US embassy cable - 04TELAVIV2455

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002455 
 
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: #80, APRIL 29, 2004; 
( 1500 HOURS LOCAL) -- UNKNOWN GROUP BOMBS THE HOME OF GAZA 
SECURITY CHIEF JABALI 
 
 
THIS IS A JOINT MESSAGE FROM CONGEN JERUSALEM AND EMBASSY TEL 
AVIV 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  In the West Bank, IDF forces killed one 
suspected al Aqsa member and arrested three Fatah activists, 
and house demolitions and curfews continued in various 
locations.  In the Gaza strip, individuals bombed the home of 
police chief Ghazi Jablai, one Palestinian was killed for 
suspected collaboration with Israeli forces, and the IDF 
tightened security at checkpoints in response to the 
attempted vehicular suicide-bombing of April 28.  End summary. 
 
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West Bank 
--------- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Death: One Palestinian was killed April 29 in Janin by 
other Palestinian gunmen, who shot him by mistake, according 
to Palestinian security sources.  The incident was originally 
reported as a targeted killing by the IDF so that the man,s 
family could receive martyrs, benefits. 
 
ARRESTS: 
 
-- The IDF arrested three Fatah activists April 28 in 
Ramallah. 
 
3.  (SBU) DEMOLTIONS: 
 
-- The IDF destroyed two houses in Sura village April 28. 
The houses reportedly belonged to Hamas members who are 
jailed in Israel for trying to attack a settlement last year. 
 
4.  (SBU) CURFEW/CLOSURE: 
 
-- Bayt Sahour, south of Jerusalem, remained under curfew 
April 29 in the wake of an attempted shooting attack against 
nearby Har Homa settlement last weekend. 
 
-- Yabad village was under curfew April 29, as the IDF 
conducted searches in the village. 
 
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Gaza Strip 
---------- 
 
5.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: According to UNRWA, Palestinian gunmen shot and 
killed 39-year-old Jihad Silmi in Gaza city April 28, 
claiming that he was a collaborator. 
 
-- Injuries: According to UNRWA, one Palestinian was injured 
in a domestic dispute near Rafah. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets/Shootings:  According to UNRWA, 
Palestinians fired two mortars towards Neve Dekalim and two 
mortars towards Kefar Dorom.  There was sporadic shooting by 
Palestinians in the Rafah area April 29 (see "incursions".) 
 
-- Explosions: A large explosion from a remote control bomb 
took place at the house of Chief of Police Ghazi Jabali in 
Gaza City at 0230 hours April 29.  There were no injuries but 
the blast heavily damaged the ground floor of the building. 
UNRWA and Palestinian media sources report that this 
assassination attempt might have been a continuation of 
violence between Jabali's police and backers of rival Gaza 
strongman Mohammad Dahlan, which began in early February. 
 
6.  (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.  UNRWA reports that the IDF has 
advised that diplomatic and Israeli vehicles will be subject 
to lengthy delays at Abu Kholi because the suicide bomb car 
they destroyed April 28 was disguised as an Israeli vehicle. 
 
-- Erez crossing was closed to Palestinians and subject to 
random closures for internationals, and the Erez industrial 
zone was closed April 29. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was open for materials but not laborers 
April 29. 
 
-- 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 April 29. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open except to Palestinians between the 
ages of 16 and 35 April 29. 
 
-- The Al-Mowassi checkpoints were closed at Tel al-Sultan 
but open at Toufah April 29. 
7.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS 
 
-- According to UNRWA and the IDF, IDF forces entered the 
Zurub area near Rafah with three tanks and two bulldozers in 
response to sporadic gunfire.  Gunfire continued and 
Palestinians exploded a bomb under an IDF tank, and the tanks 
and bulldozers moved out of the area after approximately two 
hours April 28. 
 
 
 
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