The Palestine Chronology

For a 2d day in a row, unknown Gazans fire a rocket toward Israel. It lands in an open area, causing no damage or injuries. IAF jets then launch air strikes on Hamas military sites nr. Dayr al-Balah and Khan Yunis late at night, causing substantial damage. Meanwhile, IDF troops stationed along Gaza’s border open fire on agricultural fields nr. Khan Yunis, causing damage. In the West Bank, armed Palestinians fire at an Israeli settler’s car nr. Ramallah, causing damage. Israeli forces assault and detain 4 Palestinians as they are being released from an IDF detention center nr. Jenin. IDF troops conduct house searches and raids in Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Nablus, Jenin r.c., and Balata r.c. nr. Nablus, arresting 9 Palestinians and confiscating personal property; patrol in al-‘Arub r.c., al-Fawar r.c. and 6 villages nr. Hebron, as well as 2 areas nr. Salfit. In Israel, Israeli forces demolish a home in a Palestinian village nr. Jerusalem, sparking clashes between dozens of Palestinian residents and the Israeli police; 5 Palestinian citizens of Israel are arrested. The Israeli authorities say that the house was 1 of 7 in the area built on land zoned for agriculture. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 1/24; HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/25; PCHR 1/28)

Israeli PM Netanyahu confirms that his govt. will allow the settlers who were forcibly evicted from 2 homes in c. Hebron on 1/22 to return once their proper paperwork is in order. He also says he will form a ministerial comm. to deal with related issues, acquiescing to a request from Education Minister Naftali Bennett (his proposal will be approved on 1/25). (HA, JP, TOI, YA 1/24)

After a weeklong search, Israeli police shoot and kill the Palestinian citizen of Israel suspected of carrying out the 1/1 attack in a Tel Aviv pub. The suspect was killed in a firefight during a police raid in the suspect’s hometown of Arara. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against the Israeli occupation in 2 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in and Ni‘lin), Hebron, and 4 areas along Gaza’s border; 11 Palestinians are injured. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in Hebron and 1 village nr. Bethlehem, arresting 2 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrols in 1 village nr. Salfit, 2 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron. Late at night, Israeli forces carry out the punitive demolition of the Ramallah-area home of the Palestinian who stabbed and killed 2 Israelis in East Jerusalem on 10/3, sparking clashes wherein 3 Palestinians are injured. (HA, MNA, NYT, TOI 1/8; TOI 1/9; PCHR 1/14)

The Israeli authorities return the bodies of the 4 Palestinians killed by the IDF on 1/7 (a joint funeral will be held nr. Hebron on 1/9), and Haaretz reports that the Israeli govt. is no longer holding any bodies of Palestinians killed in the West Bank. (HA, MNA 1/8)

Ajnad Bayt al-Maqdis fighters fire 5 rockets toward s. Israel; 2 land in open areas nr. Sderot, causing no damage or injuries, and 3 land short of the border fence. Holding Hamas responsible, IAF jets launch late-night air strikes on 2 Hamas military sites in Gaza City and Bayt Hanun, causing extensive damage but no injuries. (HA, MNA, TOI 1/1; PCHR 1/7)

A Palestinian citizen of Israel opens fire in a Tel Aviv pub, killing 2 and injuring 7. The attacker flees and, according to Israeli police on 1/4, kills a 3d Israeli civilian, a taxi driver, in n. Tel Aviv. (The suspect will be killed in a shootout in n. Israel on 1/8.) In the West Bank, Israeli authorities return to their families the bodies of 23 Palestinians killed recently by the IDF, including 17 to the Hebron area. They also return to a Palestinian transportation company in Nablus 11 buses confiscated since 10/1 for carrying Palestinian youths to protests. The IDF conducts a late-night raid in Tulkarm, arresting 1 Palestinian; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 nr. Nablus. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists at demonstrations against Israel’s occupation and recent crackdown on the oPt in 2 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in and Ni‘lin), 2 nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum and ‘Azun), and along Gaza’s border nr. Bayt Hanun; 5 Palestinians are injured. (AP, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 1/1; HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/2; HA 1/4; PCHR 1/7)