US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV4804

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 004804 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/SA/EX FOR RICHIE; DEPT FOR 
DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/MUSTAFA; 
USAID FOR DCHA, DCHA/FPP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG, PHUM, PREL, PTER, ASEC, CASC, GZ, IS, SItrep 
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: PALESTINIAN CHILD KILLED BY QASSAM IN 
GAZA; 25 PALESTINIANS ARRESTED IN THE WEST BANK.  AUGUST 3, 
2005 (1500 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
REF: TEL AVIV 4780 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  One child was killed and up to eleven 
other Palestinians injured when a Qassam aimed at Sderot 
landed in Beit Hanoun.  Elsewhere in Gaza, former Palestinian 
prisoners occupied two Palestinian Authority (PA) buildings 
in Rafah.  In the West Bank, Israeli authorities arrested 25 
Palestinians, while the IDF entered Tulkarm and temporarily 
closed Qalqiliya.  On August 2 Palestinian Special Forces 
demonstrated in Tulkarm against the PA's decision to merge 
their units with the National Security Forces.  End summary. 
 
---- 
Gaza 
---- 
 
2. (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Death/Injuries/Rockets: Israeli media reported that 
Palestinians fired between one and three Qassam rockets at 
Sderot on August 2.  At least one of the rockets fell short 
of its target and detonated in Beit Hanoun, killing one child 
and wounding between eight and eleven other Palestinians. 
Israeli radio reported that Hisham Abdel Razek, a former PA 
minister for prisoners' affairs, is the father of four of the 
injured children.  Media reports also said that Islamic Jihad 
denied firing the rockets and reiterated its commitment to 
the PA not to target Israelis with mortar or missile fire 
until after disengagement. 
 
-- Shootings: The IDF reported that Palestinians targeted IDF 
personnel in five attacks on August 2 (three incidents near 
Rafah, one north of Khan Yunis and one near Kfar Darom) and 
two attacks on August 3 (north of Khan Yunis and northeast of 
the Nachal Oz crossing).  Israel radio reported one soldier 
was injured, but the IDF maintained that no one was hurt. 
 
-- Mortar: The IDF reported one mortar shell fired on August 
2 at an outpost near Slav. 
 
-- Anti-tank Missile: The IDF reported one anti-tank missile 
fired on August 2 at a patrol near Netzarim. 
 
-- Rockets/Shooting: UNRWA reported that Palestinians fired 
two rockets at Atzmona on August 2 and that the IDF returned 
fire into the launching zone in Rafah. 
 
-- Assault: Palestinian press reported that armed former 
prisoners occupied two buildings in Rafah belonging to the 
Palestinian Legislative Council and the Ministry of 
Prisoners' Affairs on August 2.  The move was allegedly to 
protest the lack of PA assistance to released prisoners. 
 
-- Assault: UNRWA reported that armed members of the Abu Amra 
family stopped a car traveling in Gaza city, severely beat 
the driver and fired into the air.  The injured Palestinian 
was allegedly involved in an internal family dispute. 
3. (SBU) ARRESTS: Israeli radio announced that police 
arrested and later released five Israeli right-wing activists 
on August 2 for attempting to infiltrate Gush Khatif. 
 
4. (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open August 3, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open August 3 with 297 Palestinian 
merchants and 1,516 Palestinian laborers entering Israel . 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open August 3 with 495 
Palestinian laborers entering the zone. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed August 3 for Palestinian 
laborers, but open for construction material. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was partially open August 3 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open August 3, 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 3, except for males between 16 and 35 
years of age. 
 
5.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- PA Minister of Civil Affairs Dahlan is scheduled to meet 
with Quartet Envoy Wolfensohn, Israeli Defense Minister Mofaz 
and Vice Premier Peres on August 3. 
 
-- Israeli media reported that between 20,000 and 40,000 
Israelis gathered in Sderot on August 2 to protest the 
disengagement plan.  The demonstration then moved to Ofakim, 
where many protesters spent the night. 
 
-- UNRWA reported that in the morning of August 3, there was 
a large explosion in the garden of the home of PA Justice 
Chief Zoheir Al Sorani in Gaza City.  No injuries were 
reported. 
 
-- Israeli media reported that the Palestinian killed in the 
Jabalia camp on August 2 (reftel) was Ahmed Abu-Zaide, a 
senior Fatah operative.  The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade blamed 
Israel for the killing and threatened retaliation.  The press 
noted that the IDF denied any involvement. 
 
-- According to an Israeli newspaper, flyers and videotapes 
circulating in Gaza claim that a group calling themselves the 
"Jihad Brigades of the Border Land" is an Al-Qaeda branch 
operating from Khan Yunis. 
 
--------- 
West Bank 
--------- 
 
6. (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injury/Civil Disturbance: The IDF reported that one 
soldier was wounded when a riot broke out in Hebron on August 
3. 
 
-- Arrests: According to Palestinian sources, IDF force 
entered into Tulkarm August 2 and arrested a total of 15 
members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). 
 
-- Arrests: Palestinian newspapers reported that the IDF 
arrested seven Palestinians in the village of Marda, south of 
Nablus, August 2.  One of those arrested was identified as a 
member of PA General Intelligence, whereas others were Fatah 
and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) 
activists. 
 
-- Arrests:  According to Palestinian sources, IDF soldiers 
arrested two PIJ members in Qabatiya, near Jenin, and one at 
a checkpoint near Bethany August 2. 
 
-- Shooting: The IDF reported that Palestinians shot at 
Israeli civilians four kilometers north of Mevo Horon on 
August 2. 
 
-- Security Incidents:  According to Israeli and Palestinian 
sources, IDF forces entered into Tulkarm and clashed with a 
PIJ cell August 2.  No injuries were reported, but IDF troops 
continue to patrol the eastern and southern parts of the city 
August 3. 
 
-- Security Incidents: According to Palestinian reports, 
settlers from Ma'on settlement, near Hebron, killed six sheep 
belonging to Palestinian farmers in the area August 2. 
 
-- Security Incident: The IDF reported that a Palestinian 
driver attempted to run-down an IDF soldier two kilometers 
north of Nachal Negohot on August 2. 
 
7. (SBU) CLOSURES/CURFEWS: 
 
-- According to Palestinian media, IDF troops imposed a 
closure on Qalqiliya for several hours on August 2.  Several 
temporary checkpoints were set up on the main road between 
Nablus and Qalqiliya. 
 
8. (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- Hundreds of members of the PA Special Forces gathered in 
Tulkarm August 2 firing shots in the air to protest the 
decision to disband their security division, and merge them 
with the National Security Forces.  The incident was the 
second one this week and highlights the efforts to resist the 
PA Minister of Interior's decision to disband the Special 
Forces.  The Governor of Tulkarm, Izzedin Al Sharif, met with 
the protesters and promised to consider their demands, which 
include maintaining security ranks and maintaining the unity 
of the Special Forces rather than dispersing the members 
throughout NSF divisions. 
 
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