The Palestine Chronology

Israel allows the 1st shipment of construction material for private rebuilding projects in Gaza, to be used to reconstruct 10 factories destroyed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during Operation Cast Lead (OCL) in 2008– 9. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-Azariyya outside Jerusalem, and nr. Bethlehem and Qalqilya (arresting 4 children ages 13–17); conducts latenight patrols in 3 villages nr. Jenin. (NYT, PCHR, WP 11/17; PCHR 11/24; OCHA 11/25)

In s. Lebanon, a bomb explodes at a hotel in Tyre that is frequented by UN employees, causing damage but no injuries. Minutes later another bomb damages a liquor store in the city, causing no injuries. The UN says it does not believe its employees were targets. (NYT 11/17)

During a regular security briefing to the Knesset, IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz says that Israel may need to strike Gaza if rocket fire continues, stating that Israel would initiate an operation before it would allow itself to be “dragged into” one. Later in the day, unidentified Palestinians fire 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, damaging an empty kindergarten but causing no injuries. Late at night, the IDF carries out 2 air strikes (warplane and drone) targeting a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border and a group of armed Palestinians nr. Jabaliya, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 4 Palestinian homes n. of Jericho; patrols in al-Bireh and 3 villages nr. Ramallah during the day; conducts late-night house searches nr. Nablus, confiscating computers but making no arrests. Taking inspiration from the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1960s, 6 Palestinian peace activists, dubbed the Freedom Riders, board an Israeli commuter bus linking the West Bank Jewish settlements with Jerusalem and are arrested at an IDF checkpoint outside the city. The Israeli Housing Min. launches a major advertising campaign selling 277 subsidized apartments in Ariel settlement nr. Salfit, 743 in Ramot and 130 in Har Homa settlement in Jerusalem, and 164 in Mod’in nr. Ramallah, as well as leasing 213 plots of land zoned for construction in Efrat settlement nr. Bethlehem, 207 in Mod’in, 168 in Har Homa, and 18 in Pisgat Ze’ev in Jerusalem. (JP, WP 11/16; PCHR 11/17; OCHA 11/18)

Retaliating for the 10/31 UNESCO vote, Netanyahu suspends the transfer of VAT taxes Israel collects on the PA’s behalf and orders accelerated construction of 2,000 settlement housing units in East Jerusalem’s Har Homa settlement and the nearby West Bank settlements Efrat and Ma’ale Adumim, calling it Israel’s “right and obligation” to build in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Palestinian IP addresses and Palestinian phone networks in the West Bank and Gaza come under “multiple attacks” by computer hackers originating from many countries; the PA says the attacks appeared linked to the UNESCO vote and it believes they were “organized by a state” [i.e., Israel]. (HA, NYT, WP 11/2)

The IDF drops flyers over Khan Yunis warning residents to stay away fr. the 300-m. no-go zone. IDF troops manning the observation towers on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians and international activists marching toward the border to protest Israel’s imposition of a no-go zone; no casualties are reported. In the evening, unidentified Palestinians fire a rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c. nr. Nablus and nr. Jenin; conducts late-night patrols in Jenin. The Israeli Comm. against House Demolitions (ICHAD) submits a report to the UN special rapporteurs on Palestine that concludes that Israeli policies in East Jerusalem (e.g., restricting building permits, demolitions, revoking permanent residency status) are forcing Palestinians to flee in what may constitute a war crime. In the West Bank, the IDF rearrests senior Hamas official Hassan Yousef in Ramallah for having links to a “terrorist” organization; Yousef was 1st arrested in 2005, was released on 8/4/11 as part of a mass release to ease prison overcrowding. (JP 11/1; PCHR 11/3; OCHA 11/4)