VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJM #3839 2371538
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251538Z AUG 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4535
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 003839 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS, USAID 
FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG PHUM
SUBJECT: MGGZ01 - JERUSALEM AUGUST 25 SITREP 
 
 
¶1.    (SBU) Summary.  The Rafah crossing opened August 25 
allowing thousands of Palestinians to transit from the Egypt 
and Gaza sides of the crossing.  Israeli aircraft conducted 
air strikes in Gaza City and the Jabaliya overnight August 
24-25, injuring eight Palestinians.  The Palestinian Islamic 
Jihad (PIJ) claimed responsibility for firing rockets the 
evening of August 24 from northern Gaza toward the Western 
Negev and Sderot, but there were no reported injuries or 
property damage.  In the West Bank, IDF units overnight 
arrested six Palestinians.  The IDF also arrested the Hamas 
mayor of Beit Ummar near Hebron.  The Karni/al-Mintar 
crossing is closed on August 25, but the Nahal Oz fuel 
transfer crossing is open.  End summary. 
 
Military Developments 
--------------------- 
 
¶2.    (SBU) According to ConGen sources in the Presidential 
Guards and the PA Crossing Authority, the Rafah crossing 
opened the morning of August 25 to allow passage for more 
than 6,000 Palestinians awaiting transit on the Egypt and 
Gaza sides of the crossing.  As of 1600L, at least 34 buses 
transporting 3,170 passengers had crossed from Gaza into 
Egypt, while 22 buses transporting 1,750 passengers had 
crossed from Egypt into Gaza.  Also as of 1600L, 
approximately 1,200 people on the Gaza side are still 
attempting to cross into Egypt, with approximately 400 
seeking passage into Gaza from Egypt.  Discussions are 
ongoing to extend the operating hours to enable the remaining 
people to cross. 
 
¶3.    (SBU) Israeli aircraft overnight August 24-25 struck 
houses in Gaza City and Jabaliya reportedly used to store 
weapons, injuring at least eight Palestinians.  PIJ claimed 
responsibility for firing two rockets from northern Gaza 
towards the Western Negev and Sderot.  There were no reported 
injuries or property damage. 
 
¶4.    (SBU) In the West Bank, IDF units exchanged gunfire 
with Palestinian gunmen in Jenin on the evening of August 24. 
 There were no reported injuries.  The IDF overnight August 
24-25 arrested six Palestinians, including five PIJ members 
in Ramallah and Jenin and a PFLP member in Nablus.  The IDF 
arrested the Hamas mayor of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron. 
 
Humanitarian Update 
------------------- 
 
¶5.    (SBU) The Karni/al-Mintar commercial crossing is closed 
August 25, according to USAID Gaza-based staff.  The crossing 
was last open on August 15.  The Sufa crossing is open on 
August 25, for the third day for commodity imports, according 
to USAID Gaza-based staff.  On the first day it was open, 
August 23, 60 truckloads of food products were imported 
through Sufa over a nine-hour period.  The Erez crossing is 
open on August 25 for commodity imports for the second day in 
a row, according to USAID Gaza-based staff.  The Nahal Oz 
fuel transfer crossing is open August 25, according to USAID 
Gaza-based staff, as it was August 24. 
 
¶6.    (SBU) All ten electricity feeder lines from Israel into 
Gaza are operational August 25, according to USAID Gaza-based 
staff. 
 
WALLES