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From:	Beseder (adsl-68-93-65-221.dsl.hstntx.swbell.net)
Subject:	Myst... a timeline of rocket attacks against Israel prior to the Israeli offensive
Date:	July 27, 2006 at 11:03 am PST

Myst, after reading the following, I see that there are extremist groups in Israel who attack Palestinians sometimes. You are right about that. Thank you for educating me. I see, too, that those responsible are arrested by Israel.

I said that there were continuing rocket attacks on Israel prior to the attack on Israeli military base which killed several soldiers and kidnapped Gilad-. I said that the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers was the straw that broke the camel's back, and that Israel could not allow the continued rocket attacks against her citizens.

Here is a timeline which shows the rocket attacks in brief:

Sept 29, 2004 Qassam rockets launched from Gaza kill two children in the Israeli town of Sderoth. Israel launches operation "Days of Repentance," occupying a large area in northern Gaza, demolishing houses and killing over 80 Palestinians by October 7.
Oct 7, 2004 Multiple suicide attacks in the Sinai desert against Egyptian tourist areas frequented by Israelis including the Taba Hilton hotel and Ras al-Shaitan (Ras Satan). About 27 persons killed, mostly Israelis. Initial reports attributed the attack variously to Al Qaida and to Palestinian groups, though Palestinian groups claimed no involvement.
Oct 25-26, 2004 Israel Knesset approves disengagement plan calling for withdrawal from Gaza with the support of Labor and Yahad leftist parties. Ruling rightist Likud members and NRP demand a referendum.
Nov 11, 2004 Yasser Arafat dies. Abu Mazen and Abu Ala share his powers. Abu Mazen is selected as the Fatah candidate for head of the PNA and will have little serious opposition after Marwan Barghouthi, who had announced his candidacy, drops out of the race in December.
Dec. 5, 2004 Egypt releases Azzam Azzam, Israeli Druze jailed in Egypt for 8 years on espionage charges.
Dec 12, 2004 An explosion destroys an Israeli Joint Verification Team (JVT) terminal near the Egyptian-Gaza border, within Israel. Five Israeli soldiers killed. The explosion was carried out by tunneling from the Gaza side and planting a huge explosive charge. Hamas and the Fatah Eagles take responsibility. The attack was not condemned by the PNA.
Dec 14, 2004 Egypt, US and Israel sign a three way trade agreement that allows Egypt to establish Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) with a small share (about 11%) of Israeli participation, with the output of those ventures exported to the US free of tariffs.
Jan 9, 2005 Mahmoud Abbas elected President of the Palestinian National Authority.
Jan 10, 2005 Ariel Sharon forms unity government with Labor and United Torah Judaism parties in Israel.
Feb 8, 2005 Sharm El Sheikh Summit Conference - Israeli PM Ariel Sharon, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, President Mubarak of Egypt and King Abdullah II of Jordan meet in Sharm El Sheikh. Abbas and Sharon announce an end to the violence. Israel will release over 900 Palestinian prisoners and withdraw from Palestinian cities. Jordan and Egypt will return ambassadors to Israel. The Intifada is deemed to be over.
Feb 14, 2005 Assassination of Rafik Hariri, former PM and architect of Lebanese reconstruction. Hariri resigned in protest over continued Syrian interference in Lebanese affairs and occupation of Lebanon.
Feb 20, 2005 Israeli cabinet approves plan for implementing disengagement.
Feb 25, 2005 Suicide bombing by Islamic Jihad kills 5 in Tel Aviv. Israel freezes planned handover of Palestinian towns.
Mar 1, 2005 London Conference hosted by Great Britain aims at organizing Palestinian security forces and getting financial backing for the Palestinian Authority.
Mar 16 Cairo Conference - Palestinian militant groups agree to a tahediyeh - a lull in the fighting. Hamas and Islamic Jihad will join the PLO. Hamas will participate in May elections for the Palestine Legislative Council. Israel withdrew from Jericho and a week later it withdrew from Jericho.
May 26, 2005 Mahmoud Abbas received in White House by President George Bush and is promised an additional $50 million in aid. Bush declares US support for a settlement based on 1949 armistice borders. Israel releases about 400 prisoners and promises to withdraw from Palestinian cities in the West Bank.
June 20, 2005 Would-be (female) suicide bomber Wafa Bis arrested at Gaza checkpoint on her way to carry out a suicide attack against an Israeli hospital.
June 21, 2005 Following visit of Condoleeza Rice, summit meeting between Abbas and Sharon ends in failure.
June 30, 2005 Gaza settlers initiate violent clashes, take over an Arab house and attempt to lynch a Palestinian youth, Hilal Majaida near Muasi. Shimshon Sitrin, Avinoam Krispin are arrested. IDF raids Maoz Yam hotel in Gaza where about 100 right-wing disengagement activists have gathered, and evicts them.
July 13, 2005 Islamic Jihad suicide bomber kills 5 civilians in Netanya mall. IDF reoccupies Tulkarm. Hamas responds with massive rocket fire on Israeli settlements and inside Israel, killing one. Israel responds with massive manhunt against Hamas members in Hebron area and in Gaza, renewing the policy of assassinating terror leaders, claiming they are only killing those who are about to carry out terror attacks. PNA attack Hamas in Gaza, Hamas counterattacks. Civilians are killed in the cross fire.

Gaza Closed - Israel closes the Gaza strip to Israeli citizens other than residents. This follows extensive settler violence and is intended to thwart a mass march organized by the Yesha (settler's) councils intended to thwart the disengagement.
Aug. 15, 2005 Israeli evacuation of Gaza settlements and four West Bank settlements began on August 15 and was completed August 24.
Sept. 1` 2005 Last Israeli soldiers leave Gaza. Settlements handed over to Palestinians Sept. 12. Israel also evacuates four settlements in northern West Bank without incident. Palestinians loot and destroy greenhouses that were bought for them by Jewish philanthropists.
Sept. 15, 2005 Israeli PM Ariel Sharon addresses the United Nations, calls for peace, recognizes Palestinian rights, reasserts Israeli right to united Jerusalem, determination to fight terror
Sept. 15, 2005 Israeli Supreme court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, rules that the security fence is not contrary to international law. Text of Israeli High Court Ruling Regarding the Legality of the Security Fence
Sept. 23, 2005 After Palestinian authority bans parades with weapons in Gaza, but before the ban goes into effect, the last such parade held by Hamas ends in an accidental explosion that kills about 20 people. Hamas fires about 40 rockets on Sderot, in Israel. Israel responds with massive campaign of arrests in West Bank and targeted killings in Gaza; Hamas pledges to respect cease fire.
Sept. 26, 2005

Ariel Sharon wins crucial vote in Likud central committee, narrowly edging out opponents of disengagement who wanted early primaries in order to oust him.
Oct. 2005 PNA partial local elections give 55 seats to Fatah, 24 to Hamas. Fighting between Fatah and Hamas in Gaza kills 3.
Nov. 2005 Amir Peretz elected leader of the Israel Labor party, pulls Labor out of the coalition, precipitating early elections. Israeli PM Ariel Sharon, facing internal opposition in the Likud over disengagement, quits the Likud to form a new party, Kadima. Rafah border is opened for Palestinians in Gaza for passage to and from Egypt. Israel promises to implement Gaza - West Bank safe passage, but does not do so, as Palestinians fire Kassam rockets into Sderot and then into the outskirts of Ashqelon.
Jan 4, 2006 On January 4, Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke, leaving the leadership of Israel and the new Kadima party in the hands of Ehud Olmert.
Jan 26, 2006 On January 26, the radical Islamist Hamas movement won an upset victory in Palestinian Legislative Council elections, threatening to end about 40 years of Fateh-PLO leadership of the Palestinians and to completely ruin hopes for peace with Israel. Hamas spokesmen sent mixed signals, but vowed never to recognize Israel and never to give up their claim to all of Palestine. Donor countries suspend direct aid to the Hamas until they are willing to recognize Israel and participate in peace process. Subsequently, a mechanism is agreed upon to pay salaries to PNA employees and give emergency humanitarian aid, but it is not implemented. Hamas smuggles in cash through the Rafah crossing with the connivance of European monitors in order to pay salaries.
March, 2006 Over 40 Qassam rockets fall on Sderot in March, this number increases in the next months. IDF responds with shelling of launching sites and IAF raids to kill leaders of Popular Resistance Committees, Islamic Jihad, Hamas and Fatah Al-Aqsa brigades involved in the attacks.
March 28 Ehud Olmert elected PM of Israel, heading Kadima party coalition
May 11, 2006 Palestinian Prisoners' in Israeli jails issue document of national unity calling for a state in West Bank and Gaza Strip and right of return for Palestinian refugees. Hamas government rejects the document and Hamas prisoners who signed it repudiate it. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced that he will hold a referendum on approval of the document if the factions cannot agree. On June 28 a revised prisoners' document is issued, supposedly agreed to by Hamas and Fatah. However not all factions agree and Abbas decides to hold a referendum.
June, 2006 Israeli targeted killings in Gaza and West Bank continue, while Hamas fires about 90 Qassam rockets into Sderot and other Western Negev communities. Seven Palestinian civilians having a picnic at a Gaza beach are killed by an explosion attributed by Palestinians and HRW to an IDF shell. IDF denies that it was shelling the beach at the time, and points out that shrapnel recovered from the victims does not come from IDF shells.
June 25 Following announcement of a "truce" agreement by the PNA, Hamas kidnap Israeli soldier from Israeli army outpost inside Israel, and kill two others. They demand release of Palestinian prisoners. Israel refuses to negotiate, demands release of soldier. Israel
June 27 Hamas, Fatah sign Palestinian Prisoners' Document, supposedly cementing national unity. Israel begins operation Summer Rains, invades Gaza strip to recover kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit and stop Qassam rocket fire..
July 12 Hezbollah terrorists cross the blue line border with Lebanon, attack an Israeli patrol, killing 3 and capturing 2 soldiers. Additional soldier dies the following day and several are killed when a tank hits a mine, pursuing the captors. At the same time, Hezbollah began a series of rocket attacks on northern Israel. In subsequent days, Israel carried out massive but selective bombing and artillery shelling of Lebanon, hitting rocket stores, Hezbollah headquarters in Dahya quarter of Beirut (see Beirut Map) and al-Manara television in Beirut, and killing over two hundred persons, many civilians. Hezbollah responds with several hundred rocket attacks on Haifa, Tiberias, Safed and other towns deep in northern Israel, killing 13 civilians to July 18 (See Map of Hezbollah Rocket Attacks) , and a Hezbollah Iranian supplied C-802 missile hits an Israeli missile cruiser off the cost of Beirut, killing 4. Hezbollah rocket also sinks at least one foreign neutral ship and damages an Egyptian one. G-8 meeting calls for cessation of violence, return of Israeli soldier and disarmament of Hezbolla in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1559 and UN Security Council Resolution 1680.

• Palestinian Conflict Timeline