US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV131

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000131 
 
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:  FATAL ATTACK ON SETTLER NEAR NABLUS; 
ONE PALESTINIAN KILLED IN GAZA AND TWO OTHERS INJURED TWO 
DAYS BEFORE HISTORIC PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS;  JANUARY 7, 
2005 (1500 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed 
responsibility for an attack on a settler car near Nablus 
January 7 that left one settler dead.  A five-year-old 
Palestinian boy was accidentally killed in the West Bank 
January 6 when an IDF jeep ran him over.  In Gaza, one 
Palestinian was killed and two others injured by Israeli 
gunfire January 7.  With Palestinian elections scheduled to 
take place January 9, Abu Mazen described Sharon as a 
"partner for peace" and called for the resumption of 
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations following the elections. 
End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
--------- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Deaths: Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility 
for an attack on a settler's car near Nablus January 7 that 
left one Israeli settler dead.  The IDF sealed off the area 
while searching for the culprits. 
 
-- Death: An IDF jeep accidentally ran over and killed a 
five-year-old Palestinian boy January 6 in Hebron, according 
to Palestinian sources. 
 
-- Injuries: Nil. 
 
-- Attacks: Palestinian gunmen opened fire on IDF positions 
south of Nablus and in Tulkarm and Jenin on January 6, 
according to Israeli and Palestinian media, but no casualties 
were reported. 
 
-- Attacks: Four Israeli Yeshiva students spit at, cursed and 
beat an Armenian priest in the Old City on January 6, 
according to Jerusalem municipal and Armenian sources.  The 
police detained the students and reportedly may charge them. 
This is the second such incident in the Armenian Quarter 
within the last four days. 
 
-- Attacks: A bomb exploded near a vehicle belonging to an 
Israeli settler in Sanur, near Jenin, according to Israeli 
and Palestinian media, but no injuries were reported. 
 
-- Arrests: In Halhu (near Hebron), the IDF arrested January 
6, 20 Palestinian Fatah activists, who were placing campaign 
posters on city walls, according to Palestinian sources. 
 
3.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- According to Israeli radio reports January 6, Israeli 
extremists led by David Adari threatened to disrupt voting by 
Palestinians in east Jerusalem, by descending on the post 
office polling places in large numbers to conduct postal 
business.  Israeli police sources, however, said they will 
deploy officers to assist residents in reaching post offices 
to vote. 
 
-- In press interviews January 6, Abu Mazen described Sharon 
as &a partner for peace8 and called for an immediate 
resumption of negotiations after the Palestinian elections. 
Abu Mazen visited al-Ram near Jerusalem January 7. 
 
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Gaza 
---- 
 
4.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Death: Israeli media reported that IDF troops shot and 
killed one Palestinian on January 7 as he was apparently 
trying to infiltrate the settlement of Ganei Tal in the Gush 
Katif settlement bloc. 
 
-- Injuries: According to the IDF, two Palestinians were 
injured January 7 by IDF tank shell shooting south of Rafah. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: Israeli media reported that Palestinians 
fired two mortar rounds in the southern Gaza strip on January 
7.  There were no casualties, but damage was reported. 
Palestinians also reportedly fired a Qassam rocket at an 
Israeli community in the western Negev desert, but no 
casualties or damage resulted.  There were three other mortar 
shell explosions overnight January 6-7 at Gdid, Nezer Hazani 
and Neve Dekalim, but no injuries or damage were reported. 
Another mortar shell explosion on January 6 at the Sufa 
crossing resulted in no damage or injuries. 
 
-- Shootings: According to the IDF, an IDF patrol shot at 
Palestinians on January 6 near Kfar Darom, but no injuries 
resulted. 
 
-- Explosions: Nil. 
 
5.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS: Nil. 
 
6.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open January 7, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open for internationals, a limited 
number of Palestinians and for Hajj travelers on January 7. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone remained closed January 7. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers, but was 
open for the import of aggregates used in construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was open, but operating slowly. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was closed for arrivals and departures. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed January 7.  Toufah 
checkpoint was closed for residents of al-Mowassi January 7. 
 
 
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