BICOM

What happened: Three rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza last night and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) attacked Hamas military targets in response. Balloon clusters attached to explosives were launched into Israel and an IDF observation antenna on the Gaza border fence was shot by sniper fire.

• Three rockets, two of which were intercepted, were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip. One rocket landed in uninhabited territory outside Sderot.
• The IDF confirmed that fighter jets conducted wide-scale strike against Hamas targets in the Southern Gaza Strip including underground weapons manufacturing infrastructure.
• In Sderot, a three week old baby sustained a head injury and is in a serious condition in hospital after her mother dropped her while running to a bomb shelter when air raid sirens sounded during the rocket attack.
• Israeli security forces are on high alert today for possible violence on the Gaza border, the West Bank and Jerusalem. The IDF has reinforced its military presence across the West Bank and the Jordan Valley following assessments made after the US plan was published.
• Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh said yesterday that the Palestinian Authority was no longer bound by the agreements with Israel following the release of the plan.
• Earlier this morning, Jerusalem police officers entered the Temple Mount compound to disperse a Palestinian protest march that was organised following morning prayers.

Context: Palestinian leaders have threatened to cease security cooperation with Israeli forces as part of their response to the US plan. Security cooperation between the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF) and the IDF has proved vital in preventing terrorist activity by Hamas in the West Bank and other violent activity directed against Israelis.

• Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly sent Prime Minister Netanyahu a handwritten note in Arabic saying: “The plan is an American and Israeli disavowal of the Oslo accords, and so the Palestinian Authority now sees itself as free to disregard the agreements with Israel, including security cooperation.” Abbas has threatened to end security cooperation with Israel in the past only for it to continue as before.

• The Israeli media quote Maj Gen Aharon Haliva, the head of IDF Operations Division who said: “The IDF will know how to provide security. We are ready for outbreaks of violence in any area. We’ve bolstered the number of battalions in the West Bank and Gaza.”
• According to an assessment published by the Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies: “The IDF’s preparations also include stepped-up intelligence gathering in the West Bank and dialogue with a variety of influential figures in the area…. Col. (res.) Moshe Elad, one of the founders of security coordination between the IDF and the Palestinian Authority, said he doubted any significant level of popular violence was about to be ignited, and that sporadic demonstrations are more likely.”
• Palestinians protests have taken place at a number of locations in the West Bank, though turnout was relatively low and demonstrations were contained by the IDF and Border Police. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, 18 people were injured in Ramallah and Hebron on Thursday during demonstrations. In Ramallah, Israeli troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse demonstrators. According to Palestinian sources, 33 protesters have been arrested in the last 24 hours.

Looking ahead: The Arab League meeting tomorrow will indicate the level of support for the Palestinian Authority’s complete rejection of the US plan in the Arab world.

• Jordan’s King Abdullah rejected and criticised the US plan but the launch event in Washington was attended by Ambassadors from Bahrain, the UAE and Oman. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt issued statements that called for renewed talks between Israel and the Palestinians without directly criticising the plan at all.

• Palestinian Minister al-Sheikh confirmed that a PLO delegation will visit Hamas leaders in Gaza next week in order to agree a joint position against the US plan.