- Chronology:January 16, 2009 - April 15, 2009
Abbreviations
ABC, ABC News
AFP, Agence France Presse
Al-Arabiya, Alarabiya.net
Al-Jazeera, Aljazeera.net
AN, ArabicNews.com
Asharq Alawsat
AP, Associated Press
BBC, www.bbc.co.uk
CNN, www.cnn.com
Dawn, www.dawn.com
DT, Daily Times
Echorouk, www.echoroukonline.com
Ennahar, www.ennaharonline.com
FT, Financial Times
The Guardian
GN, Gulf News
Haaretz
Hurriyet
The Independent
IHT, International Herald Tribune
JP, The Jerusalem Post
JT, The Jordan Times
KT, Khaleej Times
MNA, Ma'an News Agency
Magharebia, www.magharebia.com
M&G, Mail and Guardian
McClatchy, www.mcclatchydc.com
The National
NPR, National Public Radio
The News, www.thenews.com.pk
NYT, New York Times
Payvand
RFE-RL, Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty
Reuters
SFC, The San Francisco Chronicle
The Times
VOA, Voice of America
WP, The Washington Post
YT, Yemen Times
Ynet, Ynet News
Zaman
Arab-Israeli Conflict
See also Israel, Palestinian Affairs, Regional Affairs, Sudan
Jan. 17:
After three weeks of heavy fighting in the Gaza Strip, Israel announced an end to operations against Hamas. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared that Operation Cast Lead had been successful. The unilateral ceasefire would go into effect at 2:00 AM on January 18 and Israeli Defense Force (IDF) troops would withdraw gradually. Spokesmen from Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip pledged to continue fighting until Israel fully withdrew and lifted the siege on the Palestinian enclave. [Al-Jazeera, 1/18]
Jan. 18:
Hamas leaders in Damascus declared a cessation of rocket attacks for a week as Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza. Hamas Prime Minister Isma'il Haniya declared victory for the Palestinian people in withstanding the three-week invasion by Israeli forces. In the hours between Israel and Hamas's unilateral ceasefires, almost 20 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel. The rockets landed in the city of Ashdod, injuring one and prompting an Israeli reprisal which killed one Palestinian in the city of Khan Yunus. [BBC, 1/18]
In the midst of clean-up efforts in Gaza, Palestinian sources reported 95 previously uncounted bodies were found in rubble across the Gaza Strip, including both civilians and Islamic Jihad fighters. The findings brought the amount of casualties on the Palestinian side to over 1,300 versus 13 Israelis killed. [Ynet, 1/18]
Jan. 21:
Israel withdrew its last ground troops from the Gaza Strip. The soldiers were redeployed along the border as the IDF announced that it would maintain high alert status, but would gradually begin releasing reservists from duty. The IDF also announced the launch of an internal inquiry into charges that Israel used illegal weapons—such as white phosphorous —during Operation Cast Lead. [NYT, 1/21] [End Page 460]
Jan. 22:
US President Barack Obama appointed former Senator George Mitchell as a special envoy to the Middle East. Mitchell had been a top mediator for peace talks in Northern Ireland under the Clinton Administration and chaired a fact-finding mission to the Middle East in 2001. [WP, 1/22]
Jan. 27:
Violence resumed along the Gaza border as Palestinian militants attacked an IDF patrol near the Kissufim border crossing, killing one Israeli soldier. Israel returned fire, leaving one Palestinian farmer dead. Later, a strike in Khan Yunus by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) killed a Hamas member, whom Israeli authorities deemed responsible for the morning's attack. [Al-Jazeera, 1/28]
Feb. 3:
A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip landed in the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon. The attack marked the first rocket attack on a city since the ceasefires were declared in January. Israel retaliated with IAF raids on Hamas targets in Rafah, Khan Yunus, and Beit Lahiya. [Ynet, 2/3]
Feb. 5:
Israeli troops killed an Islamic Jihad commander in the northern West Bank. IDF sources reported they were trying to arrest 'Ala al-Din Abu al-Rub at his home in the village of Qabatiya, but found him fully armed. His family and Islamic Jihad's militant wing, the al-Quds Brigade, claimed the killing was a targeted assassination and vowed revenge. [MNA, 2/5]
Feb. 16:
The mayor of the West Bank Jewish settlement of Efrat...