US embassy cable - 04TELAVIV2195

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002195 
 
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: #70; APRIL 14, 1700 
LOCAL; FATAH SUPPORTERS DEMONSTRATE IN SOLIDARITY WITH WEST 
BANK FATAH LEADER, CLASH WITH IDF FORCES 
 
THIS IS A JOINT MESSAGE FROM CONGEN JERUSALEM AND EMBASSY TEL 
AVIV 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  During the reporting period one 
Palestinian died of shrapnel wounds during a Fatah 
demonstration.  IDF teams demolished the home of a suicide 
bomber in Nablus, and bulldozed lands near Rafa in northern 
Gaza.  A sit-in strike protesting tighter security measures 
continued for a second day at Erez industrial zone, and two 
thousand Fatah supporters demonstrated in Gaza amid IDF and 
Palestinian fire.  End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
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2.  (SBU)  ATTACKS 
 
-- Deaths:  Nil. 
 
-- Injuries:  Israeli soldiers shot and wounded a Palestinian 
during clashes in Baqa Sharqiya on April 13. 
 
-- Injuries:  Palestinians threw stones at an Israeli bus 
near al-Aroub on April 13, injuring the Israeli bus driver. 
 
-- Shootings:  Shots were fired at IDF patrols in Jenin and 
Tulkarm on April 13.  No injuries were reported. 
 
-- Explosives:  An explosive device detonated near an IDF 
jeep in Nablus on April 13.  No injuries were reported. 
 
3.  (SBU) DEMOLITIONS/ARRESTS: 
 
-- Israeli troops arrested three Palestinians in Nablus and 
Bethlehem on April 13. 
 
-- The IDF demolished the home of a Palestinian suicide 
bomber in Nablus on April 13. 
 
 
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Gaza Strip 
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4.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: One Palestinian was killed by shrapnel from a 
homemade bomb during a Fatah demonstration in Gaza city on 
April 14 according to UNWRA. 
 
-- Injuries: Nil. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets/Shootings:  Four mortars were fired at 
Neve Dekalim settlement, and one during a clash near Karni on 
Netzarim road.  One anti-tank rocket was fired at IDF 
vehicles opposite block J.  There was extensive shooting and 
several handmade explosive devices thrown at the Fatah 
demonstration in Gaza. 
 
5.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS/CHECKPOINTS 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open for Palestinians. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was closed to Palestinian laborers but open 
to merchants and internationals.  Approximately 100 merchants 
crossed into Israel.  Workers demonstrated again outside the 
Erez industrial zone in protest of tightened border crossing 
procedures.  The IDF announced at 0800 that the zone would 
remain closed, but according to UNWRA 360 laborers have 
entered the industrial zone. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was open for materials but not laborers 
today. 
 
-- Karni Terminal, the only Gaza Strip-GOI crossing for the 
import and export of goods, allowed Palestinian containerized 
goods both in and out of Gaza, but UNWRA reports that they 
are moving extremely slowly due to 100% checks. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open for Palestinians. 
 
-- The Al-Mowassi checkpoints were closed at Tel al-Sultan 
but open at Toufah. 
 
6.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS: 
-- According to Voice of Palestine, Israeli forces advanced 
into Rafah and bulldozed lands amid shooting from both sides 
and IDF shelling of houses. 
 
7.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- Over 2,000 Fatah supporters demonstrated in Gaza city near 
the UNWRA offices in support of Marwan Barghuthi.  UNWRA 
reported numerous rounds of fire and Molotov cocktails going 
off, and one Palestinian was killed by shrapnel to the head. 
 
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LeBaron