US embassy cable - 05JERUSALEM2419

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 002419 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE 
NEA/SA/EX FOR AUSTIN-FERGUSON; DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR 
DS/IP/NEA; DRL FOR A/S CRANER 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN 
USAID FOR DCHA, DCHA/FFP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PBTS, PHUM, KWBG, ASEC, CASC, IS, SItrep 
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: JUNE 10-14, 2005 (1600 HOURS LOCAL) 
-- TWO PALESTINIANS INJURED IN INTERNAL AL-AQSA MARTYRS 
BRIGADES CLASH IN RAMALLAH 
 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  Two Palestinians were shot and injured 
during clashes between different al-Aqsa cells by Manasra 
Square in Ramallah on June 12.  The IDF shot and injured a a 
Palestinian youth in Saida village near Tulkarm on June 11, 
according to Palestinian security sources.  UNRWA reported 
that one Palestinian, injured during a &work accident8 in 
his home in Gaza City May 29, died of his wounds June 10.  In 
Gaza, UNRWA reported that some 13 Palestinians were injured 
June 12 in the Shaykh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City when 
an automatic weapon, being used to fire into the air at a 
wedding party, was accidentally dropped and began firing of 
its own accord, hitting the guests.  End summary. 
 
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West Bank 
--------- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Deaths:  Nil. 
 
-- Injuries:  Ten Palestinian suffered from tear gas 
inhalation during anti-barrier demonstrations near Ariel June 
10, according to Palestinian media reports. 
 
-- Injuries:  The IDF shot and injured a a Palestinian youth 
in Saida village near Tulkarm on June 11, according to 
Palestinian security sources. 
 
-- Injuries:  Two Palestinians were shot and injured during 
clashes between different al-Aqsa cells by Manasra Square in 
Ramallah on June 12, according to Palestinian newspapers. 
 
-- Arrests:  The IDF arrested the father and sister of wanted 
PIJ activist Luai Sa'adi in Attil village near Tulkarm on 
June 11, according to Palestinian newspapers. 
 
-- Arrests:  The IDF arrested 10 Palestinians in the West 
Bank on June 11 in the towns of Nablus and Halhul for 
allegedly supporting Fatah and Hamas militants, according to 
Palestinian newspapers. 
 
-- Attacks:  Palestinian gunmen fired on IDF outposts near 
Nablus and Jenin on June 11, according to PA security 
sources, but there were no injuries. 
 
-- Attacks:  Unknown gunmen fired at an Israeli car near 
Homesh settlement on June 11, according to Israeli radio, but 
there were no injuries. 
 
-- Attacks:  Unknown gunmen fired shots at Kadim settlement 
near Jenin on June 11, according to Israeli radio, but there 
were no injuries. 
 
 
3.  (SBU) PA SECURITY ACTIONS: 
 
-- PA security forces moved two arrested PIJ activists 
(Yasser Badran and Abd al-Rahman Zaghal) from Tulkarm to 
Jericho. 
 
-- The PA released two PIJ activists arrested in connection 
with the Stage Club bombing in Tel Aviv in February on June 
10 after Interior Minister Nasser Yusif decided that the two 
were not involved in the attack, according to PA security 
sources.  11 PIJ members remain jailed in Jericho. 
 
 
4.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- PA President Abbas appointed William Nassar as 
undersecretary of the president's office, essentially a 
deputy to Chief of Staff Rafiq Husseini.  Nassar is a veteran 
Fatah official from before the PA's creation in 1994. 
 
---------- 
Gaza Strip 
---------- 
 
5.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: UNRWA reported that one Palestinian, injured 
during a &work accident8 in his home in Gaza City May 29, 
died of his wounds June 10. 
 
-- Injury: UNRWA reported that one Palestinian was injured 
June 13 in an explosion that occurred in the Beach Camp, 
north of Gaza City.  The cause of the blast remains unknown. 
 
-- Injury: UNRWA reported that a woman was injured in an 
explosion June 12 in Khan Yunis.  The cause of the blast 
remains unknown. 
 
-- Injuries: UNRWA reported that some 13 Palestinians were 
injured June 12 in the Shaykh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza 
City when an automatic weapon, being used to fire into the 
air at a wedding party, was accidentally dropped and began 
firing of its own accord, hitting the guests. 
 
-- Injuries: UNRWA reported that two Palestinians were 
injured June 11 in Jabaliya camp when militants affiliated 
with the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) clashed with PSO 
forces.  One PSO officer was kidnapped and held for several 
hours; members of the kidnapped man,s family shut down the 
streets and burned tires.  The man was released subsequently 
and the roads into town were re-opened (see &PA Security 
Forces8). 
 
-- Catch-up item: Injury: UNRWA reported that a 14-year-old 
youth received two gunshot wounds in his back June 9 in Rafah 
during an exchange of fire between Palestinian militants and 
IDF soldiers on the outskirts of Morag settlement. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: The IDF reported that Palestinian 
militants fired a total of 13 mortar shells and eight 
shooting attacks at IDF and Israeli settler targets 
throughout the Gaza Strip June 10-14 
 
-- Explosions: The IDF reported that PA security forces found 
and safely deactivated an explosive device near the Erez 
Crossing June 13. 
 
-- Explosions: Two explosive devices were detonated near IDF 
outposts June 10, one near Kfar Darom and the other near 
Karni Crossing. 
 
6.  (SBU) PALESTINIAN SECURITY FORCES: 
 
-- On June 13, Palestinian sources reported that militants 
opened fire at the home of Preventive Security chief Rashid 
Abu Shbak.  The attack followed an attempt earlier in the day 
by PSO officers to arrest two Hamas militants.  Mediators 
intervened and the situation calmed down after the two Hamas 
members were released, according to UNRWA. 
 
-- In the aftermath of clashes June 9-10 between Popular 
Resistance Committees (PRC) militants and Preventive Security 
Forces (see June 10 SitRep), unknown gunmen attacked the home 
of Preventive Security chief Rashid Abu Shbak the evening of 
June 10 with RPGs, hand grenades and small weapons fire, 
while PRC militants and PSO forces clashed again in Gaza 
City.  Sporadic clashes occurred throughout June 11 and APCs 
manned by PA security personnel remained on the street 
outside PSO headquarters until June 13.  PRC members 
kidnapped a PSO officer in Jabaliya Camp June 11, injuring 
two bystanders (see Injuries8).  Several hundred members of 
the al-Aqsa Martyrs, Brigades demonstrated outside PSO 
headquarters June 11 in support of the Preventive Security 
Forces. 
 
-- UNRWA reported that on June 10 PA security forces, working 
in coordination with the IDF, located and destroyed two 
tunnels in Rafah used for smuggling. 
 
7.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open June 11-13, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open June 10-11, but was closed for an 
Israeli holiday June 12-13.  On June 10, 2,062 laborers and 
278 merchants crossed into Israel.  On June 11, 249 laborers 
and 56 merchants crossed. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was closed June 10-13. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed June 11-13, but re-opened June 14 
for the import of aggregates used in construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was open June 11-12, but closed June 13 for 
an Israeli holiday. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open for arrivals and departures June 
11-14. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed June 11-14.  Toufah 
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi, except males 
aged 16-30. 
 
8.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- UNRWA reported that approximately 50 families in the Khan 
Yunis refugee camp have been waging a sit-down strike at 
UNRWA,s distribution center in the camp for approximately 
five days.  The families, all participants in the UNRWA 
re-housing program, wish to have their houses built in Toufah 
vice Khan Yunis, despite the unavailability of land in 
Toufah.  The situation is tense, as the families have 
threatened violence if their demand is not met, according to 
UNRWA.  The strike continued as of midday, June 14. 
 
-- The ICRC reported that some 1,000 Palestinians staged a 
sit-down strike and demonstration outside of ICRC 
headquarters in Gaza City June 13, demanding the release of 
Palestinians prisoners being held in Israeli jails and the 
head of PFLP in particular. 
 
-- Israeli media reported that the PA carried out the death 
sentence on four Palestinian criminals, all convicted of 
murder, June 12 in Gaza City.  According to media reports, 
the PA has announced that executions are planned for some 12 
additional convicted criminals. 
PEARCE