Cablegate: Wb/G Sitrep: Al-Aqsa Gunmen Kill One Pa Policeman

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 TEL AVIV 003992

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: AL-AQSA GUNMEN KILL ONE PA POLICEMAN
IN THE WEST BANK; ONE SETTLER INJURED IN GAZA -- JUNE 24,
2005 (1300 HOURS LOCAL)

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

1. (SBU) Summary: Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades gunmen killed
one PA police officer, Ziad al-Bzur, during an assault on
Jenin,s main police station June 23, according to PA
security sources. The tension between al-Aqsa gunmen and PA
police began when police arrested an al-Aqsa member for
attacking Jenin PLC member Jamal al-Shati's car, and then
attacked the police station even after the arrestee was
released at al-Shati's request. In clashes between al-Aqsa
gunmen and police after the above incident, two PA policemen
and one al-Aqsa gunman were shot and injured in exchanges of
fire June 23. In Gaza, one settler was injured June 23 in a
mortar attack on Netzarim. End Summary.

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

2. (SBU) ATTACKS:

-- Deaths: Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades gunmen killed one PA
police officer, Ziad al-Bzur, during an assault on Jenin,s
main police station June 23, according to PA security
sources. The tension between al-Aqsa gunmen and PA police
began when police arrested an al-Aqsa member for attacking
Jenin PLC member Jamal al-Shati's car, and then attacked the
police station even after the arrestee was released at
al-Shati's request.

-- Injuries: In clashes between al-Aqsa gunmen and police
after the above incident, two PA policemen and one al-Aqsa
gunman were shot and injured in exchanges of fire June 23,
according to PA security sources.

-- Injury: An IDF soldier was hit by a stone and injured June
23 in clashes with Palestinians near Dura village, southwest
of Hebron, according to Israeli newspapers.

-- Attack: Rocks were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near
Nablus on June 23, damaging the vehicle, but no injuries
resulted.

3. (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS:

-- At Abu Mazen's request, the Fatah Central Committee (FCC)
approved appointment of Faruq al-Qaddumi as Deputy Chairman
of the PLO Executive Committee. Al-Qaddumi will be offered
this post as well as "Vice-President of the State of
Palestine" at the June 30 FCC meeting in Amman. These
positions are reportedly symbolic gestures to al-Qaddumi and
do not entail increased political authority.

-- The PLO Executive Committee met in Ramallah June 23 and
agreed that Abu Mazen should initiate contacts with Hamas,
PIJ and other factions to agree on a date for PLC elections.

----
Gaza
----

4. (SBU) ATTACKS:

-- Deaths: Nil.

-- Injuries: Israeli media reported that one settler was
injured June 23 in a mortar attack on Netzarim (see
"Mortars/Rockets").

-- Mortars/Rockets: Palestinian militants fired one mortar
shell at Netzarim June 23 (see "Injuries").

-- Shootings: The IDF reported that Palestinian militants
launched four shooting attacks on IDF outposts near Khan
Yunis and Rafah June 23-24.

5. (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS:

-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic
artery, was open June 24, with a major detour at Netzarim
Junction.

-- Erez Crossing was open June 23, and 4,105 laborers and 341
merchants crossed into Israel.

-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open June 23, and 579
laborers entered.
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers June 24,
but was open for the import of aggregates used in
construction.

-- Karni Terminal was open June 24.

-- Rafah Terminal was open for arrivals and departures June
24, but UNRWA reported a backlog of several hundred people on
each side of the terminal who were waiting to cross.

-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed June 25. Toufah
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi, except males
aged 16-30.

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