WB/G SITREP: PALESTINIAN CHILD KILLED BY QASSAM IN

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
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.

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Gaza
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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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