US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV3992

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 003992 
 
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: AL-AQSA GUNMEN KILL ONE PA POLICEMAN 
IN THE WEST BANK; ONE SETTLER INJURED IN GAZA -- JUNE 24, 
2005 (1300 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades gunmen killed 
one PA police officer, Ziad al-Bzur, during an assault on 
Jenin,s main police station June 23, according to PA 
security sources.  The tension between al-Aqsa gunmen and PA 
police began when police arrested an al-Aqsa member for 
attacking Jenin PLC member Jamal al-Shati's car, and then 
attacked the police station even after the arrestee was 
released at al-Shati's request.  In clashes between al-Aqsa 
gunmen and police after the above incident, two PA policemen 
and one al-Aqsa gunman were shot and injured in exchanges of 
fire June 23.  In Gaza, one settler was injured June 23 in a 
mortar attack on Netzarim.  End Summary. 
 
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West Bank 
--------- 
 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades gunmen killed one PA 
police officer, Ziad al-Bzur, during an assault on Jenin,s 
main police station June 23, according to PA security 
sources.  The tension between al-Aqsa gunmen and PA police 
began when police arrested an al-Aqsa member for attacking 
Jenin PLC member Jamal al-Shati's car, and then attacked the 
police station even after the arrestee was released at 
al-Shati's request. 
 
-- Injuries: In clashes between al-Aqsa gunmen and police 
after the above incident, two PA policemen and one al-Aqsa 
gunman were shot and injured in exchanges of fire June 23, 
according to PA security sources. 
 
-- Injury: An IDF soldier was hit by a stone and injured June 
23 in clashes with Palestinians near Dura village, southwest 
of Hebron, according to Israeli newspapers. 
 
-- Attack: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near 
Nablus on June 23, damaging the vehicle, but no injuries 
resulted. 
 
3. (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- At Abu Mazen's request, the Fatah Central Committee (FCC) 
approved appointment of Faruq al-Qaddumi as Deputy Chairman 
of the PLO Executive Committee.  Al-Qaddumi will be offered 
this post as well as "Vice-President of the State of 
Palestine" at the June 30 FCC meeting in Amman.  These 
positions are reportedly symbolic gestures to al-Qaddumi and 
do not entail increased political authority. 
 
-- The PLO Executive Committee met in Ramallah June 23 and 
agreed that Abu Mazen should initiate contacts with Hamas, 
PIJ and other factions to agree on a date for PLC elections. 
 
---- 
Gaza 
---- 
 
4.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: Israeli media reported that one settler was 
injured June 23 in a mortar attack on Netzarim (see 
"Mortars/Rockets"). 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: Palestinian militants fired one mortar 
shell at Netzarim June 23 (see "Injuries"). 
 
-- Shootings: The IDF reported that Palestinian militants 
launched four shooting attacks on IDF outposts near Khan 
Yunis and Rafah June 23-24. 
 
5.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open June 24, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open June 23, and 4,105 laborers and 341 
merchants crossed into Israel. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open June 23, and 579 
laborers entered. 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers June 24, 
but was open for the import of aggregates used in 
construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was open June 24. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open for arrivals and departures June 
24, but UNRWA reported a backlog of several hundred people on 
each side of the terminal who were waiting to cross. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed June 25.  Toufah 
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi, except males 
aged 16-30. 
 
 
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