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