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  • November 5, 2023

    In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces earlier this week in al-Eizariya. Israeli settlers set up 5 caravans near Tuqu’. Israeli settlers also threw...

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  • July 29, 2021

    In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed a funeral procession for a Palestinian child killed by Israeli forces on 7/28 near Beit Umar, killing 1 Palestinian man and injuring 5 others...

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  • April 19, 2019

    In the West Bank, 2 apartments in Hebron belonging to the family of a Palestinian convicted for the murder of an Israeli in February were demolished by Israeli forces. In Salfit, Israeli forces...

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  • July 7, 2017

    An Israeli settler driver runs over a Palestinian motorcyclist nr. Bethlehem, causing fatal injuries. The Israeli police describe the incident as a “road accident,” though it is not clear whether...

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  • April 18, 2016

    An explosive device detonates on a bus in s. Jerusalem, injuring at least 20 Israelis (2 seriously). A Palestinian injured in the blast will succumb to his wounds on 4/20. Israeli officials treat...

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  • November 28, 2014

    In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops on the border twice open fire on Palestinian homes, causing 1 injury. In 2 separate incidents off the coast nr. Rafah, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian...

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  • January 31, 2014

    In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces open fire on Palestinian protesters close to the border fence nr. Jabaliya, wounding 7. Separately, Israeli forces open fire on an open area in the c. Gaza Strip...

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  • November 30, 2013

    In Israel, security forces in Petah Tikva shoot and kill a Palestinian worker from a village nr. Nablus, during a police-led search for Palestinians without permits. In the West Bank, IDF troops...

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  • November 11, 2013

    In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubbercoated metal bullets and tear gas at Palestinians during routine patrols in Hebron and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, after residents throw stones at soldiers. In...

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  • October 20, 2013

    In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops conduct a limited incursion nr. Dayr al-Balah to level land close to the border fence. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village...

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  • September 20, 2013

    In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinians walking close to the border fence nr. Bayt Lahiya, wounding 2. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1...

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  • September 8, 2013

    In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli troops clash with residents in Bayt Umar village nr....

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  • January 20, 2013

    In an effort to reopen the Ramallah– Jerusalem road in al-Amari r.c. nr. Ramallah, Palestinian security forces open fire on Palestinians demonstrating in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in...

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  • November 16, 2012

    Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense against Gaza enters its 3d day, leaving another 11 Palestinians dead and bringing the Palestinian death toll since 11/14 to 30, around 1/3 civilians. Intense...

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  • August 9, 2012

    Israeli naval vessels fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. Dozens of Palestinian supporters of the Democratic Front for the...

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  • August 6, 2012

    Egypt suspects that Islamist militants who were persecuted under the Mubarak regime staged the 8/6 attack on the n. Sinai border and vows a swift response and reassertion of government control...

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  • June 15, 2012

    Unidentified assailants fire 2 Grad rockets from the Egyptian Sinai into Israel, striking n. of Elat, causing no damage or injuries. No group takes responsibility. (HA 6/16, 6/17)

    The IDF...

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  • August 19, 2011

    Cross-border exchanges in Gaza continue overnight and throughout the day. The PRCs, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB), and a small Salafist group (the Abdullah Azzam Brigades) fire around 17...

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  • August 13, 2011

    The IDF beats and fires tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinians and international activists staging a nonviolent march fr. Bayt Umar to nearby Palestinian lands confiscated for the expansion of...

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  • January 28, 2011

    Paraguay recognizes Palestine as independent state on the 1967 borders. (JP 2/5)

    In Gaza, 1,000s of Hamas supporters protest against the PA in light of the Palestine Papers revelations...

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  • May 15, 2010

    IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on Palestinians scavenging construction materials fr. the fmr. Aley Sinai and Nisanit settlement sites, wounding 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, the IDF...

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  • May 2, 2010

    IDF troops enter the n. Gaza no-go zone nr. Bayt Lahiya to fire on Palestinians (some well over 300 m away fr. the border) scavenging the former Aley Sinai and Dugit settlement sites for...

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  • February 23, 2007

    In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a communal water cistern nr. Hebron; conducts patrols in Dura nr. Hebron (randomly checking Palestinian IDs), Tulkarm town and r.c. (firing on stone-throwing...

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  • October 2, 2001

    Bush for the 1st time publicly endorses the creation of a Palestinian state, saying it "has always been a part of our vision, so long as the right of Israel to exist is respected." The State Dept...

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In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces earlier this week in al-Eizariya. Israeli settlers set up 5 caravans near Tuqu’. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles and assaulted a Palestinian man near Sabastia. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling north of Ramallah. Israeli forces shot and killed 4 Palestinians during raids in Abu Dis and Nuba, including 1 in a missile strike on a building in Abu Dis. Israeli forces also shot and injured 8 Palestinian during raids in ‘Usarin, Hebron, and Abu Dis. Elsewhere, Israeli forces vandalized several vehicles in Bayt Jala and uprooted 70 olive trees in Haris. 46 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Birzeit, Bil’in, Nuba, Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarm, Bethlehem, and Tubas. In Gaza, Israel cut internet and phone communications for the third time since 10/7. Israeli forces killed 243 Palestinians and injured 635 others. Israel bombed Maghazi refugee camp and al-Bureij refugee camp, killing 71 Palestinians and injuring dozens of others. 1 Israeli soldier was killed in Gaza, bringing the total death toll to 28 since the ground invasion started. Rockets were fired at Israel; no damage was reported. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed 4 Lebanese, including 3 children and an elderly woman, traveling in a car between Ainata and Aitaroun. 4 medics were also injured in Israeli attacks in Southern Lebanon. Hezbollah responded by attacking Kiryat Shmona, killing 1 Israeli. 1 Israeli soldier succumbed to injuries he sustained last week when his tank overturned. (AJ, HA 11/4; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/5; AJ, AP, AP 11/6)

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said at least 9,770 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,008 children and 2,500 women, and 24,173 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. At least 2,260 people were buried in rubble, including 1,270 children. 144 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 43 children. More than 2,386 people have been injured. Around 1,400 Israelis, including foreign nationals, have been killed and 5,431 injured since 10/7. Over 1.5 million Palestinians, more than half the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12 due to the Israel blockade. As of 10/23, at least 27,781 housing units have been destroyed and 150,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. The number is likely much higher given the lack of recent data. Egypt said the evacuation of injured Palestinians and foreign passport holders has been suspended since 11/4 due to the Israeli attack on an ambulance on 11/3. (AJ, HA 11/4; AJ, AP, HA, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 11/5; NYT 11/6)

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Israeli forces had divided Gaza into “a south Gaza and a north Gaza.” The Israeli military called on Palestinians in northern Gaza to travel south on Salah al-Din Street between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Israeli heritage minister Amichai Eliyahu suggested that Israel use nuclear bombs in Gaza. He was later suspended from cabinet meetings but not as a minister. Eliyahu also suggested that the Palestinian population in Gaza should be forcefully displaced to Ireland or the desert. Saudi Arabia condemned the comments and called on Israel to fire him. Israeli military rabbi Amichai Friedman told Israeli soldiers, “[t]his is our country. All of it. Including Gaza. Including Lebanon, the entire Promised Land.” Newly appointed chairperson of the Knesset subcommittee on West Bank Issues Zvi Sukkot called on Israel to prevent all Palestinians from harvesting olives, claiming the harvest endangers Israeli settlers. (AJ 11/4; AJ, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/5; AP, HA, HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA 11/6)

Israeli police banned an anti-war protest in Umm al-Fahm. (HA 11/5)

King Abdullah II of Jordan said Jordanian military had airdropped medical aid for a field hospital run by Jordan in Gaza. Israel later claimed it coordinated with Jordan on the airdrop. (AJ 11/4; HA 11/5; AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU 11/6)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken in Ramallah, calling on Blinken to support a ceasefire. Abbas said that the PA could return to power in Gaza if a “comprehensive political solution” is found to the Israeli occupation. U.S. officials said Blinken had told Abbas that the PA will play a central role in “what comes next for Gaza.” Palestinians protested Blinken’s visit to Ramallah. Blinken also traveled to Iraq, meeting with prime minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani. PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh met with the French consul-general to Jerusalem Pierre Cochard, discussing the upcoming French conference on aid to Gaza. (AJ 11/4; AJ, HA, NYT, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA 11/5; AJ, AJ, AP 11/6)

The Fatah Central Committee held a meeting discussing the situation in Gaza. In a statement after the meeting the committee condemned the “barbaric war of extermination by the occupying army.” (AJ 11/6)

CIA director William Burns arrived in Israel for meetings with Israeli officials. (AJ 11/4; NYT 11/5)

The New York Times reported that Israeli officials have been pushing other countries to lobby Egypt to allow Israel to displace Palestinians to the Sinai. The Times also reported that U.S. officials overseeing arms transfers to foreign countries will approve the sale of 24,000 assault rifles to Israel, despite concerns that some of the rifles will be handed out to settlers and civilian militias in Israel. Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has handed out weapons to settlers and promised more will arrive. Axios reported on 11/6 that the Biden administration, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee have approved the Israeli purchase of M16 rifles from U.S. companies on the condition that they would not be handed to civilians in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. (NYT, NYT 11/5; AX 11/6)

Thousands of Turkish protesters demonstrated outside of a U.S. airbase in Incirlik after traveling 584 miles from Istanbul in solidarity with Palestine. Turkish police violently dispersed some protesters with water cannons and tear gas. (AJ, AJ 11/4; AP, HA, REU 11/5; AP 11/6)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed a funeral procession for a Palestinian child killed by Israeli forces on 7/28 near Beit Umar, killing 1 Palestinian man and injuring 5 others with rubber-coated bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians protesting the Evyatar settlement outpost in Beita, injuring 8 with rubber-coated bullets and others with tear gas. Israeli forces later returned to disperse Palestinians protesting in Beita, injuring 10 with rubber-coated bullets and causing tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raided the offices of Defense for Children International in al-Bireh, confiscating computers and client files. Israeli forces also raided the Bisan Center for Research and Development in Ramallah, seizing computers and posting a notice to shut the offices down for 6 months. Meanwhile, Israeli forces delivered demolition notices for 4 residential structures belonging to 4 families in ‘Ain al-Hilweh and seized 1 tractor in Khirbet ar-Ras al-Ahmar. 4 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Bayt Jala, Dura, and Tell. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians demolished their own homes in al-Tur. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen and confiscated their boat within 3 nautical miles west of al-Sudaniyya. (AA, AJ, HA, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/29; ALM, MEE, MEE, WAFA 7/30; PCHR 8/5; WAFA 8/14)

Haaretz reported that Israel had allocated 8,500 dunams (2,100 acres) of Palestinian land to 6 Israeli settlement farms and 1 grazing outpost in the southern Hebron Hills. (AA, HA, WAFA 7/29; MEMO 7/30)

1 Japanese-owned vessel managed by an Israeli-run company was attacked off the coast of Oman, resulting in the death of 1 Romanian and 1 British national. The U.S., Israel, and the UK blamed Iran for the attack, saying it was carried out by a drone. Iran denied the accusation. (AJ, ALM, HA, REU 7/30; MEMO 7/31; AJ, AX, MEMO, REU, REU 8/1; AJ, ALM, AX, HA, MEMO, REU, REU, REU 8/2; ALM, MEMO, MEMO, REU 8/3; HA, MEMO 8/4; MEMO 8/5; AX 8/6; REU 8/7; HA 8/10)

An investigative report based on declassified documents revealed that Israel built 2 detention camps in the Sinai Peninsula in 1971 for Palestinian prisoners from Gaza. The 2 detention camps, Abu Zenima and Nekhel, were closed 1 year later. The investigation showed that many of the Palestinians sent to the detention camps were not suspected of any crimes. (HA 7/29)

In the West Bank, 2 apartments in Hebron belonging to the family of a Palestinian convicted for the murder of an Israeli in February were demolished by Israeli forces. In Salfit, Israeli forces raided and took measurements for demolition of a home belonging to the family of a Palestinian alleged to have attacked Israeli settlers in the settlement of Ariel on 3/17. The alleged perpetrator was killed by Israeli forces on 3/20. Israeli forces also violently dispersed the weekly anti-settlement protests in Kafr Qaddum using live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, and tear gas, injuring 6. One French activist was arrested during the protest. In East Jerusalem, a soccer tournament in Bayt Safafa was shut down by Israeli police, claiming that it was organized by the PA. In Gaza, Israeli forces attacked 2 Hamas posts east of al-Bureij refugee camp after shots allegedly were fired at Israeli soldiers near the Gaza fence, causing damage, but no injuries were reported. Israeli forces also fired live ammunition, tear gas, and rubber-coated bullets at protesters partaking in the weekly Great March of Return protests, injuring at least 46 Palestinians. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen; no injuries were reported. According to Israeli sources, an incendiary balloon was found on a beach near Ashqelon in Israel. Israeli authorities announced that it would institute a week-long closure between 4/19 and 4/27 of entry points to Israel from Gaza and the West Bank for the celebration of Passover. (HA, HA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/19; HA, MNA, WAFA 4/20)

In an interview with the Atlantic, the outgoing French ambassador to the U.S. Gérard Araud, in discussing the Trump administration’s “peace plan,” called Israel an apartheid state. He said, “They [Israel] have the West Bank, but at the same time they don’t have to make the painful decision about the Palestinians, really making them really, totally stateless or making them citizens of Israel. They won’t make them citizens of Israel. So they will have to make it official, which is we know the situation, which is an apartheid. There will be officially an apartheid state. . . . They are in fact already.” Araud also recounted a conversation between French president Emmanuel Macron and U.S. president Donald Trump, in which Trump said “I have given everything to the Israelis; the Israelis will have to give me something.” (AM 4/19; HA 4/24)

The U.S. envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt rebuffed in a tweet speculations that part of the Trump administration’s “peace plan” includes transferring parts of Egypt’s Sinai to the Gaza Strip. (HA 4/19)

An Israeli settler driver runs over a Palestinian motorcyclist nr. Bethlehem, causing fatal injuries. The Israeli police describe the incident as a “road accident,” though it is not clear whether the collision was intentional. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinians driving nr. Jenin, breaking the windshield of 1 vehicle. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday protests against the Israeli occupation, separation wall, and settlements in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, and along Gaza’s border nr. Jabaliya r.c. and Gaza City; 8 Palestinians and 1 Korean activist are injured. The IDF arrests 3 Palestinians and issues 1 arrest summons during late-night raids nr. Tulkarm and Bethlehem, and patrols nr. Hebron. (MNA, WAFA 7/7; MNA 7/8; PCHR 7/13)

A Palestinian infant succumbs to injuries sustained amid clashes in Abud village nr. Ramallah on 5/19/2017, when IDF troops fired tear gas canisters at Palestinian homes during the clashes. The infant inhaled an ultimately fatal amount of gas. (MNA, WAFA 7/8)

A suicide bomber detonates a car at an Egyptian checkpoint in Rafah in n. Sinai, killing at least 10 Egyptian soldiers and injuring 26 others. In clashes sparked by their search for accomplices, Egyptian security forces kill 40 armed fighters affiliated with the Sinai Province of the Islamic State and other Islamist groups in the area, and destroy 6 vehicles. (MNA 7/7)

Despite Israeli and U.S. opposition, UNESCO’s World Heritage Comm. approves a res. inscribing Hebron’s Old City, including al-Ibrahimi Mosque, on its List of World Heritage in Danger. Twelve countries vote in favor of the measure, 3 oppose it, and 6 abstain. (BBC, GDN, HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 7/7; MNA 7/9)

An explosive device detonates on a bus in s. Jerusalem, injuring at least 20 Israelis (2 seriously). A Palestinian injured in the blast will succumb to his wounds on 4/20. Israeli officials treat it as a terrorist attack, and the Israeli police and security services begin investigations. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinian youths after they allegedly assault an Israeli youth in the Old City; arrest 7 Palestinian youths and confiscate some property during raids in Shu‘fat r.c., Qalandia r.c., Ras al-Amud, and the Old City; and shoot tear gas canisters at Palestinian schoolchildren in Ras al-Amud, causing no serious injuries. Israeli forces also raid and search a newspaper company’s offices. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot tear gas canisters at a school nr. Hebron, causing minor injuries; conduct raids and house searches nr. Bethlehem, Ramallah, Qalqilya, and in and around Hebron, arresting 10 Palestinians, issuing arrest summons to 4, and confiscating some property; patrol nr. Ramallah and Jericho. Along Gaza’s border, Egyptian forces flood and partially destroy a smuggling tunnel leading into the n. Sinai Peninsula. A military court in Gaza sentences 5 Palestinians to death on charges related to collaborating with Israel. A Palestinian woman is injured when she accidentally detonates a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance in Gaza City. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/18; JP, MNA, TOI 4/19; HA, MNA 4/20; PCHR 4/21)

The IDF lifts a gag order on the news that it discovered a tunnel leading from s. Gaza into Israel earlier this week (they will demolish it on 4/19). Hamas’s military wing says “this tunnel is just a drop in the ocean of what the resistance has prepared for the defense of its people and the liberation of holy places, land, and prisoners.” (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 4/18; JP 4/19)

Citing Palestinian complaints and reservations, Jordan’s PM Abdullah Ensour says that Jordan has decided to halt the process of installing cameras at Haram al-Sharif following mos. of stalled negotiations with Israeli officials. (JP, MNA, TOI, YA 4/18; HA 4/19, 4/27)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops on the border twice open fire on Palestinian homes, causing 1 injury. In 2 separate incidents off the coast nr. Rafah, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian woman at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron after she refuses to undergo a security check. Nearby, Israeli soldiers patrol nr. al-Shuhada Street, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youth; several Palestinians suffer from tear gas inhalation. Clashes break out in Tuqu‘ nr. Bethlehem when IDF troops raid the village and search several homes. The IDF also conducts arrest raids and house searches nr. Jenin, Nablus, and Ramallah; patrols nr. Hebron, Birzeit, Ramallah, Jericho, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya; arrests 2 Hamas mbrs. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 8 locations nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, Ni‘lin, Qalandia checkpoint, outside Ofer prison, Jalazun r.c., and 2 other villages), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum). There are 16 moderate injuries and 2 serious injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct house searches and raids in Silwan. (AP, HA, JP, MNA 11/28; MNA 11/29; PCHR 12/4)

Ahead of the French Parliament’s 12/2 vote on Palestinian statehood, FM Fabius presents a new diplomatic proposal for restarting peace negotiations. The proposal includes a UNSC res., currently being drafted by French officials as an alternative to a Palestinian-drafted text, which will provide a framework and a 2-year deadline for talks. He says that France is prepared to host a new round of peace negotiations. (AFP, HA 11/28)

In Egypt, Egyptian security officials shoot and kill a Palestinian security officer as he drives into an ambush meant for another nr. Shaykh Zuwayd in the n. Sinai. (AP, MNA 11/28)

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces open fire on Palestinian protesters close to the border fence nr. Jabaliya, wounding 7. Separately, Israeli forces open fire on an open area in the c. Gaza Strip, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF opens fire on a crowd of a few hundred Palestinian demonstrators outside Jalazun r.c., wounding 14 with live ammunition and 4 with rubber-coated metal bullets. The protest is a response to the killing of a camp resident on 1/29. In addition, Palestinians clash with Israeli forces nr. Ramallah outside Silwad village, with 1 Palestinian wounded by live ammunition. IDF troops detain 2 Palestinians who they say went to the entrance of Nahlilel settlement and set off fireworks. In Bethlehem, amid clashes with Israeli soldiers, Palestinian youth throw an improvised explosive device at Rachel’s Tomb. The clashes result in 7 arrests. Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinian activists with some internationals go to ‘Ayn Hiljeh, an abandoned Palestinian village in the Jordan Valley, as part of a demonstration protesting settlement activities and land confiscation. The Popular Struggle Coordination Cmte. says that the step is also aimed at averting reported Israeli intentions to annex the area. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Hebron and 2 nearby villages, 2 villages nr. Salfit, and 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Ramallah at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 3 villages in Hebron and 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Tulkarm at night. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), and 1 village nr. Bethlehem (alMa‘sara). There are no serious injuries, except in Kafr Qaddum (2 struck by tear gas canisters). (AP, MNA, ToI 1/31; PCHR 2/6)

In Switzerland, the 1st round of UN-sponsored peace negotiations on Syria ends with no breakthroughs or even seeming progress in bringing the 2 sides closer together. UN-Arab League joint special envoy Brahimi, who is serving as mediator, expresses frustration that even an agreement to allow an aid convoy to reach Homs remained elusive. Opposition delegates say they will return on 2/10, but govt. reps. say they would need to check with Damascus. (REU 1/31)

Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis fires a rocket toward Eilat from the Sinai Peninsula, which is intercepted by an Iron Dome missile defense battery. (YA 1/31)

The Egyptian military attacks militants in Shaykh Zuweid, Sinai Peninsula, with Apache helicopters and ground forces, killing 13. (AP 1/31)

In Israel, security forces in Petah Tikva shoot and kill a Palestinian worker from a village nr. Nablus, during a police-led search for Palestinians without permits. In the West Bank, IDF troops clash with residents in 1 village nr. Jenin during a raid. In 1 village nr. Ramallah, Jewish settlers attack property and residents who in turn fight back with stone-throwing. As a result, Israeli forces fire tear gas grenades at the Palestinian villagers, causing no serious injuries. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 3 villages nr. Jenin at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah at night. In Sur al-Bahir, East Jerusalem, a Palestinian family demolishes 3 apartments in an effort to avoid the charges associated with a demolition conducted by the municipality. (MNA 11/30; PCHR 12/5)

Thousands of demonstrators protest against the proposed Prawer Plan in several locations across Israel, including the Negev village Hura, Haifa, nr. Highway 444 in the “Triangle,” Jerusalem, and Jaffa, with a total of 34 arrests nationwide. The largest protest is in Hura, where protesters throw stones and the police retaliate. Israeli FM Lieberman harshly attacks the protesters, and says the govt. is “fighting for the lands of the Jewish people.” Solidarity protests also take place nr. Ramallah, where Palestinians clash with Israeli forces nr. Beit El settlement, and in Gaza City. (HA, JP, MNA, REU, YA 11/30; ToI 12/2)

Egypt’s 50-mbr. constituent assembly votes on 138 articles of the 247-article draft constitution, limiting the scope of Shari‘a law and allowing the army to try civilians in military tribunals. Meanwhile U.S. Defense Secy. Chuck Hagel calls DM Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to express concern about a new law curbing protests, according to a statement by Dept. of Defense spokesperson Carl Woog. Also in Egypt, security forces kill 3 mbrs. of al-Tawhid walJihad, a militant group, in the n. Sinai nr. Shaykh Zuweid. (AP, NYT, MNA 11/30)

In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubbercoated metal bullets and tear gas at Palestinians during routine patrols in Hebron and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, after residents throw stones at soldiers. In Hebron, 1 child is injured by a tear gas canister to the head. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages nr. Bethlehem, 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah and in Nablus at night; patrols in 1 village each nr. Salfit and Hebron, and in Qalqilya in the afternoon, and in Hebron and 2 nearby villages and al-Fawar r.c. at night. (PCHR 11/14)

Avigdor Lieberman is officially sworn in as FM at the Knesset, days after his acquittal in a Jerusalem court on charges of corruption, following a 62–17 vote in favor of his reinstatement. (JP 11/11)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry says in a news conference during a visit to the United Arab Emirates that he hopes an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program will be signed within mos. Separately, Iran and the IAEA sign a deal to allow nuclear inspectors “managed access” to 2 sites within 3 mos., following talks by the agency’s chief Yukiya Amano in Tehran. Meanwhile, Britain announces the appointment of a nonresident chargé d’affaires to Iran, 2 years after the embassy in Tehran was ransacked by protesters. (AP, REU 11/11)

The Egyptian military kills 2 and arrests 5 in fighting in Sinai. (JP 11/11)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops conduct a limited incursion nr. Dayr al-Balah to level land close to the border fence. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Hebron and Nablus at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jericho in the morning, in 1 village nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Ramallah, Qalqilya and Tulkarm at night. Unknown assailants throw a petrol bomb at a Jewish settler’s car nr. Nablus, causing no injuries. (MNA 10/20; PCHR 10/24)

Hamas’s armed wing Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades claims direct responsibility for digging the tunnel under the Gaza-Israel border recently exposed by the IDF. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities open Kerem Shalom border crossing for truckloads of imports including commercial commodities and limited amounts of fuel and gas for domestic use. Construction material is not part of the consignment. (MNA, REU 10/20)

Journalists demonstrate in Ramallah to demand the reopening of the Gaza Strip offices of Ma’an News Agency and Al-Arabiya, which have been shut since the summer. Meanwhile, the PA Public Workers’ Union announces a general strike to begin on Wednesday in all govt. offices in the West Bank, due to an industrial dispute about rising living costs requiring a commensurate increase in wages. (MNA 10/12)

Gunmen shoot dead 3 people including a child outside a Coptic church in Cairo, opening fire on congregation mbrs. as they leave the church. In the Sinai, gunmen attack Egyptian security forces nr. Shaykh Zuweid in the Sinai, injuring 3. Meanwhile, some 3,000 student supporters of ousted pres. Morsi protest in Al-Azhar University, with security forces using tear gas to disperse demonstrators and arresting 11. (AFP, AP, MNA, REU 10/20)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinians walking close to the border fence nr. Bayt Lahiya, wounding 2. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Qalqilya at night; patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Jericho and Jenin at night. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum). There are no serious injuries, except in Kafr Qaddum, where 5 are injured (4 struck by tear gas canisters, including 1 international, and 1 hit by a live bullet). (MNA 9/20; PCHR 9/26)

An Arab-introduced res. at the IAEA’s annual conference in Vienna to censure Israel’s refusal to allow international oversight of its nuclear weapons is voted down 43–54–32 (and another 30 countries were absent during the vote). (AP 9/20)

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) says that Syria has given details of some of its arsenal but still needs to fill in the gaps by next week to satisfy the timetable proposed by the Russian-U.S. plan. (REU 9/20)

White House dep. spokesperson Josh Earnest says that the Obama administration is ready to engage in talks with Iran “on the basis of mutual respect” about the country’s nuclear program. (REU 9/20)

Egyptian police arrest some 87 wanted men in a village nr. Cairo, while separately, gunmen target 3 military vehicles in Rafah, injuring 3 soldiers. Security forces say they also arrested 15 Salafist militants in villages in the n. Sinai. (AFP, AP, MNA 9/20)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli troops clash with residents in Bayt Umar village nr. Hebron during a patrol, with 2 Palestinians wounded by shrapnel of a sound bomb and a bullet respectively. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Nablus in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Salfit and 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Ramallah at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin at night. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces fire rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas at Al-Quds university students in Abu Dis after staff prevented soldiers from entering the campus. (MNA 9/8; PCHR 9/12)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry meets with Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas in London, their 1st such talks since direct negotiations recommenced. Earlier, Kerry holds talks with Arab League officials—including the FMs of Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia—in Paris, after which Kerry affirms the “commitment” of both sides to “continuing the talks.” The Arab League’s Peace Initiative Cmte. also expresses support for U.S. efforts to promote the direct talks. Meanwhile, Israeli officials protest Palestinian media leaks concerning the talks in complaints made to Washington. (AFP, JTA 9/8)

Following discussions in Paris, U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry says that Arab League ministers have agreed on the need for an international response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Asad regime. Kerry says that a number of countries immediately signed the statement produced at the G20 talks, but only names Saudi Arabia. (AFP 9/8)

Egyptian forces continue their Sinai offensive, killing 11 suspected Islamist fighters and arresting 10. (AP 9/8)

In an effort to reopen the Ramallah– Jerusalem road in al-Amari r.c. nr. Ramallah, Palestinian security forces open fire on Palestinians demonstrating in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Three Palestinian youths are wounded in the legs by live ammunition. (MNA 1/21)

Egyptian security forces seize 1 ton of explosives in the Sinai Peninsula allegedly bound for the Gaza Strip, the largest single such capture. Local media report that police have seized a total of 5 tons of explosives as well as disassembled rockets and automatic weapons in the last 3 mos.—all apparently headed for Gaza. Egyptian maj. gen. Sameeh Bashadi says that in the past 3 days, 10 Palestinians have been detained after entering Sinai illegally from the Gaza Strip and that a list of Palestinians entering Egypt through the tunnels has been distributed to the Egyptian security forces. (HA, MNA 1/20)

Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen off the Gaza coast nr. al-Waha, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF storms the alKaramah protest tent village nr. Bayt Iksa, issues demolition and evacuation orders, and fires stun grenades and tear gas. The IDF also patrols in Jenin in the morning, in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, and in 3 villages nr. Ramallah at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in Tubas and in 2 villages each nr. Hebron and Jenin at night. (MNA 1/20; PCHR 1/23)

Palestinian pres. Abbas arrives in Saudi Arabia to attend the 3d Arab Economic, Social and Developmental Summit, where he renews his call for urgent financial aid. Meanwhile, Palestinian union chief Bassam Zakarneh announces that PA civil servants will hold protests on 1/21 and strike on 1/23 to protest late payment of salaries. (JP 1/21; MNA 1/20)

Hamas official Ghazi Hammad announces that Tunisian pres. Moncef Marzouki will visit the Gaza Strip on 2/9, without giving further details. Meanwhile, Lebanon-based senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan arrives in the Gaza Strip for the 1st time on a visit of a few days. (AFP 1/20; JP 1/21)

Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense against Gaza enters its 3d day, leaving another 11 Palestinians dead and bringing the Palestinian death toll since 11/14 to 30, around 1/3 civilians. Intense levels of Israeli air strikes continue, with 40 attacks before dawn and at least 200 overall during the day; reports estimate some 500 targets struck by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) since the operation began. The IDF bombs Gaza’s Ministry of Interior building and the offices of Hamas’s acting PM Ismail Haniyeh. Palestinian armed groups fire a total of 190 rockets into Israel, including a rocket that lands in an open area nr. Gush Etzion settlement bloc s. of Jerusalem, causing no damage or injuries. The Israeli cabinet approves Israeli DM Ehud Barak’s requests to mobilize 75,000 reservists. Israel’s FM Avigdor Lieberman states that the 2 goals of the operation are to restore deterrence and destroy long-range missiles. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, Palestinians hold demonstrations to protest the attack on Gaza, including a rally of hundreds of Hamas activists in Ramallah. IDF forces injure dozens of Palestinians in the solidarity protests, seriously wounding 1 man in Kafr Qaddum village nr. Qalqilya with a tear-gas canister to the head. (AP, HA, Guardian, JP, MNA 11/16)

Internationally, there is a mixture of support for Israel’s actions and caution regarding escalation. The U.S. Senate unanimously passes a resolution expressing support for Israel’s ‘‘right to act in self-defense.’’ UK foreign secretary William Hague warns Israel against staging a ground incursion into Gaza. Egyptian PM Hesham Kandil visits the Gaza Strip, during which time Israel temporarily stops its attacks. Egyptian pres. Mohamed Morsi condemns Israel’s operation and pledges Egyptian support for the Palestinians. Meanwhile, UN high commissioner for human rights Navi Pillay condemns Israel’s aerial bombardment of Gaza as well as Palestinian rocket fire. (HA, Guardian, JP, MNA, REU 11/16)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah in the morning, 1 village nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon, and 1 village nr. Ramallah, 2 villages nr. Salfit, and 1 village nr. Jericho at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in Tulkarm in the afternoon, and in Hebron and 1 nearby village, and 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. Israeli soldiers violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and internationals taking part in weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the Israeli occupation and land confiscations held in 4 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, al-Nabi Salih, Budrus), 1 village nr. Bethlehem (al-Ma‘sara), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum). There are no serious injuries, except in Bil‘in, where 2 Palestinians are wounded by a tear-gas canister and rubber-coated steel bullet respectively, and in Kafr Qaddum, where 1 Palestinian is wounded by a tear-gas canister. (PCHR 11/22)

Egyptian security forces say that unidentified militants fire 3 rockets into Israel from the Sinai Peninsula nr. Rafah. No damage or injuries are reported. (MNA 11/16)

In Amman, Jordanian protests over rising fuel prices continue for a 4th day. Protesters clash with security forces, and a rally of several thousand passes off largely peacefully; chants include demands for the departure of King Abdallah II. (WP 11/16)

Israeli naval vessels fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. Dozens of Palestinian supporters of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) stage a protest march fr. Ramallah to Israel’s Ofer military prison nearby to denounce the retrial of DFLP Politburo mbr. Ibrahim Abu Hajla, who was released in the 12/2011 prisoner swap that freed IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit but was later redetained. IDF soldiers fire live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the demonstrators, wounding 5 (including 1 child, 1 woman). (PCHR 8/16; OCHA 8/18)

Experts say that a new malware program spreading across Lebanon, named Gauss, is clearly the product of the same developers as the Stuxnet and Flame viruses used to attack Iran (believed by most experts to have been developed jointly by Israel and the U.S.). Gauss steals customer data from banks (including Citibank and the online service PayPal) to track how money flows into and out of accounts; it appears to have been designed only for surveillance, not attack. Analysts say the virus has also popped up in Israel and the occupied territories, and several other countries worldwide. (NYT, WP 8/10)

Israel’s security cabinet approves an Egyptian request to deploy 5 attack helicopters in the Sinai to bolster security, modifying the terms of their peace treaty. (JPI 8/24)

Egypt suspects that Islamist militants who were persecuted under the Mubarak regime staged the 8/6 attack on the n. Sinai border and vows a swift response and reassertion of government control over the Sinai Peninsula. Egyptian pres. Morsi and SCAF head Field Marshal Tantawi make a joint visit to El-Arish in a show of unity. Israeli and Egyptian brigadier generals meet at Kerem Shalom to discuss their investigations of the incident. Israeli PM Netanyahu issues a formal statement of condolences, stating, ‘‘It is clear that Israel and Egypt have a common interest in maintaining a quiet border.’’ (NYT, WP 8/7)

Israel allows 54 Gazans with family members in Israeli jails to visit their relatives. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Jericho before dawn; conducts late-night patrols in Jericho, Qalqilya (firing tear gas and stun grenades at stone-throwing youths who confront them, causing no injuries), Salfit and 1 nearby village, and 1 village nr. Ramallah; and conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Kafr Qaddum and Salfit. (PCHR 8/9; OCHA 8/10)

Unidentified assailants fire 2 Grad rockets from the Egyptian Sinai into Israel, striking n. of Elat, causing no damage or injuries. No group takes responsibility. (HA 6/16, 6/17)

The IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 each nr. Jenin and Qalqilya in the morning; in Qalqilya and Tulkarm in the afternoon (stopping to harass PA security officers manning a checkpoint in Qalqilya); and in al-Nabi Salih and 1 village nr. Jenin late at night. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Kafr Qaddum, al-Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin. IDF soldiers fire live ammunition (al-Nabi Salih only), rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 1 Palestinian cameraman is moderately wounded by a rubber-coated steel bullet in al-Nabi Salih, and 3 Palestinians are hit by tear gas canisters in Kafr Qaddum. (PCHR 6/21; OCHA 6/22)

Nr. Tripoli, Lebanon, Palestinian refugees surround and throw stones at Lebanese soldiers who attempt to block a Palestinian from bringing a motorcycle into Nahr al-Barid r.c. The soldiers open fire on the crowd, killing 1 Palestinian and wounding another. (WP 6/16)

Cross-border exchanges in Gaza continue overnight and throughout the day. The PRCs, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB), and a small Salafist group (the Abdullah Azzam Brigades) fire around 17 rockets (including at least 4 Grads) and at least 2 mortars into Israel, seriously injuring 2 Israelis and damaging a religious seminary and a synagogue. The IDF carries out at least 25 air strikes (warplanes and drones) and 5 artillery strikes, killing at least another 7 Palestinians (5 militants and 2 bystanders, including 1 child) and wounding at least 40; the attacks include the targeted assassination of Islamic Jihad’s senior military cmdr. Mu’ataz Quraiqe‘ in Gaza City, also killing his brother and 2-yr.-old son. (The other 4 militants killed, including senior PRC cmdr. Samed Abed, apparently were targeted after firing rockets.) Other targets include smuggling tunnels on the Rafah border, the main waste treatment facility in Nussayrat refugee camp (r.c.) in central Gaza, and numerous Hamas facilities and suspected weapons storage facilities across the Strip. With air strikes continuing into the evening, Hamas’s military wing, the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades (IQB), declares that it no longer considers itself bound by a unilateral cease-fire that had been in place since the end of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in 1/2009. Israeli officials discuss the possibility of launching an all-out offensive on Gaza. A Hamas mbr. injured in an 8/15/11 Israeli air strike on Gaza dies. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Jenin and 1 each nr. Jericho, Qalqilya, and Ramallah. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Kafr Qaddum, Ni‘lin, and al-Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers beat and fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, injuring 1 Palestinian. (JP, MNA, YA 8/19; NYT, WP 8/20; IMEU, JAZ 8/21; PCHR 8/25; OCHA 8/26; NYT 8/27)

In Cairo, 100s of Egyptians angry over Israel’s killing of 3 soldiers in the Sinai on 8/18 gather outside the Israeli emb., demanding Israel’s amb. be expelled. Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF; the interim military leadership) summons the Israeli amb. to demand an apology and call for an investigation into the killings. The Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate for pres., Abdel Moneim Abou el-Fatouh, calls the incident an Israeli act of war, saying the SCAF should abrogate the 1979 peace treaty. (NYT, WP 8/20)

The IDF beats and fires tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinians and international activists staging a nonviolent march fr. Bayt Umar to nearby Palestinian lands confiscated for the expansion of Karme Tzur settlement, injuring 2 Palestinians and arresting 1. The IDF also patrols in 3 villages w. of Ramallah; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem and Nablus. (PCHR 8/18; OCHA 8/19)

Egypt sends 250 tanks and armored vehicles, 1,000 special forces, and 1,000s of police into the n. Sinai (including the Rafah area) to secure the region after a series of attacks on the natural gas pipeline (see 7/30) and increased attacks on Egyptian police by suspected al-Qa‘ida-inspired Islamists groups. It is unclear if Israel approved the increased military presence, which is limited under the 1979 peace treaty. (WP 8/14; NYT 8/29)

Paraguay recognizes Palestine as independent state on the 1967 borders. (JP 2/5)

In Gaza, 1,000s of Hamas supporters protest against the PA in light of the Palestine Papers revelations about negotiation concessions, particularly on the right of return. In the West Bank, around 2,000 Palestinians in Hebron and smaller groups in other cities attend Fatah-organized rallies in support of Abbas and against al-Jazeera. Also in the West Bank, a group of 100 armed Jewish settlers hiking nr. Khirbat Safa nr. Hebron is confronted by stone-throwing Palestinian youths, prompting 1 Jewish settler to open fire, killing 1 Palestinian teenager and wounding a 2d, marking the 2d such shooting in 2 days. Jewish settlers fr. Yonatan outpost in the East Jerusalem environs attack nearby Palestinian houses; accompanying IDF soldiers fire tear gas and stun grenades to keep Palestinians at a distance, sparking a fire that lightly damages 1 home. Meanwhile in the West Bank, the IDF patrols in villages nr. Ramallah, Tulkarm; enters Jayyus village nr. Qalqilya, searching 1 home but making no arrests. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some areas) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in and Ni‘lin. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, injuring 2 Palestinians. PA General Intelligence units detain leading Hizb al-Tahrir mbr. Mus‘ab Abu Arqub after Friday prayers in Dura nr. Hebron. (WP 1/29, MNA 1/30; PCHR 2/3; OCHA 2/4)

Across Egypt, 100,000s of protesters heed the call to observe a “Friday of rage” in Egypt, launching massive demonstrations after midday prayers. Protesters burn the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) headquarters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. Police stations and NDP offices are torched in several of Cairo’s middleclass neighborhoods and poorer quarters, as well as in Alexandria, Suez, Port Said, Damietta, Damanhour, and other areas of Upper Egypt and Sinai; prisoners in several jails are freed. With regular police already largely having withdrawn fr. the street, not wanting to confront protesters, Mubarak sends out security and plain-clothes police who violently clash with demonstrators and target journalists, killing as many as 300 and injuring as many as 2,000. Protesters in Cairo and Alexandria overwhelm the security police by dusk, forcing Mubarak to withdraw them to regroup and send the army and tanks into the cities to impose a curfew; but when protesters ignore the curfew, the army does not act. Later, Mubarak appears on state TV and, in effort to appease critics and quell protests, pledges to speed up his program of political and economic reforms, announcing that he has dissolved his cabinet, appointed a new PM to form a new government, and named military intelligence chief Gen. Omar Suleiman as his 1st ever VP, but protesters vow to remain in the streets until he steps down. The U.S. issues its first warnings that it will review its $1.56 b. in annual aid to Egypt depending on how events unfold in the coming days, pressing its contacts within the Egyptian army to avoid violence. Abbas, however, phones Mubarak to assure him of the PA’s support for Egypt’s security and stability. (IHS Global Insight, Middle East Research and Information Project, NYT, WP 1/29; MNA 1/30)

In Jordan, where criticism of the king is banned, 1,000s of demonstrators inspired by events in Egypt and Tunisia turn out after Friday prayers in Amman and cities across the kingdom to demand the resignation of PM Samir al-Rifa‘i and his cabinet, dissolution of the parliament, and a new round of free and fair elections. (The last parliamentary elections held in 11/2010 were widely criticized as fraudulent.) (NYT 1/29; NYT, WP 1/30; WP 2/1; NYT 2/2)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on Palestinians scavenging construction materials fr. the fmr. Aley Sinai and Nisanit settlement sites, wounding 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, international activists conducting a nonviolent march to confiscated Palestinian land outside Brakha settlement to protest Israeli settlement activity around Nablus (10s suffer from tear gas inhalation); prevents Palestinians staging a nonviolent march against Israeli settlement activity in Hebron fr. reaching Beit Romano as planned (no injuries reported; 1 Palestinian arrested, released on bail); conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Ni‘lin. (OCHA, PCHR 5/20)

IDF troops enter the n. Gaza no-go zone nr. Bayt Lahiya to fire on Palestinians (some well over 300 m away fr. the border) scavenging the former Aley Sinai and Dugit settlement sites for construction materials, wounding 1. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the Bayt Lahiya coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, stun grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, international activists staging a nonviolent march to the separation wall outside Bayt Jala nr. Bethlehem, injuring 4 Palestinians (including 1 journalist); conducts late-night patrols in Kfairet village southeast of Jenin, making no arrests; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba in Hebron and from settlements nr. Bethlehem, escorted by IDF troops, take over a Palestinian home (belonging to the Salah family, who has lived there since 1967) in keeping with a 12/15/09 court order that ruled in favor of a Kiryat Arba settler who claimed to have purchased the property in 1991. (OCHA, PCHR 5/6)

In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a communal water cistern nr. Hebron; conducts patrols in Dura nr. Hebron (randomly checking Palestinian IDs), Tulkarm town and r.c. (firing on stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops); conducts arrest raids, house searches in Nablus, Tulkarm town and r.c. and nr. Jenin. Palestinians fire 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In ongoing raids in Egypt (see 2/21), Egyptian security forces discover 1 ton of explosives (mostly TNT recovered from land mines) hidden nr. the border with Gaza that they believe was intended to be smuggled into the Strip; say that they have now arrested 57 Egyptians and Palestinians believed to be part of a network planning bombings in the Sinai targeting Israeli tourists, but also including 3 Palestinians who allegedly confess to being mbrs. of Islamic Jihad and to plotting to carry out suicide attacks in Israel. On the 2d anniversary of the 1st weekly nonviolent protests in Bil‘in against the separation wall, 10s of Palestinians and Israeli and international activists demonstrate; the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, percussion grenades to disperse them, beating some, injuring 13 (including a CNN cameraman). (WP 2/24; NYT 2/25; OCHA 2/28; PCHR 3/1)

Bush for the 1st time publicly endorses the creation of a Palestinian state, saying it "has always been a part of our vision, so long as the right of Israel to exist is respected." The State Dept. says this does not mark a change in either U.S. or admin. policy. (MENA 10/2 in WNC 10/3; MM, REU, WP, WT 10/3; AFP, AN, DUS, MA, al-Nahar, QA, al-Quds 10/3 in WNC 10/4; MM 10/4; JT, MA, MENA 10/4 in WNC 10/5; al-Quds, al-Ra'i 10/4, SA 10/5, AKH 10/8 in WNC 10/9; al-Quds 10/9 in WNC 10/10; AN 10/10 in WNC 10/11; MEI 10/12; MENA, al-Quds 10/13 in WNC 10/15)

In Gaza, 2 Hamas mbrs. raid Aley Sinai settlement, tossing grenades into buildings and shooting IDF soldiers guarding the settlement as well as residents, killing 2 Jewish settlers, wounding 7 soldiers and 8 settlers before being shot dead. Arafat orders the PSF to hunt for the assailants. Sharon calls an emergency mtg. of his cabinet. Palestinians also fire a mortar at a Jewish settlement in s. Gaza. The IDF fires tear gas, rubber bullets at Birzeit University students, staff conducting a peaceful protest march to Surda checkpoint, injuring 3 journalists covering the event, 1 marcher. (HA 10/2; MM, REU, WP, WT 10/3; MA, al-Quds 10/3 in WNC 10/4; MM 10/4; MM 10/8; LAW 10/10; JP, MEI 10/12)