WB/G SITREP: JUNE 10-14, 2005 (1600 HOURS LOCAL)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 002419

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE
NEA/SA/EX FOR AUSTIN-FERGUSON; DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR
DS/IP/NEA; DRL FOR A/S CRANER
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN
USAID FOR DCHA, DCHA/FFP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PBTS PHUM KWBG ASEC CASC IS
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: JUNE 10-14, 2005 (1600 HOURS LOCAL)
-- TWO PALESTINIANS INJURED IN INTERNAL AL-AQSA MARTYRS
BRIGADES CLASH IN RAMALLAH


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


1. (SBU) Summary. Two Palestinians were shot and injured
during clashes between different al-Aqsa cells by Manasra
Square in Ramallah on June 12. The IDF shot and injured a a
Palestinian youth in Saida village near Tulkarm on June 11,
according to Palestinian security sources. UNRWA reported
that one Palestinian, injured during a &work accident8 in
his home in Gaza City May 29, died of his wounds June 10. In
Gaza, UNRWA reported that some 13 Palestinians were injured
June 12 in the Shaykh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City when
an automatic weapon, being used to fire into the air at a
wedding party, was accidentally dropped and began firing of
its own accord, hitting the guests. End summary.

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West Bank
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2. (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY:

-- Deaths: Nil.

-- Injuries: Ten Palestinian suffered from tear gas
inhalation during anti-barrier demonstrations near Ariel June
10, according to Palestinian media reports.

-- Injuries: The IDF shot and injured a a Palestinian youth
in Saida village near Tulkarm on June 11, according to
Palestinian security sources.

-- Injuries: Two Palestinians were shot and injured during
clashes between different al-Aqsa cells by Manasra Square in
Ramallah on June 12, according to Palestinian newspapers.

-- Arrests: The IDF arrested the father and sister of wanted
PIJ activist Luai Sa'adi in Attil village near Tulkarm on
June 11, according to Palestinian newspapers.

-- Arrests: The IDF arrested 10 Palestinians in the West
Bank on June 11 in the towns of Nablus and Halhul for
allegedly supporting Fatah and Hamas militants, according to
Palestinian newspapers.

-- Attacks: Palestinian gunmen fired on IDF outposts near
Nablus and Jenin on June 11, according to PA security
sources, but there were no injuries.

-- Attacks: Unknown gunmen fired at an Israeli car near
Homesh settlement on June 11, according to Israeli radio, but
there were no injuries.

-- Attacks: Unknown gunmen fired shots at Kadim settlement
near Jenin on June 11, according to Israeli radio, but there
were no injuries.



3. (SBU) PA SECURITY ACTIONS:

-- PA security forces moved two arrested PIJ activists
(Yasser Badran and Abd al-Rahman Zaghal) from Tulkarm to
Jericho.

-- The PA released two PIJ activists arrested in connection
with the Stage Club bombing in Tel Aviv in February on June
10 after Interior Minister Nasser Yusif decided that the two
were not involved in the attack, according to PA security
sources. 11 PIJ members remain jailed in Jericho.



4. (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS:

-- PA President Abbas appointed William Nassar as
undersecretary of the president's office, essentially a
deputy to Chief of Staff Rafiq Husseini. Nassar is a veteran
Fatah official from before the PA's creation in 1994.

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Gaza Strip
--------------


5. (SBU) ATTACKS:

-- Deaths: UNRWA reported that one Palestinian, injured
during a &work accident8 in his home in Gaza City May 29,
died of his wounds June 10.

-- Injury: UNRWA reported that one Palestinian was injured
June 13 in an explosion that occurred in the Beach Camp,
north of Gaza City. The cause of the blast remains unknown.

-- Injury: UNRWA reported that a woman was injured in an
explosion June 12 in Khan Yunis. The cause of the blast
remains unknown.

-- Injuries: UNRWA reported that some 13 Palestinians were
injured June 12 in the Shaykh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza
City when an automatic weapon, being used to fire into the
air at a wedding party, was accidentally dropped and began
firing of its own accord, hitting the guests.

-- Injuries: UNRWA reported that two Palestinians were
injured June 11 in Jabaliya camp when militants affiliated
with the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) clashed with PSO
forces. One PSO officer was kidnapped and held for several
hours; members of the kidnapped man,s family shut down the
streets and burned tires. The man was released subsequently
and the roads into town were re-opened (see &PA Security
Forces8).

-- Catch-up item: Injury: UNRWA reported that a 14-year-old
youth received two gunshot wounds in his back June 9 in Rafah
during an exchange of fire between Palestinian militants and
IDF soldiers on the outskirts of Morag settlement.

-- Mortars/Rockets: The IDF reported that Palestinian
militants fired a total of 13 mortar shells and eight
shooting attacks at IDF and Israeli settler targets
throughout the Gaza Strip June 10-14

-- Explosions: The IDF reported that PA security forces found
and safely deactivated an explosive device near the Erez
Crossing June 13.

-- Explosions: Two explosive devices were detonated near IDF
outposts June 10, one near Kfar Darom and the other near
Karni Crossing.


6. (SBU) PALESTINIAN SECURITY FORCES:

-- On June 13, Palestinian sources reported that militants
opened fire at the home of Preventive Security chief Rashid
Abu Shbak. The attack followed an attempt earlier in the day
by PSO officers to arrest two Hamas militants. Mediators
intervened and the situation calmed down after the two Hamas
members were released, according to UNRWA.

-- In the aftermath of clashes June 9-10 between Popular
Resistance Committees (PRC) militants and Preventive Security
Forces (see June 10 SitRep),unknown gunmen attacked the home
of Preventive Security chief Rashid Abu Shbak the evening of
June 10 with RPGs, hand grenades and small weapons fire,
while PRC militants and PSO forces clashed again in Gaza
City. Sporadic clashes occurred throughout June 11 and APCs
manned by PA security personnel remained on the street
outside PSO headquarters until June 13. PRC members
kidnapped a PSO officer in Jabaliya Camp June 11, injuring
two bystanders (see Injuries8). Several hundred members of
the al-Aqsa Martyrs, Brigades demonstrated outside PSO
headquarters June 11 in support of the Preventive Security
Forces.

-- UNRWA reported that on June 10 PA security forces, working
in coordination with the IDF, located and destroyed two
tunnels in Rafah used for smuggling.


7. (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS:

-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road),the main north-south traffic
artery, was open June 11-13, with a major detour at Netzarim
Junction.

-- Erez Crossing was open June 10-11, but was closed for an
Israeli holiday June 12-13. On June 10, 2,062 laborers and
278 merchants crossed into Israel. On June 11, 249 laborers
and 56 merchants crossed.

-- The Erez Industrial Zone was closed June 10-13.

-- Sufa Crossing was closed June 11-13, but re-opened June 14
for the import of aggregates used in construction.

-- Karni Terminal was open June 11-12, but closed June 13 for
an Israeli holiday.

-- Rafah Terminal was open for arrivals and departures June
11-14.

-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed June 11-14. Toufah
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi, except males
aged 16-30.


8. (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS:

-- UNRWA reported that approximately 50 families in the Khan
Yunis refugee camp have been waging a sit-down strike at
UNRWA,s distribution center in the camp for approximately
five days. The families, all participants in the UNRWA
re-housing program, wish to have their houses built in Toufah
vice Khan Yunis, despite the unavailability of land in
Toufah. The situation is tense, as the families have
threatened violence if their demand is not met, according to
UNRWA. The strike continued as of midday, June 14.

-- The ICRC reported that some 1,000 Palestinians staged a
sit-down strike and demonstration outside of ICRC
headquarters in Gaza City June 13, demanding the release of
Palestinians prisoners being held in Israeli jails and the
head of PFLP in particular.

-- Israeli media reported that the PA carried out the death
sentence on four Palestinian criminals, all convicted of
murder, June 12 in Gaza City. According to media reports,
the PA has announced that executions are planned for some 12
additional convicted criminals.
PEARCE