Cablegate: Wb/G Sitrep: Idf Soldier Stabbed in West Bank
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 002567
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/SA/EX FOR RICHIE; DEPT FOR
DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN; USAID
FOR DCHA, DCHA/FPP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWBG PHUM PREL PTER ASEC CASC GZ IS
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: IDF SOLDIER STABBED IN WEST BANK
ATTACK; 12 PALESTINIANS WOUNDED IN BARRIER PROTESTS --
APRIL 25, 2005 (1300 HOURS LOCAL)
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable.
1. (SBU) Summary: An IDF soldier sustained moderate injuries
after he was stabbed in the neck April 23 near Ganim
settlement, east of Jenin. The IDF closed the area while in
pursuit of the assailant, but no arrests have been made in
connection with this attack. In the Old City of Hebron,
settler youths attacked 15 female Palestinian students April
23, and a 70-year-old Palestinian man was attacked by
settlers while grazing his sheep near the settlement of Alon
Moreh, near Nablus, April 24. A number of the girls were
bruised from the April 23 attack, while the elderly man was
hospitalized with moderate injuries. A total of 12
Palestinians were injured during clashes with IDF troops near
Safa village, west of Ramallah, April 22. In Gaza, PA
security forces, in coordination with the IDF, blocked a
tunnel used for smuggling opposite the al-Salaam quarter of
the Rafah refugee camp April 24. Palestinian militants fired
four mortars and one Qassam rocket at IDF and Israeli settler
targets in Gaza April 22-24. No injuries were reported. End
Summary.
2. (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY:
-- Deaths: Nil.
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian reports, 12
Palestinians were injured during clashes with IDF troops near
Safa village, west of Ramallah, April 22.
-- Injuries: According to media reports, an IDF soldier
sustained moderate injuries after he was stabbed in the neck
April 23 near Ganim settlement, east of Jenin. The IDF
closed the area while in pursuit of the assailant, but no
arrest have been made in connection with this attack.
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian reports, a Palestinian
minor was injured moderately April 24 in Bethlehem when an
explosive device he was holding detonated in his hand.
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian sources, a Palestinian
man was injured in Arjut village, near Nablus, April 24 when
an explosive device detonated underneath him as he was
grazing his sheep next to the village.
-- Arrests: According to Palestinians sources, the IDF
arrested a Palestinian in possession of four pipe bombs
outside Nablus April 22.
-- Arrests: According to Palestinian media, the IDF arrested
a Palestinian youth trying to smuggle ammunition in a
videocassette near Nablus April 22.
-- Arrests: According to Palestinians sources, two
Palestinians were arrested at Bayt Forik checkpoint, near
Nablus, April 23 for suspicion of attempting to attack an IDF
soldier.
-- Arrests: According to Palestinian reports, IDF soldiers
arrested five Palestinians April 23 in al-Dahariya village,
near Hebron.
-- Attacks: According to Palestinian sources, settler youths
in the Old City of Hebron attacked 15 female Palestinian
students April 23. Many of the Palestinian girls suffered
bruises as a result of the attack.
-- Attacks: According to Palestinian media reports, a
70-year-old Palestinian man was attacked by settlers while
grazing his sheep near the settlement of Alon Moreh, near
Nablus, April 24. The man was hospitalized with moderate
injuries.
3. (SBU) SECURITY INCIDENTS:
-- According to Palestinian media, IDF soldiers entered
Nablus and the nearby Balata refugee camp to conduct searches
April 24.
4. (SBU) PROTESTS:
-- According to Palestinian reports, a demonstration against
the construction of the separation barrier was held April 25
near the villages of Bil'in and Safa, west of Ramallah.
-- According to Palestinian media reports, a demonstration
against Greek Orthodox Patriarch Irenios was held after
Sunday mass in the Old City of Jerusalem April 24.
Demonstrators demanded Irenios' resignation, reportedly
calling him a "traitor" and charging him with direct
responsibility for selling property in the Old City to
Israeli settler groups.
----
Gaza
----
5. (SBU) ATTACKS:
-- Deaths: Nil.
-- Injuries: Nil.
-- Mortars/Rockets: The IDF reported that Palestinian
militants fired a total of four mortar shells at Neve Dekalim
settlement April 22-24. Militants fired one Qassam rocket at
towards Yad Mordechai crossing (in Israel) April 24. No
injuries were reported in any of these attacks.
-- Shootings: Palestinian militants launched a total of five
shooting attacks against IDF and Israeli settler targets
April 22-24.
-- Explosions: UNRWA reported that PA security forces, in
coordination with the IDF, blocked a tunnel used for
smuggling opposite the al-Salaam quarter of the Rafah refugee
camp April 24.
6. (SBU) ARRESTS:
-- UNRWA reported that the IDF arrested two 15-year-old
Palestinian youths April 23 when the youths attempted to
cross into Israel illegally north of Kissufim.
7. (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS:
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic
artery, was open April 22-25, with a major detour at Netzarim
Junction.
-- Erez Crossing was open for internationals and for a
limited number of Palestinians April 21-24, and 4,500
laborers and 345 merchants crossed into Israel April 21. On
April 22, 1,665 laborers and 82 merchants entered Israel; on
April 23, 145 laborers and 15 merchants entered; and on April
24, 54 laborers and 16 merchants entered Israel.
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open April 21, and 633
laborers entered. Erez Industrial Zone was closed April
22-24.
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers April
22-23, but was open for the import of aggregates used in
construction. On April 24, the crossing was closed,
re-opening for the import of aggregates used in construction
April 25.
-- Karni Terminal was open April 22-23 and April 25. Karni
was closed April 24.
-- Rafah Terminal was open for arrivals and departures April
23-25.
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed April 22-25. Toufah
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi.
8. (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS:
-- UNRWA reported that a small group of armed men, reportedly
members of the PA security forces dismissed in 2004 for
"anti-Palestinian activities," blocked the coastal road south
of Netzarim Junction for several hours the morning of April
24. The men demanded they be reinstated into the security
forces.
-- UNRWA and Palestinian media reported that a group of
approximately 250 members of the PA National Security Forces
who had been dismissed demonstrated at the Saraya Building in
central Gaza City April 23, protesting against the retirement
plan and the leak of their names to the media.
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