Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Gaza border violence subsides after March 31 protests /update 7

Event

Violence along the Israel-Gaza border has generally subsided as of Monday, April 2, following protests on Saturday, March 31, in which some 70 Palestinians were shot and wounded. Saturday's protests followed large-scale Palestinian protests and clashes between Palestinians and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops along the border on Friday, March 30 ("Land Day"), in which at least 15 Palestinians were killed and over 1400 others wounded. Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas announced a national day of mourning on Saturday following the violence; a general strike was held in the West Bank, and thousands of people marched in the Gaza Strip protesting the violence. Despite the dissipation of violence, more protests remain likely as March 30 also marked the launch of six weeks of planned Palestinian demonstrations along the Israel-Gaza border.

Meanwhile, in the wake of last week's violence, IDF spokesman Ronen Manelis has threatened that the IDF would expand military operations inside the Gaza Strip if the planned protests continue. Additional Palestinian demonstrations and clashes between Palestinian protesters and IDF personnel are expected along the Israel-Gaza border in the coming weeks as the planned six-week protests are anticipated to continue until May 15.

Context

Security across Israel was stepped up considerably in late March in anticipation of a series of sensitive events, including Land Day and Passover. An Israeli general warned on March 28 that the army would open fire on anyone who approached the "no go" zone along the Israeli border "dangerously." Additional Israeli troops, including 100 snipers, were deployed to the border area and the border fence was reinforced.

Land Day commemorates the events of March 30, 1976, when six Arab-Israeli citizens were killed and hundreds more wounded or arrested amid a general strike and widespread protests over land confiscated by Israeli authorities.

This year, March 30 also coincided with the start of the Jewish Passover holiday, which runs until Saturday, April 7. Israeli security forces typically maintain a heightened security presence in East Jerusalem during Passover and forbid Palestinians from entering Israel to work, including those with valid permits. Security measures have been strengthened across Israel this year for Passover, and have included operations to arrest undocumented Palestinian workers in the country.

Advice

Individuals present in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to avoid all protests or other public gatherings due to the high risk of violence and to monitor developments to the situation. Due to the underlying terrorist threat, travelers in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Some Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.