US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV4523

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 004523 
 
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-HAMAS CLASH IN GAZA CITY FOLLOWS 
TRUCE ANNOUNCEMENT.  JULY 20, 2005 (1300 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Despite an 0100 July 20 announcement from 
Fatah and Hamas that they had agreed to end clashes between 
their forces, Hamas gunmen exchanged fire with PSO forces in 
Gaza City at about 0200 on July 20.  Four Hamas men and one 
PSO officer were reported injured.  Mortar, rocket and 
missile attacks against Israeli targets in Gaza were down 
from levels of the past few days; no launches against targets 
within Israel were reported by the IDF.  In the West Bank, 
settlers reportedly assaulted a Palestinian woman near Hebron 
on July 19.  Four Palestinians were injured near Hebron as a 
result of clashes with the IDF over construction of the 
security barrier.  End summary. 
 
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Gaza 
---- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries/Shootings: Four Hamas militants and one 
Preventive Security (PSO) officer were wounded in a south 
Gaza City shootout at around 0200 on July 20, according to 
UNRWA and Palestinian sources.  Sources reported that PSO 
forces opened fire on the Hamas gunmen when they refused to 
stop their vehicle at a PA checkpoint.  The militants, 
according to Israeli media reports, subsequently opened fire 
on the home of senior Fatah official Abdullah Efranji and on 
a police command center. 
 
-- Mortars: The IDF reported five mortar barrages (12 shells) 
against Gaza settlements and IDF outposts during the 24-hour 
period ending at 0600 on July 20.  No injuries were reported. 
 
 
-- Missiles: The IDF reported three barrages of anti-tank 
missiles (four missiles) against IDF outposts near Khan Yunis 
and near Neve Dekalim between 0600 and 0800 on July 19. 
 
-- Shootings: The IDF reported four incidents of gunfire 
against IDF soldiers on July 19.  One incident took place at 
1015 against an IDF outpost at Netzarim.  The second took 
place at 1340 against an IDF outpost west of Neve Dekalim. 
The third took place against soldiers about three kms SW of 
Sufa crossing at 2035.  The fourth incident took place at 
2305 against an IDF outpost north of Khan Yunis. 
 
-- Shootings: Palestinian sources reported continuing clashes 
between Hamas and PA security forces in Gaza City during the 
first half of the day on July 20.  UNRWA could not confirm 
the reports. 
 
-- Explosives: The IDF dismantled an explosive device near 
Neve Dekalim at 1340 on July 19. 
 
3.  (SBU) ARRESTS: Nil. 
 
4.  (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS: Nil. 
 
5.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was closed to Palestinians except those 
holding Jerusalem IDs.  It was open for international 
travelers. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was closed. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers but open 
for the import of aggregates used in construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was partially open. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open in both directions for all 
Palestinians except men between the ages of 16 and 35, who 
were barred from crossing into Egypt. 
 
-- Toufah checkpoint was open in both directions for all 
Palestinians except males aged 16-30. 
 
(SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: At a Gaza City news conference 
at about 0100 on July 20, Hamas and Fatah representatives 
announced that they had agreed to end clashes between their 
forces.  A Hamas official said that Hamas armed forces would 
withdraw from the streets of northern Gaza.  Note: The clash 
between Hamas and PSO forces described above in 
"Injuries/Shootings" took place about an hour after the news 
conference. 
 
--------- 
West Bank 
--------- 
 
6.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injury: According to Palestinian sources, Israeli settlers 
on July 19 assaulted and injured a Palestinian woman near 
Suseya settlement, south of Hebron. 
 
-- Injuries: IDF soldiers operating in Dura village, west of 
Hebron, on July 19 clashed with Palestinians stone throwers. 
During the clashes, four Palestinians were injured as a 
result of teargas inhalation and rubber bullets. 
 
7.  (SBU) ARRESTS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Arrests: IDF soldiers operating in the early morning hours 
of July 20 in al-Yamun village, west of Jenin, arrested seven 
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) activists.  The IDF withdrew 
from the village following the arrest operation. 
 
-- Demonstration/Arrests: The IDF and Israeli Border Police 
arrested five Palestinians during demonstrations against the 
construction of the separation barrier in Bil,in village, 
west of Ramallah. 
 
-- Arrest/Release: IDF soldiers on July 19 entered Bethlehem 
and arrested one Palestinian in Manger Square.  Palestinian 
youths clashed with IDF soldiers during the operation, but 
there were no reported injuries.  The IDF on July 20 released 
the Palestinian from custody. 
 
-- Incursion/Arrests: IDF soldiers the evening of July 19 
entered Qalqilya and arrested three Hamas activists. 
 
-- Security: IDF sappers on July 20 blew up a vehicle parked 
close to the separation barrier in al-Ram village, north of 
Jerusalem.  A subsequent investigation indicated that no 
explosives were contained in the vehicle. 
 
-- Security: The Palestinian Authority DCO in Ramallah on 
July 19 delivered to the Israeli DCO approximately 20 flares 
discovered in a village north of Ramallah. 
 
8.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) convened July 19 
in Ramallah.  PLC members criticized Hamas for challenging 
the Palestinian Authority and imposing its own agenda on the 
Palestinian people.  According to Palestinian media reports, 
PLC Speaker Rawhi Fattuh said that the Hamas and the PA 
needed to contain the current crisis so as not to undermine 
the interests of the Palestinian people. 
 
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