1 Palestinian killed.
The IDF directs shells/heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of
Rafah, Salim; tightens the closures on Salim, Tulkarm, several villages nr.
Ramallah; places new checkpoints at 2 intersections outside Tulkarm, a new
observation tower at al-Muntar crossing in Gaza; extends the curfews on PA-areas
of Hebron for the 3d day, on Silat al-Dahir for the 8th day; imposes a curfew on
Dayr Istya; opens fire on a PSF checkpoint at the entrance to Qalqilya,
causing no injuries; conducts an arrest sweep in Abruqin; fires on Palestinian
fishermen off the coast of Rafah. Jewish settlers open fire on a bus transporting
Palestinian workers, injuring 9; set fire to Palestinian trees in Dayr
Istya. 1 Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. (HP, JT
[Internet] 6/27; HP, NYT 6/28)
After a brief stop in Egypt to confer with Mubarak and urge him to
press Arafat to halt violence, Powell opens mtgs. with Israeli,
PA officials on strengthening their cease-fire. Powell reiterates that,
while the U.S. does not believe that complete quite is likely or necessary for
implementation of Tenet's plan to move forward, only Sharon can decide
what level of violence is low enough. (MM 6/27; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/28; WP 7/1;
MEI 7/13)
Palestinians fire on Jewish settlers
in the West Bank, causing no damage; fire antitank grenades at an IDF
post in Gaza and detonate a roadside bomb nr. an IDF patrol nr. Nablus, causing
no injuries. A Palestinian, possibly a collaborator, is found shot dead in
Qalqilya
4 Palestinians killed.
The IDF continues to shell the PA headquarters in Hebron, threatens to
raid the complex if those still inside do not emerge; the IDF claims that 1 of
those inside the complex is a senior Hizballah mbr. who slipped in fr.
Lebanon to train Palestinians. (Israeli prosecutors also charge a Lebanese-born
Israeli, son of a Jewish mother and Shi'i Muslim father, of being a spy for
Hizballah.) The IDF fatally shoots 2 Palestinians, wounds 10
during clashes in Balata r.c.; fatally shoots a 9-yr.-old Palestinian child,
wounds 3 others in Qalqilya during a temporary lifting of the curfew, later
admitting the soldiers fired in error; fatally shoots an 8-yr.-old
Palestinian boy in Jenin; raids a PSF jail in Nablus, taking 20
Palestinians, including several naval police officers, into custody; demolishes
10 Palestinian homes in Rafah r.c.; imposes 24-hr. curfews on Anin,
Azariyya, al-Bireh, Halhul. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/28)
MK Benny Elon (Moledet), on a lobbying trip to the U.S., says he has
received "quiet support" fr. several mbrs. of Congress for his 7-part
"Elon peace initiative," based on the idea of the "voluntary transfer" of
Palestinians to Jordan, which would become a "Jordanian-Palestinian
state." Palestinian refugees would be resettled in their host countries. West
Bank and Gaza Palestinians would be given Jordanian-Palestinian citizenship and
could remain in their homes, but those who "violate the terms of the plan" would
be expelled to Jordan. (JPI 6/27)
4 Palestinians killed. 1 Israeli killed.
Overnight, the IDF raids Jenin, arresting local Hamas cmdr. Wa’il
Aljui. The IDF also raids 2 Palestinian homes in Gaza City, fatally
shooting 4 Palestinians, including wanted Hamas mbr. Amran al-Gul
in an apparent assassination, also wounding 15 Palestinians, demolishing 3
Palestinian homes, partially destroying another 8. Hamas mbrs. respond with
gunfire, killing 1 IDF soldier, wounding 1. (HA, MM, NYT 6/27; NYT, WT
6/28; PCHR 7/3)
Dahlan, Gilad finalize an agmt. for the IDF to redeploy
fr. Bayt Hanun in n. Gaza, share security control of Gaza roads, turn over
security control for most of Gaza (except settlements and security zones that
make up roughly 35% of the Strip); discussions on an IDF pullout fr. Bethlehem
continue. Meanwhile in Cairo, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah
finalize a unilateral cease-fire agmt. Formal declarations of the 2 agmts. are
expected to be made on 6/29, during Rice’s visit. (Forward, HA, MM
6/27; NYT, WP, WT 6/28)
3 Palestinians killed. 1 Israeli killed.
The IDF closes the Erez crossing to Palestinians, which was partially
reopened on 6/17; pulls out of Nablus, ending operations that began on 6/24;
lifts the curfew on Palestinian areas of Hebron imposed on 6/24. In
response to tunnel bomb, the IDF fires 10 missiles at 2 metal workshops (alleged weapons
factories) in Gaza City, destroying the buildings, causing “no major injuries.”
The IDF also fires on a Palestinian truck approaching a checkpoint nr.
Khan Yunis, killing 1 Palestinian. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/28; XIN 6/28 in WNC
7/1; PR 6/30; PCHR 7/1; PCHR 7/22)
Hamas mbrs.
dig a tunnel underneath an IDF outpost in Gaza; detonate an explosive
device, collapsing part of the concrete building, killing 1 IDF soldier,
injuring at least 4; exchange fire with troops who come to the rescue; 2
Palestinian bystanders (a PA Preventive Security Force [PSF] officer, a
15-yr.-old Palestinian boy) are killed by IDF return gunfire.
The IDF uncovers, demolishes a tunnel leading fr. Khan Yunis to Neve
Dekalim settlement, passing under an IDF checkpoint; fires on residential areas
of Aida r.c.; raids, occupies 5 houses outside Hebron, 4 outside Tulkarm as
observation posts. Jewish settlers occupy a 3-story Palestinian building nr.
the site of beachfront buildings demolished by the IDF on 6/26, declare
establishment of a new unauthorized settlement outpost, Tal Yam.
Jewish settlers fr. Efrat occupy a Palestinian home nr. the s. entrance to
Bethlehem, are evicted by the IDF. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba
throw stones, Molotov cocktails at a house and farm, causing damage, burning
several trees. As many as 40,000 Israeli motorists protesting the
government's disengagement plans pull over to the side of the road and pause for
15 mins. during rush hour, creating traffic tie-ups. (HA, REU, XIN 6/27; PCHR,
WT 6/28; OCHA 6/29; PHRC 6/30)
Islamic Jihad fires 4 mortars at Gaza's Morag
settlement, causing no damage or injuries. Hamas fires 3 Qassam
rockets at Sederot; 2 hit inside Gaza, causing no damage or injuries; the 3d
does not fire.
As the IDF continues to prepare for a ground invasion of Gaza, moving into
place 2 infantry regiments, bringing the total buildup along the border to 5,000
troops, Palestinian militants in Gaza begin building sand berms, setting
explosive devices along major routes an invading force might take; the U.S.
urges Israel to give diplomacy time to work before launching a military
operation. The IDF also reopens Gaza’s Erez crossing to reps. of international
agencies and PA officials with VIP status (though they must cross on foot);
conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Qalqilya; sends troops into al-Fara‘a
r.c., firing on stone-throwing youths who confront them, wounding 3; conducts
arrest raids, house searches in Qabatya, nr. Tulkarm; begins work on a new
segment of the separation wall in Bayt Jala nr. Bethlehem, uprooting 200
Palestinian olive trees. (HA, MM, REU, PCHR 6/27; JP, MENA, OSC, PSCT, VOI, VOP 6/27 in WNC 6/28; HA,
NYT, OCHA, WP, WT 6/28; PCHR 6/29)
The PRCs announced that they have kidnapped an
18-yr.-old Jewish settler fr. Itamar, who was last seen hitchhiking nr. French
Hill settlement in East Jerusalem on 6/25. A car bomb explodes in Gaza City,
killing Hamas military cmdr. Hamza Abu Mukharrib, wounding several bystanders;
the IDF denies responsibility, no other group claims it. PSF mbrs. shoot, wound
a Hamas mbr. in Khan Yunis in what may be a continuation of 6/23–24 clashes.
15 Palestinians killed.
Overnight, the IDF sends
tanks and troops, backed by air support, into Gaza City and Khan Yunis in a major
day-long ground offensive targeting primarily Hamas and Islamic Jihad, but also including the AMB,
arresting 10s of Palestinians, bulldozing 1 Palestinian home
and 70 dunams of land, and leaving at least 13 Palestinians (including
at least 4 gunmen and 6 civilians, including a 10-yr.-old boy) dead, more than 50 Palestinians and at least 2 IDF
soldiers wounded; Fatah and Hamas gunmen
fight side-by-side against the IDF, using small arms and antitank weapons. The IDF
also makes an air strike on a car in Gaza City, assassinating Islamic Jihad
senior cmdr. Raed Fanuna; bulldozes Palestinian land on the Gaza side of the Qarni crossing and industrial zone,
along the border southeast of Khuza’a
in s. Gaza. For a 2d day, the Israeli navy fires on Palestinian
fishermen off the Gaza City coast, forcing them back to shore. In the
West Bank, the IDF launches a major arrest campaign in the Old City of
Nablus, imposing a curfew, searching homes (occupying at least 7 as sniper
posts), taking over local radio stations, searching hospitals; conducts arrest
raids, house searches in and around Bethlehem, nr. Jenin. (PCHR, WP, WT 6/28; OCHA 7/4; PCHR 7/5)
Islamic Jihad
fires 4 rockets, 5 mortars fr. Gaza toward the Erez crossing; 2
mortars land on the Gaza side, injuring a Palestinian child; those landing on
the Israeli side cause no damage or injuries. In Khan Yunis, a Palestinian is killed when explosives he is
handling detonate prematurely.
In Ramallah, unidentified gunmen fire on the home of
senior Fatah official Hani al-Hassan, causing no injuries. In Hebron, unidentified gunmen fire on the home
of the local PA
General Intelligence head, causing no injuries. Islamic Jihad mbr.
Zakariyya al-Tartar dies of injuries received in a 6/24 IDF air strike on
his vehicle in Gaza City.
Israel allowed the transfer of 600,000 litres of industrial fuel into the Gaza Strip to run the power station,
according to IDF sources. But Israeli army spokesman Peter Lerner said that most crossings remained closed. Israel had
last allowed food into Gaza on 24 June, he added. (AP)
The Czech Republic can use its good relations with the Palestinians and Israel during the period of its EU Presidency
in 2009 to contribute to the peace process, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said after a meeting with Czech Prime
Minister Mirek Topolánek in Prague. (CTK)
"We call on all parties to refrain from any action that would undermine the negotiations and to implement their Road
Map obligations," the G-8 Foreign Ministers said in a statement after their meeting in Kyoto. They said the obligations
included "freezing all settlement activities and ending all acts of violence, terrorism and incitement." They expressed
support for convening an international meeting in Moscow to lend support to the process launched in Annapolis.
(www.mofa.go.jp)
"After the General Assembly, we are going to have a meeting to push the [peace] process forward in the Middle East. It
will take place in Moscow," Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy told a
news conference after the Russian Federation-EU summit in Khanty-Mansiisk, Russian Federation. (Reuters)
Two mortar shells fired from northern Gaza Strip landed in the western Negev. There were no reports of injuries or
damage. (Haaretz, Xinhua)
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called on all the Palestinian factions to honour the ceasefire with Israel. (The Jerusalem
Post)
PA security sources said the IDF had arrested nine Palestinians in Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Jenin and a village near
Ramallah. (WAFA)
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades denied the previous claim of responsibility for the rocket fire against Sderot on 26 June
and declared their full support for the ceasefire and the relevant declarations by PA President Abbas. (Ma'an News
Agency)
The London-based Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Israel had offered to release Palestinian
prisoners demanded by Hamas as part of the deal for the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit and to transfer them to the
Gaza Strip instead of sending them back to their homes in the West Bank. The report went on to say that Hamas had
rejected the offer, with its spokesman Fawzi Barhoum saying that the group would never accept the conversion of a
prison sentence into a deportation. (Ynetnews)
Lisa Buttenheim, Director of the Asia and the Pacific Division of the Department of Political Affairs, briefed the
Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. (UN press release SC/9379)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon decided to appoint, in his personal capacity, Mr. Ronald J. Bettauer (United States) as
one of the three members of the Board of the United Nations Register of Damage caused by the Construction of the Wall
in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. (UN press release SG/A/1141-PAL/2100)
Israeli security forces detained 22 Israeli activists as they dispersed a protest against settlements, protest organisers said. Two foreign activists were also detained at the protest south of Bethlehem after they and the Israelis had refused orders to evacuate a "closed military zone." Two people had been wounded, organisers said. (AFP)
Egypt temporarily reopened its border crossing with the Gaza Strip for three days to allow Gazans to cross into Egypt, Hamas authorities said. (DPA)
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said that settlements should be left to future negotiations. "The best way to solve this problem is to resume at once bilateral Israeli-Palestinian talks," he said. (AP)
The World Bank had approved a pilot plan for a canal linking the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, Israeli Regional Development Minister Sylvan Shalom announced. Israeli Public Radio said that the bank would provide $1.25 billion to finance the project. The initial proposal was for a 180 kilometre channel to transport water, of which half would gush into the Dead Sea and half would feed a giant desalination plant jointly run by Israel, Jordan and the PA, Mr. Shalom's ministry said. (AFP)
The PA said in a statement that it "welcomes the Quartet call on the Israeli authorities to halt construction in the settlements, including expansion for reasons of natural growth, as well as removing checkpoints and opening crossings." It called on the international community "to put pressure on Israel to implement its obligations, particularly those in the Road Map." These obligations included halting all settlement activities and turning over the Palestinian cities to full PA control. (DPA)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared in an interview with Al-Hayat that he was “disappointed by the peace process in the Middle East in general, and between the Palestinians and the Israelis in particular. It has not gone well, even though we have seen improvement in the situation in Lebanon, including the relations between Lebanon and Syria.” He reasserted his commitment to Middle East peace and said that “when Israel launched its war on Gaza, I spoke of the issue more than anybody else. I condemned Israel, I demanded protection for the Palestinian civilians and I criticized the humanitarian situation in Gaza.” (The Financial Times)