US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV331

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000331 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NEA FOR BURNS/SATTERFIELD/DIBBLE; 
NEA/SA/EX FOR RICHIE; DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR 
DS/IP/NEA; 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: ONE ISRAELI SHIN BET OFFICER AND 
EIGHT OTHER ISRAELIS KILLED BY SUICIDE BOMBER IN GAZA 
STRIP; 17 PALESTINIANS ARRESTED IN WEST BANK;  JANUARY 19, 
2005 (1300 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: As newly elected PA Prime Minister Mahmoud 
Abbas met with leaders of several armed militant factions in 
the Gaza Strip on January 18 at Gush Katif junction, a 
suicide bomber detonated explosives, killing one Shin Bet 
officer and wounding eight other Israelis.  Hamas claimed 
credit for the attack.  In the West Bank, one Palestinian man 
was found shot to death under mysterious circumstances and 17 
others, mostly Hamas activists, were arrested January 18. 
End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
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2.  (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Death: The body of a 66-year-old Palestinian was 
discovered January 18 in Yatta village south of Hebron.  The 
man had been shot three times in the head.  Palestinian 
police are conducting an investigation. 
 
-- Injuries: Nil. 
 
-- Incursion/Arrests: The IDF launched an incursion into 
Nablus January 18 and arrested 13 Palestinians, mostly Hamas 
activists. 
 
-- Arrest: IDF soldiers January 18 entered a Palestinian 
village north of Ramallah and arrested a Hamas activist. 
 
 
-- Arrest: The IDF January 18 arrested a PFLP activist in 
Ramallah. 
 
-- Arrests: The IDF January 18 arrested a Palestinian married 
couple from Tulkarm at the Allenby Bridge crossing.  The 
circumstances surrounding the arrests are unknown. 
 
3.  (SBU) DEMOLITIONS: 
 
-- The IDF January 18 demolished two Palestinian homes during 
an incursion into Nablus.  One of the homes belonged to a 
wanted Hamas militant. 
 
4.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- An unnamed PA official quoted in AFP January 19 said that 
a new Palestinian cabinet would be formed within the next two 
weeks. 
 
-- The Palestinian Authority will observe Eid al-Adha for 
four days beginning January 20.  All PA offices starting 
January 19 are closed for the holiday and will reopen on 
January 24. 
 
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Gaza 
---- 
 
5.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Death: Israeli media reported that a Shin Bet (Israeli 
security) officer was killed on January 18 after a suicide 
bomber from Khan Yunis detonated explosives at Gush Katif 
junction (see "injuries").  Hamas claimed responsibility for 
the attack. 
 
-- Injuries: According to Israeli news reports, eight persons 
(five IDF soldiers and three Shin Bet staffers) were injured 
at Gush Katif junction by a suicide bomb attack on January 18 
(see "death.") 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: According to Palestinian media, the 
Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing,  launched a Qassam 
rocket at Nisanit, another at Netzer Hazani and a third at 
Morag all on January 18.  On January 18, the same Palestinian 
publication claimed that the group fired a rocket at Eley 
Sinay and another at Nisanit.  It further claimed that the 
Al-Qassam Brigades fired an RPG and a Yasim mortar at an 
Israeli bulldozer and at the "the Zionist special forces" 
during an Israeli incursion into east Al-Shuja'iyah. 
 
-- Shootings: Nil. 
 
-- Explosions: Palestinian media reported January 18 that the 
Al-Qassam Brigades exploded a large roadside bomb next to an 
Israeli bulldozer in the western refugee camp in Khan Yunis. 
 
6.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS: According to UNRWA, the IDF 
began an incursion into Beit Hanoun on January 19.  No 
further details were available. 
 
7.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was closed at Abu Houli Junction, with a major detour 
at Netzarim Junction on January 19. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open for diplomats and internationals, 
and for a limited number of Palestinians January 19. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was closed January 19. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers January 
19 and for the import of aggregates used in construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was closed January 19. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was closed for arrivals and departures 
January 19. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed January 19.  Toufah 
checkpoint was closed for residents of al-Mowassi, with a few 
exceptions. 
 
8.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmud Abbas held 
separate meetings January 18 with PA security chiefs and 
Hamas representatives in the Gaza Strip.  Additional meetings 
are expected to take place January 19.  Palestinian press 
reports quoted ,Abd al-Razzaq al-Majaydah, the head of the 
National Security Forces as stating that an arrangement is 
underway to deploy forces on the borders of the Gaza Strip 
within the next two days to prevent violations, namely Qassam 
rocket and mortar attacks against Israeli targets. 
 
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KURTZER