The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces issued stop-work orders for an agricultural structure in Deir Balut and for nearby roads. Israeli forces also issued demolition notices for 8 homes in Furush Beit Dajan. 6 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Yatta, Deir Sammit, Qarawat Bani Hassan, and Haris. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids. In Gaza, Palestinians demonstrated against the power outages and living conditions in Gaza City and Khan Yunis, before being dispersed by Hamas forces. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/30; PCHR 7/31; PCHR 8/3; UNOCHA 8/11)

5 were killed and 6 wounded during clashes in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon. According to Palestinian officials the violence broke out on 7/29 after an unknown gunman tried to assassinate Mahmoud Khalil from al-Shabab al-Muslim, killing his companion. Fatah said Commander Ashraf al-Armouchi, who was in charge of security in the camp, and 4 others were killed. The Lebanese army said 1 mortar shell had hit a base outside of the camp, injuring 1. A ceasefire was reached in the early evening. (MEE 7/29; AJ, F24, GDN, HA, MEE, REU 7/30; ALM, BBC, MEE, NYT 7/31; MDW 8/2)

Palestinian factions met in El Alamein in Egypt to discuss reconciliation. Islamic Jihad boycotted the meeting due to PA arrests of its members in the West Bank. After the meeting, PA president Mahmoud Abbas released a statement saying, “I consider today’s meeting of the general secretaries of the Palestinian factions a first and important step in continuing our dialogue,” and announced a committee to continue the dialogue. Earlier in the day Hamas had called on the PA to end security coordination with Israel and to stop political arrests. President Abbas also met with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel before the reconciliation talks. (WAFA 7/29; AJ, ALM, HA, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, NA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/30; HA, MEMO 7/31; QDS 8/1)

Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir amended Israeli policy preventing Palestinians held on administrative detention from being released earlier in cases where Israeli prisons are lacking space. (WAFA 7/30)

The Knesset passed a law to add stricter punishment for “nationalistically” motivated sex crimes. 6 Palestinian MKs and Gilad Kariv of the Labor Party voted against it. Kariv called the law Kahanist as it is targeting Palestinian offenders by doubling the penalty if they commit sex crimes against Jews. (HA 7/30; MEE 7/31; HA 8/1; HA 8/4)

In the West Bank, al-Ibrahimi Mosque was closed to Muslim worshipers due to Israeli restrictions during the Jewish Sukkot holidays. Israeli settlers with military escort toured Solomon’s Pool south of Bethlehem, closing the area for Palestinians. Elsewhere, near Nablus, Israeli settlers and military escort toured Joseph’s Tomb, leading to confrontations with Palestinians; 51 Palestinians were injured including 3 by live ammunition, 14 by rubber-coated bullets and others suffered tear-gas related injuries. 1 Palestinian was shot after allegedly ramming his car into an undercover Israeli officer’s car in al-Am‘ari refugee camp. Israeli forces violently dispersed a protest in Turmus ‘Ayya, injuring 2 with rubber-coated bullets and others with tear gas. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians trying to enter Israel for work near Jenin. 9 Palestinians were arrested, including 8 during raids in al-Am‘ari refugee camp, Jaba, ‘Azun, Anabta, and Bayt Awa; the Palestinian accused of ramming his car into the undercover Israeli officer’s car was also arrested. In East Jerusalem, hundreds of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians and Palestinian-owned property in Issawiyya; Israeli forces arrested 7 of the perpetrators. Some 400 Israeli settlers also toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire and used water hoses on Palestinian fishermen 3 nautical miles northwest of Gaza City, causing damage but no injuries were reported. (WAFA 10/15; HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/17; PCHR 10/24)

The PA blocked access to some 50 websites to crack down on opposition voices and critique of PA president Mahmoud Abbas. (HA 10/22; MDW 10/23)

In Lebanon, thousands of protesters demonstrated against the Lebanese government’s plans to raise a new tax for WhatsApp calls and for the country’s economic crisis. (AJ, AJ 10/18)

The U.S. and Turkey agreed to a 5-day ceasefire in northern Syria to allow Kurdish fighters to leave the area. (HA 10/17)

In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in al-‘Arub refugee camp near Hebron, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents of the area; there are no serious injuries. They arrest 18 Palestinians during further raids near Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, and Qalqilya; and patrol near Hebron throughout the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli MK Yehuda Glick leads more than 100 right-wing Jewish activists on a tour of Haram al-Sharif. Separately, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in the Old City. (MNA, WAFA 12/23; PCHR 12/27)

PLO secretary general Saeb Erakat says that the decision, announced on 12/22, to dissolve the Palestinian Legislative Council “goes hand in hand with efforts of transition from the period of the Palestinian Authority to into the State of Palestine period.” (MNA 12/23)

IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian minor outside the Gush Etzion settlement near Ramallah after he allegedly stabs and critically injures 2 Israeli settlers. One of the settlers succumbs to his injuries soon after the confrontation. IDF troops raid the alleged attacker’s home in Yatta village near Hebron late at night, taking measurements and threatening punitive demolition. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians and confiscate some property during raids near Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron, and Nablus; and patrol near Bethlehem, Tulkarm, and Hebron. Israeli settlers chase Palestinian shepherds from a field near Jericho. Settlers also congregate on the main Nablus-Ramallah road in the evening to protest the alleged stabbing attack near Ramallah earlier in the day. Some throw rocks at Palestinian vehicles in the area, causing minor damage. In East Jerusalem, dozens of right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning. Palestinian minors throw stones at a bus carrying Palestinian prisoners in Qalandia refugee camp, sparking minor clashes with Israeli forces in the area; 2 Palestinian are injured and 2 are arrested. Late at night, Israeli forces arrest 9 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse hundreds of Palestinians gathering to continue the Great March of Return for a 3d day in a row near Rafah and Khan Yunis; 1 Palestinian is injured. In northern Israel, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian-owned home in al-Ramla. (HA, JP, MNA, MNA, MNA, PNN, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, YA 9/16; JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 9/17; PCHR 9/20)

Off the n. coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, injuring 1 fisherman with rubber-coated metal bullets. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian in a village nr. Hebron and another in c. Hebron. Meanwhile, hundreds of Israeli settlers perform religious rites at Joseph’s Tomb outside Balata r.c. nr. Nablus, sparking clashes between IDF troops and Palestinians in the camp. Israeli forces seize around 1,000 dunams of land nr. Hebron for the expansion of a nearby settlement. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault 2 guards in Haram al-Sharif after they try to intervene in the arrest of a Palestinian woman in the sanctuary. (MNA, WAFA 4/8; PCHR 4/9)

PA PM Hamdallah confirms PA Pres. Abbas’s earlier announcement that the PA refused reduced tax revenues from Israel after PM Netanyahu’s office announced on 3/27 that it would be unfreezing the transfers. He also says that the Palestinians will lodge an official complaint about the freeze at the ICC. (WAFA 4/8)

As part of a reported deal with Israel’s COGAT, the PASF expands deployments in towns and villages nr. Jerusalem, in Area B. The PASF will begin by opening up police stations in the villages. (REU 4/8; AFP, MNA 4/9)

U.S. Pres. Obama calls Sens. Corker (R-TN) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), the 2 ranking mbrs. of the Senate Foreign Relations Comm., denouncing Corker’s proposed bill that would empower Congress to approve or disapprove of any final agreement made by Iran and the P5+1. The bill, the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, is set for a comm. deliberation on 4/14. Meanwhile, Secy. of State Kerry and Under Secy. Wendy Sherman meet with reps. of AIPAC, the American Jewish Comm. (AJC), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and other pro-Israel U.S. Jewish groups to argue in favor of the agreement with Iran and further diplomacy. (AP 4/8; TOI 4/9; JTA 4/12)

Military Action:

Syrian troops and Lebanese militia exchange gunfire in Tripoli, 1 killed, 2 injured.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Police arrest 45 Jews, including 16 soldiers, armed with guns and grenades, as they prepare to seize Jerusalem's Temple Mount, site of al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock; 200 olive trees uprooted in orchard in Kafr Kassem, representatives of Lands Administration suspected; WZO Settlement Department proposes new West Bank settlement, Upper Nablus, as nucleus of future city, large tracts of land in area reportedly already seized by IDF for military outpost; Israeli police say hundreds of kilos of drugs, especially hashish, have been smuggled from Lebanon since the war; former President Carter receives honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University, says his deep religious belief is that God has ordered and ordained the existence of the state of Israel as a permanent homeland of the Jews, adds that right of Palestinians to have a voice in shaping their destiny is essential; protests in Gaza and West Bank against Carter visit to Gaza, where slogans appear on walls condemning Carter and deposed Mayor Rashad al-Shawa; IDF closes schools in Beit Sahur, Halhul, Yatta and Dheisheh, Bethlehem and Islamic Universities; iron bars thrown at IDF patrol in Ramallah, 1 soldier injured; demonstrations in Hebron, Bethlehem and Nablus; curfews imposed on Kalandia, Jalazon, al-Aroub, Ein Beit Alma and Dheisheh camps; settlers fire at protesters near Dura.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Foreign Minister Salem says there will be no political or economic relations with Israel, and no residual Israeli military presence on Lebanese territory.