US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV4831

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 004831 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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, KPAL, PHUM, PREL, PTER, ASEC, CASC, GZ, IS, SItrep 
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS RALLY IN 
GAZA TO CELEBRATE UPCOMING ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL; LOW LEVEL OF 
VIOLENCE IN GAZA AS POLICE ARREST DOZENS OF PROTESTERS; 
AUGUST 4, 2005 (1500 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
REF: TEL AVIV 4804 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  The IDF reported one mortar attack and 
five shooting incidents in Gaza overnight with no injuries. 
Israeli police and army units arrested up to 200 protesters 
attempting to infiltrate into Gaza.  According to UNRWA, some 
15,000 Palestinians held a rally outside the Palestinian 
Legislative Council building in Gaza City to celebrate the 
upcoming Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.  In the West Bank, IDF 
forces arrested at least 13 Palestinians August 3, including 
in Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron and Jenin.  Most of 
those arrested were politically affiliated with Palestinian 
Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hamas.  End summary. 
 
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Gaza 
---- 
 
2. (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: UNRWA reported that on August 4 at 0700 hrs, the 
father of a Palestinian boy who was killed when a home-made 
rocket missed its target and hit his house in Beit Hanoun, 
also died of his wounds. 
 
-- Injuries: UNRWA reported that on August 3 at 2300, a 
dispute broke out between two families in Gaza City.  Family 
members chased each other and two members of one of the 
families were shot and injured. 
 
-- Mortar: The IDF reported one mortar shell fired on August 
4 at Netzer Hazani.  Related to this incident, UNRWA reported 
that the IDF lit the area with flares and retaliated with 
heavy machine gun fire for five minutes at the Al Satter al 
Gharbi Palestinian area.  No injuries were reported. 
 
-- Mortar: According to UNRWA, Palestinian militants fired 
two mortar shells at the Gani Tal settlement August 4 at 
0530.  No injuries were reported. 
 
-- Rockets: UNRWA reported that in the early morning of 
August 4, a home-made rocket fired by Palestinian militants 
missed the Netzarim settlement and landed in an open 
Palestinian area.  No injuries were reported. 
 
-- Shootings: The IDF reported that IDF outposts to the west 
and north of Khan Younis came under fire on four separate 
occasions on August 3.  In addition, an IDF patrol south of 
Netzer Hazami was targeted on August 4. 
 
3. (SBU) ARRESTS:  Israeli press reported that the IDF and 
police arrested approximately 50 right-wing protesters for 
attempting to enter the Gaza Strip and approximately 150 
others who succeeded in infiltrating into Nissanit.  Israeli 
radio said that 160 activists have been arrested in the past 
three days near the Kissufim junction; 120 of them were later 
released. 
 
4. (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open August 4, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open August 4 with 1,563 Palestinian 
laborers and 220 Palestinian merchants entering Israel. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open August 4 with 436 
Palestinian laborers entering the zone. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed August 4 for Palestinian 
laborers, but open for the import of aggregates used in 
construction. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was partially open August 4 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open August 4 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 4, except males between 16 and 35 years 
of age. 
 
5. (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- UNRWA reported that the Islamic Jihad and the PFLP both 
claimed responsibility for firing an anti-tank missile at an 
Israeli patrol on August 2 (reftel). 
-- According to the Israeli media, some factions of 
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) denied wire reports that it 
will refrain from mortar and rocket attacks from Gaza until 
after disengagement. 
 
-- According to UNRWA, some 15,000 Palestinians associated 
with Fatah and other factions rallied outside the Palestinian 
Legislative Council building in Gaza City August 4 from 1100 
to 1220 to celebrate the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza 
Strip. 
 
--------- 
West Bank 
--------- 
 
6. (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian reports, IDF soldiers 
opened fire and wounded one Palestinian when he apparently 
attempted to flee when ordered to stop near the village of 
Shuwaikeh, near Tulkarm, August 3. 
 
-- Arrests: According to Palestinian sources, IDF forces 
arrested at least 13 Palestinians in different parts of the 
West Bank August 3 including Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, 
Hebron and Jenin.  Most of the arrested were politically 
affiliated with PIJ and Hamas, while two were Fatah members. 
 
-- Security Incidents:  According to Israeli and Palestinian 
sources, shots were fired at an IDF patrol car near Nablus 
and IDF positions near Tulkarm August 3.  No injuries were 
reported. 
 
7.  (SBU) CLOSURES/CURFEWS: 
 
-- According to Palestinian media, IDF troops set up at least 
four gates in the Old City of Hebron August 3 separating 
settler and Palestinian homes. 
 
8.  (SBU) CONFISCATIONS/DEMOLITIONS: 
 
-- According to Palestinian reports, confiscation orders were 
issued for at least 2300 dunums of Palestinian-owned land in 
Surif and Beit Ummar villages in the Hebron governorate for 
the construction of the separation barrier August 3. 
 
-- Palestinian sources reported that Israeli bulldozers 
destroyed a stone-cutting factory in Ar Ram, north of 
Jerusalem, for lack of building permit August 3. 
 
9.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- Palestinian Minister of Planning Ghassan al-Khatib reacted 
with sharp criticism to reports that the GOI Ministry of 
Construction and Housing issued tenders August 3 for the sale 
of 72 residential units, and 1400 square meters for 
commercial development of the Betar Illit settlement, 
southwest of Jerusalem, calling them provocation not just to 
the Palestinian Authority (PA), but to the whole 
international community, and a violation of the Road Map. 
 
 
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