US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV1636

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001636 
 
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: FIVE PALESTINIANS AND ONE ISRAELI 
INJURED IN THE WEST BANK; PALESTINIANS LAUNCH TWO ROCKETS 
IN THE GAZA STRIP -- MARCH 18, 2005 (1300 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: West Bank settlers wounded five 
Palestinian workers were wounded in an attack in Nahliel and 
an Israeli woman was lightly wounded by a metal object thrown 
at her car in the West Bank March 18.  Palestinians launched 
two rockets in the Gaza strip March 17, but no injuries 
occurred.  End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
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2.  (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian and Israeli media, five 
Palestinian workers were wounded in an attack by West Bank 
Jewish settlers in the settlement of Nahliel, west of 
Ramallah, on March 17.  The settlers severely beat the 
Palestinian workers with stones and clubs. 
 
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian and Israeli media, an 
Israeli woman was lightly wounded when a metal object was 
thrown at her vehicle near Hawara, in the Nablus area, on 
March 17. 
 
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian sources, a young 
Palestinian man was lightly injured when an Israeli settler 
attacked him in the old city of Hebron on March 17. 
 
-- Arrests: According to Palestinian sources, three Hamas 
members were arrested in the Ramallah and Nablus areas on 
March 17. 
 
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Gaza 
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3.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: Nil. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: According to UNRWA, Palestinians launched 
one rocket at Netzarim March 17 and another rocket at Ganei 
Tal, but no injuries resulted. 
 
-- Shootings: Nil. 
 
-- Explosions: According to UNRWA, overnight March 17-18 an 
explosion occurred in the northern Gaza strip.  No injuries 
occurred. 
 
4.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS: Nil. 
 
5.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open March 18, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction.  Abu Khouli was open March 18. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open for internationals and for a 
limited number of Palestinians March 17, and 1,550 laborers 
and 190 merchants crossed into Israel. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open March 17, and 549 
laborers entered. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed March 18. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was open March 18. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open for arrivals and departures March 
18. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed March 18.  Toufah 
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi. 
 
6.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- In Gush Katif, 10,000 people attended a mass prayer rally 
March 17 in Neve Dekalim to protest Gaza disengagement.  No 
injuries or arrests occurred. 
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http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv 
 
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KURTZER