US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV3204

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 003204 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/SA/EX FOR RICHIE; DEPT FOR 
DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN; USAID 
FOR DCHA, DCHA/FPP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG, PHUM, PREL, PTER, ASEC, CASC, GZ, IS, Sitrep 
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: PA POLICE OFFICIAL AMBUSHED IN GAZA 
-- MAY 26, 2005 (1500 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: In the Gaza Strip, Egyptian mediators 
failed to resolve the conflict between Fatah and Hamas over 
municipal election results in several Gaza municipalities. 
Armed militants ambushed the convoy of PA anti-riot police 
chief BG Abdullah Khalil, wounding his bodyguard on the 
evening of May 25.  Palestinians threw firebombs at Israeli 
vehicles traveling northwest of Ramallah June 25, with no 
injuries reported.  End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
--------- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Death: Nil. 
 
-- Injury: Nil. 
 
-- Firebombing: Palestinians on May 25 threw two firebombs at 
Israeli vehicles traveling near Deir Abu Mash,al, northwest 
of Ramallah.  There were no injuries reported from this 
incident. 
 
3.  (SBU) ARRESTS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Curfew/Arrest: The IDF on May 25 entered al-Mughayyir 
village, southeast of Jenin, and imposed a curfew.  The IDF 
conducted searches and arrested one Fatah activist, before 
exiting the village. 
 
-- Arrest: The IDF on May 25 arrested a Palestinian teenager 
at the Bayt Iba checkpoint, near Nablus, who reportedly 
attempted to snatch the weapons of an IDF soldier stationed 
at the checkpoint. 
 
4.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) on May 25 called 
on the Palestinian Authority to work for the release of PFLP 
Secretary General Ahmad Sa,dat and other Palestinian 
 
SIPDIS 
prisoners incarcerated in Jericho under the supervision of 
the Jericho Monitoring Mission. 
 
---- 
Gaza 
---- 
 
5.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths:  Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: According to the IDF and UNRWA, a Palestinian 
youth was injured in the western part of Khan Younis when IDF 
soldiers opened fire on May 25.  UNRWA reported that the IDF 
fired when the youth neared the security fence. 
 
-- Injuries: According to UNRWA, armed militants ambushed the 
convoy of PA anti-riot police chief BG Abdullah Khalil, 
wounding his bodyguard in the evening of May 25.  UNRWA 
reported that the militants took weapons and escaped. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets:  According to UNRWA, two mortars were 
fired, one at the al Zaroub observation post in Rafah on May 
25 at 1800 and one at Neve Dekalim on May 26 at 0420.  The 
IDF reported that two anti-tank missiles were fired south of 
the IDF outpost west of Rafah on May 25 at 1630. 
 
-- Shootings: The IDF reported one shooting at Rafiah Yam 
Village on May 25 at 12:45 and one shooting south of the IDF 
outpost west of Rafah on May 25 at 1515.  No injuries 
resulted. 
 
-- Explosions: Nil 
 
6.  (SBU) ARRESTS: Nil 
 
7.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS: Nil 
 
8.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open May 26, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open May 25, and 3,800 laborers and 307 
merchants entered. 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open May 25, and 627 laborers 
entered. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers May 26, 
but was open for the import of aggregates used in 
construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was open May 26. 
-- Rafah Terminal was open May 26 for arrivals and 
departures. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed May 26.  Toufah 
checkpoint was open May 26 for residents of al-Mowassi, 
except males aged 16-30. 
 
9.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: Media sources reported that 
a five-hour meeting between Egyptian mediators and Hamas 
leaders in Gaza May 25 failed to resolve the conflict between 
Fatah and Hamas over municipal elections in Gaza.  The 
mediation is supposed to continue into the week.  Media 
sources also reported that Hamas political bureau chief 
Khaled Meshal accused Fatah May 25 of buying votes in the 
upcoming elections revote in a number of municipalities in 
the Gaza Strip. 
 
--According to UNRWA, approximately 12,000 Fatah supporters 
demonstrated in the middle camps in a show of strength during 
May 25. 
 
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KURTZER