US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV1243

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001243 
 
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: PA INTERIOR MINISTER FIRES JENIN 
SECURITY CHIEFS AFTER CONFRONTATION WITH AL-AQSA BRIGADES; 
ONE PALESTINIAN ARRESTED IN WEST BANK; GAZA QUIET MARCH 2, 
2005 (1300 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Palestinian Authority (PA) Interior 
Minister Nasir Yusif replaced all the PA security chiefs and 
deputies in Jenin during a March 1 visit to inspect the 
overall security situation in the city.  The dismissals 
followed a confrontation that included a brief exchange of 
gunfire between members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in 
Jenin and PA security officers.  Unidentified individuals 
threw a firebomb at an Israeli bus near Nablus March 1, but 
no injuries were reported.  The IDF entered Yatta village 
south of Hebron and arrested a PIJ activist on March 1.  Gaza 
was reportedly quiet.  End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
--------- 
 
(SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injury: Nil. 
 
(SBU) ARRESTS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Arrest: The IDF on March 1 entered Yatta village south of 
Hebron and arrested a Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ) activist. 
 The IDF withdrew from the village following the arrest. 
 
-- Security Incident: Unknown individuals on March 1 threw a 
firebomb at an Israeli bus near the settlement of Elon More 
near Nablus.  There were no injuries reported from this 
incident. 
 
-- Clashes: Israeli settlers from the settlement of Itamar on 
March 1 attacked a number of Palestinian laborers, forcing 
the laborers to abandon a construction site.  There were no 
injuries reported from this incident. 
 
(SBU) DEMOLITIONS/CONFISCATIONS 
 
-- Israeli bulldozers on March 1 destroyed 10 shacks used by 
Palestinian vendors in the northern Jordan Valley villages of 
Bardala and  Ein el-Beida. 
 
-- The IDF on March 1 posted notices in the Palestinian 
village of Wadi Fukin, near Bethlehem, that it planned to 
demolish three water wells and a house there. 
 
-- Israeli bulldozers on March 1 uprooted olive trees in the 
Palestinian villages of Kufur Thulth and Masha in order to 
clear land for the building of a section of the separation 
barrier. 
 
(SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- Palestinian Authority (PA) Interior Minister Nasir Yusif 
replaced all the PA security chiefs and deputies in Jenin 
during a March 1 visit to inspect the overall security 
situation in the city.  The dismissals followed a 
confrontation that included a brief exchange of gunfire 
between members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs, Brigades in Jenin 
and PA security officers.  Al-Aqsa reportedly objected to 
Yusif,s visit to Jenin because the Interior Minister had 
failed to coordinate the visit with the local al-Aqsa 
commander, Zakaria Zubaydah.  Yusif and Zubaydah later held 
private discussions, after which Zubaydah expressed his 
support for the Interior Minister and his efforts to bring 
security to the city. 
 
-- PA security advisor Jibril Rajoub denied Palestinian press 
reports that he is planning to travel to Syria to meet with 
leaders of Hamas and PIJ.  He added that a meeting with 
Palestinian factions is tentatively set for March 15 in 
Cairo. 
 
---- 
Gaza 
---- 
 
(SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: Nil. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: Nil. 
 
-- Shootings: Nil. 
 
-- Explosions: Nil. 
 
(SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS: According to UNRWA, the IDF 
began a minor incursion into the Erez Industrial Zone area 
March 2, continuing ongoing construction work around Erez. 
 
(SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open March with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction.  Abu Khouli was open only for public 
transportation; no private vehicles are allowed to cross. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open for internationals and for a 
limited number of Palestinians March 1 and 950 laborers and 
120 merchants entered Israel March 1. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open March 1 and 350 
Palestinians entered. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers March 2, 
but was open for the import of aggregates used in 
construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was open, but operating slowly March 2. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open for arrivals and departures March 
2. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed March 2.  Toufah 
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi, except for 
males between the ages of 16-35. 
 
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KURTZER