US embassy cable - 04TELAVIV2235

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002235 
 
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: #72; APRIL 16, 1700 
HOURS LOCAL -- PALESTINIAN KILLED NEAR RAMALLAH, 
DEMONSTRATIONS IN GAZA PROTEST BUSH-SHARON JOINT STATEMENT 
 
THIS IS A JOINT MESSAGE FROM CONGEN JERUSALEM AND EMBASSY TEL 
AVIV 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  In the West Bank, IDF fire killed one 
Palestinian demonstrator near Ramallah and injured nine near 
the Old City.  The IDF arrested seven Palestinians including 
a 28-year-old woman carrying a bag of explosives.  In Gaza, 
Hamas and Islamic Jihad organized demonstrations in support 
of Palestinian prisoners and against the Bush-Sharon 
statement.  End Summary. 
 
--------- 
West Bank 
--------- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Death: The IDF killed one Palestinian April 16 during 
clashes that erupted in Bitunia, near Ramallah, after Friday 
prayers.  Demonstrators protested the separation barrier and 
chanted slogans denouncing assurances given this week to 
Israel. 
 
-- Injury: The IDF injured nine Palestinians in Hebron April 
16 when it used force to disperse demonstrators near the Old 
City. 
 
-- Shooting: Nil. 
 
3.  (SBU) ARRESTS: 
 
-- The IDF arrested a 28-year-old Palestinian woman, who was 
carrying a bag containing 25-kg of explosives, April 15 near 
Ariel settlement.  The explosives reportedly were intended 
for use in a non-suicide bomb attack.  The woman, Fatan 
Daraghmah, was reported to be the mother of six children. 
She lives in Liban Sharqiya village and was said to be a 
member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs, Brigades. 
 
-- The IDF arrested seven Palestinians around the West Bank 
April 15-16. 
 
4. (SBU) CURFEWS/CLOSURES: 
 
-- Israel limited attendance at Friday prayers at Al Aqsa 
mosque to Jerusalem ID holders over the age of 45. 
 
5.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- Demonstrations were held around the West Bank April 16 to 
protest U.S. assurances given to Israel earlier in the week. 
Protests were in held Ramallah, Janin, Nablus, Bethlehem, 
Hebron, and several smaller towns and villages.  The IDF used 
force to break up at least three of the rallies. 
 
---------- 
Gaza Strip 
---------- 
 
6.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: According to IDF sources, two Palestinians were 
injured in IDF-initiated shootings near Han Yunes on April 15. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets/Shootings: According to IDF sources, IDF 
troops initiated shooting and threw hand grenades west of 
Khan Yunes; Palestinians fired two anti-tank missiles near 
the Erez industrial zone and fired six mortar shells at 
various locations April 15.  Palestinians fired one mortar 
shell near Netzarim village April 16. 
 
7.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS/CHECKPOINTS 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was closed at Netzarim junction and subject to random 
closures at Abu Kholi April 16, according to UNRWA. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was closed to Palestinian laborers but open 
to merchants and internationals, and the Erez industrial zone 
was open.  At time of writing no information was available as 
to the number of crossings into the zone or into Israel. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was open for materials, but not for laborers. 
 
-- Karni Terminal, the only Gaza Strip-GOI crossing for the 
import and export of goods, was open for Palestinian 
containerized goods, according to UNRWA. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open for Palestinians. 
 
-- The Al-Mowassi checkpoints were closed at Tel al-Sultan 
but open at Toufah. 
 
8.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS 
 
-- UNRWA reported that according to a final tally of results 
of the April 15 IDF incursion into Rafah, 28 houses were 
demolished, five were partially demolished, and 23 were 
damaged, on Block J.  Four houses were demolished in Salam. 
 
9.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 
 
-- UNRWA reported that on April 16 there were demonstrations 
of approximately 3,000 Hamas supporters in Jobalya camp and 
2,000 Islamic Jihad supporters near Beit Lahav to protest 
statements made at the April 14 Bush-Sharon press conference. 
 
-- UNRWA reported that approximately 2,000 people attended a 
Gaza city memorial demonstration organized by Hamas in honor 
of martyrs and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails April 
16. 
 
 
********************************************* ******************** 
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website. 
********************************************* ******************** 
LeBaron