The Palestine Chronology

Off the coast of Gaza nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. Earlier, Israeli authorities return 19 confiscated fishing boats to Palestinian fishermen. IDF troops on the border e. of Khuza‘a open fire on 4 Palestinian children approaching the border fence, injuring 2. In the West Bank, IDF troops fire percussion grenades and tear gas canisters at a Palestinian funeral procession nr. Hebron, causing no serious injuries; conduct late-night raids in Aida r.c. nr. Bethlehem and 1 village nr. Ramallah, assaulting several Palestinians, arresting 6, and confiscating property; patrol in 2 villages nr. Hebron. Israeli forces confiscate property and demolish Palestinian fruit stands along bypass road Route 60 nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces set up a mobile checkpoint in al-Suwana, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 3 Palestinians are arrested. In the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, more than 100 Druze protesters block and attack an ambulance with stones, then assault the 2 injured Syrian rebels and 2 Israeli soldiers who were transferring them to hospital; 1 of the Syrian men is killed. Druze protesters stop another ambulance carrying wounded Syrians to hospital earlier in the day, but there are no injuries. (MNA, NYT 6/22; AFP, HA, MNA 6/23; PCHR 6/25)

The UNHRC’s commission of inquiry into alleged war crimes committed during OPE publishes its report, finding “substantial information pointing to the possible commission of war crimes by both Israel and Palestinian armed groups”. The report is set to be officially filed with the UNHRC on 6/29. (AFP, HA, NYT, TOI, UNHRC, WAFA, YA 6/22; YA 6/23; HA 6/24)

The Israeli atty. gen.’s office announces that the state will amend the proposed bill allowing the force-feeding of hunger-striking prisoners that was approved by the Israeli cabinet on 6/14. In response to complaints from civil society organizations, the softer version of the bill only allows force-feeding if “there is a real possibility that within a short time the prisoner is at risk of death or irreversible disability.” (HA 6/23)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis fire warning shots at Palestinians approaching the border fence, injuring 3. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Silwad, outside Ofer Prison, and Jalazun r.c.), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 4 Palestinians and 1 international are moderately injured and dozens suffer from tear gas inhalation. The IDF patrols in 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Jericho, and in al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 4 Palestinians in the Old City. After Israeli forces bar a group of rightwing Jewish activists from entering a school in Haram al-Sharif, a leader of the activists writes a letter to the Israeli authorities calling for the school to be officially recognized as a synagogue under the Protection of Holy Places Law and for Jews to be allowed to worship there. (MNA 4/3, 4/4; WAFA 4/7; PCHR 4/9)

Israeli PM Netanyahu convenes his security cabinet to discuss the 4/2 agreement between the P5+1 and Iran, and the cabinet unanimously opposes the deal. Netanyahu says, “This is a bad deal not just for Israel, this is a bad deal for the region and for the world,” and calls for any final deal to require Iran to recognize Israel’s right to exist. (AFP, HA, JP, TOI 4/3; REU, TOI 4/4)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis open fire on Palestinians nr. the border fence gathering to commemorate Land Day, injuring 2. In the West Bank, thousands of Palestinians gather in several villages and cities for Land Day; IDF troops violently disperse protests in villages nr. Nablus and Ramallah, causing a number of Palestinians to suffer tear gas inhalation. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 1 nr. Jenin, and Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrols in 5 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 nr. Jericho, and al-‘Arub r.c. and 1 village nr. Hebron. Israeli forces deliver demolition notices to 7 Palestinian-owned agricultural structures and water wells in a village nr. Nablus and to 7 residential structures in a village nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians marching through the Old City to commemorate Land Day, injuring 1 and arresting 2. They also arrest 3 Palestinians at Haram al-Sharif, 3 in the Old City, and 1 during a house search in Silwan. Meanwhile, Palestinian citizens of Israel gather in Jerusalem, Dayr Hanna in the Galilee, and Rahat in the Negev to commemorate Land Day, but the Arab High Follow-Up Comm. does not call for a general strike as it did in 2014. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 3/30; YA 3/31; PCHR 4/2)

The Jerusalem Municipality announces that it has approved tenders to build 142 new residences in the Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem. Also, the Interior Ministry’s District Planning and Building Comm. approves a plan to construct over 2,200 new residences for Palestinians in Jabal Mukabir, East Jerusalem, and to retroactively approve hundreds that have already been built in the neighborhood. (WAFA 3/30; TOI 3/31; HA 4/1)

The PA Ministry of Civil Affairs announces that it will be providing 1 year of financial support to the approximately 15,000 Palestinian families in Gaza whose homes were destroyed during OPE. The project will be funded by international donors, primarily Arab League mbrs., and will grant families between NIS 1,000 and 1,500 per mo. ($250 to $378). (MNA, WAFA 3/30)

A bipartisan group of 4 U.S. senators sends a letter to Pres. Obama stating their opposition to the admin.’s reported reassessment of its policies regarding Israel and the possible end of U.S. support of Israel in international institutions, such as the UN. (TOI 3/31)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Jabaliya fire on Palestinian agricultural land nr. the border fence, causing damage. Meanwhile, IDF troops stationed e. of Khan Yunis fire on Palestinian protesters approaching the border fence, causing several to suffer from tear gas inhalation. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops briefly detain the gov. of Ramallah and threaten her with “direct targeting” if she continues her participation in the weekly nonviolent protests in Nabi Salih. They also arrest a senior PA official at a demonstration in Nabi Salih nr. Ramallah commemorating Land Day (upcoming on 3/30). (He will be released on 3/29.) The IDF conducts house searches and raids in 1 village nr. Tulkarm; patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, 2 each nr. Jericho and Hebron. Israeli settlers assault 4 Palestinian farmers in another village nr. Hebron, causing no injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct a raid in Silwan late at night. (MNA, WAFA 3/28; MNA 3/29; PCHR 4/2)

The 26th Arab League summit begins today, with reps. of all the mbrs. as well as UN Secy.- Gen. Ban, gathering in Sharm al-Shaykh, Egypt, to discuss the recent violence in Yemen, Palestinian affairs, and other issues. At the summit, PA Pres. Abbas says that Israel has not yet released the tax revenues that PM Netanyahu’s office said would be unfrozen on 3/27 and that the PA is still set to “to reevaluate our economic, political and security relationship with Israel.” (MNA 3/27; AFP, AP, HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/28; JP, JTA 3/29)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis fire on a group of Palestinians approaching the border fence, causing 3 to suffer from tear gas inhalation. Separately, IDF troops stationed e. of Rafah open fire on agricultural lands nr. the border fence, causing damage. In 2 incidents off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at demonstrations to commemorate Land Day, upcoming on 3/30, and protest Israel’s occupation in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Silwad, outside Ofer Prison, and Jalazun r.c.), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 10 Palestinians are moderately injured. The Israeli soldiers also cut off a main waterline into Kafr Qaddum, denying the village water for several hours. IDF troops also violently disperse Palestinian and international activists gathering in Abu Dis at the site of the “Gate of Jerusalem” protest tent camp. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Hebron, arresting 1 Palestinian; conducts patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 each nr. Jenin and Jericho. (MNA 3/27; PCHR 4/2)

The Israeli PM’s office announces that it is unfreezing tax revenue transfers to the PA that it has held as a punitive response to the Palestinian accession to the ICC since 1/2015. A statement announcing the move says that the total will be reduced by an undisclosed amount to pay portions of the PA’s debts to Israeli utility providers, such as the IEC. The PA FM criticizes the announced deductions, saying in a statement that they are “an unjustified and illegal procedure that could cause complications.” (AP, HA, JP, NYT, TOI 3/27; AFP, WAFA 3/28; JP 3/29)

French FM Fabius announces that, now that the 3/17 Israeli election has passed, he plans to explore the prospect of introducing another United Nations Security Council (UNSC) res. laying out parameters for a new round of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. Meanwhile, an EU spokesperson announces that Hamas will remain a designated terrorist organization pending a decision on an appeal of the General Court’s 12/17/2014 removal of Hamas from the list. Similarly, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, which the U.S. claims funneled money to Hamas, has been removed from the list since it was last published in 7/2014. (AFP, AP, HA, REU, TOI 3/27; AFP 3/28)

The PA unity govt. delegation led by PM Hamdallah meets with Fatah and Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip, concluding its 3-day trip. (MNA 3/26) The Egyptian attorney, Samir Sabri, who filed the original motion to designate Hamas a terrorist organization in Egypt withdraws his case, saying he hopes to remove “obstacles which Egypt’s political leadership might face in serving its role in the Palestinian reconciliation.” The Court of Urgent Matters, which designated Hamas a terrorist organization 2/28, is expected to reconsider its initial ruling, though it was only in part based on Sabri’s motion. (AHR, MNA 3/27)

The 28th regular session of the UNHRC concludes today after a mo. of meetings, with the council having agreed on 3 res. on the Palestinians. They reaffirm the Palestinians’ right to self-determination, confirm Palestinian rights to sovereignty over their natural resources, and condemn ongoing settlement growth in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. (TOI 3/27; MNA 3/28)

PA Pres. Abbas arrives in Sharm al-Shaykh, Egypt, to participate in an Arab League summit on 3/28 and 3/29. Ahead of the summit, the Arab League agrees to send a delegation to Washington to lobby the U.S. Congress and promote the Arab Peace Initiative. (WAFA 2/25; MNA 3/27; HA 3/28)

In Gaza, a Palestinian is killed when he triggers an unexploded piece of Israeli ordnance nr. Rafah. The man’s brother is critically injured. Twice off the coast nr. al-Sudaniyya and Gaza City, Israeli naval forces fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage but no injuries. IDF troops arrest 2 Palestinians nr. Gaza City attempting to cross the border into Israel to find work. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse dozens of Palestinian protesters at a checkpoint nr. Ramallah; 3 Palestinians are injured with live ammunition, tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber-coated metal bullets. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Hebron and 1 village nr. Ramallah, arresting 3 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 6; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Tulkarm and Hebron. They also arrest 1 Palestinian outside a settlement nr. Salfit and 2 at checkpoints in Hebron. Israeli settlers destroy 180 olive saplings nr. Hebron and bar Palestinian farmers from tending their lands nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct house searches and raids in Ras al-Amud and al-Tur, sparking minor clashes with Palestinian youth throwing Molotov cocktails. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/28; HA, MNA, YA 3/1; PCHR 3/5)

Egypt’s Court of Urgent Matters designates Hamas as a terrorist organization, banning it from Egypt, after having declared the group’s armed wing, IQB, as such on 1/31. Hamas criticizes the decision, with 1 official saying it “serves the Israeli occupation.” (AJ, AP, BBC, MNA, TOI, YA 2/28; MNA 3/1)

Iranian FM Zarif criticizes Israeli PM Netanyahu’s 3/3 address to the U.S. Congress as an attempt to undermine the negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. (AP, REU, YA 2/28)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of c. Gaza arrest 4 Palestinians as they attempt to cross the border fence into Israel. In 4 separate incidents off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse with tear gas and rubbercoated metal bullets dozens of Palestinians protesting Israeli pres. Rivlin’s visit to c. Hebron, injuring 1. Rivlin gives an inauguration speech at a Jewish history museum. It is the 1st visit to Hebron for a sitting Israeli pres. since 1998. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Salfit, Hebron, Jenin, Jericho, and in ‘Aqabat Jabir r.c; patrols nr. Qalqilya and Hebron. They also arrest a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Bethlehem who is on his way to visit his brother in prison. An Israeli settler deliberately rams his car into a car full of PA security forces outside al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, injuring 7. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces patrol nr. a school in al-Tur, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youth; 4 of the Palestinians are arrested and dozens suffer from tear gas inhalation. An Israeli settler hits a Palestinian woman with his car nr. the Old City, moderately injuring her. (MNA, WAFA 2/2; AFP, WAFA 2/3; PCHR 2/5; EI 2/6)

The Jordanian govt. returns its amb. to Tel Aviv today after he was recalled on 11/5/2014 following serious clashes at the site that day and the Israeli govt.’s closing of Haram al-Sharif on 10/30. (AFP, HA, JP 2/2)

William Schabas resigns after 5 mos. as head of the 3-mbr. UNHRC’s commission investigating possible war crimes committed during OPE. In his resignation letter, Schabas cites Israeli allegations of bias and says he does not want to detract from the report’s findings. Israeli PM Netanyahu calls for the inquiry to be shelved, but UN officials say it will continue, as scheduled. (AJ, REU 2/2; AFP, WAFA 2/3)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis detain 3 Palestinians as they attempt to cross the border fence into Israel. In the West Bank, Israeli forces conduct house searches and arrest raids nr. Ramallah and Jenin; patrol nr. Hebron and Salfit; demolish 30 dunams (around 7.4 acres) of wheat fields nr. Bethlehem; and deliver eviction orders to several Palestinian bedouin families in a village nr. Jericho. Israeli settlers level land so they can establish a road leading to an outpost s. of Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces fire sound bombs and tear gas at Palestinian students as they exit their elementary school in al-Tur, then arrest 1 of their parents. (MNA, WAFA 1/15; PCHR 1/22; OCHA 1/23)

In Cairo, the Arab League agrees to make the “necessary communications and consultations” with international partners to submit a new proposal on behalf of the Palestinians to the UNSC. Diplomats from 5 Arab countries will form a joint comm. to organize the resubmission, and PA Pres. Abbas agrees to respect the comm.’s decisions regarding timing. (AP, HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 1/15; TOI 1/17)

After meeting with the U.S. Consul Gen. to Israel and Palestine Michael Ratney in Ramallah, PA PM Hamdallah calls on the international community to pressure Israel into unfreezing its tax revenue transfers to the PA. (AJ, REU, WAFA, YA 1/15) 

Iranian FM Zarif meets with German FM Steinmeier in Berlin, then with EU foreign affairs chief Mogherini, to discuss the ongoing negotiations over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. In Geneva, reps. of Iran and the U.S. discuss the negotiations. (AFP 1/16; MNA 1/17)