MGGZ01 - JERUSALEM AUGUST 23 SITREP

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 003800 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS, USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG PHUM SUBJECT: MGGZ01 - JERUSALEM AUGUST 23 SITREP ¶1. (SBU) Summary. IDF shelling August 22 targeted Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) members, killing three near Khan Younis while injuring another seven Palestinians. One IDF soldier sustained injuries from an anti-tank rocket in the northern Gaza Strip. An Israeli operation into the Shijayah neighborhood of Gaza City overnight August 22-23 resulted in the arrest of five Hamas members and the confiscation of a weapons cache. Three Palestinians and one IDF soldier were injured during the exchange of gunfire. Palestinian militants overnight fired one rocket from northern Gaza toward the Western Negev, but there were no reported injuries or property damage. In the West Bank, IDF units overnight arrested 11 Palestinians. Israeli security forces went into high alert August 23 amid reports of a suicide bomber seeking to enter Jerusalem. The Rafah and Karni/al-Mintar crossings are closed on August 23, but the Nahal Oz fuel transfer crossing is open. End summary. Military Developments -------------- ¶2. (SBU) IDF shelling in the vicinity of Khan Younis on August 22 killed three PIJ members, while injuring another seven Palestinians. One IDF soldier sustained light wounds in northern Gaza when an anti-tank rocket struck an IDF outpost. The PFLP and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack. An Israeli operation into the Shijayah neighborhood in Gaza City overnight August 22-23 resulted in the arrest of five Hamas members and the confiscation of ammunition, pistols, machine guns, and hand grenades. One IDF soldier and three Palestinian gunmen were injured in the exchange of gunfire. Palestinian militants overnight fired one Qassam rocket from northern Gaza toward the Western Negev, resulting in no injuries or property damage. The IDF August 22-23 arrested 11 Palestinians in several localities in the West Bank. ¶3. (SBU) Israeli security forces issued a high alert August 23 for a possible suicide bomb attack in Jerusalem. The IDF and Israeli police set up flying checkpoints on main roads and arteries heading into Jerusalem, snarling traffic for the morning rush hours. Yesha Council spokeswoman Emily Amrusi told ConGen Poloff that the IDF had instructed settlers located in settlements between Ramallah and Jerusalem to remain off the roads past 0800L to allow the IDF to check Palestinian vehicles. The security forces canceled the alert during the hours of 0930-1200L, but resumed the alert at 1230-1400L. There are still some flying checkpoints in the West Bank searching vehicles as of 1630L. Humanitarian Update -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The Rafah crossing is closed August 23, according to USAID Gaza-based staff. Rafah was last open August 19. ¶5. (SBU) The Karni/al-Mintar commercial crossing is closed August 23, according to USAID Gaza-based staff. The crossing was last open August 15. ¶6. (SBU) The Nahal Oz fuel transfer crossing is open August 23, as it was during the afternoon of August 22, according to USAID Gaza-based staff. ¶7. (SBU) All ten electricity feeder lines from Israel into Gaza are operational August 23, according to USAID Gaza-based staff. WALLES