US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV4780

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 004780 
 
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: GUNMEN KILL PA POLICEMAN, WOUND THREE 
PA INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS IN SEPARATE GAZA INCIDENTS; 
DEMONSTRATORS AGAINST SECURITY BARRIER INJURED DURING 
PROTEST NEAR QALQILIYA.  AUGUST 2, 2005 (1400 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Armed men in Gaza killed a PA police 
officer August 1 during an apparent kidnapping attempt. 
Gunmen also wounded three PA intelligence officers in Gaza 
City on August 1.  A Palestinian died and five were wounded 
when an explosive device detonated overnight August 1-2 in a 
village near Khan Younis.  A large explosion was reported 
near the home of the Palestinian Authority Attorney General 
in Gaza City late on August 1.  No injuries were reported. 
The Israel Security Agency reported discovering a Palestinian 
Islamic Jihad (PIJ) tunnel near the Gaza settlement of Neveh 
Dekalim the evening of August 1.  In the West Bank, soldiers 
and border police clashed with persons demonstrating against 
the separation barrier near the village of Kuful Haris, 
southeast of Qalqiliya, on August 1.  Some 20 persons were 
injured from tear gas inhalation.  According to Palestinian 
reports, nine Palestinians were wounded by rubber-coated 
bullets during an IDF raid into the village of Bani Nam, near 
Hebron.  End summary. 
 
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Gaza 
---- 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: UNRWA reported that masked armed men killed a PA 
police officer August 1 while trying to kidnap him near the 
Jabalia camp.  The gunmen escaped. 
 
-- Deaths/injuries: According to the IDF, one Palestinian was 
killed and five Palestinians were injured during the night of 
August 1 when a device exploded near Khan Younis.  (See 
"Explosions"). 
 
-- Injuries: UNRWA reported that at 2105 on August 1, three 
unidentified gunmen opened fire on three PA military 
intelligence officials as they drove in Gaza City.  The three 
PA officials were injured, one seriously. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: Israel Radio News reported August 2 that 
a mortar shell was fired during the night of August 1 at an 
Israeli settlement in the southern Gaza Strip and landed in a 
nearby field.  No injuries were reported. 
 
-- Shootings: The IDF reported nine shooting incidents August 
1 from 0635 to 1925 targeting IDF soldiers, there near Rafah, 
five near Khan Younis, and one near the Nachal Oz crossing. 
No injuries resulted. 
 
-- Explosion: The official news agency of the Palestinian 
Authority, WAFA, reported August 2 that a Palestinian was 
killed and five were wounded when a suspicious object 
exploded during the night of August 1 in the village of Gani 
Suhayla, east of Khan Younis. 
 
-- Explosion: According to UNRWA, at 2300 on August 1, there 
was a large explosion in Gaza City near the home of the PA 
Attorney General, Hussein Abu Assi.  One passer-by received 
shrapnel injuries. 
 
3.  (SBU) OTHER SECURITY INCIDENTS:  According to Israeli 
media reports August 2, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) 
uncovered a tunnel August 1 reportedly dug by Islamic Jihad 
operatives to facilitate the entry of suicide bombers into 
the settlement of Neveh Dekalim. 
 
4. (SBU) ARRESTS:  Nil. 
 
5. (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open August 2, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open August 2 with 1,127 Palestinian 
laborers and 154 Palestinian merchants entering Israel. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open August 2 with some 482 
Palestinian workers entering the zone. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed August 2 for Palestinian 
laborers, but open for the import of aggregates used in 
construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was partially open August 2 
-- Rafah Terminal was open August 2 except for Palestinian 
males between the ages of 16 and 35 traveling from Gaza to 
Egypt. 
 
-- Toufah checkpoint was open in both directions for all 
Palestinians August 2, except males between 16 and 35 years 
of age. 
 
6.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: Israeli Government and PA 
officials met at the Erez crossing August 1 to discuss 
security coordination during disengagement. 
 
--------- 
West Bank 
--------- 
 
7.  (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries:  According to Palestinian sources, a Palestinian 
protester was seriously injured from a tear-gas grenade fired 
by IDF troops while as many as 20 suffered from tear gas 
inhalation during a demonstration against the construction of 
the separation barrier in Kuful Haris village, southeast of 
Qalqiliya, August 1 (also see "Demonstration"). 
 
-- Injuries:  According to Palestinian reports, during the 
course of the IDF raid into the village of Bani Nam, near 
Hebron, clashes erupted in the village August 1, and nine 
Palestinians were injured by rubber-coated bullets (also see 
"Demolitions/Confiscations"). 
 
-- Injuries: Palestinian media reported that a member of 
National Security Forces (NSF) Samer al-Ashqar was badly 
injured in Tulkarm when an explosive charge went off in his 
hands August 1.  Palestinian Authority (PA) is investigating 
the circumstances. 
 
-- Arrests: According to Palestinian sources, IDF force 
entered into Jenin August 2 and arrested an 18-year old Ansa 
Qaqur on suspicion of affiliation with Palestinian Islamic 
Jihad (PIJ). 
 
-- Arrests: Palestinian newspapers reported that the IDF 
arrested three PIJ and one Hamas activists in Nablus, 
Ramallah, and Bethlehem August 1. 
 
-- Shootings:  According to Israeli and Palestinian reports, 
shots were fired at IDF military jeep near Dahariya village, 
in Hebron area, August 1.  No injuries were reported. 
 
-- Security Incidents:  According to Israeli and Palestinian 
sources, IDF soldiers operating in Hebron uncovered two pipe 
bombs, explosive materials, and bomb-making components August 
1.  IDF sappers blew up the explosives in a controlled 
detonation. 
 
-- Security Incidents:  Palestinian media reported that 
Palestinian District Coordination Offices (DCO) commanders 
delivered a total of 11 cars to their Israeli counterparts at 
the DCO office in Jericho August 1.  The cars were all 
Israeli stolen cars and captured by the PA police in Jericho. 
 
-- Security Incidents: According to Palestinian reports, 
settlers threw stones at passing Palestinian cars in the 
Nablus - Jordan Valley area August 1.  No injuries were 
reported. 
 
-- Demonstration: According to Palestinian sources, about 100 
Palestinian and international left-wing activists staged a 
protest, which became violent, against the construction of 
the separation barrier in Kuful Haris village, southeast of 
Qalqiliya, August 1.  The protestors hurled stones at 
security forces, which dispersed the demonstration (also see 
"Injuries"). 
 
-- Raids/Searches: Palestinian media reported that the IDF 
entered into Attil village, near Tulkarm, August 2 and 
searched the home of Fatah Allah Saadi, a PIJ militant who 
was arrested in Ramallah by the IDF on July 31.  Fatah Allah 
Saadi is the brother of Luai Saadi, a senior PIJ activist 
arrested by the PA in Ramallah.  Luai Saadi has been wanted 
by Israeli security for planning suicide attacks in Israel. 
 
8.  (SBU) DEMOLITIONS/CONFISCATIONS: 
 
-- Palestinian sources reported that the IDF bulldozers 
demolished a building for a lack of building permit in Jabal 
al Mukaber area of East Jerusalem August 1. 
 
-- According to Palestinian reports, IDF soldiers entered the 
village of Bani Nam, near Hebron, and took over a house, 
which was turned into a military observation point August 1. 
The house belongs to Ibrahim al Hajouj.  The IDF told the 
inhabitants of the house that the troops will stay for a 
week.  (also see "Injuries"). 
 
9.  (SBU) CLOSURES: 
 
-- According to Palestinian media, IDF troops placed cement 
blocks on al-Shalaleh road in Hebron August 1.  The road 
serves as a divider line between the Israeli-controlled parts 
of the city (H2) and Palestinian-controlled areas (H1). 
 
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