The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler hit 1 Palestinian child with his car near Qalqilya, causing the child to be treated at a hospital in Israel for his injuries. Israeli settlers with military escort also demonstrated near Beita. Israeli left-wing activists were also demonstrating against the settlers who want to reopen the Evyatar settlement outpost near Beita. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, injuring 7 with rubber-coated bullets and 87 with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 3, including 1 child with live ammunition and 2 with rubber-coated bullets. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Dajan, injuring 16, including 2 with rubber-coated bullets, the rest with tear gas. In East Jerusalem, UN officials met with the Salem family who are threatened by eviction in Sheikh Jarrah, calling on Israel to stop all evictions in East Jerusalem. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting in solidarity with the Salem family. (HA 2/17; AJ, HA, MEE, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/18; MEMO 2/19; PCHR 2/24; UNOCHA 2/28)

In Israel, Israel said a drone crossed from Lebanon into Israel but that it lost radar contact with the drone shortly after. Hezbollah said it had flown a reconnaissance drone over Israel for 40 minutes. Later, Israel violated Lebanese air space by flying 2 low-flying fighter jets over Beirut. (AP, HA, HA, MEMO, MEMO, TOI 2/18; MEMO 2/20; HA 2/22)

Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem Theophilos III, Custos of the Holy Land Francesco Patton, and Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Nourhan Manougian wrote a letter to Israel’s environmental protections minister Tamar Zandberg, requesting that she stop plans to expand the Jerusalem Walls National Park. The plans would expand the park into the church properties on the Mount of Olives. The 3 Christian leaders called the plans “a brutal measure that constitutes a direct and premeditated attack on the Christians in the Holy Land,” saying “we cannot help but feel that various entities are seeing to minimize, not to say eliminate any non-Jewish characteristics of the Holy City by attempting to alter the status quo on this holy mountain. They have failed due to the objection and lack of cooperation from the Churches. After their attempts failed, they resorted to statutory powers by advancing a plan to declare vast parts of the mountain as a national park.” The proposal to expand the park was scheduled to be heard at the Jerusalem Municipality’s local planning and construction committee on 3/2. However, Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority said on 2/21 that it would not move forward with the plans due to the objections from the church leaders. (MEE, MEMO, MEMO, TOI 2/20; HA, MEE, MEMO 2/21)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort toured Sabastia, closing parts of the town off to Palestinians. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians with live ammunition during a raid in Jenin. Israeli forces also demolished 2 agricultural structures in Duma and confiscated a tractor in al-‘Awja. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Abu Dis, Aida refugee camp, Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus, Deir Istiya, and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers marched near the Damascus Gate plaza, chanting anti-Palestinian slogans, and attacked a grocery store. Israeli forces demolished 1 commercial structure in Isawiya. Israeli forces also violently dispersed activists in Sheikh Jarrah, assaulting some before closing off the neighborhood. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/17; MEMO 2/18; PCHR 2/24; UNOCHA 2/28)

The Shin Bet sent messages to Palestinians from Umm al-Fahm warning them not to travel to Sheikh Jarrah on 2/18 for a solidarity gathering in the neighborhood. (MEE 2/18)

In Israel, Israel said it had shot down a drone that crossed from Lebanon into Israel. (AP, HA 2/17)

In Syria, Israeli forces launched surface-to-surface missiles from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights at Syria south of Damascus, causing damage. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, TOI 2/17)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in Ramallah. (TOI, WAFA 2/17; HA 2/22)

İbrahim Kalın, senior advisor to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Turkish deputy foreign minister Sedat Önal met with Israeli president Isaac Herzog in Israel, ahead of a planned meeting between President Herzog and President Erdoğan in Turkey, which is said to be scheduled for 9 March. (HA 2/17)

In a letter to the UN commission of inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by Israel during the May 2021 attack on Gaza, Israel’s foreign ministry said it would not cooperate with the commission and accused its 3 members of holding anti-Israel positions. (AP, AX, HA, JP, MEE, TOI 2/17)

Australian home affairs minister Karen Andrews said she is working to place Hamas in its entirety on the Australian list of terrorist organizations. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEE, REU 2/17)

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination set up an ad hoc conciliation commission to investigate the State of Palestine’s accusation against Israeli racial discrimination against Palestinians. (MDW 2/10; UN 2/17; WAFA 2/18)

In the West Bank, up to 70 Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian shepherds with stones and clubs in Sa‘ir, causing fractures and bruises to an elderly man and his nephew. Israeli forces traveling in a minibus with Palestinian license plates assassinated 3 Palestinians during a raid in Nablus. The forces blocked a vehicle carrying the 3 Palestinians and jumped out of the minibus, shooting dozens of bullets at their car. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said the 3 men, Ashraf al-Mubaslat, Adham Mabrukeh, and Mohammed al-Dakheel, were members or their organization. A 4th person in the car was arrested. Israel claimed that the men had “tried to open fire” but had not fired at the Israeli forces ambushing them. Israeli forces also sealed off the main entrance to ‘Azzun. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished a water cistern near Bayt Dajan. 7 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jalazun refugee camp, Bethlehem, Beit Umar, Kafr Qalil, and al-Yamun. (AJ, AP, CNN, HA, JP, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, PCHR, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/8; MEMO, MEMO, WAFA 2/9; PCHR 2/10; HA, UNOCHA 2/11; HA 2/17; HA 2/18; UNOCHA 2/28)

Israeli forces fired a missile at Syria from a fighter jet flying over Lebanese air space. Syria then fired an anti-aircraft missile at the fighter jet, missing it. The anti-aircraft missile fell near Jenin, causing neither injuries nor damage. Israel subsequently attacked a Syrian radar facility and anti-aircraft battery, killing 1 Syrian soldier and wounding 5 others. (REU 2/8; AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEE, TOI 2/9; HA 2/11)

Turkish foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that Turkey would not abandon its commitments to Palestine if the country normalizes its relations to Israel. Israeli president Isaac Herzog is expected to meet with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in March. Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu said, “[a]ny step we take with Israel regarding our relations, any normalisation, will not be at the expense of the Palestinian cause, like some other countries.” (REU 2/8; WAFA 2/10; ALM 2/11; MEE 2/15)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attempted to set a Palestinian-owned home on fire in Hebron, but fled when the family living in the home woke up. Israeli forces demolished 1 retaining wall and 1 agricultural structure in al-Maniya. Israeli forces also temporarily evicted 6 Palestinian families from their homes in in Khirbat Ibziq to conduct a military exercise; during the drill, 2 cows were killed and 3 were injured. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silat al-Harithiya, ‘Anata, Dheisheh refugee camp, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces delivered demolition notices for several commercial structures in Wadi al-Juz; 1 Palestinian minor was arrested during a late-night raid in Isawiya. In Israel, 20 Palestinian-owned vehicles were vandalized and racist anti-Palestinian graffiti was sprayed in Kafr Qasem. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/7; PCHR 2/10; UNOCHA 2/11)

Israeli police arrested 1 Israeli settler in the Givat Ronen settlement outpost in relation to an attack on Israeli activists helping Palestinians planting trees in Burin on 1/21. (HA 2/7)

According to figures obtained by Haaretz from Israeli police, charges were only filed in 3.8% of criminal cases where Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians or their property. (HA 2/7)

On the 2d day of the 31st session of the PLO Central Council, Rawhi Fattouh was elected speaker of the National Council, replacing Salim Zanoun, who retired. Hussein al-Sheikh was appointed as a PLO negotiator with Israel and the U.S. Al-Sheikh was also 1 of 3 new members elected to the PLO executive committee. Hamas called the appointments “illegal” and said they lacked support from the national consensus. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the PFLP later issued a joint statement calling the appointments “a violation of decisions based on national consensus.” (REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/7; HA 2/8; AJ 2/10)

The Knesset approved the 1st of 3 votes of the citizenship law that would prevent family reunifications of Palestinians married to Israeli citizens. Meretz and United Arab List boycotted the vote. Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked told Yedioth Ahronoth in an interview that the bill is meant to prevent a “creeping right of return.” (HA 2/7; HA, MEE 2/9)

Palestinian member of the Knesset from the Meretz party and minister for Regional Cooperation Issawi Frej was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. Frej’s chief of staff said he would make a full recovery. (HA 2/8)

Calcalist reported that Israeli police used the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware against Israeli journalists, politicians, rights activists, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son Avner, and people involved in the court case against Benjamin Netanyahu. On 2/1, Israeli police admitted to misusing the Pegasus spyware. (AP 2/6; AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, TOI 2/7)

The German news outlet Deutsche Welle fired 5 Palestinian and Lebanese employees, saying the had posted anti-Semitic content on social media. The social media posts in question were largely criticism of Israel and not targeting Jewish people. Deutsche Welle was criticized for trying to silence criticism of Israel. (AJ 2/11; MEMO 2/15; HA 2/16)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, leading to a confrontation with Palestinians protesting the incursion; no injuries were reported. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinian farmers with pepper spray east of Hebron. Israeli forces delivered stop-work orders for 1 mosque, 3 houses, and 1 commercial structure in Marda. Israeli forces also forced Palestinian business owners to close their shops in Huwwara, claiming that stones had been thrown at Israeli settlers near the shops. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 4 water wells in Khallet al-Dabe. Israeli forces also demolished 1 commercial structure in ‘Anata. Israeli military said that shots were fired from a car at Israeli soldiers near Nablus; no injuries were reported. 13 Palestinians were arrested, including 10 during late-night raids in Dahariya, Za‘atra, Silwad, and Zeita; 3 were arrested at checkpoints near Bethlehem and Nablus. (TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/2; MEMO, MEMO, PCHR 2/3)

Haaretz reported that Israeli attorney general Avichai Mendelblit authorized establishing an Israeli settlement on the evacuated Evyatar settlement outpost near Beita. Attorney General Mendelblit is leaving office this week. Palestinians have held weekly protests at the site since the outpost was erected in May 2021. The outpost was evacuated in June 2021, but the houses erected remained as the settlers struck a deal with the Israeli government that they could move back if Israel deemed that the land is state-owned. Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz will have to declare the area state-owned, after which there will be a 45-day period to file objections. Several Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the past year while protesting the outpost. In a letter from Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid to Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, Lapid warned that if the Israeli government legalized the Evyatar settlement outpost, it “could have serious diplomatic consequences and damage foreign relations, first and foremost from the United States,” saying that the U.S. has already made this clear to him. Labor and Meretz publicly opposed legalizing the settlement outpost. (AP, HA, IN 2/2; HA, JP, MEE, TOI, TOI, TOI 2/3; HA, HA, HA 2/4; UNOCHA 2/11)

The Shin Bet admitted to having threatened random Palestinians in Israel that it would “settle the score” if they had participated in protests related to the May 2021 uprising in Israel that coincided with Israeli attacks on Gaza and eviction threats against Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah. (HA, MEE 2/3)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Amnesty International’s secretary-general Agnès Callamard in Ramallah, discussing the report Amnesty released on 2/1 that charged Israel with the crime of apartheid. (WAFA 2/2)

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said, at a conference in Tel Aviv, that the Israeli military on 4 occasions had offered assistance to Lebanon. According to Gantz, the offers were made to strengthen the Lebanese army in facing “the strengthening of Hezbollah under Iran’s support.” Israeli military sources later denied that Israel had made such offers and that Israel had only offered humanitarian aid following the explosion in the Beirut port. (HA 2/2; MEMO 2/3)

Israel, Oman, and Saudi Arabia all took part in the International Maritime Exercise 2022, led by the U.S. and with the participation of nearly 60 countries. It was the 1st time that Saudi Arabia and Oman partook in a naval exercise with Israel, which they have no formal relations with. (AJ, ALM 2/2)

The FBI confirmed reporting from the New York Times published on 1/28 that the agency had bought the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, but claimed to never have used it. The FBI further stated that it had bought the spyware for “product testing and evaluation.” (ALM, AP, HA, REU 2/2; MEMO 2/3)