US embassy cable - 04TELAVIV1631

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001631 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR BURNS/SATTERFIELD 
NEA/SA/EX FOR AUSTIN-FERGUSON; DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR 
DS/IP/NEA; DRL FOR A/S CRANER 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN 
USAID FOR DCHA, DCHA/FFP 
CENTCOM FOR GENERAL ABIZAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG, PTER, ASEC, PHUM, CASC, KPAL, SItrep, Sitrep 
SUBJECT: THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND: MARCH 16, 2004; (1630 
HOURS LOCAL) - RUMORS IN GAZA OF INTERNATIONAL EVACUATION; 
CHILD IN WEST BANK UNWITTINGLY TRANSPORTS BOMB 
 
 
THIS IS A JOINT MESSAGE FROM CONGEN JERUSALEM AND EMBASSY TEL 
AVIV 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  Israeli press reports suggesting that a 
"severe" military crackdown on Gaza was likely following last 
week's suicide bombing at Ashdod port and a rumor that 
internationals were being ordered to leave Gaza, fueled 
widespread concern that internationals were preparing to 
evacuate the Gaza Strip.  An unspecified number of German 
diplomats reportedly left, but most of the German mission 
remained, according to UNRWA.  Posts have received no reports 
of evacuations by other diplomatic missions.  In the West 
Bank, a child who regularly earns money carting bags from one 
side of a checkpoint to the other for travelers was 
reportedly caught transporting a bomb through a checkpoint 
near Nablus.  According to press reports, the child did not 
know he was carrying a bomb.  The bomb was safely defused. 
End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
--------- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: Roughly 18 Palestinians were injured in clashes 
with the IDF over the separation barrier near Bayt Liqya on 
March 15. 
 
-- Bombs Defused: Israeli soldiers defused a bomb that a 
child between the ages of 10 and 12 had tried to carry 
through the Huwara checkpoint, near Nablus, on March 15. 
According to Israeli media, the child, who earns money 
carting bags from one side of the checkpoint to the other for 
travelers, did not know the contents of the bag.  The boy was 
released after being questioned by the IDF for a few hours. 
 
3.  (SBU) ARRESTS/PRISONER ISSUES: 
 
-- Israeli troops arrested six Fatah activists in Zabada, 
near Jenin, on March 15 during a meeting with village council 
officials.  Three of the six activists were later released. 
 
4.  (SBU) BARRIER: 
 
-- The Israeli High Court ordered the IDF to cease work on 
the separation barrier in Ni'lin village, near Qiryat Sefer, 
on March 15, pending review of the barrier's impact on nearby 
residents. 
 
---------- 
Gaza Strip 
---------- 
 
5.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injury: A 23-year-old Palestinian woman was shot in the 
leg as the result of clashes between the IDF and Palestinian 
militants near Rafah at 1220 hours on March 16. 
 
-- Injury: Two members of the Palestinian security services 
were wounded in a firefight with IDF, after the IDF destroyed 
a building near Netzarim, just south of Gaza city (see 
demolitions). 
 
Mortars/Rockets/Shootings: 
 
-- The IDF reported eight shootings, one mortar shell, and 
three anti-tank missiles in Gaza.  No Israeli injuries 
resulted. 
 
-- Demolition: The IDF demolished an abandoned building that 
previously served as a college but which had been more 
recently used by PA security services.  The IDF claimed that 
the building had been used by gunmen to fire at Israeli 
troops.  The IDF also uprooted 40 dunams of citrus and olive 
trees during this action, according to UNRWA. 
 
-- Demolition:  The IDF demolished a home near Rafah.  Ten 
persons were made homeless, according to UNRWA. 
 
6.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS/CHECKPOINTS 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, remained open. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers and 
Palestinian staff of international organizations and NGOs. 
The crossing was open for internationals, but vehicle access 
remained forbidden. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was open for transfer of aggregates, but 
closed for laborers. 
 
-- Karni Terminal, the only Gaza Strip-GOI crossing for the 
import and export of goods, was open. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open. 
 
--The Al-Mowassi checkpoints at Tel al-Sultan and Toufah were 
open. 
 
7.  (SBU)  POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- There were widespread rumors in Gaza March 16 that 
internationals were evacuating in anticipation of a possible 
harsh IDF crackdown on Gaza.  A separate rumor said 
internationals were being ordered to leave by the GOI. 
Israeli media reported that PM Sharon had reportedly asked 
the IDF to "prepare a more severe response (to the March 14 
Ashdod suicide bombings) than usual."  According to UNRWA, an 
unspecified number of German diplomats left the Gaza Strip, 
but others from the German mission remained.  Posts have had 
no reports of other diplomatic missions evacuating staff 
members. 
 
-- Heavy gun fire was reported in Gaza city as university 
students fired into the air to celebrate university 
elections.  Posts do not have firm numbers but reportedly 
Fatah won a majority of the positions.  No injuries were 
reported from the gunfire. 
 
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KURTZER