Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05JERUSALEM1617
2005-04-19 14:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

WB/G SITREP: APRIL 19, 2005 (1600 HOURS LOCAL) --

Tags:  PTER PBTS PHUM KWBG KPAL ASEC IS 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001617 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

NEA FOR FO; NEA/SA/EX FOR AUSTIN-FERGUSON; DEPT FOR
DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PBTS PHUM KWBG KPAL ASEC IS
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: APRIL 19, 2005 (1600 HOURS LOCAL) --
TWO ISRAELIS, ONE PALESTINIAN WOUNDED IN THE GAZA STRIP,
FIVE PALESTINIANS ARRESTED IN THE WEST BANK.


This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001617

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

NEA FOR FO; NEA/SA/EX FOR AUSTIN-FERGUSON; DEPT FOR
DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PBTS PHUM KWBG KPAL ASEC IS
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: APRIL 19, 2005 (1600 HOURS LOCAL) --
TWO ISRAELIS, ONE PALESTINIAN WOUNDED IN THE GAZA STRIP,
FIVE PALESTINIANS ARRESTED IN THE WEST BANK.


This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable.


1. (SBU) Summary: In the West Bank, IDF troops arrested three
Hamas members and two Fatah militants on April 18. IDF
troops in Nablus found three kilograms of explosives hidden
in a house in Askar refugee camp on April 18. The IDF
imposed a curfew on Burqa village, north of Nablus, on April
18 after a firebomb was thrown at an Israeli car. In the
Gaza Strip, Palestinian sniper fire wounded one IDF soldier
and one Israeli civilian April 18 near an IDF outpost north
of Rafah. IDF soldiers shot and seriously injured one
Palestinian April 18 south of Bayt Lahiya. End Summary.

--------------
West Bank
--------------


2. (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY:

-- Deaths/Injuries: Nil.

-- Arrests: According to Palestinian sources, IDF troops
arrested two Hamas members from Silwad village, northeast of
Ramallah, on April 18. The arrested Palestinians were
reportedly planning to carry out a shooting attack on Route

60.

-- Arrests: According to Palestinian reports, IDF soldiers
arrested a Hamas militant on April 18 when he was driving in
his car near Surda village, north of Ramallah.

-- Arrests: According to Palestinian media, IDF soldiers
arrested two Fatah members in Bayt Furik village, near
Nablus, on April 18.

-- Security Incidents: According to Palestinian sources, IDF
troops in Nablus found three kilograms of explosives hidden
in a house in Askar refugee camp on April 18. The house was
badly damaged when soldiers defused the bomb. A Hamas
activist who was arrested two days ago apparently led the IDF
to the explosives.

-- Security Incidents: According to Palestinian media,
Palestinian residents of Hebron complained that Hebron
settlers vandalized Palestinian cars and homes on April 17-18.


3. (SBU) CURFEWS/DEMOLITIONS:

-- According to Palestinian sources, the IDF imposed a curfew
on Burqa village, north of Nablus, on April 18 after a
firebomb was thrown at an Israeli car.

-- According to Palestinian reports, residents of al-Khadr
village, near Bethlehem, reported that Gush Etzion settlers
uprooted hundreds of trees outside their village on April
17-18.


4. (SBU) CHECKPOINTS:

-- According to Palestinian media, the Israeli commander in
charge of Qalandia checkpoint at the southern entrance to
Ramallah stated April 18 that the checkpoint will be open 24
hours as opposed to closing at midnight. The commander also
reportedly said that many permits were given to businessmen
to use the Bayt El checkpoint into and out of Ramallah.

--------------
Gaza
--------------


5. (SBU) ATTACKS:

-- Deaths: Nil.

-- Injuries: The IDF and Israeli media reported that
Palestinian sniper fire wounded one IDF soldier and one
Israeli civilian April 18 near an IDF outpost north of Rafah
where the two men were carrying out what the IDF spokesman
described as infrastructure work along the Philadelphi route
(see "Shootings"). The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC)
took responsibility for the attack.

-- Injury: Palestinians reported that IDF soldiers shot and
seriously injured one Palestinian April 18 south of Bayt
Lahiya. The man was working in his fields when the soldiers
mistook him for an armed gunman, according to Palestinian
sources.

-- Mortars/Rockets: The IDF reported that Palestinian
militants fired one mortar shell at Tel Katifa, in the Gush
Katif settlement bloc, April.

-- Mortars/Rockets: UNRWA reported that militants fired two
homemade rockets at Tel Katifa settlement and a mortar shell
each at Morag and Nissanit April 18.

-- Shootings: According to the IDF, Palestinian militants
launched a total of three shooting attacks at IDF and Israeli
settler targets overnight April 18-19. One IDF soldier and
one Israeli civilian were injured (see "Injuries").


6. (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS:

-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road),the main north-south traffic
artery, was open April 19, with a major detour at Netzarim
Junction.

-- Erez Crossing was open April 18, and 4,550 laborers and
420 merchants crossed into Israel.

-- The Erez Industrial Zone open April 18, and 673 laborers
entered.

-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers but open
for the import of aggregates used in construction April 19.

-- Karni Terminal was open April 19.

-- Rafah Terminal was open for arrivals and departures April

19.

-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed April 19. Toufah
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi.
Pearce