The Palestine Chronology

Israeli naval vessels halt a Palestinian fishing boat 2 naut. mi. off the Gaza coast, detaining 6 fishermen and confiscating the boat; 5 of the fishermen (all Palestinians) are questioned and released by nightfall; the 6th fisherman (an Egyptian) is arrested. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning patrols in Qalqilya, 3 villages nr. Ramallah, 2 each nr. Jericho and Tulkarm, and 1 nr. Jenin; patrols in 3 villages nr. Tulkarm (2 synchronized) and 1 nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon; conducts latenight arrest raids and house searches in and around Hebron, in Jenin, and nr. Tubas; and conducts late-night patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, 2 nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Jenin. (PCHR 5/3; OCHA 5/4)

Netanyahu says he plans to meet with his coalition partners soon to debate calling early elections for fall 2012, a year ahead of schedule. (WP 4/30)

Addressing a hostile American audience at a conference in New York organized by the Jerusalem Post, fmr. Israeli PM Ehud Olmert strongly criticizes PM Netanyahu for his policies towards the Palestinians, the peace process, and Iran and his dismissive stands towards the U.S. and the international community, characterizing them dangerous and counterproductive. The crowd boos him, shouting “naïve!” and “Neville Chamberlain!” to which he responds: “I love very much the courage of those who live 10,000 miles away from the State of Israel and . . . [encourage] every possible mistake that will cost lives of Israelis.” (NYT 4/30; JPI 5/11

Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. IDF troops make a brief incursion into n. Gaza to level land and clear lines of sight along the border fence n. of Bayt Hanun, occasionally firing on the surrounding area to keep Palestinians away (no injuries reported). In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 2 Palestinian water tanks serving Palestinian agricultural land in area C; bulldozes 1 d. of agricultural land nr. Qalandia (n. of Jerusalem) that was previously confiscated for construction of the separation wall; conducts morning patrols in Qalqilya and 1 nearby village, 2 villages each nr. Ramallah and Tulkarm, and 1 nr. Jericho; afternoon patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 nr. Jenin; late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron; and late-night patrols in Bayt Umar, Birzeit, Jericho and 1 nearby village, Tulkarm, and 2 villages nr. Hebron and Ramallah (firing tear gas and stun grenades at stone-throwing Palestinian youths who confront them). Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus, escorted by IDF troops, throw stones at a Palestinian elementary school in nearby Ourif village; when local Palestinians throw stones back at the settlers, IDF soldiers fire tear gas at them to force them to disperse, causing no serious injuries. (JP, YA 4/23; PCHR 4/26; OCHA 4/27)

A Turkish official says that Turkey has blocked NATO from inviting Israel to participate in a NATO summit planned for Chicago in 5/2012 as part of a NATO outreach program to boost ties with nonmember states. NATO officials deny that the issue was ever discussed. Israel does not comment. (WP 4/24)

The IDF demolishes 4 agricultural storehouses, 6 barnyards, and 3 wells in Rafat village nr. Salfit; bulldoze 3 wells, a water network, and 2 d. of agricultural land in Dura village nr. Hebron to expand an IDF post to better protect local Jewish settlers; patrols in Qalqilya in the morning (see 4/15) and in 4 nearby villages in the evening and late at night. (PCHR 4/19; OCHA 4/20)

Israel detains all but a few of 100s of pro-Palestinian protesters attempting to enter Israel through Ben-Gurion Airport to attend an anti-occupation rally in Bethlehem. Organizers claim that more than 1,500 supporters booked tickets to Israel, but only 3 make it to Bethlehem. Israel says most were stopped at their point of departure after it gave foreign governments no-fly lists identifying suspected activists. (NYT, WP, WT 4/16; JPI 4/27)

Israeli naval vessels detain a fishing boat that approaches the 3 naut. mi. boundary off the Gaza coast, detaining and questioning 3 fishermen onboard, releasing them by the end of the day, but confiscating their boat. Unidentified Palestinians fire at least 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Late at night, an Israeli warplane makes an air strike on an open area nr. Gaza City, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning patrols inside Jericho and Qalqilya (normally the PA security forces have security control during daylight hours and the IDF stays away), as well as in 1 village nr. Ramallah; conducts afternoon patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya (synchronized), 2 nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Jericho; and conducts late-night patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr. Nachliel settlement nr. Ramallah uproot around 250 olive trees on a nearby plot of Palestinian land. Jewish settlers fr. Ma’on settlement nr. Hebron fire at several Palestinian farmers and shepherds working nearby, causing no reported injuries. (JP, YA 4/15; PCHR 4/19; OCHA 4/20)

The New York Times reports that around this date, the PASF detains 2 prominent Palestinians for posting comments critical of the PA on Facebook: Palestinian blogger Jamal Abu Raihan for posing a satirical column depicting PA Pres. Abbas as a donkey and complaining of PA corruption; and Palestinian journalist Tareq Khamees for posting a comment in support of others who have recently been arrested for criticizing the PA (also seizing his laptop). By this date, the PA Atty. Gen. Ahmad al-Mughni has also ordered PA authorities to block several websites supportive of Abbas rival, former Gaza security chief Muhammad Dahlan. (NYT 5/7) (see 4/5/12 and Quarterly Update in JPS 164 for details)

Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 nr. Qalqilya, afternoon patrols in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm and 1 nr. Jenin; and late-night patrols in 3 villages nr. Jenin, 2 nr. Salfit, and 1 nr. Qalqilya. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil’in, Kafr Qaddum, Nabi Salih, and Ni’lin; protests in Bil’in and Ni’lin also call for solidarity with prisoners and national unity. IDF soldiers fire live ammunition (Nabi Salih only), rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 13 Palestinians (5 in Bil’in, including 1 child; 8 in Nabi Salih, including 1 child) and 2 Israeli activists (in Nabi Salih) were injured. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba in Hebron violently beat 2 Palestinians working their land nearby (1 requires hospitalization) and uproot 10s of olive trees. (PCHR 4/19; OCHA 4/20)

Israeli and Palestinian officials confirm that discussions are underway for a high-level meeting between Israeli PM Netanyahu and PA PM Salam al-Fayyad after Passover ends on 4/13. Fayyad plans to hand Netanyahu a letter from Abbas, which in its current draft includes Palestinian conditions for a return to negotiations (including Israel halting settlement expansion and accepting 1967 lines the basis for talks) and an enumeration of Israeli actions that the Palestinians find counterproductive to peace. (NYT 4/5)

Israeli security forces evict Jewish settler families fr. a house in Hebron that they occupied ca. 4/2/12. Meanwhile, Netanyahu calls on Israel’s atty. gen. to “find a solution” for the unauthorized outpost of Ulpana (which he terms a neighborhood of Beit El settlement) in Hebron that an Israeli court ordered demolished by 5/1/12. He also says that he plans to convene a meeting with DM Barak to seek the permits retroactively to legalize 3 other unauthorized settlement outposts (Bruchin, Rachelim, and Sansanna). Separately, Israel’s Housing Min. issues bids for construction of 800 new settlement housing units in Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem. (NYT, PCHR, WT 4/5; OCHA 4/13)

Israel allows a small shipment of diesel fuel for Gaza’s power plant allowing 1 turbine to restart for the 1st time since 3/25/12, but rolling blackouts remain up to 16 hrs./day across the Strip. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire into the abandoned Erez industrial zone late at night, causing no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah in the morning and another late at night; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Kafr Qaddum (arresting 20) and nr. Tulkarm. (PCHR 4/5; PCHR 4/12)

A senior Palestinian official speaking anonymously says that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators plan to meet soon, for the 1st time since 1/25/12 in Amman. Meanwhile, Netanyahu holds a rare news conference, saying that he still hopes to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians based on a 2-state solution. He states: “I don’t want a binational state. . . . For as long as it depends on me, we will ensure the Jewish and democratic character of Israel.” (WT 4/4) Netanyahu calls on the Israeli military to delay the eviction of the Jewish settler families who moved into a Hebron house several days ago without securing the proper permits, saying they should be allowed to remain in the house until their case is heard in court; the settlers ignore the IDF’s 4/2/12 eviction orders. (NYT 4/4)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) rejects a PA request to sign the ICC’s founding treaty (the Rome Statute), reaffirming that only internationally recognized states can join the court. The ruling means the automatic rejection of a PA request for the ICC to form a permanent war crimes tribunal to investigate Israeli actions during its 2008–9 Operation Cast Lead offensive against Gaza. The only alternative is for the UNSC to ask for a tribunal. (NYT, WP 4/4)

Late in the evening, IDF troops on the c. Gaza border e. of Gaza City fatally shoot a knife-wielding Palestinian teenager who approaches the border fence; his family says the boy had made comments about wanting to avenge the death of his sister, who was killed during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead assault on Gaza in 2008–9. In the West Bank, OCHA reports that the IDF has removed 5 barriers, gates, and unmanned checkpoints nr. Nablus and Tulkarm that have been in place since 2000–2, greatly improving movement between Nablus and Bayt Dajan and Zawata, and among Tulkarm, Izbat Shufa, and Shufa. The IDF patrols in 2 villages each nr. Ramallah and Tulkarm and 1 each nr. Jericho and Jenin in the morning; conducts rare daytime arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin; conducts afternoon patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho and 2 nr. Ramallah (synchronized); conducts late-night patrols in `Ayn al-Sultan r.c., Jericho (twice), Tulkarm, and 1 village each nr. Jenin (firing stun grenades at stone-throwing youths who confront them, causing no injuries), Jericho and Salfit; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Umar. (OCHA, PCHR 4/5)

Early in the morning, the IDF drops leaflets from helicopters over n. Gaza border areas nr. Bayt Lahiya warning that the IDF will use deadly force against anyone approaching the border fence. Late at night, IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire on residential areas of Khan Yunis, damaging a house but causing no injuries. On the Rafah border, 1 Palestinian is killed and 2 are injured in a smuggling tunnel collapse. In the West Bank, Israel’s Shin Bet arrests 13 Palestinians fr. al-Am’ari r.c. (including 2 Palestinian Red Crescent Society employees, the goalie of Palestine’s Olympic soccer team, and a senior PA intelligence officer) for plotting a series of attacks on IDF soldiers nr. Ramallah, claiming that the prominent mbrs. of the group intended to use their status to perpetrate attacks. The IDF seals off a plot of land in the al-Ja’wana area Bayt Furik village (nr. Nablus), confiscating 6 tents and 2 water tanks belonging to local Palestinians; patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (synchronized) and 1 nr. Qalqilya in the morning; patrols in 3 villages nr. Jenin, Qalqilya, and Ramallah in the afternoon; and conducts late-night patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm. The IDF also conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya and nr. Nablus. A Palestinian shot during an arrest raid nr. Ramallah on 3/26 dies of his injuries. (OCHA, PCHR 4/5; JPI 4/13)

The IDF issues an eviction order to several Jewish settler families who moved into a house in Hebron, near the al-Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs, several days ago that they claim to have purchased fr. the Palestinian owner (who claims the deeds were forged). The IDF cites the settlers for failing to secure the proper permits from the Israeli military to reside in the West Bank, calling their presence “a risk to public order,” and ordering them to vacate the building by 3:00 p.m. local time on 4/3. (NYT 4/4, 4/5)