THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND: #80, APRIL 29, 2004;

1. (SBU) Summary. In the West Bank, IDF forces killed one
suspected al Aqsa member and arrested three Fatah activists,
and house demolitions and curfews continued in various
locations. In the Gaza strip, individuals bombed the home of
police chief Ghazi Jablai, one Palestinian was killed for
suspected collaboration with Israeli forces, and the IDF
tightened security at checkpoints in response to the
attempted vehicular suicide-bombing of April 28. End summary.



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West Bank


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2. (SBU) ATTACKS:

-- Death: One Palestinian was killed April 29 in Janin by
other Palestinian gunmen, who shot him by mistake, according
to Palestinian security sources. The incident was originally
reported as a targeted killing by the IDF so that the man,s
family could receive martyrs, benefits.

ARRESTS:

-- The IDF arrested three Fatah activists April 28 in
Ramallah.



3. (SBU) DEMOLTIONS:

-- The IDF destroyed two houses in Sura village April 28.
The houses reportedly belonged to Hamas members who are
jailed in Israel for trying to attack a settlement last year.



4. (SBU) CURFEW/CLOSURE:

-- Bayt Sahour, south of Jerusalem, remained under curfew
April 29 in the wake of an attempted shooting attack against
nearby Har Homa settlement last weekend.

-- Yabad village was under curfew April 29, as the IDF
conducted searches in the village.



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Gaza Strip


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5. (SBU) ATTACKS:

-- Deaths: According to UNRWA, Palestinian gunmen shot and
killed 39-year-old Jihad Silmi in Gaza city April 28,
claiming that he was a collaborator.

-- Injuries: According to UNRWA, one Palestinian was injured
in a domestic dispute near Rafah.

-- Mortars/Rockets/Shootings: According to UNRWA,
Palestinians fired two mortars towards Neve Dekalim and two
mortars towards Kefar Dorom. There was sporadic shooting by
Palestinians in the Rafah area April 29 (see "incursions".)

-- Explosions: A large explosion from a remote control bomb
took place at the house of Chief of Police Ghazi Jabali in
Gaza City at 0230 hours April 29. There were no injuries but
the blast heavily damaged the ground floor of the building.
UNRWA and Palestinian media sources report that this
assassination attempt might have been a continuation of
violence between Jabali's police and backers of rival Gaza
strongman Mohammad Dahlan, which began in early February.



6. (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS/CHECKPOINTS

-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic
artery, was closed at Netzarim junction and subject to random
closures at Abu Kholi. UNRWA reports that the IDF has
advised that diplomatic and Israeli vehicles will be subject
to lengthy delays at Abu Kholi because the suicide bomb car
they destroyed April 28 was disguised as an Israeli vehicle.

-- Erez crossing was closed to Palestinians and subject to
random closures for internationals, and the Erez industrial
zone was closed April 29.

-- Sufa Crossing was open for materials but not laborers
April 29.

-- Karni Terminal, the only Gaza Strip-GOI crossing for the
import and export of goods, allowed Palestinian containerized
goods both in and out of Gaza April 29.

-- Rafah Terminal was open except to Palestinians between the
ages of 16 and 35 April 29.

-- The Al-Mowassi checkpoints were closed at Tel al-Sultan
but open at Toufah April 29.


7. (SBU) INCURSIONS/DEMOLITIONS

-- According to UNRWA and the IDF, IDF forces entered the
Zurub area near Rafah with three tanks and two bulldozers in
response to sporadic gunfire. Gunfire continued and
Palestinians exploded a bomb under an IDF tank, and the tanks
and bulldozers moved out of the area after approximately two
hours April 28.



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