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Viewing cable 09JERUSALEM18, GAZA UPDATE JANUARY 2, 1800 LOCAL: AIRSTRIKES,

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09JERUSALEM18 2009-01-02 16:53 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Jerusalem
VZCZCXRO8817
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0018/01 0021653
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021653Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3665
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000018 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL/RAMCHAND 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC MOPS KWBG IS
SUBJECT: GAZA UPDATE JANUARY 2, 1800 LOCAL: AIRSTRIKES, 
ROCKETS CONTINUE; DEMONSTRATIONS ACROSS THE WEST BANK 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 7 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  From 1300 through 1800 on January 2, at 
least ten rockets struck Israel.  Israeli airstrikes across 
the Gaza Strip killed at least five more Palestinians 
(including three children), while three others died of wounds 
previously sustained.  The house of Imad Aql, a senior Izz 
al-Din al-Qassam Brigades leader, was also struck, but Aql 
was reportedly not there.  The funeral for Hamas' Nizar 
al-Rayyan in Jabaliya was attended by thousands and 
interrupted by a nearby airstrike.  Gaza-based contacts 
estimated that at least 410 Palestinians have been killed and 
over 1500 have been injured (requiring hospital attention) 
since December 27.  Mid-day prayers in Jerusalem and a large 
demonstration in Ramallah ended without major incident, and 
there were scattered clashes throughout the West Bank.  In 
Hebron, PA security forces fired into the air to disperse 
protesters marching towards an IDF position.  16 Amcits and 
11 non-Amcit family members were successfully evacuated from 
Gaza to Jordan by ConGen staff with the assistance of 
Embassies Amman and Tel Aviv.  End summary. 
 
Seven Rockets Fired at Ashkelon, Injuring Three; 
Five Palestinians Killed, Including Senior Hamas Militant 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) At least 10 rockets struck Israel on January 2 from 
1300 through 1800, including at least three more that hit 
residential areas in Ashkelon, injuring an Israeli, according 
to Israeli press.  Three rockets landed in the Eshkol region 
of the Negev, including one in the yard of a house, but no 
injuries were reported. 
 
3.  (SBU) Israeli airstrikes killed at least five more 
Palestinians and injured several others through 1800 on 
January 2.  The IAF struck a house in the al-Shuja'iya 
neighborhood of Gaza City, killing one Palestinian and 
injuring two others.  A strike on an open area in Bayt Hanun 
killed one Palestinian.  Three children were reportedly 
killed in the al-Qarara area of Khan Yunis when a nearby 
house was hit by air-to-ground ordnance.  The house of Imad 
Aql, a senior Izz al-Din al-Qassam brigades member, was 
struck in Nussayrat camp, but Aql was reportedly away from 
home.  Air-to-ground ordnance again hit border areas near 
Rafah, according to Israeli press. 
 
Demonstrations in West Bank; 
Jerusalem Prayers Incident-Free 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
4.  (SBU) In Ramallah, more than 7,000 Palestinians 
participated in a march from Jamal Abd al-Nasser mosque to 
al-Manara square without major incident.  PA security forces 
arrested two Hamas members for displaying Hamas flags. 
Thousands also demonstrated in Nablus, Jenin, Qalqiliya, 
Jericho, Tulkarem, and Bethlehem.  Stone throwing incidents 
with the IDF occurred at Qalandiya, Na'alin, and Bil'in with 
no injuries reported.  The IDF used tear gas and 
rubber-coated bullets to disperse stone throwers and 
demonstrators in Bayt Umar and Halhul villages near Hebron, 
al-Masara village near Bethlehem, Huwwara village near 
Nablus, and Jayyus village near Qalqiliya.  Palestinian press 
reported 18 demonstrators were injured in these incidents. 
 
5.  (SBU) Several thousand Palestinians demonstrated in 
Hebron, according to PA security contacts.  During these 
demonstrations, PA police fired into the air to disperse 
several hundred demonstrators who were marching towards IDF 
positions near al-Shalalah street.  According to PA security 
contacts, Hamas had not obtained a permit for the 
demonstration and all factions had been informed that 
demonstrations would only be permitted if no factional flags 
were displayed and if demonstrators avoided friction points 
with IDF soldiers.  Some skirmishes did occur with the IDF in 
the vicinity, with some injuries. 
 
6.  (SBU) In Jerusalem, prayers at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple 
Mount ended without incident, according to security contacts. 
 At least three Palestinian men just below the age 
restriction (50 years of age and up) were arrested by Israeli 
police after being barred from entrance.  On Salah al-Din 
Street in East Jerusalem, press report that demonstrators 
threw two molotov cocktails at Israeli police.  Dozens of 
demonstrators near Herod and Damascus Gates threw stones at 
Israeli police, but no injuries were reported.  Three people 
were detained near Damascus gate in a protest that ended at 
1400 local.  In the Ras al-Amud neighborhood of East 
Jerusalem, security contacts report one Israeli police 
 
JERUSALEM 00000018  002 OF 002 
 
 
officer was injured in stone-throwing clashes. 
 
Political Reactions 
------------------- 
 
7.  (SBU) At the funeral of Nizar al-Rayyan in Jabalia, Hamas 
PLC member Fathi Hamad delivered a sermon and said "the 
assassination of Hamas leaders will not weaken the movement," 
and vowed revenge for al-Rayyan's death.  During the funeral, 
an airstrike in Jabaliya camp caused panic among the crowd of 
several thousand attendees, but the funeral ended without 
further incident. 
 
Evacuation 
---------- 
 
8.  (SBU) ConGen staff organized the evacuation of 16 Amcits 
and 11 of their non-Amcit family members from Gaza to Jordan 
on January 2, with the assistance of Embassies Amman and Tel 
Aviv.  News of the evacuation prompted calls from additional 
Amcits in Gaza, not registered with the Consulate, for 
assistance in leaving. 
WALLES