The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized some 100 Palestinian-owned olive trees in al-Mughayyir. Israeli forces uprooted 60 olive trees and razed land in Salfit. Israeli forces also delivered stop-work orders for 3 houses in al-Khadir. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 1 house in Taybeh. 12 Palestinians were arrested in and around Sabastiyya, Dura, Bethlehem, Jenin, Jericho, Ramallah, and Huwwara. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian family started demolishing their own home in Bayt Hanina. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a late-night raid in Issawiyya; during the raid, clashes erupted, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen within 2 miles west of Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/26; HA 10/27; PCHR 10/29)

At the UN security council, PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki called for an international peace conference to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. (WAFA 10/26)

The head of the sovereign council in Sudan, General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, said that Sudan had normalized ties with Israel because the country would have to wait until August or September of 2021 to be removed from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. General al-Burhan also stated that Sudan still supports a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and urged Israel to engage the Arab Peace Initiative. (HA 10/26)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers razed tracts of Palestinian-owned land near ‘Urif. Israeli forces demolished 2 residential structures, 2 agricultural structures, and damaged water pipes near Yatta. 1 Palestinian was arrested at a checkpoint near al-‘Arub refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya and al-Tur. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen within 4 nautical miles off the shore of al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/18; PCHR 10/22)

PLO secretary-general Saeb Erakat was transferred from his home to a hospital in West Jerusalem for treatment of COVID-19. Secretary-General Erakat had been reported to be in stable condition since testing positive for the virus but his condition had deteriorated and called for hospitalization. Erakat had a lung transplant 3 years ago, making him more vulnerable to the virus. Several Israeli MKs complained that Israel did not seek concessions from the Palestinians in return for treating Erakat. (AJ, BBC, WAFA 10/18; HA, TOI 10/19)

An Israeli delegation signed a joint declaration with Bahraini officials in Manama. U.S. secretary of the treasury Steven Mnuchin and U.S. envoy for the peace process Avi Berkowitz were also present during the signing. According to unnamed Israeli officials who spoke to Haaretz, Israel had anticipated signing a “peace declaration” during the trip, but it was decided to scale back the language due to protests in Bahrain against the normalization deal with Israel. (AJ, HA, BBC, REU 10/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers started construction of a settler-only road southwest of Nablus, connecting 2 settlements. Israeli settlers also vandalized electric poles in Jalud. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers vandalized some 300 Palestinian-owned olive trees in al-Jaba‘. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian passing through a hole in the separation wall near Jenin. 7 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Qaddura refugee camp, Kafr Malik, Tulkarm, and Balata refugee camp; during the raid in Balata refugee camp, Israeli forces and Palestinians clashed; 2 Israeli soldiers were reported lightly and moderately injured. In East Jerusalem, 7 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya; clashes ensued during the raids and 1 military SUV was burned. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen west of Bayt Lahiya. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands east of Khuza‘a; no injuries were reported. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/14; PCHR 10/15)

Israel’s civil administration’s supreme planning council approved 1,877 new settler units in 11 different settlements throughout the West Bank. Jordan, the Arab League, and the PA condemned the Israeli settlement expansion. (AJ, REU, WAFA, WAFA 10/14; AJ, HA, PCN, WAFA 10/15)

The Israeli approved the Israeli-UAE normalization agreement in an 80-13 vote. (HA 10/14)

In Lebanon, direct talks between Israel and Lebanon began at a UN base. The 2 sides negotiated, with the U.S. as mediator, where their maritime borders should be drawn. Hezbollah and Amal criticized the Lebanese government for sending civilians and politicians to the negotiations. (AJ, HA, REU 10/14)

India donated $1 million for UNRWA general programming. (WAFA 10/14)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Rafat, injuring 2 with rubber-coated bullets and tear-gas related injuries were reported. 20 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Hebron, Tubas, Jenin, and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers harassed Palestinians praying on the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces raided Issawiyya, leading to clashes with Palestinians; tear-gas related injuries were reported and 2 were arrested. 1 other Palestinian was arrested. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/10; PCHR 10/15)

In Israel, Israeli protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clashed with police in several places throughout Israel. According to Haaretz, tens of thousands protested throughout Israel, including in front of Netanyahu’s official residence for the 16th Saturday in a row. (AJ, HA 10/10; HA, WAFA 10/11)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with the president of the World Jewish Congress Ron Lauder in Ramallah. The meeting lasted some 3 hours and Lauder arrived in a Jordanian helicopter. It is unclear what the meeting was about. The World Jewish Congress said that Lauder was in Ramallah “for a private visit at Abbas’ invitation, to discuss a range of issues regarding Palestine and the Middle East.” (HA, WAFA 10/10)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling between Bethlehem and Hebron; 1 Palestinian child was injured by broken glass in his eye. Israeli settlers also uprooted dozens of Palestinian-owned olive saplings east of Yatta. Israeli forces opened fire at a vehicle with 5 Palestinians inside at a military checkpoint near Jenin, causing damage to the vehicle; no injuries were reported. 7 Palestinians were arrested in and around Hebron, Qalqilya, and Nablus; during a raid in Tammun, Israeli forces seized mobile phones, leading to confrontations with Palestinians; no injuries were reported. During a different raid in Sabastiyya, Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians, leading to tear-gas related injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces detained the secretary of Fatah in Jerusalem Yasser Darwish and banned him from entry to the West Bank for 3 months. 7 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Issawiyya, the Old City, and al-Tur. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands east of al-Shawka; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen within 4 nautical miles west of al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/8; WAFA 10/9; PCHR 10/15)

An Israeli court ruled that Israel can demolish 1 school east of Ramallah under the pretext that it was built without a permit. The school enrolls 50 students and was financed by donations from France, Finland, Luxembourg, Ireland, Spain, the UK, and Sweden. (WAFA 10/8; WAFA 10/9)

Secretary-general of the PLO Saeb Erakat said that he had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. (AJ, JP, TOI, WAFA 10/9)

Israel and Jordan signed a deal allowing airlines from each country to fly over each other’s airspace. (HA 10/8)

Lebanon’s former prime minister Saad Hariri, who resigned after prolonged protests at the end of 2019, said that he is a possible candidate to head the new Lebanese government. (REU 10/8; AJ 10/9)

The U.S. Trump administration announced new sanctions on Iran that effectively shuts off the country from the global financial system. The new sanctions are expected to halt flows of food, medicine, and humanitarian aid to Iran. (AJ, REU 10/8)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian shepherds near Yatta; no serious injuries were reported. Israeli settlers also set up mobile homes on Palestinian-owned land near Bayt Dajan and set up tents on Palestinian-owned land east of Hebron. 5 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Hebron, Jenin, and al-Bireh. In East Jerusalem, 5 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Issawiyya. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands east of al-Maghazi; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen west of al-Sudaniyya refugee camp and Bayt Lahiya within the allowed fishing area; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/6; PCHR 10/8)

Israel’s justice ministry dropped its investigation into Israeli police officers who planted a gun in an East Jerusalem house belonging to a Palestinian family for Kan TV’s reality show Jerusalem District to stage a house arrest. (HA 10/6)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian at a checkpoint east of Tulkarm; the man was allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the Israeli forces. Israeli forces also clashed with Palestinians during a late-night raid in Jenin; 1 Palestinian was shot and injured in the stomach. Elsewhere, Israeli forces seized 1 bulldozer in Bayt Dajan. 7 Palestinians were arrested, including 6 during raids in Bayt Fajjar, Jenin, and Nablus, and 1 was arrested after he allegedly tried to stab 1 Israeli soldier at a checkpoint near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested in Issawiyya. In Gaza, 1 rocket was fired at Israel, landing in an open area, and Israel fired 1 missile at Gaza, causing damage near Rafah. Israeli forces also opened fire on agricultural lands east of al-Qarara; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen west of al-Sudaniyya refugee camp within the allowed fishing area; no injuries were reported. (HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/5; WAFA 10/6; PCHR 10/8)

In the 1st installment of a 3-part interview with al-Arabiya TV, Saudi prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, a former ambassador to the U.S., criticized the Palestinian leadership for its response to the UAE-Israel normalization deal which Prince Bandar called a “transgression” and “reprehensible.” He also said that “[t]he Palestinian cause is a just cause but its advocates are failures, and the Israeli cause is unjust but its advocates have proven to be successful. That sums up the events of the last 70 or 75 years . . . There is something that successive Palestinian leadership historically share in common: they always bet on the losing side, and that comes at a price.” (REU 10/5; HA 10/6)

Saudi Arabia donated $25 million to UNRWA projects. (WAFA 10/5)