The Palestine Chronology

After 2 unidentified assailants stab and injure an Israeli youth outside the Old City in East Jerusalem, then flee the scene, the Israeli police set up mobile checkpoints in the area, search the area, and arrest 2 Palestinians suspected of carrying out the attack. In the evening, a separate Palestinian youth turns himself in in connection with the morning attack. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians on late-night raids in the Old City. Overnight off Gaza’s coast, a Hamas fighter dies during unspecified military activities and Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries. Later, IDF troops stationed along the border fence open fire on Palestinian farmers nr. Rafah and Bayt Hanun, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct late-night raids and house searches in Bethlehem, Hebron, 1 village and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, arresting 7 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 2; patrol in Salfit, 2 villages nr. Bethlehem, and 4 nr. Ramallah. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 1/30; MNA 1/31; PCHR 2/4)

PA pres. Abbas welcomes the 1/29 French announcement of a new effort to facilitate a 2-state solution. Meanwhile, a White House spokesperson says that the Obama admin.’s position is still that direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are the preferred approach. (HA, JP, MNA 1/30)

In the West Bank IDF troops arrest a Palestinian youth at Qalandia checkpoint nr. Jerusalem after he allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli soldier (no one is injured). Israeli settlers chase down and detain a Palestinian youth at a gas station outside the Givat Ze’ev settlement nr. Jerusalem after he allegedly stabs and seriously injures a settler. Meanwhile, IDF troops conduct late-night raids and house searches in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 2 nr. Ramallah, Aida r.c. and 1 village nr. Bethlehem, and Tulkarm, arresting 9 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 1. Also, the IDF maintains its lockdown on Bayt ‘Ur al-Tahta village where 1 of the Palestinians allegedly responsible for the 1/25 stabbing attack was from. Off Gaza’s n. coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on and arrest 4 fishermen and confiscate their boat (there are no injuries). In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a home under construction in Jabal Mukabir and another one in Shu‘fat. They also arrest 10 Palestinians during late-night raids in the Old City, Shu‘fat, and Issawiyya. (HA, JP, MNA, YA 1/27; HA, MNA, PCHR 1/28; PCHR 2/4)

Israel’s High Court of Justice rejects a Palestinian Prisoners’ Society petition calling for the immediate release of administrative detainee al-Qiq, who has been on hunger strike for more than 60 days. (SAM 1/28; ADM 2/23)

Across the oPt, IDF troops injure 16 Palestinians when they disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against the Israeli occupation in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Silwad, Nabi Salih, Jalazun r.c., and outside Ofer Prison), 1 village each nr. Nablus and Qalqilya, and 3 areas along Gaza’s border. Meanwhile, IDF troops evict the 80-some Israeli settlers from the 2 homes they broke into in c. Hebron on 1/21. The IDF then seals and closes off the homes. IDF troops patrol in Qalqilya, sparking clashes with stone-throwers in which 1 Palestinian is injured. They also conduct a latenight raid in 1 village nr. Bethlehem, issuing 2 Palestinians arrest summons; further patrol in 1 village nr. Qalqilya, 4 nr. Ramallah, 7 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian family demolishes their own home in Sur al-Bahir to avoid Israeli fines. (HA, MNA, TOI 1/22; MNA, WAFA 1/23; PCHR 1/28)

In Otniel settlement nr. Hebron, a Palestinian stabs and kills an Israeli settler, then flees the scene. The IDF then sets up mobile checkpoints and roadblocks in the area; conducts house searches and raids in a nearby village. IDF troops conduct further late-night raids and house searches in Hebron and 3 villages nearby, as well as 1 village each nr. Ramallah, Salfit, and Tulkarm, arresting 20 Palestinians and confiscating 2 vehicles; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Jericho and Ramallah, 1 nr. Tulkarm, and 5 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron. Israeli forces demolish a livestock structure nr. Qalqilya late at night; when the Palestinian owner protests, they shoot and injure him and his brother, then arrest his other brother. They also demolish a garage and damage a quarry in villages nr. Ramallah, displacing 2 Palestinians who were living in the former. Off Gaza’s s. coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries or damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault 2 Palestinians and arrest 5 others on raids in Abu Dis and the Old City. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 1/17; MNA, YA 1/18; PCHR 1/21)

Israel’s High Court of Justice rejects a petition to block the Israeli govt.’s demolition of Umm al-Hiran, a bedouin village in the Negev, exhausting the residents’ legal options. (JP 1/18)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Nablus after he allegedly throws a knife at them. Israeli forces seal off with cement blocks the main road leading to Nabi Salih nr. Ramallah, after the previous day’s protests in the village. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem and Hebron, arresting 1 Palestinian and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrols in 7 villages nr. Ramallah, 2 nr. Hebron, Tulkarm and 2 villages nearby, and 1 village nr. Jenin. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Khan Yunis and later nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working nr. Dayr al-Balah, causing no injuries or damage. In East Jerusalem, right-wing Jewish activists leave anti-Christian graffiti on the doors of Dormition Abbey nr. the Old City late at night. (JP, MNA, WAFA 1/16; HA, MNA, TOI, YA 1/17; PCHR 1/21)

The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran has abided by its obligations under the 7/14/2015 nuclear deal it made with the P5+1, and the U.S. and EU formally begin lifting sanctions on Iranian banking, money transfers, trade, insurance, shipping, and other industries (sanctions relating to human rights and terrorism will remain in place). Meanwhile, Iran releases 4 U.S. prisoners, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. In exchange, the U.S. releases 7 Iranian-Americans imprisoned on sanctions-related charges, inter alia. U.S. officials later confirm the swap, and say that Iran has agreed to release a 5th U.S.- Iranian dual citizen outside of the agreed swap. (AP, GDN, HA, FNA, WP 1/16; AFP, JP 1/17)

IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian close to the Bayt ‘Aynun junction nr. Hebron after he allegedly attempts to stab one of them, and the Palestinian Red Crescent reports that Israeli forces prevented medics from treating the man. The incident sparks brief clashes between the IDF and stone-throwers; there are no injuries. Separately, IDF troops shoot and kill a 2d Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Nablus after he stabs and lightly injures an Israeli officer. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolish 4 greenhouses and a water well in the Jordan Valley, a home under construction in a village nr. Hebron, and 2 livestock structures outside al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Salfit and Bethlehem, arresting 1 Palestinian and issuing an arrest summons to 1; patrols in Jenin and 1 village each nr. Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Salfit, as well as 5 nr. Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Bayt Lahiya. The Israeli authorities shut down the Kerem Shalom border crossing temporarily due to an escalation of violence in the n. Sinai (the Egyptian army kills 30 fighters with SPIS and other armed groups in operations today nr. Rafah, Shaykh Zuwayd, and al-Arish). Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces arrest 2 Palestinian fishermen working nr. Bayt Lahiya and confiscate their boat. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police violently disperse an educational event allegedly organized by the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement (Israel banned the Northern Branch on 11/16); 1 Palestinian is arrested and there are no serious injuries. Israeli forces also assault 1 Palestinian and arrest another on raids in Silwan. (AHR, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/14; JP, MNA 1/15; PCHR 1/21)

In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers shoot and injure a Palestinian youth at a checkpoint nr. Jenin after he allegedly attempts to stab them. IDF troops raid Birzeit University overnight, destroying admin. and student property largely belonging to mbrs. of the Hamas-affiliated student bloc. IDF troops conduct late-night raids and house searches in 1 village nr. Tulkarm, ‘Aqabat Jabir r.c. nr. Jericho, Nablus and 1 nearby village, Jenin and 1 village nearby, and 2 villages nr. Hebron, arresting 10 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 1; patrol in 2 villages each nr. Ramallah and Jericho. Dozens of Israeli settlers perform religious rituals at Joseph’s Tomb nr. Nablus overnight, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and stone-throwing Palestinians in the area; there are no serious injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian accused of throwing stones in Hizma village; arrest 4 Palestinians on late-night raids in al-Tur. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (JP, TOI, WAFA 1/11; PCHR 1/14)

The organization Physicians for Human Rights–Israel, which has been working on the case of Palestinian hunger striker al-Qiq, requests that the Israeli Prison Service appoints an independent physician to assess his condition. There are conflicting press reports that the medical team at Emek Medical Center in Afula, where al-Qiq is being held, are preparing to forcibly feed him. (MNA 1/12; PHRI 1/20)

IDF troops kill 4 Palestinians in alleged stabbing attacks in the s. West Bank. First, IDF troops shoot and kill 3 Palestinians after they allegedly attempt to stab Israeli soldiers at the Gush Etzion junction nr. Bethlehem, where a similar incident took place on 1/5. IDF troops shoot and kill a 4th Palestinian n. of Hebron after he allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli soldier. No Israelis are injured in any of the day’s incidents. Meanwhile, Israeli forces confiscate a bulldozer from a Palestinian agricultural project nr. Nablus. Late at night, IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Jenin, arresting 2 Palestinians. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Gaza City, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian youth amid clashes with stonethrowing Palestinians in Issawiyya; demolish a 2-story building and part of an apartment in Silwan, and part of a restaurant in Bayt Safafa; arrest a Palestinian youth in Shu‘fat r.c. for allegedly planning to attack Israelis and 2 Palestinians on late-night raids nr. Qalandia r.c. and in Jabal Mukabir. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA 1/7; JP 1/8; PCHR 1/14)

Israeli security officials praise the PA’s efforts to address violence since early 12/2015, saying that security coordination between the IDF and PASF has been “exceptionally good” in recent weeks and that PA pres. Abbas has stopped mbrs. of Fatah’s military wing from participating in demonstrations and protests. (HA, MNA 1/7; TOI 1/8)

Nr. Bethlehem, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian after he stabs and lightly injures an Israeli soldier at the Gush Etzion junction. Meanwhile, Israeli forces confiscate construction materials and equipment and deliver a stop-work order at a construction site outside Hebron; seize a tractor from another village nr. Hebron. After unknown persons throw a small IED at the separation wall outside a village nr. Bethlehem, the IDF raids a nearby village and clashes with stone-throwers, causing injuries. The IDF conducts additional raids and house searches in 4 villages nr. Hebron, 1 nr. Bethlehem, Tulkarm, and Jenin, arresting 8 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrols in 5 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron and 1 village nr. Qalqilya. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishermen, setting 1 boat on fire and causing no injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/5; MNA, TOI 1/6; PCHR 1/7)