The PA peace team led by Erakat and Dahlan,
the Israeli team led by Ben-Ami and Sher arrive in
Washington; meet separately with U.S. special envoy Ross. Secy. of State
Albright says the U.S. will not present bridging proposals. (MA
[Internet] 9/27; WJW, WP 9/28)
4 Palestinians killed.
In response to Gaza border bomb, the IDF
shells residential areas of Rafah throughout the day, damaging homes; sends
tanks and bulldozers into Rafah in an overnight operation in which soldiers
demolish 14 Palestinian homes, killing 3 Palestinians, wounding
31. The IDF also opens fire on Palestinian demonstrators nr. Gaza
airport, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 9; shells residential areas of
Hebron, Khan Yunis. This evening, as it does annually, Israel seals the West
Bank and Gaza for Yom Kippur; the closure is to be lifted on 9/28. (AFP,
BBC, HA 9/26; AFP, HP, NYT, WP, WT 9/27; AFP, MM 9/28; MEI 10/12)
Arafat, Peres meet at Gaza airport; issue a joint statement (see
9/20) restarting phased implementation of the Tenet cease-fire plan as the 1st
step toward implementation of the Mitchell recommendations for resuming
negotiations. A comm. led by Peres, PC speaker Qurai` is to oversee
implementation. Arafat, Peres plan to meet in 1 wk. to assess progress.
Israel also demands that the PA immediately arrest 108 wanted
Palestinians. (AP, HA, JP [Internet], MM, WP 9/26; ATL, Interfax, ITAR-TASS,
al-Quds, XIN 9/26 in WNC 9/27; MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/27; QA, al-Quds
9/27, MA 9/28, al-Quds 9/29, MA 9/30 in WNC 10/1; NYT 9/28; NYT 10/2; JP
10/5; MEI 10/12) (see Peace Monitor for details)
A large bomb explodes at an IDF post on the
Gaza-Egypt border, lightly injuring 3 soldiers. A PA court
sentences 3 Palestinians to death for collaborating with Israel.
5 Palestinians killed. 1 Israeli killed.
IDF helicopters fire 2 missiles at 2 cars in Gaza City in its 4th attempt
to assassinate most-wanted Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades mbr. Muhammad Dayif;
2 Hamas mbrs. are killed, Dayif escapes with moderate wounds, some 30
bystanders (including 15 children) are injured. In Kefar Labid nr. Tulkarm, IDF
commandos conduct an arrest raid, prompting an exchange of gunfire that leaves
senior Hamas mbr. Nashat Abu Jabara, 1 IDF officer dead; then
demolish Abu Jabara's home. The IDF also arbitrarily imposes a curfew in
Hebron then fires tear gas, rubber bullets at Palestinians in Hebron's market,
killing a Palestinian infant; fatally shoots another Palestinian
in Gaza; demolishes 1 Palestinian home, bulldozes more than 60 dunams of
agricultural land nr. Bayt Hanun; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in
Qabatya; bulldozes 20 dunams of agricultural land nr. Bayt Lahia; directs
shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Khan Yunis.
Jewish settlers dedicate the new HaGefen
neighborhood of 1,150 housing units in Beitar Ilit; the new enclave of Migron
nr. Psagot, comprising 30 families. (AP, CNN, HA 9/26; HA, LAW, MM, NYT, PRCS
press release, WP, WT 9/27; NYT 9/28; MM 9/30; QA 9/30 in WNC 10/1; LAW, PCHR,
PR 10/2; PCHR 10/3; MEI 10/11)
The IDF intercepts an
explosives-packed Palestinian car at al-Ram checkpoint nr. Tulkarm, allegedly en
route to stage a car bombing in Jerusalem. Palestinian gunmen fire on a settler vehicle nr. Hebron, injuring 4
Jewish settlers.
3 Palestinians killed. 2 Israelis killed.
The IDF seals the West Bank and Gaza for Rosh Hashanah, which begins
at sundown and lasts through 9/28; conducts arrest raids in Jenin r.c.,
arresting senior Islamic Jihad mbr. Faris Wahada; fires on residential
areas of Rafah, wounding 1. A Palestinian dies of injuries received on 9/19. (HA 9/26; NYT, Palestine
Chronicle, WP 9/27; MM 9/29; PCHR 10/2)
An Islamic Jihad gunman infiltrates a Hebron
Jewish settlement, fatally shoots 2 Jewish settlers (including a
7-mo.-old girl), wounds 2 before being shot dead by security guards.
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF fires missiles at a metal workshop (alleged weapons factory)
in Khan Yunis, wounding an 11-yr.-old Palestinian; raids `Ayn Bayt al-Ma’
r.c., fires on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops; fires rubber
bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, international peace activists
staging a nonviolent protest against the separation wall; conducts arrest
raids in Bethlehem, Jenin; lifts the 9/24 ban on Palestinians entering the
Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Late at night, the IDF makes a
major incursion into Jenin, raiding and searching a hospital (arresting 2
employees; wounding 7, including 2 children, with gunfire; damaging equipment),
occupying buildings as sniper posts, conducting house searches. Outside Hebron,
some 140 Jewish settlers attempt to reestablish 2 unauthorized settlement
outposts previously evacuated by the IDF, scuffle with police, throw stones at
Palestinian homes. (HA 9/26; IDF Radio, VOI, VOP, YA 9/26 in WNC 9/28; PCHR
9/30)
In Damascus, Hamas spokesman Izzeddin Khalil is killed when his car
explodes in an apparent assassination. Anonymous Israeli security officials
acknowledge Israel’s involvement; Sharon criticizes the
“unnecessary babble.” (HA 9/26; JAZ, MA, VOP, YA 9/26 in WNC 9/28; VOI, YA 9/26,
MA, VOP 9/27 in WNC 9/29; LBC, PSCT, SANA 9/26, AYM, HA, JP, SANA, Syrian Arab
Republic Radio 9/27, JP, MA, Tishrin 9/28 in WNC 9/30; SANA, Syrian Arab
Television Network 9/26 in WNC 10/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT, United Press
International 9/27; MM 9/28; PR 9/29; MNR 9/29 in WNC 10/5; JPI 10/8)
Senior AMB mbr. Nimr
Hassan is killed in Salfit when his M-16 explodes; the AMB claims that he
was assassinated, his new gun was booby trapped by a collaborator.
Palestinians fire 3 Qassam rockets at Sederot and 3 mortars at
Gush Katif, causing no damage or injuries.
Israel says that Operation First Rain will continue despite Hamas's
9/25 pledge to halt rocket fire and nearly 48 hrs. of Palestinian quiet.
Overnight, the IDF continues major arrest sweeps across the West Bank. Before
dawn, the IDF launches multiple missile strikes in Bayt Hanun, Gaza City,
Khan Yunis against alleged weapons factories run by the AMB, Hamas,
PFLP and in Rafah against the home of PFLP mbr. Hisham `Abid Rabbuh
in what may be an assassination attempt, injuring 2 Palestinians (including
his wife). Jewish settlers in Hebron attack, beat an
Israeli Palestinian and Jewish film crew recording a documentary on human rights
abuses by settlers. The IDF reports that it has found outside Ramallah
the body of a Jewish settler reportedly kidnapped in the city on 9/21,
has arrested a Hamas mbr. in connection. (AFP, IMEMC, NYT, YA 9/26; HA,
NYT, WT 9/27; REU 9/28; MEI, PCHR 9/29)
Sharon narrowly survives a challenge to his party leadership by
Netanyahu when the Likud Central Comm. votes down (52%–48%, with 90%
of the 3,000 mbrs. voting) a measure to hold early party primaries in 11/05, 6
mos. ahead of schedule. (NYT, WP, WT 9/27)
Palestinians fire 1 mortar fr. Gaza into Israel,
causing no damage or injuries.
In Gaza, the IDF launches an air strike, damaging a Palestinian house nr. the
Rafah border. Palestinians fire several rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, injuring 1
IDF soldier in Sederot. PA security forces find, seal 2 smugglers tunnels on the
Rafah border. (NYT 9/27; OCHA 9/27; PCHR 9/28)
11 Palestinians killed.
The IDF imposes a general closure on
the West Bank and Gaza until 10/2 for the Sukkoth holidays. During the day in Gaza, the IDF makes an air strike
on a car nr. Gaza City, assassinating 5 Army of
Islam mbrs. (Hussein Ahil, Fawzi al-Ashram, Ayman Dalul, Osama al-Rifi, Sami al-Za`im), wounding at least 1; makes 2
air strikes on suspected rocket-launching
sites in n. Gaza and 3 on similar sites nr. Jabaliya r.c., causing no injuries;
launches a major incursion into Bayt Hanun, with 50 tanks and bulldozers, cutting electricity to n. Gaza and firing a
tank shell at a PRC gunman who fires
on the troops (killing the gunman and hitting a home, killing 3 Palestinians
inside), wounding 30 Palestinians in armed exchanges. Late in the evening, the IDF makes an air strike on a
rocket-launching site nr. Bayt Hanun, killing 2 Hamas mbrs., wounding 3 Palestinians. In the West Bank, the
PA security forces, demonstrating their security cooperation with Israel, report turning over to the IDF 2
Qassam rockets they discovered in Bethlehem, giving no information on from whom they were seized; the IDF
acknowledges receiving 2
pipelike “objects” that possibly could be used as rocket launchers. The IDF
conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in al-Bireh. (NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 9/27; OCHA 10/3; PCHR 10/4)
Islamic Jihad fires
some 10 rockets, 20 mortars fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries.
Meanwhile, PA security forces raid 3
Islamic charities in Tubas, confiscating computers, files. In Gaza’s Dayr al-Balah, unidentified gunmen fire on
an ESF post; ESF officers return fire; no injuries are reported.
Israeli forces arrested three Palestinians in Nablus and Jenin. (Ma'an News Agency)
The Security Council met to consider the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, at the request of Saudi Arabia, which called for an urgent meeting at the ministerial level to address the issue of Israeli settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal told Security Council members, which included 10 foreign ministers, that continued Israeli settlement activity threatened the Annapolis process, and Israel's intransigence and lack of good faith compounded the already difficult Middle East problem. Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Amre Moussa said that if, in the coming weeks, efforts to rescue the peace process did not succeed, Arab States would come to the Security Council again for action. Calling for an end to the construction of settlements, PA President Abbas said that Israel had been building settlements since 1967, despite 10 Council resolutions condemning and prohibiting such activity, and the requirements of Phase I of the Road Map, which called for an end to the settlement policy. The Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN, Gabriela Shalev, denied that settlements were the principal obstacle to peace, and said that Israel remained committed to a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East and to a two-State solution and was prepared, if the conditions were ripe, to make painful concessions in the pursuit of peace. (UN press release SC/9457)
PA President Abbas said in his address to the General Assembly: "I am certain that the history of the conflict in our region has not before witnessed the gathering of as many countries that came together at the Annapolis Conference or the consensus that arose there demanding not only vigorous action to accelerate and advance negotiations towards the achievement of a final peace agreement, but also explicitly emphasizing the need for the removal of all the obstacles that have continuously impeded the negotiating process and cast doubt on its credibility, usefulness and ability to actually resolve all aspects of the conflict. The main obstacle I refer to is that of the Israeli settlement campaign and its continuation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in East Jerusalem. (www.un.org)
The Quartet on Middle East peace issued a statement in which it underlined its commitment to the irreversibility of the negotiations; to the creation of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza, living in peace and security alongside Israel; and to an end to the conflict. The Quartet expressed its desire "to see the continuation of the solid negotiating structure, involving substantive discussions on all issues, including core issues without exception" and "expressed deep concern about increasing settlement activity, which has a damaging impact on the negotiating environment and is an impediment to economic recovery". The Quartet called on all Palestinians to commit themselves to non-violence and recognition of Israel, and on Israel to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth, and to dismantle outposts erected since March 2001. It called on all parties to avoid actions that undermine confidence and could prejudice the outcome of the negotiations, condemning the recent rise in settler violence against Palestinian civilians and urging the enforcement of the rule of law without discrimination and exception. The Quartet emphasized the need for a renewed focus on improvements in the situation on the ground and stated that visible and tangible progress must accompany the negotiations. (UN press release SG/2143)
Around 300 Palestinians protested in the West Bank against an Israeli plan to reopen a toxic waste dump near important underground springs outside the village of Deir Sharaf. Israel had dumped waste from Israeli towns and West Bank settlements at the site until it was closed in 2005 amid protests from Palestinian residents. Officials said Israeli work crews had returned to the area in recent weeks, raising fears that the site may soon reopen. (AFP)