VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHJM #3708 2331400
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211400Z AUG 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4360
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
UNCLAS JERUSALEM 003708
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS; USAID
FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG
SUBJECT: MGGZ01 - JERUSALEM AUGUST 21 SITREP
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) units
arrested PA Deputy Prime Minister Nasir al-Din Ashair and
Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Secretary General
Mahmoud al-Ramahi. Two Palestinians were killed and several
injured in clashes between Palestinian militants and the IDF
in Gaza between August 18 and August 21. Palestinian
militants launched seven rockets from Gaza toward the western
Negev. In the West Bank, three Palestinians and one IDF
soldier were killed in separate clashes between August 18 and
August 21. The IDF arrested 24 Palestinians throughout the
West Bank. The Rafah and Karni/al-Mintar crossings are
closed August 21. The Nahal Oz fuel transfer crossing is
open August 21.
Military Developments
---------------------
2. (SBU) IDF units arrested PA Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Education Nasir al-Din Ashair at his home in
Ramallah on August 19. On August 20, IDF units arrested PLC
Secretary General Mahmoud al-Ramahi at his home in Ramallah.
SIPDIS
Their arrests bring to 31 the total number of Hamas PLC
members detained by the Israelis. Six Hamas cabinet
ministers are also detained. (NOTE: Approximately 36 Hamas
PLC members reside in the West Bank; the remainder live in
the Gaza Strip. END NOTE.)
3. (SBU) One Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) member was
killed and another injured on August 18 when a group of
gunmen exchanged fire with the IDF in northern Gaza.
Palestinian militants in Gaza launched seven rockets toward
the western Negev between August 18 and August 21. No
injuries or damage were reported.
4. (SBU) In the West Bank, an IDF soldier was killed by a
gunman at a checkpoint in the Jordan Valley east of Toubas.
The IDF returned fire, killing the gunman, an al-Aqsa
Martyrs' Brigades member. The IDF arrested 24 Palestinians
throughout the West Bank between August 18 and August 21.
Humanitarian Update
-------------------
5. (SBU) The Rafah crossing was closed August 20 and 21,
according to USAID Gaza-based staff. Rafah opened August 19,
for both entries into Gaza and departures to Egypt.
Approximately 2,570 people departed Gaza through Rafah,
August 19, according to USAID Gaza-based staff. That number
included USAID and PAO grantees scheduled to begin
educational programs in the U.S.
6. (SBU) The Karni/al-Mintar crossing is closed August 21,
according to USAID Gaza-based staff. The crossing was last
open August 15. According to USAID Gaza-based staff, there
are no reported shortages of basic commodities. While wheat
flour is currently available on the market (and expected to
last for a week), Gazan flour mills are out of wheat and are
not producing flour, according to a USAID survey. The
Nahal Oz fuel transfer crossing is open August 21, as it was
August 20.
WALLES