January 1 - Nizar Rayan, 49, Palestinian military commander, airstrike.

He said the Israelis had been trying to speak to Palestinian commanders for hours.

Several well-known Palestinian commanders are keeping a lower profile now, out of fear that they will be chosen for attack.

Israeli and Palestinian commanders had said this was definitely the day when an initial group of 150 policemen would come to Rafah.

"We don't have the mentality of government officials," acknowledged a senior Palestinian military commander.

"You cannot speak with the Palestinian commanders who get the orders without also speaking with those who give the orders," he said.

"Palestinian commanders are blamed as collaborators by Palestinian society" when they cooperate, so any such cooperation needs to remain secret, he said.

But some complain that their Palestinian commanders are still living in the past.

"The Palestinian commanders don't know how to train us in police techniques," said 19-year-old Khaled Fireena.

Negotiations throughout the day today produced a meeting between ranking Israeli and Palestinian military commanders.