US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV51

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000051 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NEA FOR BURNS/SATTERFIELD/DIBBLE; 
NEA/SA/EX FOR RICHIE; DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR 
DS/IP/NEA; 
DRL FOR A/S CRANER; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN; 
USAID FOR DCHA, DCHA/FPP, PRM FOR DEWEY/GREENE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG, PHUM, PREL, PTER, ASEC, CASC, GZ, IS, SItrep, Sitrep 
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: SEVEN DEAD, SIX WOUNDED IN BAYT 
LAHIYA: JANUARY, 4, 2004 (1400 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: IDF tank fire killed at least seven 
Palestinians and injured six more January 5 in Bayt Lahiya, 
as IDF soldiers attempted to target militants launching 
rockets at Israeli settler targets.  One Israeli child was 
lightly wounded January 4 when Palestinian militants fired 
mortars at a school bus near the Erez Industrial Zone.  UNRWA 
reported that two Palestinians were injured, one of them a 
10-year-old boy while at school, January 3 in the Rafah 
refugee camp during an exchange of fire between Palestinian 
militants and IDF soldiers.  In the West Bank, the IDF 
briefly detained several settlers at an outpost in Yitzhar, 
near Nablus, on January 3, including a uniformed IDF 
reservist who was calling on the soldiers there to disobey 
their orders to dismantle the outpost.  The al-Aqsa Martyrs' 
Brigades claimed responsibility for killing an IDF soldier, 
whose body was found January 3 in Israel, near Be,ersheva. 
End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
--------- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: The IDF shot and injured a Fatah gunman in 
Baytunya, near Ramallah, on January 3, according to 
Palestinian sources. 
 
-- Arrests: The IDF arrested 11 Palestinians in incursions 
into Baytunya, Nablus, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Hebron on 
January 3, according to Palestinian sources. 
 
-- Arrests: The IDF briefly detained several settlers at an 
outpost in Yitzhar, near Nablus, on January 3, including a 
uniformed IDF reservist who was calling on the soldiers there 
to disobey their orders to dismantle the outpost. 
 
---- 
Gaza 
---- 
 
3.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths/Injuries: IDF tank fire killed at least seven 
Palestinians and injured six more January 5 in Bayt Lahiya, 
as IDF soldiers attempted to target militants launching 
rockets at Israeli settler targets, one of which landed near 
a school bus and injured one Israeli (see "Injury").  The IDF 
reported that all of the Palestinians killed were Hamas 
militants.  UNRWA and Palestinian sources reported that all 
of those killed were between the ages of 11 and 17 (see 
"Incursions/Demolitions"), and at least three of those killed 
were civilians. 
 
-- Death: Israeli media reported that IDF soldiers shot and 
killed one Palestinian militant January 3 during the IDF 
incursion into Bayt Lahiya and Bayt Hanoun. 
 
-- Injuries: One Israeli child was lightly wounded January 4 
when Palestinian militants fired mortars at a school bus near 
the Erez Industrial Zone 
 
-- Injury: UNRWA reported that two Palestinians were injured, 
one of them a 10-year-old boy while at school, January 3 in 
the Rafah refugee camp during an exchange of fire between 
Palestinian militants and IDF soldiers. 
 
-- Catch-up item: Israeli media reported that one of those 
shot and injured in exchanges of fire near Bayt Lahiya 
January 2 was a Palestinian journalist reporting for Israel 
Channel 10. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: The IDF reported that Palestinian 
militants fired a total of five mortar shells at IDF soldier 
and Israeli settler targets January 4-5.  Militants also 
fired two Qassam rockets towards the Israeli town of Sderot 
January 4, according to the IDF, and three more January 5, 
according to Israeli media.  No injuries were reported from 
any of these attacks. 
 
-- Explosions: Israeli media reported that IDF soldiers found 
and safely detonated a 30-kilogram explosive device January 4 
along the Rafah-Egytpian border. 
4.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS: 
 
-- The IDF largely re-deployed outside the borders of Bayt 
Lahiya and Bayt Hanoun January 3, but an IDF tank fired a 
shell at a group of Palestinians, whom the IDF claims were 
all Hamas militants, January 4 killing seven Palestinians 
between the ages of 11 and 17 and wounding six others.  IDF 
armored vehicles remained on the outskirts of the area 
January 4, according to UNRWA. 
 
5.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open January 4, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open for internationals and for a 
limited number of Palestinian merchants January 4.  UNRWA 
reported that the IDF allowed Palestinian pilgrims to exit 
Gaza at the Erez Crossing for the Hajj.  The Palestinians 
left Erez in Israeli buses,  which transported them to the 
Egyptian side of the Rafah Crossing via Kerem Shalom, from 
where they then traveled to Cairo for flights to Saudi 
Arabia. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone remained closed January 4. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers January 
4, but was open for the import of aggregates used in 
construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was open January 4. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal remained closed January 4. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint remained closed January 4. 
Toufah checkpoint was open for female residents of al-Mowassi 
and males over age 50. 
 
6.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS 
 
--  Abu Mazen concluded his Gaza campaign trip on January 4 
and returned to the West Bank.  Several militant groups, 
including Hamas and PIJ, issued statements criticizing Abu 
Mazen,s call for an end to Qassam rocket and mortar attacks. 
 Abu Mazen said he would not take up arms against Palestinian 
militants, and signed a pledge not to sign any peace 
agreement with Israel until all Palestinians held in Israeli 
prisons are released.  GOI FM Silvan Shalom criticized Abu 
Mazen for remarks he reportedly made in Khan Yunis January 4 
vowing to continue resistance against the "Zionist enemies," 
according to Israeli media.  Abu Mazen broke his finger 
January 3 when a guard accidentally slammed it in his armored 
vehicle, according to Palestinian sources. 
 
------ 
Israel 
------ 
 
7.  (SBU) Attacks: 
 
-- Deaths: The Israeli police found the body of a male IDF 
soldier in Be,ersheva but did not release details pending 
investigation, according to Israeli media.  The al-Aqsa 
Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for killing the 
soldier, according to Palestinian newspapers.  Israeli media, 
however, reported that police are investigating the soldier's 
death as a criminal act rather than an act of terrorism. 
 
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