7 Palestinians killed.
Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving a total of 7
Palestinians dead. IDF forces in Rafah refuse to allow a PA
delegation to cross the checkpoint into Egypt unless they consent to be strip
searched, which they refuse. The IDF shells
residential areas of Rafah in response to grenade attack, hitting a Palestinian home and killing
senior tanzim mbr. Samir Abd al-Az (Abu Zayd), his 2 young
children in what may be an assassination. Palestinians fire mortars at an
Israeli settlement in Gaza, causing no damage; the IDF responds by
shelling, destroying a PA Preventive Security Force (PSF) post, a
Force 17 office nr. Khan Yunis, injuring 3 PSF officers. IDF troops
fatally shoot a 13-yr.-old Palestinian boy in Rafah, 2 Palestinians nr. Nablus;
direct shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Hebron, Jinin,
Khan Yunis. (HP 8/19; MENA 8/19 in WNC 8/20; AFP, HP, LAW, NYT, WP, WT 8/20; JT
8/20 in WNC 8/21; NYT 8/21; LAW 8/22; AYM 8/24 in WNC 8/27)
Israeli FM Shimon Peres says that Israel and the PA have had contacts "on
different levels" regarding implementing cease-fire, that he plans to meet with
PA head Yasir Arafat soon. The PA says it supports holding an
Arafat-Peres mtg. in principle. (MM, NYT 8/20; AYM 8/20 in WNC 8/21; al-Quds
8/21 in WNC 8/22; MA 8/23 in WNC 8/24)
Palestinians throw grenades at, fire on IDF
posts on the border with Egypt, causing no injuries. Palestinians fire mortars at an
Israeli settlement in Gaza, causing no damage;
1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF turns over control of Bethlehem, the main n.+ns. road in Gaza
to the PA Preventive Security Force (PSF), lifts the curfew on Bethlehem,
keeps troops on the outskirts of the city, poised to reinvade if the PA fails to
maintain security control; 400 PA Preventive Security Force (PSF)
officers take up posts around the city. The IDF fatally shoots a
14-yr.-old boy in Jenin for no apparent reason; blows up a building in
Nablus that it claims to be a bomb-making factory; raids a PSF post nr.
Ramallah, detaining 6 PSF officers; bulldozes 9 dunams (4 dunams = 1
acre) of agricultural land, 1 Palestinian home in Satar al-Gharbiyya;
conducts arrest raids in Jenin r.c. (MM 8/19; MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/20; LAW, PCHR,
WP 8/21; AKH 8/22 in WNC 8/23; PCHR 8/26)
Fatah Revolutionary Council (FRC) head Sabri al-Banna (Abu Nidal), who
broke with the Fatah organization in the 1970s, is found dead in his Baghdad
apartment. Iraqi officials say he committed suicide, but do not explain how he
suffered multiple gunshot wounds. (HA 8/19; MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/20; NYT, WP, WT
8/21; DUS 8/21 in WNC 8/22; MA 8/29 in WNC 8/30; MM 9/20)
20 Israelis killed.
In retaliation for suicide bombing, Israel
suspends further talks on a transfer of territory to PA control. The
IDF sends tanks, troops into Hebron, surrounding villages to conduct
searches, arrest raids; demolishes 4 Palestinian homes in Jabal Mukabir
in East Jerusalem; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis. Israeli
authorities demolish an Israeli Arab home in Lod, the 40th to be
demolished in 2003; the Prime Minister’s Office reports that Israel has also
demolished 117 bedouin homes in the Negev this yr. (HA, JP, MM 8/19; MENA 8/19 in WNC 8/21; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/20; IDF
Radio, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, JP, MA, MENA, VOI, YA 8/20 in WNC 8/22; MM, PCHR,
WJW 8/21; QA, al-Quds 8/21 in WNC 8/23; al-Ra’i 8/21, AYM,
al-Ra’i 8/22 in WNC 8/26; JPI 8/22; JPI, MM 8/29)
A Palestinian suicide bomber fr. Hebron detonates a device on a bus in
West Jerusalem, killing 15 Israelis, 5 Americans, wounding more
than 100 (13 seriously, 13 moderately), and violating a unilateral 3-mo.
Palestinian cease-fire declared on 6/29. (Initially, Islamic Jihad claims
responsibility, and Hamas denies it. After the bomber is identified as a
known Hamas mbr., Hamas accepts responsibility but says it still adheres to the
cease-fire, this was a 1-time action to retaliate for the 8/14 IDF assassination
of Islamic Jihad Hebron cmdr. Muhammad Sidr. Analysts suggest the bombing
may be a joint operation or the work of a Hamas offshoot.) PA PM Mahmud Abbas,
who is meeting with Islamic Jihad leaders at the time to urge them to
extend the cease-fire to 6 mos., breaks off the mtg., denounces the attack,
cancels cease-fire talks with Hamas scheduled for 8/20.
In Nablus, a shootout
btwn. rival AMB factions fr. Nablus, Balata r.c. leaves 1 AMB mbr.
dead.
2 Palestinians killed.
The IDF fires on residential areas of Nablus but by evening lifts the
curfew, withdraws troops, ending Operation Full Court Press. The IDF
fires on 2 Palestinians who stray into a closed military zone in Rafah, injuring
1, then fatally shoots another Palestinian youth who attempts to reach
him to provide aid; later shells residential areas of Rafah, killing a
62-yr.-old Palestinian; fires tear gas, live ammunition at Palestinians
waiting to cross al-Mahatin checkpoint nr. Dayr al-Balah in central Gaza; fires
on residential areas of Brazil r.c., Khan Yunis (seriously damaging a hospital);
bulldozes 60 d. of agricultural land, shells residential areas in Wadi al-Silqa
in s. Gaza; occupies a building under construction in Hebron as a military post.
Late in the evening, the IDF sends bulldozers into Khan Yunis,
demolishing 4 Palestinian homes. (HA, XIN 8/19; NYT 8/20; PCHR 8/26)
Palestinians fire 5 Qassam
rockets at Sederot, lightly inuring 1 Israeli.
The IDF completes the evacuation of Gadid (est. 1982, pop. 350, size
1,600 d., hrs. to evac. 3); halts operations at sundown for the Sabbath,
planning to resume on 8/21; starts demolishing homes in Kerem Atzmona; begins
digging 8-ft. trench around Gush Katif settlements to prevent Palestinians fr.
entering before evacuation is complete. During the day in Gadid, where almost
all residents left on 8/17, some 200 disengagement protesters set fires,
erect roadblocks to block troops. In the West Bank,
disengagement protesters set fire to a gas station outside Sanur.
Jewish settlers take over 2 Palestinian homes nr. Homesh as lookout posts to
help nonresident settlers infiltrate the IDF closed military zone to protest the
disengagement; the IDF ousts them later in the day. A pig's head, presumably
left by disengagement protesters, is found in the Hassan Bek mosque nr. Jaffa.
Meanwhile, the IDF occupies a 3-story building under construction nr.
Kiryat Arba in Hebron, closes 21 stores attached to the building; conducts
patrols in Nablus. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai in Hebron, throw
stones, bottles at Palestinian homes, injuring an 8-yr.-old Palestinian boy.
Jewish settlers fr. Sha'ar Hatikva nr. Qalqilya throw stones at nearby
Palestinian cars, set fire to agricultural land and several greenhouses.
Unidentified gunman fire on the car of West Bank Hamas political leader
Shaykh Hasan Yusuf; Yusuf was not in the car, his bodyguards were but are
not hurt. (BBC, HA, IDF Radio, ITV, JP 8/19; NYT, WP, WT 8/20; PCHR, PR 8/25)
Palestinian gunmen fire on Gadid,
causing no damage or injuries. Also in Gaza, 2 Hamas mbrs. are injured
when a roadside bomb they are planting explodes prematurely.
1 Palestinian killed. 1 Israeli killed.
In Gaza, the IDF allows EU monitors to open the Rafah crossing in both
directions for a day for the 1st time since 8/11. In
the West Bank, the IDF makes a predawn raid on the Ramallah home of Palestinian
Authority (PA) Dep. PM and Education M Nasir al-Sha‘ir (Hamas affiliated),
arresting him without charge; patrols in al-Til nr. Nablus, firing on
stone-throwing youths who confront them, wounding 4; conducts arrest raids,
house searches in Jericho and nr. Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Ramallah; raids an
Islamist charity nr. Hebron, confiscating a computer and some files, vandalizing
the offices. At a checkpoint outside Nablus, an armed Palestinian fatally shoots
an IDF soldier, is shot dead; the Democratic Front for the Liberation of
Palestine (DFLP) claims responsibility. In Gaza, 100s of PA security officers
storm banks, burn tires, demanding that banks return fees deducted fr. cash
advances received on their unpaid wages. (NYT, WP, WT 8/20; WP 8/21; OCHA 8/23;
PCHR 8/24)
In an action the UN deems the 1st violation of the 8/14 truce, the IDF stages
an overnight helicopter raid on Budai nr. Baalbek, sending 2 helicopters to drop
2 Humvees and more than 100 IDF Sayaret Matkal commandos dressed in Lebanese
army uniforms to raid the village, under the cover of sonic booms fr. Israeli
warplanes, in an apparent attempt to assassinate or capture senior Hizballah
leader Shaykh Muhammad Yazbek, a Budai resident, or to free 2 captured IDF
soldiers; the unit attempts to run a Hizballah checkpoint outside the village
but Hizballah mbrs. engage them, forcing a retreat, killing 1 IDF soldier,
wounding 2. (Lebanese security reports 3 Hizballah mbrs. are killed; Hizballah
does not confirm.) Israel claims that the attack was a defensive action to
prevent arms smuggling fr. Syria to Hizballah, that it will continue to conduct
such raids until “proper monitoring bodies are established on the Lebanese
borders.” Lebanon calls the action a “flagrant violation” of the truce,
threatens to halt deployment of the army to the south. (AP, al-Manar TV, Voice
of Lebanon 8/19; NYT, WP, WT 8/20; NYT 8/21; WT 8/23)
Some 30 Palestinian
journalists protest in Gaza City against the 8/14 kidnapping of 2 Fox News
journalists, demanding their immediate release; Islamic Jihad also denounces the
unknown kidnappers for having “silenced the voice of freedom and justice.”
In Gaza, the IDF sends tanks, bulldozers into al-Bureij r.c. to level land, sparking an exchange of gunfire that leaves 1
Palestinian bystander wounded. Israel authorizes the Nahal Oz fuel
pipeline to reopen, but the European Union (EU), which underwrites PA
fuel imports, suspends payments for fuel supplies until it receives assurances
that the Hamas government in Gaza will not receive tax revenues fr. the
sale of electricity produced with the fuel imports. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin and in Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Tulkarm; patrols in al-Yamun nr. Jenin. (NYT 8/19; OCHA 8/22; PCHR 8/23)
In Gaza, unidentified gunmen raid Fatah’s
Dayr al-Balah offices, confiscating computers, documents.
1 Palestinian killed.
Israeli forces detained six Palestinians in Anata, east of Tulkarem, in the West Bank. Palestinian security forces said Israeli military vehicles and soldiers on foot stormed the town at dawn and forcibly entered and searched homes. (Ma'an News Agency, Xinhua)
Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian in Jenin during a raid. Palestinian security forces said troops entered under intense gunfire, ransacked houses before detaining Ahmad As'ad Zayed. (Ma'an News Agency)
B'Tselem, Yesh Din, The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel human rights organizations and Mr. Ahraf Abu-Rahma, the bound Palestinian protester who was shot by an Israeli soldier in Bi'lin, petitioned the Israeli High Court demanding that the court annul the original indictment of the military personnel involved in the shooting for "unbecoming conduct". The petitioners demanded that both servicemen be tried instead for aggravated assault of a bound prisoner, an offence punishable by up to seven years in jail. (AP, DPA, The Jerusalem Post, Ynetnews)
Israeli officials said that peace activists planning to land the SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty on a beach in Gaza would be turned back by the Navy. Shlomo Dror, a Defence Ministry spokesman, said, "From my point of view this is some kind of pirate ship. You can demonstrate, that's ok with us, but you are not allowed to break international law." Several of the participants said they had received death threats. (The Daily Telegraph)
B'Tselem human rights group said that as of 30 July Israel held 8,472 Palestinian "security" prisoners in its jails. They included 5,176 Palestinian serving a sentence, 2.605 awaiting or undergoing trial, and another 691 Palestinians held in "administrative detention." Another 30 Palestinians were held in Israeli army detention facilities. (DPA)
A Palestinian, Ramada Ghalayini, died of cancer as he was prevented from leaving the Gaza Strip to get medical treatment, medical sources reported. The death toll of patients prevented from leaving Gaza reached 237. (IMEMC)
PA President Abbas arrived in Saudi Arabia for meetings with King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal. PA Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Khalil Ash-Shukaki told London-based Al-Hayat that President Abbas would discuss the situation in Gaza, negotiations with Israel, the Palestinian internal crisis and his initiative for national unity. (Ma'an News Agency)
Egyptian mediators would start talks next week with Palestinian groups for the resumption of the Palestinian national dialogue, MENA News Agency reported. "When all the bilateral talks are finished, Egypt will then issue an invitation for a comprehensive dialogue in Cairo," a source said. (AFP, Xinhua)
Mustafa Barghouti, a member of the PLC and Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, said that Israel had released 788 Palestinian prisoners since the Annapolis summit last year, and arrested some 3,700 Palestinians. (Ma'an News Agency)
Ninety-two prisoners, slated for release in late August, were due to be freed by the end of 2009, according to data from the Israeli prison service. Another 27 would be released in 2010, and 16 in 2011. (Ma'an News Agency)