The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron, Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah. (MM 7/1; OCHA 7/2; PCHR 7/3)

Israel allows imports of humanitarian goods to Gaza, suspended on 6/24, to resume at a rate about 30% higher than before the truce was agreed, noting Hamas’s positive reaction to the 6/26 rocket fire by the AMB; imports include diesel fuel, animal feed, frozen meat, fresh produce. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin and Ramallah, nr. Bethlehem. (AYM, MM, NYT 6/30; OCHA 7/2; PCHR 7/3)

Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the c. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF fires tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets at a funeral procession in Bayt Umar for a teenager killed on 6/26, wounding 2 Palestinians; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Tubas (firing on stonethrowing teenagers who confront them, killing a 16-yr.-old Palestinian boy), nr. Ramallah. Jewish settlers ambush and attack a Palestinian taxi driver nr. Keddumim settlement nr. Qalqilya; the IDF rescues him. In the 2d such incident (see 6/22), unidentified assailants burn 2,000 d. of Palestinian olive groves and crop land w. of the separation wall nr. Tulkarm. Hamas-affiliated police find and demolish 2 smuggling tunnels in Rafah. In Gaza City, a bomb explodes in a market area located behind a Gaza municipal police station, causing damage but no injuries. (OCHA 7/2; PCHR 7/3)

Gaza’s border crossings remained sealed for a 3d day. The IDF fires warning shots at Palestinian farmers who stray nr. the Gaza border fence e. of Khan Yunis, seriously injuring 2 elderly Palestinians. The Israeli navy fires warning shots at fishermen to keep them close to shore. AMB mbrs. fire 2 rockets into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Hamas’s Gaza security chiefSiyam meets with heads of the various Gaza factions to discuss ways of reacting to IDF actions in the West Bank while respecting the Gaza cease-fire. Islamic Jihad pledges to coordinate its responses with Hamas. In the West Bank, the IDF makes an unusual daytime raid into Bayt Umar village nr. Hebron, setting up road blocks, checking IDs, raiding and searching homes, firing on stone-throwing youths who confront troops, killing a 16-yr.-old Palestinian boy, arresting 1 Palestinian; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus and Ramallah, nr. Bethlehem and Jenin, and outside East Jerusalem. Jewish settlers fr. Halamish nr. Ramallah burn a Palestinian olive tree. Nr. Jabaliya r.c., unidentified assailants detonate a bomb outside a fmr. PA Preventive Security officer’s home, causing damage but no injuries. (NYT, WT 6/27; MM 6/30; OCHA 7/2; PCHR 7/3)

The IDF makes a predawn raid on an apartment building in Nablus, assassinating Islamic Jihad cmdr. Tariq Abu Ghalil (targeted by the IDF on 3 prior occasions) and a bystander in an adjacent apartment. In response, Islamic Jihad mbrs. in Gaza fire 3 rockets, 1 mortar fr. Gaza into Israel, lightly injuring 2 Israelis, causing light injuries. Israel calls the rocket attacks a “grave violation of the calm,” closes all commercial crossing into the Strip, but does not take military action. Hamas calls the closure of the crossings a violation of the truce agmt. but says it will maintain the cease-fire. Meanwhile, the IDF uproots, replants more than 80 olive trees along the separation wall route around Jerusalem (farmers do not expect the trees to survive); fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinians demonstrating against separation wall construction in Ni‘lin nr. Ramallah (injuring 12 Palestinians, including an 11-yr.- old boy); fires rubber-coated steel bullets at residents of Far‘un village nr. Tulkarm who hold a protest march to a group of houses slated for IDF demolition, wounding a 9-yr.- old Palestinian boy; conducts late-night arrest raids and house searches in and around Hebron, nr. Tulkarm. Jewish settlers fr. Mitzpe Ya’ir nr. Hebron stone and injure 2 Palestinians nr. Yatta. (MM 6/24; MM, NYT, OCHA, WP 6/25; NYT, PCHR, WP 6/26; OCHA 7/2)

On the sidelines of a donors conference in Berlin, U.S. secy. of state Rice meets with Israeli and PA negotiators and invites them to take part a series of trilateral discussions in New York and Washington beginning in 7/08 in an effort to reach a deal on Palestinian statehood before Bush leaves office. The sides accept. (WP, WT 6/29; NYT 7/29)

As the cease-fire in Gaza generally continues to hold, Israel increases the amount of food and medicine allowed entry to Gaza by 50%. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah, in and around Jenin town and r.c., Nablus. Unidentified assailants burn 100 d. of Palestinian olive groves located on the western side of the separation wall nr. Tulkarm. In Gaza City, a bomb explodes outside a local IQB leader’s home, causing damage but no injuries. (WT 6/23; OCHA 6/25; PCHR 6/26)

For a 2d day, IDF troops on the c. Gaza border e. of al-Maghazi fire on Palestinian farmers who stray nr. the border fence while tending their fields, causing no injuries; a similar incident occurs along the s. Gaza border e. of Rafah, causing no injuries. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the Bayt Lahiya coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF raids and searches a house and several shops in Hebron; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Jenin town and r.c., in Qabatya, and nr. Hebron, Nablus. Jewish settlers fr. Nachliel nr. Ramallah, seeking revenge for the shooting of 3 settlers on 6/20, set fire to an olive tree, destroy 2 greenhouses in a Palestinian village nearby. (OCHA 6/25; PCHR 6/26)

IDF soldiers on the c. Gaza boarder e. of al-Maghazi fire on Palestinian farmers who stray nr. the border fence while tending their fields, causing no injuries.Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the Bayt Lahiya coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF issues a military order confiscating 1,500 d. of Palestinian land in Bayt Hanina for construction of the separation wall around Ramot settlement; searches a Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulance, a house in Bayt Umar nr. Hebron; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists taking part in the weekly nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in Bil‘in (10s suffer tear gas inhalation); severely beats and fires tear gas, percussion grenades at demonstrators at a similar protest al-Ma‘sara (injuring 2); conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, nr. Ramallah (arresting 9 Palestinian teenagers in Jalazun r.c.). Jewish settlers fr. Susia attack and beat several Palestinian farmers and shepherds in nearby Yatta, injuring 2. Several hrs. later, Jewish settlers fr. Mitzpe Ya’ir nr. Hebron attack Palestinian farmers and shepherds in the same area, injuring 3; the IDF detains the injured Palestinians for questioning. Unidentified gunmen shoot, wound 3 Jewish settlers hiking nr. Nachliel settlement nr. Ramallah. (OCHA 6/25; PCHR 6/26)

Hamas and Israel agree “in principle” on phased a cease-fire deal for Gaza to begin at 6:00 A.M. local time on 6/19 (11:00 P.M. 6/18 EST) and last for 6 mos. Meanwhile, in Gaza, the IDF makes an air strike on a car in Dayr al-Balah carrying 3 mbrs. of the Army of Islam (essentially the militia of the local Daghmash clan) in an apparent assassination attempt, initially missing the car and wounding 3 bystanders, firing a 2d missile that kills targeted Army of Islam mbr. Salah Salluha, wounding 2. Later the IDF makes an air strike on a car nr. Khan Yunis assassinating 5 Army of Islam mbrs. (including Mu‘ataz Daghmash, a senior mbr. and brother of the group’s leader). Later, Palestinians fire up to 10 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin and Nablus, nr. Hebron and Ramallah (MA, HA, YA 6/17; MM, NYT, OCHA; WP 6/18; PCHR 6/19; HA, MM 6/20; NYT 6/22; AYM, al-Hayat al-Jadida [Ramallah] 6/23)

Overnight, the IDF sends troops, bulldozers into al-Qarara, raiding and occupying several homes, bulldozing 150 d. of agricultural land and 1 Palestinian home, damaging 2 mosques, detaining and interrogating 11 Palestinians; during the operation, the IDF fires tank shells at armed Palestinians approaching the area, killing an 8-yr.-old Palestinian girl and 2 Hamas mbrs., wounding the girl’s mother and a 3-yr.-old boy. An IDF helicopter fires on an IQB post in Jabaliya r.c., killing a 65-yr.-old Palestinian man in a shop nearby, wounding his 5-yr.-old granddaughter. Palestinians fire 3 mortars fr. Gaza into Israel, lightly injuring 1 Israeli. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin town and r.c., in Nablus. The IDF also demolishes 3 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, displacing 25 Palestinians (including 18 children). Palestinian youths throw stones at IDF settler vehicles nr. Ramallah and East Jerusalem, causing no injuries. In Gaza’s Nussayrat r.c., a bomb explodes outside a Hamas activist’s home, causing damage but no injuries. (PCHR, WP 6/12; OCHA 6/18; PCHR 6/19)

Olmert authorizes his Kadima party to begin preparations for party primaries as early as late summer 2008 in effort to deter the Labor party fr. calling a no-confidence vote over the latest corruption charges against him, a move that could collapse the government and force new elections. (HA 6/11; MM, WP 6/12)

Overnight in Gaza, the IDF sends troops, bulldozers into Shuka to raid and search homes, arresting 1 Palestinian and remanding him to Israel, bulldozing 31 d. of almond and olive trees before withdrawing in the morning. During the day, the IDF fires an artillery shell at a rocket-launching site outside Gaza City, killing 3 Hamas mbrs., wounding 2; sends tanks, bulldozers into Gaza to bulldoze 10 d. of olive trees nr. Rafah. Islamic Jihad mbrs. fire several mortars fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries; the IDF responds with artillery fire, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF makes an overnight raid into Dayr Abu Mash‘al nr. Ramallah, occupying a Palestinian home as a military outpost, firing on stone-throwing youths who confront them, wounding 1 Palestinian teenager; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin, Nablus, and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah. A Palestinian seriously injured in a smuggling tunnel collapse in Rafah on 6/2 dies. (OCHA, WP 6/11; PCHR 6/12)

In the afternoon, the IDF sends troops, bulldozers into Abasan and al-Fukhari, firing on residential areas (wounding 1 Palestinian), leveling 15 d. of agricultural land.IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on a group of Palestinian civilians and journalists examining an agricultural plot recently bulldozed by the IDF nr. al-Bureij r.c., wounding 1 press photographer. Palestinians fire a rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, lightly injuring 1 Israeli. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night patrols in Ramallah and neighboring al-Bireh; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron, Ramallah. Jewish settlers begin work on a new unauthorized settlement outpost, Sinsana B, on 200 d. of privately owned Palestinian land nr. Hebron, a short distance fr. the existing unauthorized outpost Sinsana A; the IDF observes but does not intervene. Jewish settlers fr. Havat Ya’ir in Hebron, wielding iron pipes and heavy tools, beat an elderly Palestinian couple and their 32-yr.-old relative grazing sheep nearby, seriously injuring them. In Gaza’s Nussayrat r.c.,Hamas-affiliated police cordon off 2 apartments owned by PA PM Salam Fayyad’s cabinet secy. Sadi al-Krunz (Fatah), currently residing in Ramallah. (OCHA 6/11; PCHR 6/12)

As Israeli PM Olmert begins a 3-day visit to Washington, Israel announces that, in keeping with its Annapolis pledges to ease Palestinian movement, the IDF has removed 4 manned checkpoints (improving access to the Jordan Valley, Dead Sea, areas n. of Nablus, s. of Hebron) and 70 unmanned checkpoints (of around 600) across the West Bank, and plans further steps to ease the movement of agricultural goods btwn. the Jordan Valley and the northern West Bank. Israel also pledges to issue new permits to allow 5,000 Palestinian workers to remain overnight in Israel, 500 West Bank Palestinian businessmen to enter Israel, and 130 NGO employees and Palestinian VIPs to travel in and out of Israel more easily; authorizes the PA to set up 20 new police stations for new units undergoing training in Jordan. (IFM 6/3)

In Gaza, the IDF sends bulldozers into al-Qarara to level 100 d. of agricultural land; support troops fire on surrounding residential areas, wounding 1 Palestinian outside his home. Palestinian gunmen fire on an IDF unit patrolling the Israeli side of Gaza’s Kissufim crossing (nr. Khan Yunis; closed since Israel’s 9/05 disengagement fr. Gaza), wounding 1 soldier. Palestinians fire 3 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF uproots 47 olive trees nr. Ni‘lin for construction of the separation wall; conducts daytime house searches in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin town and r.c. and nr. Nablus, Ramallah, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers protesting the lifting of an IDF roadblock in Hebron block Palestinian traffic in parts of the city. Palestinians throw stones at Jewish settler vehicles nr. Ramallah, causing no injuries. (OCHA 6/4; PCHR 6/5)

As a goodwill gesture to the PA, which recently deployed a new security unit in Jenin, Israel begins allowing up to 100 Israeli Palestinians/day to travel to Jenin; visitors must return by nightfall and expect to undergo searches and questioning. Also in the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Tulkarm, nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba hold an outdoor celebration the “unification” of Jerusalem; the IDF bars Palestinians fr. using roads in the area. Palestinians throw stones at 2 Jewish settler buses in East Jerusalem and nr. Ramallah, causing no injuries. In Gaza, IDF tanks, bulldozers level land on the Palestinian side of the Qarni crossing. On the Rafah border, 1 Palestinian is killed, 4 are injured when 2 smuggling tunnels collapse. In Gaza City, the acting Hamas government organizes a military court that convicts 5 Palestinians on charges of forming an illegal organization in 7/07 and of plotting against the dismissed government of Ismail Haniyeh, sentencing them to unspecified prison terms. (HA 6/2; OCHA 6/4; PCHR 6/5)