The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles near the Beit El settlement, causing damage. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinians employed by the Land Settlement Authority with stones and clubs in al-Shuyukh, injuring 1 with injuries to his head. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers clashed with Israeli forces as the latter evacuated the Geulat Zion settlement outpost near the Shiloh settlement. Israeli forces fired tear gas at Palestinian pupils heading to a school in al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya for the 2d day in a row, injuring dozens with tear gas. Israeli forces also seized 2 residential structures and 5 agricultural structures in az-Za‘ayyem. 11 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Bil‘in, Jaba‘, Tulkarm, Sanniriya, Nablus, al-Ibayyat, and Deir Sammit. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor after he allegedly stabbed and wounded 2 Israeli soldiers in the Old City. Israeli forces also delivered demolition notices for 2 agricultural structures in Isawiya. 3 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Isawiya and Silwan. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen 2-5 nautical miles west of al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. (AP, HA, JP, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/17; PCHR 11/18)

1 39-year-old Palestinian prisoner died in an Israeli hospital of issues related to a heart condition. Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies said he died due to medical neglect by Israel. (AJ, JP, MEMO, PCHR, WAFA 11/18)

B’Tselem released footage that 1 of its activists had recorded in September, showing Israeli soldiers in Hebron rounding up 13 Palestinian children in the middle of the night and taking photos of them, asking them to say “cheese” for the camera. Many of the very young children are seen crying in the video. (HA, MEMO 11/17; AP, TOI 11/18)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Greenfield-Thomas. Ambassador Greenfield-Thomas urged the PA to end its payments to Palestinian prisoners and their families and to respect human rights issues. (HA, TOI 11/17; TOI, WAFA 11/18)

In Syria, Israeli forces fired 2 missiles from Israeli-occupied Golan Heights at Damascus, hitting 1 empty building. 1 of the missiles was intercepted by Syrian air defense. (AJ, AP, HA 11/17)

EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell told the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee that Israel has not provided the EU with any evidence proving their accusations that 6 Palestinian rights organizations are terrorist entities. PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh was also present at the meeting and criticized the new Israeli government’s approach to Palestinians and stance against a 2-state solution. He also said Israel had to stop dealing with Palestinians in Gaza differently than it does West Bank Palestinians. (WAFA, WAFA 11/16; HA, WAFA, WAFA 11/17)

Qatar and Egypt signed a deal to supply fuel and building supplies to Gaza during the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting. The deal will see Qatar pay Egypt for oil and gasoline which will be given to Hamas and distributed at gas stations in Gaza and some funds will be directed at vulnerable families in Gaza and to help pay civil servants. The deal was reported to include a monthly transfer from Qatar to Egypt for distribution in Gaza of $30 million. (AJ, REU 11/17; MEMO 11/18; ALM 11/23; HA 11/27; HA 11/29; MEMO 11/30)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces raided Hebron, leading to a confrontation with Palestinian residents; tear-gas related injuries were reported. Palestinians protested in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners that escaped Gilboa prison on 9/6 in Tuqu‘, Fawwar refugee camp, and al-Arroub refugee camp. 6 Palestinians were arrested, including 2 during a late-night raid in Qarawat Bani Hassan and 4 minors leaving a school in Tuqu‘. In East Jerusalem, 1 Israeli settler rammed 1 Palestinian with their car in al-Tur, leading to a confrontation between Israeli forces and Palestinians; 1 was injured by a rubber-coated bullet and 3 were arrested. 1 other was arrested during a late-night raid in Silwan. In Gaza, for the 3d night in a row, 2 rockets were launched at Israel and intercepted, and Israel conducted air strikes, hitting 4 locations near Khan Yunis and Rafah, causing damage, including to a poultry farm. (HA, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 9/12; AJ, AP, MEMO, MEMO, WAFA 9/13; PCHR 9/16)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz submitted a request to the Israeli high court of justice to delay the relocation of Israeli settlers from the Shilo settlement outpost to Israel, citing the religious shmita year restrictions on cultivating land. The settlers have made an agreement with Israel to leave the settlement voluntarily in exchange for receiving land within the Green Line. (HA 9/13)

In a speech at a university in Herzliya, Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid said that the Israeli policy of blockading Gaza since the 2005 withdrawal had not been effective and proposed a plan to exchange economy for security. Foreign Minister Lapid said that Israel would not directly negotiate the terms with Hamas but would do so through international mediation. Lapid also said his proposal was backed by Israel’s prime minister Naftali Bennett and defense minister Benny Gantz, but that it was not a government plan. The 1st phase of Lapid’s plan is to update Gaza’s electricity, health, and transportation systems, of which water and electricity would be under Israeli control. The 2d phase entails creating a seaport in Gaza and connecting Gaza to the West Bank. In the 2d phase, the PA would gain control over Gaza. (HA, TOI 9/12; JP, MEMO 9/13)

The World Bank reports that the Palestinian economy is facing its worst crisis since 1994, noting that the recent growth rate of 7.7% between 2007 and 2011 is insufficient to run a state because it is overly contingent on donor aid. The report says that sustainable growth can only be met through increased trade and private sector growth, which are hampered by restrictions imposed by Israel. Separately, UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process Robert Serry warns that the PA is facing insolvency and has been late paying government salaries because donors have failed to fulfill pledges. (WP 7/26)

IDF troops make a brief incursion into s. Gaza to level land and clear lines of sight along the border fence e. of Khan Yunis. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night patrols in Jericho. Jewish settlers fr. Shilo settlement nr. Ramallah beat 4 Palestinian farmers attempting to reach their crop land nearby; the IDF observes but does not intervene. (PCHR 7/26, 8/2; OCHA 8/3)

Abbas tells a group of 20 left-leaning Israeli intellectuals that the Palestinians want above all to resume negotiations, stating that “no matter what happens at the [UN], we have to return to negotiations,” but also that even if there is a last-minute deal to resume talks, the UN bid will proceed. He confirms that in recent months he met 3 times secretly with Israeli pres. Shimon Peres in Amman, London, and Rome to discuss reviving talks. He also reveals that he met secretly on 8/27/11 with Israeli DM Ehud Barak, who asked him to drop the statehood bid. (NYT 9/6; WJW 9/8; OCHA 9/9)

The IDF carries out an air strike on a house in Nussayrat r.c. in c. Gaza, seriously injuring 1 Palestinian woman. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning house searches in Sirris village nr. Jenin, summoning several Palestinians for interrogation; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah (arresting Hamas-affiliate PC mbr. Muhammad Abu Tair). The IDF razes 3 buildings in Migron outpost, ordered removed by Israel’s High Court; settlers scuffle with the IDF, which arrests 6. Soon after, Jewish settlers set fire to a mosque in a nearby Palestinian village and spray graffiti saying “Migron.” In other apparent reprisals, Jewish settlers fr. Beitar Ilit nr. Bethlehem pump wastewater on agricultural lands in nearby Husan and Nahalin villages, damaging 100s of trees and crops; Jewish settlers vandalize a Palestinian home in Hebron; Jewish settlers fr. Shilo settlement set up a roadblock on the Nablus–Ramallah road and stone passing vehicles, seriously damaging 1 car and injuring 1 Palestinian; Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim settlement stone Palestinian vehicles on the Qalqilya– Nablus road, causing light damage but no injuries. In addition, Jewish settlers accompanied by IDF soldiers and border police uproot 88 trees on confiscated Palestinian land in al-Walaja nr. Bethlehem. (NYT, WP 9/6; PCHR 9/8)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night house searches in Bil‘in, arresting 2 Palestinians involved in the weekly demonstrations against the separation wall, including artist Ibrahim Bernat (who makes portraits from rubber bullets, tear gas, and stun grenade canisters fired by IDF troops against demonstrators), confiscating his portrait collection. A Jewish settler fr. Gush Etzion nr. Bethlehem fires on 5 Palestinian farmers working land in Safa village nr. Hebron that settlers have previously tried to seize; no injuries are reported; the IDF observes but does not intervene. Jewish settlers fr. Shilo stone Palestinian vehicles driving on the Ramallah– Nablus road nr. the settlement, causing no injuries; the IDF observes but does not intervene. (OCHA, PCHR 12/23)