The Palestine Chronology

Another FGM boat (see 8/23) carrying 27 international activists defies Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, sails into a Gaza port delivering humanitarian supplies; Israeli naval vessels do not challenge the boat. In the West Bank, IDF troops operating in Yamun village nr. Jenin before dawn fatally shoot a 67-yr.-old Palestinian shepherd who fired a rifle at the patrol fearing they were rustlers; demolish 6 structures in the bedouin village of Umm al-Khayr nr. Carmiel settlement s. of Hebron, displacing 45 Palestinians, including a 1-wk.-old baby; conduct late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin town and r.c., in Nablus, and nr. Bethlehem and Hebron. Israel’s High Court orders Jewish settlers to vacate the illegal outpost of Beit Shalom, in the al-Rajabi building in Hebron, within 24 hrs. or face eviction (at the end of the quarter, however, the settlers have not been forced to leave). Israel’s High Court also gives approval for the demolition of the historic Ma’man Allah Muslim cemetery (4,000 tombs) in West Jerusalem for construction of the Center for Human Dignity–Museum of Tolerance, designed by Frank Gehry. (NYT, PCHR, WP 10/30; OCHA 11/5; PCHR 11/6; OCHA 11/19s)

A Palestinian fr. the West Bank village of Tuqu‘ nr. Bethlehem, apparently acting alone, enters the Jewish settlement of Gilo, stabs and wounds an Israeli police officer and fatally stabs an 86-yr.-old Jewish settler before being caught by another Gilo resident. Later, the IDF raids, searches several homes in Tuqu‘, arresting 2 Palestinians (including a young woman). The IDF also enters al-‘Arub r.c. in pursuit of Palestinian youths who allegedly threw stones at passing IDF vehicles, detaining 4 children for 3 hrs.; begins bulldozing Palestinian land in the al-‘Amra nature reserve, located w. of the separation wall s. of Jenin; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus. (NYT 10/24; OCHA 10/29; PCHR 10/30)

The IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Jenin town and r.c. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai settlement in Hebron attack Palestinians and international peace activists harvesting olive groves outside of Hebron, injuring 1 Palestinian and 1 solidarity activist; the IDF closes the area, orders everyone to leave. Jewish settlers fr. Elon Moreh attack a Palestinian family harvesting their olive grove nr. the settlement, destroying the collected olives. Jewish settlers attack Palestinians harvesting olives nr. Qalqilya; the IDF closes the area, orders everyone to leave. Jewish settlers fr. Mevo Dotan nr. Jenin violently beat a Palestinian man harvesting his olives nearby. (OCHA 10/22; PCHR 10/23; AIC 11/9)

In the West Bank, the IDF makes a predawn raid on Kafr Malik nr. Hebron, firing on 2 Palestinians allegedly carrying Molotov cocktails, killing 1 Palestinian; makes a predawn raid on Qabatya nr. Jenin (which is under daytime PA security control), arresting 4 Islamic Jihad mbrs., confiscating 88 lbs. of explosives; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-Fara‘a r.c., Jenin town and r.c. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim nr. Qalqilya burn a Palestinian olive grove. Jewish settlers fr. Elon Moreh nr. Nablus slash the tires, break the windows of the car of a Palestinian family harvesting their olive grove nearby; IDF soldiers observe but refuse requests of the Palestinian family to intervene. Jewish settlers fr. Efrat and Kefar Etzion nr. Bethlehem, escorted by the IDF, set up several mobile homes at an abandoned IDF post in Bayt Sahur, hold prayers in local park. (NYT 10/17; OCHA 10/22; PCHR 10/23; AIC 11/9)

In the West Bank, the IDF fires on stonethrowing Palestinians in Jalazun r.c. leaving a funeral for the teenager killed nr. Beit El on 10/14, fatally shooting 1 Palestinian; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin, Tulkarm. (PCHR 10/16; NYT 10/17; OCHA 10/22; PCHR 10/23)

Inside Israel, Israeli Jews and Palestinians in Acre engage in their 4th straight night of rioting and sectarian violence; 2 Palestinian apartment buildings set on fire; some 12 people are arrested. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in Tubas and nr. Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus. Jewish settlers fr. Susia nr. Hebron raid nearby a Palestinian home, beat 3 Palestinians. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar and Brakha attack local Palestinians harvesting olives. (WP 10/12; NYT 10/13; OCHA 10/15; PCHR 10/16)

In the West Bank, IDF undercover units make an early morning incursion into al-Fara’a r.c. in a truck with Palestinian license plates, apparently targeting the wrong home, next door to that of a wanted Islamic Jihad mbr., shooting and wounding an innocent Palestinian. The IDF also conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus (violently beating 2 Palestinians who were slow in opening their doors, leaving a 55-yr.-old man partially paralyzed), nr. Jenin. In Hebron, Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba attack and beat a 55-yr.-old Palestinian woman; at least 3 Palestinians rush to her defense, and the fight expands, prompting Israeli soldiers and border police to intervene, arresting 2 Palestinians (including a 9-yr.-old boy). Nr. Salfit, Palestinians set fire to a parked Jewish settler vehicle. In East Jerusalem nr. Issawiyya, Jewish settlers attempt to take over a plot of Palestinian land for a new outpost, plowing and planting it over to establish claim; Palestinian residents drive them away. (OCHA 10/8; PCHR 10/9; AIC 11/9)

The Israeli navy fires on Palestinian fishing boats off the Gaza coast, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, in Dahaysha r.c. and Jenin town and r.c., and nr. Nablus and Tulkarm (targeting Islamic Jihad). (OCHA 10/8; PCHR 10/9)

The Israeli navy fires on Palestinian fishing boats off the Gaza coast, wounding 1 fisherman. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Jenin. (OCHA 10/8; PCHR 10/9)

In the afternoon, IDF troops on the s. Gaza border nr. al-Qarara fire on 2 unarmed Palestinians who stray nr. the border fence, order them to lie on the ground, then send soldiers into Gaza to arrest and remand them to Israel. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts afternoon arrest raids nr. Tulkarm; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, percussion grenades at Palestinian, Israeli, international peace activists taking part in a nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in Bil‘in (1 Palestinian journalist, 1 Japanese activist are wounded); fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international peace activists taking part in a similar nonviolent demonstration in Ni‘lin (wounding 7); conducts late-night house searches in Jenin town and r.c. but makes no arrests. At least 50 Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba attack Palestinians harvesting olives nearby, injuring 1 Palestinian and 2 Israeli peace activists aiding with the harvest. (OCHA 10/8; PCHR 10/9)