The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a 13-year-old Palestinian in Bayt Liqya village nr. Ramallah during a patrol. Meanwhile, PA security forces kill a man in Hebron during a raid. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Hebron at night; patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron during the day. Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishermen, sinking 1 boat. (MNA, REU 10/16; PCHR 10/23)

Senior Hamas official Musa Abu Marzuq confirms that indirect cease-fire talks with Israel will resume at the end of 10/2014 in Cairo. Meanwhile, U.S. Secy. of State Kerry calls for a resumption of the peace negotiations during remarks at a State Dept. event for ‘Id al-Adha. (AFP, REU, YA 10/16)

EU foreign affairs chief Ashton and Iranian FM Zarif hold a 2d day of talks in Vienna, and also meet with senior diplomats from the P5+1 group. The focus of the talks are remaining differences related to lifting sanctions and Iran’s uranium enrichment levels. (REU 10/17)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces clash with Palestinians at Haram al-Sharif, leaving 15 worshippers injured. (HA, MNA 9/24; PCHR 9/25)

Hamas and Fatah officials meet in Cairo to discuss further implementation of the national reconciliation agreement signed in 4/2014. They discuss the possible obstacles to the return of the PA unity govt. to the Gaza Strip. (AFP, REU 9/24)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with PA Pres. Abbas in New York, as world leaders convene for the UN General Assembly (UNGA). (MNA 9/24)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats on 2 separate occasions (nr. Rafah and nr. alSudaniyya), causing no injuries or damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and wound a Palestinian driving through a checkpoint nr. Qalqilya. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Jenin and Tulkarm, and in Nablus, where clashes break out with residents, and 2 Palestinians are injured with live ammunition. During the day, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, and 1 village each nr. Jericho, Salfit, and Jenin. IDF troops also demolish a dairy factory in Hebron owned by the Islamic Charitable Society. (MNA, WAFA 9/2; PCHR 9/4)

 Wael Atiyeh, Egypt’s amb. to Palestine, says that no date has yet been set for a return to indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, and that an agenda for the meetings in Cairo also needs to be finalized. Meanwhile, Qais Abdel Karim, a mbr. of the Palestinian delegation, says that Israel’s shunning of talks would “render the cease-fire null and void,” responding to reports in the Israeli media that Netanyahu does not intend to resume cease-fire talks. (JP, MNA 9/2)

The U.S. State Dept. and the EU foreign affairs office both condemn Israel’s recent expropriation of 988 acres in the West Bank on 8/31. (HA, WAFA 9/2)

A roadside bomb kills 11 Egyptian police officers nr. al-Wifaq in the Sinai Peninsula close to the Gaza border. (AP 9/2)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF launches strikes on several targets, killing 10 Palestinians. The attacks come shortly after the announcement of an extension to the 72-hour cease-fire. Meanwhile, unexploded ordnance kills 6 Palestinians in Bayt Lahiya, including a reporter with the Associated Press. Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishermen off the s. coast of the Gaza Strip, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning; and in Hebron and 3 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nearby, and in 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU, YA 8/13; PCHR 8/4)

In Cairo overnight, reps. of Israel and the Palestinian delegation agree to extend the cease-fire by 5 days, shortly before the previous 72-hour cease-fire expires. Meanwhile, State Dept. spokesperson Harf tells reporters that the U.S. wants a “more sustainable, longer-term cease-fire,” with one of the goals being the disarmament of Hamas. Harf also says the U.S. is committed to the reconstruction of Gaza. Pres. Obama speaks with Netanyahu on the telephone and urges him to make a deal to end the hostilities. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU, YA 8/13)

The IDF continues its assault on the Gaza Strip by land, sea, and air, killing 92 Palestinians. In one strike, 10 mbrs. of one Palestinian family in the Rafah area are killed. In another incident, an Israeli air strike on a UN-run school in the s. Gaza Strip kills 10 and wounds 30. Armed Palestinian groups continue firing projectiles into Israel, with al-Qassam Brigades firing 119 rockets and mortar rounds, causing no serious injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian child during clashes nr. Hebron. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Jenin, and Salfit, and al-Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah at night. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU 8/3; PCHR 8/4)

UN Secy.-Gen. Ban denounces the Israeli attack that damages the UN school as a “moral outrage and a criminal act.” State Dept. spokesperson Psaki says in a statement that the U.S. is “appalled by today’s disgraceful shelling” and urges Israel to do more to prevent civilian casualties. The IDF says the strike was targeting Islamic Jihad operatives in the vicinity of the school. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, REU, YA 8/3)

Meanwhile, the IDF confirms that in the incident on 8/1 that led to the breakdown of the cease-fire, the soldier was killed in action rather than kidnapped, as was originally reported, and says that it is preparing for the final stage of the destruction of Hamas’s tunnels. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, REU 8/3)

A delegation of reps. from Hamas and Islamic Jihad arrives in Cairo to prepare for indirect cease-fire talks with Israeli officials, to be mediated by Egyptian and U.S. officials. Israel does not send envoys as scheduled. The Palestinian delegation, joining officials from the PA, presents joint demands for a cease-fire. (HA, JP, MNA, REU, YA 8/3)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Ramallah at night; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning, patrols in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 3 villages nr. Hebron at night. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih) and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum). There are no serious injuries except in Bil‘in, where 1 is struck by a tear gas canister and in Nabi Salih, where 5 are wounded by bullets. (PCHR 3/13)

Israeli PM Netanyahu tells Israeli television that the govt. would give up “some settlements” in the West Bank as part of a peace agreement, but that he would “ensure the number will be as small as possible,” if talks progress that far. Meanwhile, U.S. State Dept. spokesperson Jen Psaki tells reporters that the U.S. recognizes Israel as a Jewish state but that Palestinian recognition is not a precondition in peace talks. (JP, REU 3/7)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry visits Jordan for talks with King Abdallah in Aqaba on the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. (AFP, REU 3/7)

In clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and Egyptian security forces across the country, including Suez, Alexandria, and al-Arish, 3 protesters are killed and 48 wounded. An Egyptian official says 17 police officers are wounded in the clashes in Cairo. (AFP, REU 3/7)

Iranian Foreign Ministry official Hamid Baidinejad says that representatives of Iran and the P5+1 countries have held “substantive and useful” talks in Vienna in preparation for the next meeting of chief negotiators on 3/18. EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton confirms the Iranian official’s assessment of the talks, via a statement from her office in Brussels. (AFP, REU 3/7)

In response to the Israeli allegations regarding the ship intercepted in the Red Sea on 3/5, Iranian FM Zarif rejects Israeli allegations, calling claims of Iranian involvement a “lie.” Senior Islamic Jihad official Khalid al-Baths denies the group’s involvement in the seized missile shipment. (AFP, AP, REU 3/7)

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces open fire on open farmland nr. Dayr al-Balah, causing no injuries. Separately, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion nr. Bayt Lahiya to level land. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 3 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron at night; patrols in al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 3 villages nr. Hebron at night. Jewish settlers throw rocks at a vehicle belonging to the PA Ministry of Health nr. Nablus, causing light injuries. (MNA 1/14; PCHR 1/16)

Reports surface in the Israeli media attributing Israeli DM Ya’alon with remarks describing U.S. Secy. of State Kerry as “obsessive” and “messianic.” The comments, made to associates in private, are condemned by the U.S. State Dept. Following a meeting with Netanyahu, Ya’alon issues an apologetic statement. The next day, Kerry tells reporters at a press conference in Kuwait that he would not let “one set of comments undermine peace efforts.” (AFP, HA, JP 1/14; HA 1/15)

The PLO Executive Cmte. meets in Ramallah, presided over by Pres. Abbas, and releases a statement that says the peace process will likely collapse unless it is based on relevant internationally-recognized terms of reference. (WAFA 1/14)

A referendum is held in Egypt on a new constitution, with the Muslim Brotherhood boycotting the vote and holding protests. Some 160,000 soldiers and 200,000 police officers are deployed to secure polling stations. Two small bombs explode, 1 in Cairo and 1 in Mahalla, causing no injuries. Clashes between supporters of former pres. Morsi and security forces leave 11 dead in Cairo, Giza, Bani Suef, and Sohag. (AFP, AP, REU 1/14)