Reported from Jerusalem
1. ISRAELI ARMY IN GAZA CITY OPERATION… The Israeli army entered the village of Al-Zahara in the Gaza Strip during pre-dawn hours Sunday, where it evacuated the residents of a specific area while it destroyed several buildings. It was said to be in response to the killing of three of its soldiers last week. A Palestinian police post was overtaken by the Israeli forces, its officers arrested and weapons confiscated before the building itself was blown up, according to Palestinian sources. Israel claims the building was empty and also confirms that three 14-story buildings from which fire had been directed at Israeli targets were destroyed.
2. QASSAM ROCKET FIRED INTO ISRAEL SUNDAY; INFILTRATION PREVENTED… A Qassam rocket landed in a field near the Southern Israeli town of Sderot Sunday morning, causing no injuries or damage. In a separate incident, a Palestinian man was shot dead while trying to infiltrate into a Jewish community in the Gush Katif section of the Gaza Strip. Two other infiltrations were also attempted at roughly the same time but there were no reports of shootings or apprehending any of the would-be infiltrators.
3. WANTED PALESTINIANS CAPTURED IN HOSPITAL RAID… Israeli troops raided the Anglican Hospital in Nablus early Sunday, apprehending a Hamas terrorist who was critically wounded last Wednesday when a bomb he was transporting blew up prematurely. Witnesses reported that Khaled Abu Hamad was taken away in a military ambulance. Troops entered a second hospital looking for another terrorist injured in the same incident. Although they were unable to find the man they were looking for, a senior Tanzim member was arrested. The Tanzim are part of Yassir Arafat’s Fatah faction.
4. WOLFOWITZ ESCAPES ROCKET ATTACK ON HIS BAGHDAD HOTEL… U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz escaped safely from his Baghdad hotel after it was struck by at least six missiles on Sunday. Al-Jazeera is reporting that at least one American was killed in the attack. The Rashid hotel houses United States personnel in the Iraqi capital. American sources reported that Wolfowitz is uninjured but would not comment on his whereabouts.
5. EYES ON PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER AS END OF TEMPORARY TERM NEARS… All eyes are on Ahmad Qurei’, the Palestinian Authority’s prime minister, as the end of his emergency government’s term nears. Qurei’ had previously indicated that he would not continue in office after that time, but Israeli government officials believe he will stay on and are deciding what approach to take. The Israeli assumption is based in part on Queri’ telling American envoy William Burns that he is optimistic about forming a new cabinet. According to reports, Israel’s military officials believe the government made a mistake in so openly supporting Queri’s predecessor, Mahmoud ‘Abbas. Israel is attempting to initiate new talks aimed at implementing the Road Map at a lower level following a request by Queri’ to hold off on direct talks between himself and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
6. SYRIA THREATENS TO ATTACK ISRAELI COMMUNITIES ON GOLAN HEIGHTS… Syria will target communities in the Golan Heights if Israel strikes inside its territory again. The threat was made by Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq A-Shara’ in an interview with London’s Daily Telegraph, in a reference to Israel’s October 5th raid on a terrorist training camp a short distance from Damascus. A-Shara’ also claimed that Syria cannot control its border so closely that Syrians, Palestinians and Iraqis are prevented from entering Iraq to fight against American forces. In another story, the Sunday Telelgraph reported that British intelligence has spotted Iranians photographing potential Jewish targets in the U.K., presumably in order to plan terror attacks.
7. PUBLICATION OF “FENCE” ROUTE ENFLAMES CONTROVERSY… A new round of controversy and criticism of Israel was touched-off by the first publication of a detailed map of the security barrier being constructed to separate Israel from Palestinian areas. Strong international criticism has been leveled at Israel’s intention to snake the fence in a way that would include 80 percent of its communities located in post-1967 territory and allegedly isolating large numbers of Palestinians. The United States is among those opposing the structure and in particular the incursion into Palestinian areas. In a new move being called “inflammatory,” Prime Minister Sharon announced that he would soon unveil plans for a section of the fence that will separate Palestinians from the Jordan Valley.
8. SECOND EL AL PLANE DIVERTED FROM TORONTO… For the second consecutive day, an El Al Israel Airlines flight was diverted from Toronto’s international airport for unspecified security reasons. On Thursday, the flight, en route to Los Angeles with a Toronto stopover, was diverted to Hamilton, Ontario, following what Canadian Transport Minister David Collenette said was “a specific threat to El Al at Pearson Airport. It was specific to that flight at that airport.” Nothing was found following a search of the airport and its perimeter. A spokesman for the Transport Ministry said that the decision for the flight to avoid Toronto again on Friday was made by Israeli officials, without input from Canada.
9. FBI: PALESTINIANS NOT COOPERATING WITH INVESTIGATION… The team of FBI agents sent to investigate the killing of three American citizens in the bombing of a convoy traveling in the Gaza Strip returned to the U.S. on Thursday. The investigators examined the site and the bombed car, and met with both Israeli and Palestinian security officials. The FBI team said although some of the Palestinians assisted, they “could have done more.”
10. WOMAN WHO ABETTED SBARRO BOMBING SENTENCED… Jordanian-born Ahlam Tamimi, 23, who was the first woman to be recruited by the‘Azz A-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the violent Islamic Hamas movement, has been sentenced to 320 years in prison for her role in the bombing of the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem on August 9, 2001. Fifteen people died in the attack, including two American citizens. Tamimi was said to have planned the attack and to have escorted the suicide bomber to the restaurant. Among a long list of terror attacks carried out during the past three years, the Sbarro bombing continues to be one of the most infamous due in part to its location in downtown Jerusalem, the international mix and number of infants and elderly among the victims.
11. TWO ISRAELI SOLDIERS ARRESTED FOR SELLING ENTRY PASSES TO PALESTINIANS… Two Israeli army officers stationed in Hebron have been arrested on charges of accepting bribes from Palestinians to issue entry passes. The pair, both of whom are majors in the Civil Administration, deny the allegations.
12. LEADING AMERICAN MUSLIM INDICTED ON CHARGES OF DEALING WITH LIBYA… Abdurahman Alamoudi, a prominent Arab-American who previously served as president of the American Muslim Foundation, was arrested last week on charges that he engaged in illegal dealings with Libya, including receiving $340,000 in cash from the Libyan government. A Federal Grand Jury returned a 19-count indictment against Alamoudi. If convicted, he could face 105 years in prison and have his U.S. citizenship revoked. Court documents also allege that he has ties to the Hamas terrorist organization and has worked with a nephew of Osama Bin Laden.
13. RAMA’DAN TO BEGIN… The Muslim holy month of Rama’dan will begin sometime this weekend – the exact time varying in different locations worldwide. The observance begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon. During the month, Muslims fast during daylight hours. In Israel, security officials will be paying close attention to sermons delivered in mosques and potentially heightened tensions on Fridays in particular.
14. INDIA-ISRAEL PHALCON DEAL: THE FAT LADY NEVER SANG… Although Israel and India at long last signed the political agreement for the purchase by India of the Israeli Phalcon early warning AWACS system several weeks ago, a new snag has arisen that has delayed the signing of the commercial part of the deal. At issue: an exceptionally large deposit being demanded by Israel Aircraft Industries. The manufacturer wants to protect itself from a repeat of the China fiasco in which American pressure forced Israel to renege on the signed contract, causing both a $1 billion loss of revenue, including the payment of $350 million in compensation to China. The deal with India is worth $1.3 billion. Details were reported by Globes financial newspaper.