unidentified gunmen fire on an ESF officer,
wounding him. An ESF mbr. dies of injuries received in clashes on 10/3.
The IDF makes an air strike on a car
in Rafah carrying Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigade leader `Awad `Abd
al-Fattah al-Qiq, missing the car, hitting a store, wounding 3 bystanders
in an apparent assassination attempt. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Balata r.c. (where armed Palestinians
detonate an explosive device nr. an IDF jeep, wounding a soldier), Nablus; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists taking part in the weekly nonviolent demonstrations against
the separation wall in Bil`in, injuring 3. (OCHA 10/10; PCHR 10/11)
Armed Palestinians fire 5 mortars, machine guns at an IDF undercover unit attempting to infiltrate the Gaza border e. of
al-Maghazi r.c., forcing the unit to retreat into Israel.
In Jabaliya r.c., 7,000 Islamic Jihad supporters hold a peaceful rally to mark Jerusalem Day. In Dayr
al-Balah, 300 PRC supporters hold a peaceful rally to mark the 2d
anniversary of the IDF assassination of PRC leader Jamal Abu Samhadana. Suspected
Fatah mbrs. detonate a bomb outside the home of a local Hamas leader
in Khan Yunis, causing no injuries. In Gaza City, unidentified assailants
detonate an explosive device outside the home of a local AMB leader, causing damage but no injuries. An unidentified Palestinian throws a
bomb at the house of a Hamas activist in Abasan, causing no serious
damage or injuries; flees to a nearby IDF border post, where he surrenders to
the IDF.
A Palestinian fisherman was moderately wounded by the Israeli Navy which fired at boats near the coast of Rafah. (WAFA)
The IDF beat up two young Palestinians in Khadr, near Bethlehem, who were later hospitalized, and arrested three Palestinians in Bethlehem, PA security sources said. (WAFA)
Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told a conference in Jerusalem that the Annapolis process would go on. She told the audience, which included PA Foreign Minister Riyad Malki, visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and US Ambassador James Cunningham: "Let us not allow dates or political changes to stand in our way," adding that the two sides concurred that "nothing is agreed upon until everything is agreed upon." Mr. Malki said: "Negotiation is our strategic choice," assuring the Israelis that the official position of the PA remained to strive for a separate Palestinian State alongside Israel. (AP, Haaretz)
Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told her French counterpart Bernard Kouchner that she opposed the agreement in principle that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had offered to the Palestinians. "Abu Mazen [Abbas] in his present political situation cannot accept such an agreement," she said. "The political situation in Israel also does not allow it to be signed." Mr. Kouchner also met with Mr. Olmert, who expressed his frustration: "You've read what I said in the interview," he told Mr. Kouchner, referring to his statements in Yediot Ahronot. "Still, the Palestinians do not want to sign." (Haaretz)
A Gazan was electrocuted and died in the smuggling tunnels beneath the border with Egypt. (Ma'an News Agency)