US embassy cable - 04TELAVIV1368

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 001368 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NEA FOR BURNS/SATTERFIELD 
NEA/SA/EX FOR AUSTIN-FERGUSON; DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA; 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA; DRL FOR A/S CRANER; 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN; 
USAID FOR DCHA, DCHA/FPP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG, PTER, ASEC, PHUM, CASC, KPAL, IS, GZ, Sitrep, SItrep 
SUBJECT: THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND: MARCH 4, 2004 (1400 
HOURS LOCAL) -- IDF INCURSION INTO RAFAH LEAVES 12-YEAR-OLD 
BOY DEAD; FOUR OTHER PALESTINIANS WOUNDED 
 
 
THIS IS A JOINT MESSAGE FROM EMBASSY TEL AVIV AND CONGEN 
JERUSALEM. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: A 12-year-old boy was shot and killed 
March 4 during an IDF incursion into the Zorub section of the 
Rafah refugee camp to search for tunnels used to smuggle 
weapons.  Four others, including three more children between 
the ages of eight and 11, were wounded.  One Palestinian was 
killed and 11 others, reportedly members of his family, were 
wounded March 4 in Rafah when an explosive device the man was 
assembling detonated prematurely.  In the West Bank, the IDF 
is conducting an investigation, ongoing as of 1630, into an 
explosion in Kifl Haris village that may have been caused by 
a suicide bomber whose charge detonated prematurely.  An 
Israeli motorist was lightly wounded March 3 when a roadside 
bomb exploded as she was driving on Route 60 near Bayt Ummar 
village.  End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
--------- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Death: An explosion in Kifl Haris village around 1430 
hours led to rumors that the blast was caused when a suicide 
bomber on his way to Israel exploded prematurely.  The story 
was not confirmed at 1630 hours.  Reports indicated that the 
IDF was looking for the source of the blast. 
 
-- Injury: An Israeli motorist was lightly injured March 3 
when a roadside bomb blew up as she drove down Route 60 near 
Bayt Ummar village.  The rear of the car was severely 
damaged. 
-- Bomb: Molotov cocktails were thrown March 3 at 
Jewish-owned houses in Jerusalem,s Old City.  No one was 
injured. 
 
-- Bomb: Palestinians March 3 threw a firebomb at an Israeli 
motorist's car in Hebron.  No one was injured. 
 
-- Shooting: Gunmen fired at the Bayt Jala DCO,s office 
around midnight between March 3 and 4.  No one was injured. 
 
3.  (SBU) ARRESTS: 
 
-- The IDF March 3 arrested 11 Palestinians throughout the 
West Bank. 
 
-- The IDF March 4 arrested three Palestinians during an raid 
in Jenin. 
 
4.  (SBU) DEMOLITIONS: 
 
-- The Israeli High Court rejected a petition filed by 
Palestinians asking the court to block the planned demolition 
of two houses along "Worshippers, Way," between Kiryat Arba 
and Hebron. 
 
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Gaza Strip 
---------- 
 
5.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths/Injuries: Israeli media reported that one 
Palestinian, reportedly a member of the Popular Resistance 
Committee, was killed March 4 in Block N of the Rafah refugee 
camp after the bomb he was assembling exploded prematurely. 
Also injured in the blast were 11 others, two seriously, 
according to UNRWA (see "Explosions"). 
 
-- Death/Injuries: UNRWA reported that a 12-year-old 
Palestinian boy was shot and killed March 4 during an 
exchange of fire that broke out during an IDF incursion into 
the Rafah refugee camp.  Four others, including three 
children between the ages of eight and 11, were also wounded 
(see "Incursions/Demolitions"). 
 
-- Injuries: One settler was injured March 4 when a rocket, 
reportedly a Qassam, was fired on Netzarim, according to 
Israeli media. 
 
-- Catch-up item: Injury: A Palestinian was shot in the foot 
when the IDF exchanged fire with Palestinian gunmen near Neve 
Dekalim March 2, according to UNRWA. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: The IDF reported that two anti-tank 
missiles were fired at Kfar Darom settlement March 3 and one 
anti-tank missile was fired at an IDF outpost west of Khan 
Yunis March 4. 
 
-- Shootings: The IDF reported a total of seven shooting 
attacks March 4: three near Khan Yunis, three near Rafiah 
Yam, and one at an IDF outpost south of Rafah. 
 
-- Explosions: UNRWA reported that three house were totally 
destroyed and 22 others were damaged March 4 in Block N of 
the Rafah refugee camp, when a bomb being prepared by Awni 
Kollab, reportedly a member of the Popular Resistance 
Committee, exploded prematurely.  Awni was killed and 11 
others, reportedly family members, were wounded in the blast. 
 
-- Catch-up item: Explosions: UNRWA reported that a homemade 
bomb and two Molotov cocktails were thrown into the courtyard 
of the UNRWA girls elementary school in Jabaliya refugee camp 
March 2, just after the students had returned to their 
classes after recess.  No injuries or damage was reported 
when the bomb exploded, and PA police successfully removed 
the two unexploded Molotov cocktails. 
 
6.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS: 
 
-- UNRWA reported a large IDF incursion into the Zorub area 
of the Rafah refugee camp March 4, reportedly to search for 
tunnels used to smuggle weapons.  A 12-year-old Palestinian 
boy was shot and killed, and four others, including three 
children between the ages of eight and 11, were wounded.  An 
unknown number of buildings were destroyed.  As of 1500 
hours, the operation was ongoing. 
 
-- UNRWA reported that exchanges of gunfire erupted March 3 
in the al-Salam quarter of the Rafah refugee camp when 12 IDF 
tanks and APCs, accompanied by four bulldozers, entered the 
area to level previously demolished houses.  No injuries were 
reported. 
 
7.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS/CHECKPOINTS 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open for Palestinians March 4. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open March 4, and 9,064 Palestinian 
laborers crossed into Israel.  All workers must be married 
and over age 35.  The Erez Industrial Zone was also open, 
with 3,053 workers entering the Zone for work March 4. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was open for Palestinian workers March 4 and 
348 workers crossed.  Sufa was also open March 4 for the 
import into Gaza of aggregates used in construction. 
 
-- Catch-up data for Sufa: On March 3, 306 laborers crossed 
into Israel. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was open March 4 for the import and export 
of goods into the Gaza Strip. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open for Palestinian travelers March 4. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed March 4.  Toufah 
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi. 
 
------ 
Israel 
------ 
 
8.  (SBU) Israeli media reported that two Israeli Arab 
brothers, reportedly senior activists in the Sons of the 
Village movement, were arrested March 4 in the Galilee 
village of Arabe on suspicion of contacts with Hizballah. 
The two are also accused of supplying electrical appliances 
and instructions for bomb-making to Popular Front activist 
Anas Abdel-Aziz, after allegedly being recruited by a member 
of the Abu Musa Fatah faction. 
 
9.  (SBU) Israeli media reported that the Haifa District 
Court sentenced two Israeli-Arabs from the village of Kfar 
Manda to 20 years apiece, and a third man to 14 years for 
conspiring to carry out terror attacks in Israel. 
 
 
 
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