The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Hebron and 2 villages nearby, 2 villages nr. Jenin, 2 nr. Tulkarm, and Aida r.c. and 1 village nr. Bethlehem, arresting 9 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 5; patrol in 6 villages nr. Hebron. PASF troops block Palestinian protesters from reaching an Israeli checkpoint outside a settlement nr. Ramallah. Some of the protesters march to a nearby settlement, sparking minor clashes with the IDF; there are no serious injuries. (MNA 12/30; PCHR 12/31, 1/7)

Several family mbrs. of Palestinians killed in recent confrontations with the IDF publish an open letter on social media stating their refusal to the Israeli authorities’ offered terms for returning their relatives’ bodies. The Israeli authorities have reportedly demanded that the families agree to bury their relatives at night, immediately after they receive their bodies, to prevent mass funerals and further violence. (MNA 12/30)

The Israeli cabinet unanimously approves a NIS 15 b. (around $3.85 b.) plan for the social and economic development of the so-called Arab minority municipalities in Israel, specifically focusing on housing, transportation, education, and health. Arab members of Knesset (MKs) criticize the plan for being inadequate. (JP 12/30; HA, YA 12/31)

In Gaza, Hamas reports that 1 of its fighters was killed this morning in a tunnel collapse. In the West Bank, an Israeli settler and several IDF soldiers assault 4 Palestinian youths in c. Hebron, causing minor injuries. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians throwing stones and protesting the recent Israeli crackdown on the oPt in 1 village nr. Qalqilya; 2 Palestinians are injured. Late at night, IDF troops conduct raids in Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah, arresting 3 Palestinians and sparking a brief exchange of fire with armed Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. Meanwhile, the IDF raids the Bethlehem offices of a PA-run charity and the Nablus office of a prisoners’ rights group, destroying and confiscating property and ordering the latter to shut down. The IDF conducts further raids and house searches in Jenin and 1 village nearby, arresting 1 Palestinian; patrols in 4 villages nr. Hebron; delivers a stop-work order to a home under construction nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian in Issawiyya and 3 Palestinians on late-night raids in Kafr ‘Aqab. (MNA, WAFA 12/28; MNA, WAFA 12/ 29; PCHR 12/31)

Israeli NGO Peace Now reports that Israel’s Ministry of Housing has continued working on plans for thousands of housing units in the E1 area e. of Jerusalem, despite the PM Netanyahu’s public cancellation of tenders for similar units in 11/2013. (AFP, HA, MNA, PCN, TOI 12/28)

Stabbing and alleged stabbing attacks continue in the West Bank and Jerusalem, as IDF troops shoot and kill 2 Palestinians in a village nr. Nablus after they stab and injure an Israeli soldier (a 2d Israeli soldier is injured by friendly fire). They also arrest 1 Palestinian e. of Qalqilya and another in c. Hebron after they are found to be carrying knives. In Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian nr. the Central Bus Station after he allegedly stabs and injures an Israeli soldier and another in the Old City after he allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli soldier. Meanwhile, the IDF clashes with Palestinians protesting or throwing stones in 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Bethlehem, as well as Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah; 4 Palestinians are injured. Israeli forces return to the PA the bodies of 7 Palestinians killed by the IDF since 11/2015, including 2 from Hebron. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Jenin, Nablus, and 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Hebron, arresting 4 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 12; patrols in 4 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/27; MNA, TOI 12/28; MNA 12/30; PCHR 12/31; HA 1/6)

Israeli forces kill 2 Palestinians throughout the day. First, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian after he allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli police officer in West Jerusalem. Israeli forces later raid the alleged attacker’s home in Silwan, issuing arrest summons to his parents and brother. Later, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian driver at a checkpoint nr. Nablus after he allegedly rams his car into Israeli soldiers, injuring 1. Palestinian witnesses report that the Israeli soldiers opened fire on the car before the driver swerved toward them. Meanwhile, IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in Tulkarm, 2 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 nr. Ramallah, arresting 6 Palestinians. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians outside the Old City protesting the Israeli authorities’ withholding of the bodies of Palestinians recently killed in confrontations with the IDF; 2 Palestinians are lightly injured and 1 is assaulted and arrested nearby. Israeli settlers assault and attempt to kidnap a Palestinian woman on her way home nr. Shu‘fat; she is moderately injured. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/26; PCHR 12/31)

A total of 3 Palestinians are killed across the oPt today. First, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian driver in Silwad after she allegedly attempts to ram them. During Friday demonstrations in Gaza, 1 Palestinian is killed by live fire in Shuja‘iya when IDF troops violently disperse protesters, marking the 3d Friday in a row a Gaza protester has been killed. Friday demonstrations also take place in 5 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Jalazun r.c. and outside Ofer Prison), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, Aida r.c. nr. Bethlehem, at a checkpoint nr. Nablus, in 3 villages nr. Hebron, and in 3 other areas along Gaza’s border; 36 are injured (a 3d Palestinian will succumb to his injuries on 12/28). IDF troops conduct latenight house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Hebron, issuing arrest summons to 3 Palestinians; patrol in 6 villages nr. Salfit and 1 nr. Hebron. Palestinian youths throw stones at Israeli soldiers stationed outside Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah and outside a village nr. Jerusalem, sparking minor clashes wherein 3 Palestinians are injured. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion e. of Bayt Hanun to level land. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI 12/ 25; JP 12/26; MNA, TOI 12/28; MNA 12/29; PCHR 12/31; EI 1/1)

Clashes and small-scale violence continue across the oPt, leading to the deaths of 4 Palestinians. IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian driver outside Jerusalem after he rams his car into a group of Israeli soldiers, lightly injuring 1. They also shoot and kill a Palestinian nr. Hebron who allegedly attempts to stab Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint with a screwdriver. Israeli soldiers shoot and kill a 3d Palestinian in the Ariel settlement nr. Salfit after he stabs and injures 2 Israeli settlement security guards. The IDF later raids his home nr. Salfit and questions his family. IDF troops patrol in Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah, killing 1 Palestinian and injuring 4 others in clashes with stone-throwers. Meanwhile, Israeli forces return the bodies of 2 Palestinians killed on 11/23 and 11/30. Late at night, IDF troops conduct raids in Qalandia r.c., sparking clashes with stone-throwers and injuring 3 Palestinians. The IDF conducts further late-night raids and house searches in Nablus and 1 village each nr. Salfit and Hebron, arresting 5 Palestinians; patrols in 5 villages nr. Hebron. Off Gaza’s s. coast, Egyptian forces shoot and kill a Palestinian swimming nr. the border. The man’s family will later say that he suffered from psychological disabilities due to the difficulties of life in Gaza and that he was trying to enter Egypt for medical treatment, which he had been denied since the beginning of 2015. For the 2d time in 2 days, Israeli naval forces confront Palestinian fishermen off the coast nr. Gaza City, arresting 10 and confiscating their 2 boats. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 12/24; AJ [video], MNA 12/25; YA 12/26; MNA, NYT 12/27; PCHR 12/31)

In a major attack in East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinians at a gate to the Old City after the 2 allegedly carry out a stabbing attack on a group of Israelis, killing 1 and injuring another (a 2d Israeli civilian is killed by Israeli crossfire). Meanwhile, Israeli forces shoot and injure 4 Palestinian students n. of the city on the pretext that they were throwing stones; assault and arrest 3 Palestinians in a nearby village; arrest 4 Palestinians on raids in Jabal Mukabir and the Old City. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian in c. Hebron when they allegedly find her carrying a knife through a checkpoint. They also raid 2 villages nr. Ramallah and ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwers and injuring 14 Palestinians. The IDF conducts further house searches and raids in 1 village nr. Jenin, Tubas, Tulkarm, in and around Hebron, and in 2 villages nr. Nablus, arresting 16 Palestinians; patrols in Tulkarm, as well as 4 villages, al-Fawar r.c., and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. Israeli forces reopen a street leading to Ramallah, having kept it closed for mos. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion e. of al-Bureij r.c. to level land. Off the coast nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces confront a group of Palestinian fishermen, arresting 9 and confiscating their 2 boats. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI 12/23; HA, MNA 12/24; PCHR 12/31)

The Israeli Knesset passes into law, 53–48, a new measure formalizing the role of the World Zionist Organization’s Settlement Division, giving the Israeli govt. more control over certain policies in West Bank settlements. (+972 12/29)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops shoot and seriously injure a Palestinian woman e. of Khan Yunis as she was working in an agricultural field nr. the barrier fence; violently disperse Palestinians protesting nr. al-Bureij r.c., injuring 3. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian man in c. Hebron for allegedly planning a stabbing attack; assault and arrest 2 Palestinians at a flying checkpoint in a village nr. Ramallah, seriously injuring 1. Palestinian teachers prevent Israeli forces from raiding their secondary school nr. Bethlehem, sparking minor clashes between stone-throwers and the Israeli troops; there are no serious injuries. IDF troops also clash with stone-throwers in a village nr. Ramallah, injuring 7 Palestinians. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Hebron, Jenin and 1 nearby village, 2 villages nr. Ramallah, arresting 1 Palestinian and issuing 1 arrest summons; patrols during the day in 1 village nr. Hebron and 10 nr. Tulkarm. Israeli forces return 2 bodies of Palestinian women killed by the IDF to their families nr. Hebron and Nablus. Israeli settlers uproot around 50 olive tree saplings outside a Palestinian village nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian on a late-night raid in Abu Dis; evacuate a Palestinian building in the Old City, claiming that it belongs to Israeli settlers. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/22; TOI, WAFA 12/23; PCHR 12/31)

In a special session attended by PA pres. Abbas, Greece’s parliament approves a nonbinding res. encouraging the Greek govt. to recognize the State of Palestine. (JP, TOI, WAFA 12/22)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian at a checkpoint in Hebron after she allegedly draws a knife on them. Israeli forces raid a home in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem, demolishing its doors and sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 1 Palestinian is assaulted and arrested. Meanwhile, IDF troops clash with and violently disperse Palestinians throwing stones and protesting the recent Israeli crackdown on the oPt w. of Tulkarm, in 1 village nr. Qalqilya and 2 nr. Ramallah; 4 Palestinians are injured. The IDF also conducts late-night house searches and raids in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 1 each nr. Bethlehem and Nablus, in and around Tulkarm, and in Tubas, arresting 10 Palestinians; patrols in 6 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron and 1 village nr. Qalqilya. Late at night, Israeli settlers leave price-tag graffiti on a Palestinian home and throw smoke grenades through its windows nr. Ramallah, causing no injuries. On Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion e. of Khuza‘a to level land along the barrier fence. Twice off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on and detain a number of Palestinian fishing boats, arresting 4 Palestinians and confiscating 2 boats. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police arrest a Palestinian youth in the Old City after she is found to be carrying a knife; arrest and bar from Jerusalem for 5 mos. a Palestinian, on a raid in the Old City. (JP, MNA, TOI 12/21; HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 12/22; PCHR 12/31)

Israel’s COGAT announces the partial lifting of a series of movement restrictions on Palestinian Christians around the Christmas holidays. (HA, MNA 12/21; TOI 12/22)

Protests continue across the oPt as IDF troops violently clash with Palestinians protesting and throwing stones along Gaza’s border e. of al-Bureij r.c. and at Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm; 11 Palestinians are injured. IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian in Hebron after she allegedly attempts to stab them. The IDF conducts raids and house searches in 1 village each nr. Jenin, Ramallah, and Qalqilya, 3 areas nr. Hebron, as well as Tulkarm and 1 nearby village, arresting 9 Palestinians, issuing an arrest summons to 1, and confiscating personal property; patrol in 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Qalqilya, and 6 villages nr. Hebron. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Jabaliya r.c., causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces begin installing steel columns and other security infrastructure at the city’s bus stations, implementing Israeli PM Netanyahu’s 12/14 order; arrest 4 Palestinians on late-night raids in Jabal Mukabir. (MNA, TOI 12/20; MNA, TOI, YA 12/21; PCHR 12/31)

In Syria, senior Hezbollah officer Samir Kuntar and several Syrian civilians are killed in an air strike outside Damascus. Hezbollah and both Lebanese and Syrian media say that Israel is responsible. The Israeli govt. does not confirm its involvement. Later, unknown persons fire 3 rockets from s. Lebanon into open areas in the Galilee, causing no injuries or damage. The IDF launches retaliatory artillery fire toward the source of the rockets. (DS, HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, YA 12/20; CNN 12/21)

In Israel, a Palestinian stabs and injures 3 Israelis in Ra’anana nr. Tel Aviv, and Israeli police arrest him after he attempts to flee the scene. Then, IDF troops conduct a late-night raid of the suspect’s Tubas-area home, sparking clashes with stone-throwers and injuring 4 Palestinians. During the day, Israeli soldiers shoot and injure a Palestinian in c. Hebron after she allegedly attempts to stab them; patrol in 4 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians protesting the recent Israeli crackdown on the oPt in 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah, injuring 1; conduct further raids and house searches in Hebron and 1 nearby village, as well as 1 village nr. Jenin, arresting 3 Palestinians. Palestinian youths throw Molotov cocktails at an Israeli military structure nr. Ramallah late at night, setting it on fire and sparking minor clashes. Armed Palestinians then throw pipe bombs at an Israeli checkpoint nr. Ramallah, sparking a brief firefight with Israeli troops; 2 young Palestinian bystanders are lightly injured. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 12/19; HA, MNA 12/20; PCHR 12/31)

Hamas political bureau chief Khalid Mishal meets with Turkish pres. Erdoğan in Istanbul, marking their 1st meeting since the reported 12/ 16 Turkish-Israeli understanding. They reportedly discuss recent regional developments. (JP, TOI 12/19)

A total of 3 Palestinians are killed by Israeli forces in clashes and small-scale violent incidents across the oPt. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian driver in Silwad after he allegedly attempts to ram his car into them during clashes between the IDF and Palestinians. IDF troops shoot and injure 2 other Palestinians in alleged car-ramming attempts in Silwan and Ramallah, arresting the suspect in the latter event. The IDF violently disperses Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against the Israeli occupation in 4 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 each nr. Hebron and Nablus, and 4 areas along Gaza’s border; 2 Palestinians are killed e. of Ramallah and nr. Khan Yunis, respectively, and 37 Palestinians and 2 Israeli soldiers are injured. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts raids and house searches in and around Jenin and Hebron, arresting 1 Palestinian and issuing arrest summons to 2; patrols in 1 village and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron, 11 villages nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Jericho. Israel also returns to Qalandia r.c. the body of the Palestinian youth killed by Israeli forces on 11/23 in an alleged stabbing incident. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion e. of Khan Yunis to level land and search the area; open fire on Palestinians approaching the border nr. Bayt Hanun, injuring 2. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 12/18; MNA 12/19; HA 12/21; PCHR 12/31)

A Palestinian is shot and killed in the n. Sinai Peninsula. The Egyptian army says that he was likely killed by Sinai Province of the Islamic State (SPIS) fighters. (MNA 12/19)

In the Nablus area, 1 Palestinian is killed and 2 others injured by Israeli forces throughout the day. First, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian youth at the Hawara checkpoint after he allegedly attempts to stab Israeli soldiers. Later, Israeli soldiers shoot and injure 1 Palestinian youth in Nablus and 1 more in a village nearby. Israeli soldiers assault and arrest a Palestinian in Tulkarm. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts raids in 1 village and Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah, arresting 2 Palestinians and sparking clashes in each with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; at least 3 Palestinians are injured. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians protesting and throwing stones in 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Nablus, and along Gaza’s border nr. al-Bureij r.c.; 5 Palestinians are injured and 1 is arrested. Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders to 5 residential structures under construction nr. Hebron. They conduct additional raids and house searches in Tulkarm and 1 nearby village, Nablus, Bethlehem, 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Bethlehem, 2 nr. Jenin, and 2 nr. Hebron, arresting 14 Palestinians and confiscating personal property; patrol in 1 village nr. Tulkarm, 6 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, and 2 villages nr. Ramallah. Following the IDF’s shelling of Gaza on 12/16, unknown Gazans fire a rocket toward Israel. It falls short of the border, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land along the border fence nr. Khan Yunis; arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel e. of Dayr al-Balah. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 12/17; HA 12/18; PCHR 12/31)

In the West Bank, a Palestinian youth succumbs to injuries sustained when shot by a stray IDF bullet on 11/23 nr. Nablus. Meanwhile, IDF troops stationed at a shooting range on the grounds of Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm clash with Palestinian protesters, injuring 15 students with rubber-coated steel bullets and live fire. Protests against Israeli raids onto the campus have been ongoing since 11/15, disrupting classes and injuring many students. IDF troops also clash with Palestinians during late-night raids in a village nr. Bethlehem and Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah, injuring 1 Palestinian in the 1st and arresting 2 Palestinians and confiscating property in the latter. The IDF conducts another late-night raid in 1 village nr. Hebron, arresting 3 Palestinians; patrols in 1 village nr. Salfit and 3 nr. Hebron. Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders for 2 homes and an agricultural structure under construction in a village nr. Hebron. In Gaza, IDF troops stationed along the border fence shoot and injure a Palestinian farmer working e. of Khan Yunis. Later, an IED explodes nr. the fence e. of Rafah, causing no injuries or damage; the IDF then fires 6 artillery shells in the direction of Khan Yunis, injuring 3 Palestinians. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a home in Shaykh Jarrah, displacing 7 Palestinians; prevent workers from repairing a water leak at Haram al-Sharif; issue an arrest summons to a Palestinian and confiscate her property on raids in al-Thawri. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/16; MNA, PCHR, WAFA 12/17; PCHR 12/31)

In Zurich, senior Israeli and Turkish officials agree on central provisions of a reconciliation agreement that would normalize ties between their countries after almost 5 years of tension. The 3 conditions outlined by Turkish pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 12/14 have not yet been met. (HA, HUR, NYT, TOI 12/17; REU 12/18)

The IDF cracks down on Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, and several Palestinians are injured and 2 others are killed during the ensuing clashes. First, the IDF clashes with stone-throwers during a late-night raid in Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah, and 2 Palestinian drivers are killed after they allegedly attempt to ram Israeli forces amid the chaos; 4 Palestinians are injured, and 3 Israeli soldiers are lightly injured. Further clashes break out during IDF raids in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem, injuring 10 Palestinians. Meanwhile, IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in Jenin r.c. and 1 village nearby, ‘Askar r.c. and 3 villages nr. Nablus, Hebron and 3 villages nearby, and Tulkarm, arresting 12 Palestinians; patrol in Qalqilya and 1 village nearby, as well as 4 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron. They also assault and injure 4 Palestinians at a checkpoint nr. Ramallah; open fire on a Palestinian car at the same checkpoint before assaulting and temporarily detaining the driver. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working e. of Dayr al-Balah, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian in the Old City when she is found with a screwdriver; arrest 5 Palestinians on raids and patrols in Ras al-Amud, the Old City, and Jabal Mukabir. In Israel, a Palestinian armed with a hammer attacks his Jewish Israeli boss and a fellow Palestinian employee at a construction site in Modi’in, injuring both. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/15; HA, JP, MNA, YA 12/16; PCHR 12/17)

In West Jerusalem, a Palestinian driver rams a group of Israelis at a bus stop nr. Chords Bridge, injuring at least 14 (Hamas will claim the man as a mbr.); Israeli police and bystanders shoot and kill the driver. Israeli PM Netanyahu then orders the fortification of Jerusalem’s bus stops (a plan will be implemented on 12/20). In the West Bank, hundreds of Israeli settlers visit Joseph’s Tomb nr. Nablus overnight, sparking morning clashes between their IDF escort and Palestinian stone-throwers; 1 Palestinian is injured. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians protesting in Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah, injuring 1 Palestinian and damaging his car. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Hebron and 2 villages nearby, Tulkarm, and 4 villages nr. Ramallah, arresting 16 Palestinians and confiscating personal property; patrol in Nablus, 6 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 nr. Jenin. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, YA 12/14; TOI 12/15; WAFA 12/16; PCHR 12/17)

At a ceremony in Ramallah, 3 new ministers are sworn in to the PA cabinet at the request of Pres. Mahmoud Abbas. The cabinet’s secy.-gen., Ali Abu Diyak, is the new minister of justice, replacing Saleem al-Saqqa; Ehab Yasir Aref Bseiso is the new minister of culture, replacing Ziad Abu Amr; and Mahmoud Rashid al-Shaer is the new minister of social affairs, replacing Shawqi al-Aissa. Abu Amr and al-Aissa remain on the cabinet in their roles as dep. PM and minister of agriculture and prisoners’ affairs, respectively. (MNA 12/15; JP 12/17)

In Gaza, unknown persons fire a rocket into s. Israel and it lands in an open area, causing no damage or injuries. Holding Hamas responsible, the IAF launches late-night air strikes on 2 Hamas military sites in c. Gaza, causing serious damage but no injuries. E. of Rafah, IDF border troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working nr. the barrier fence, injuring 1. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot, injure, and arrest a Palestinian youth in c. Hebron after she allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli settler. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in and around Hebron and al-‘Arub r. c., Tulkarm, and 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Nablus, arresting 16 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrols in 1 village nr. Hebron and 5 nr. Jenin. Palestinians throw rocks at an Israeli settler’s car nr. Ramallah, causing 3 minor injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 5 Palestinians on late-night raids in Jabal Mukabir and the Old City. (MNA, TOI, YA 12/13; HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 12/14; PCHR 12/17)

In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians protesting in 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Qalqilya, injuring 20 Palestinians. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Tulkarm, 3 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, and 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Jenin, arresting 2 Palestinians, issuing arrest summons to 6, and confiscating personal property; patrols in Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Bethlehem, 5 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron. Israeli settler youths strike a settler’s car with stones and injure 1 child when trying to hit Palestinian cars nr. Hebron. (HA, MNA, WAFA 12/12; TOI 12/13; PCHR 12/17)

The ongoing wave of violence continues, leading to the deaths of 3 Palestinians. IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian driver in a village nr. Hebron after he allegedly attempts to ram his car into Israeli forces. IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian at a border crossing nr. Jenin; raid a science supply center in Ramallah, confiscating surveillance cameras and injuring 5 Palestinians in clashes with stone-throwers.IDF troops kill 1 Palestinian and injure more than 60 others in violent clashes with Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against the Israeli occupation and crackdown in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Silwad, and outside Ofer Prison and a nearby Israeli settlement), Bethlehem, 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Nablus, and 4 areas along Gaza’s border. Hundreds of Palestinians march through Hebron to commemorate the 28th anniversary of Hamas’s founding. Some demonstrators burn tires and throw stones at IDF troops in the area, and the IDF violently disperses them, killing 1 Palestinian and injuring 8. An armed Palestinian opens fire on IDF troops at a checkpoint nr. Jenin, sparking a minor exchange of fire; the Palestinian is injured and later arrested by PASF troops. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts raids and house searches in Bethlehem, Tulkarm, Tulkarm r.c. and 1 village nearby, Qalqilya, 2 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 nr. Ramallah, arresting 11 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrols in 5 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire at the border area e. of Jabaliya r.c., causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians on late-night raids in Silwan. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI 12/11; PCHR 12/17)

In the West Bank, 4 Israeli soldiers are injured in a suspected ramming attack outside an Israeli settlement nr. Salfit, and Israeli forces later arrest a Palestinian suspect during a late-night raid nr. Ramallah. IDF troops injure 9 Palestinians in clashes with student protesters at the Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm. The IDF conducts a raid in Ramallah late at night, sparking clashes with stone-throwers wherein 2 Palestinians are injured; conducts further late-night raids and house searches in Tulkarm, Tulkarm r.c. and 1 nearby village, Jenin, and 1 village nr. Ramallah, arresting 12 Palestinians; patrols in 7 villages and al-Fawar r. c. nr. Hebron. Palestinians throw stones at Israeli settlers’ cars on a road to Jerusalem, causing minor damage and light injuries. Off Gaza’s coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police disperse 40 right-wing Jewish activists demonstrating outside Haram al-Sharif, arresting 2 who allegedly planned to erect a menorah to commemorate Hanukkah. Israeli forces also assault and arrest 4 Palestinian youths in al-Tur; arrest 2 Palestinians walking in the Old City. (HA, JP, MNA, YA 12/10; HA, MNA 12/11; PCHR 12/17)

Israeli NGO Peace Now reports that the Israeli govt. designated as “state land” a 30-dunam (7.4-acre) swath of Palestinian land nr. Bethlehem in 11/2015. The previous designation of state land came in 8/2014. (PCN 12/10; MNA 12/11)

IDF troops clash with and violently disperse Palestinians protesting the ongoing Israeli crackdown in Jalazun r.c. and 1 village nr. Ramallah, as well as along Gaza’s border e. of al-Bureij r.c.; 2 Palestinian youths are seriously injured. The IDF also violently clashes with stone-throwers in and around Bethlehem after the funeral for the Palestinian who was killed the night before in nearby Dahaysha r.c.; 2 Palestinians are injured. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts raids and house searches in 1 village nr. Ramallah, Hebron and 3 villages nearby, Nablus and ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c., and 1 village nr. Tulkarm, arresting 10 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to others; patrols in 10 villages nr. Hebron. Israeli forces raze 26 dunams (6.4 acres) of Palestinian land nr. Tulkarm, destroying a greenhouse and more than 200 olive trees; conduct a limited incursion across Gaza’s border fence nr. Bayt Hanun to level land. In East Jerusalem, more than 40 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif under Israeli police escort. Around 60 Palestinians are denied entry to the sanctuary and 2 are arrested. Israeli forces also arrest 1 Palestinian after summoning him for interrogation earlier in the day and 4 Palestinians on raids in the Old City, Ras al-Amud, and Anata r.c. (MNA, REU, TOI 12/8; PCHR 12/10)

A total of 2 Palestinians and 1 Israeli settler are killed throughout the day. First, Israeli border police shoot and kill a Palestinian in c. Hebron after he allegedly stabs and seriously injures an Israeli settler (the settler will succumb to his injuries on 12/30). After the incident, Israeli settlers march through c. Hebron to protest the attack, sparking minor clashes with Palestinian stone-throwers. Late at night, IDF troops conduct a raid in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem, arresting 5 Palestinians and killing 1 Palestinian in the ensuing clashes with stone-throwers. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently clash with Palestinians protesting their continued presence at Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm; 5 Palestinians are injured. They also conduct late-night house searches and raids in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm, Hebron, 1 village nr. Jenin, Ramallah and a nearby village, and Qalqilya, arresting 12 Palestinians and confiscating personal property; patrol in 1 village each nr. Salfit, Jenin, and Tulkarm, as well as 8 villages nr. Hebron. Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders to 12 homes under construction in a village nr. Qalqilya. Off Gaza’s coast nr. Jabaliya r.c., on 3 occasions, Israeli naval forces open fire on and otherwise confront Palestinian fishing boats, arresting 6 fishermen and confiscating 1 boat. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian on a late-night raid in al-Thawri. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/7; HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/8; PCHR 12/10; HA, MNA 12/30)

In West Jerusalem, Israeli police shoot and kill a Palestinian nr. the Old City after he allegedly hits 1 Israeli with his car and stabs another, lightly injuring both. On Gaza’s s. border, unknown assailants open fire on IDF vehicles patrolling along the border fence, causing minor damage, according to the IDF. Late at night, IAF jets launch air strikes on a Hamas military site in n. Gaza, causing damage. During the day, IDF troops stationed along the border e. of al-Bureij r.c. violently disperse Palestinian stone-throwers, injuring 1. In the West Bank, IDF troops patrol in 1 village each nr. Tulkarm and Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwers in each; 2 Palestinians are injured and 3 are arrested. There are several incidents in the Hebron area today as Israeli forces raid a medical center, assaulting a 14-year-old Palestinian patient; deliver stop-work orders to 3 homes under construction e. of Bayt Umar; and remove the doors and windows from several residences and confiscate drilling equipment in a village nr. Hebron. IDF troops violently clash with Palestinian protesters in 1 village nr. Ramallah and at Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm; 12 Palestinians are injured. They also conduct late-night raids and house searches in Jenin and Jenin r.c., Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Salfit, 2 nr. Nablus, and 3 each nr. Hebron and Ramallah, arresting 15 Palestinians; patrol in 5 villages nr. Hebron and 1 nr. Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, a number of right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning. Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth in Silwan claiming she had a knife; raid the home of a PA security forces (PASF) officer in Abu Dis, sparking clashes with stone-throwers (there are no injuries). They also arrest 7 Palestinians on late-night raids in Jabal Mukabir, Issawiyya, and the Old City. (MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/6; HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/7; PCHR 12/10)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian nr. al-Ibrahimi Mosque in c. Hebron on suspicion that she was planning a stabbing attack. The IDF violently disperses Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters in 2 areas nr. Qalqilya, injuring 2 Palestinians. Israeli forces raid 2 printing offices in Hebron late at night, confiscating equipment on the grounds that it was used to publish inciting materials. The IDF has also closed 3 Hebron radio stations in the last mo. (11/3, 11/21, 11/28) for alleged incitement. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in 2 villages nr. Ramallah, a suburb of Tulkarm, Hebron and 1 village nearby, 1 village nr. Jenin, 2 nr. Bethlehem, and in Aida r.c, arresting 12 Palestinians, issuing arrest summons to 3, and confiscating personal property; patrols in 8 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. IDF troops assault a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Tulkarm for returning from Israel without a work permit. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian bus driver s. of Jerusalem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 6 Palestinian pedestrians in al-Tur and the Old City. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/5; TOI, WAFA 12/6; PCHR 12/10)

In the Ramallah area, 2 Palestinians are killed in separate incidents. First, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian driver n. of Ramallah after he rams his car into a group of Israeli soldiers, injuring 2. Meanwhile, IDF troops set up a mobile checkpoint in a village nr. Ramallah, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwers, and 1 Palestinian is killed after he allegedly stabs and moderately injures an Israeli soldier during the clashes. (MNA, TOI 12/4; PCHR 12/10)

Elsewhere in the oPt, IDF troops violently clash with Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against the Israeli occupation in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Budrus, Jalazun r.c., and outside Ofer Prison), 2 areas nr. Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Hebron, 4 neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, and 4 areas along Gaza’s border; 36 Palestinians are injured (1 will succumb to his injures on 12/31). The IDF also conducts late-night raids and house searches in 1 village nr. Hebron and Tulkarm r.c., arresting 2 Palestinians; patrols in Tulkarm and 4 villages nr. Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops fire artillery shells at a Palestinian bird hunter and 2 other Palestinians approaching the border fence e. of Khan Yunis, causing moderate injuries to each and damaging 2 homes in the area. Off Gaza’s n. coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. The Egyptian authorities close the Rafah border crossing in the evening, having kept it open for 2 days. They also release 34 Palestinian prisoners who were being held in Egyptian jails on charges of “illegal infiltration.” (JP, MNA, TOI, YA 12/4; MNA 12/5; PCHR 12/10; MNA, WAFA 12/31)

Stabbing and alleged stabbing attacks continue across the oPt, leading to the deaths of 4 Palestinians. First, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian at a checkpoint n. of Jerusalem after he exits his vehicle and opens fire on Israeli forces, injuring a soldier and a Palestinian bystander. Late at night, IDF troops shoot and kill 2 Palestinian youths at a checkpoint in Hebron after they allegedly stab an Israeli soldier. The soldier suffers moderate injuries. Israeli forces also shoot and kill a Palestinian man nr. the Old City of Jerusalem after he stabs and moderately injures an Israeli police officer. Meanwhile,IDF troops open fire on Palestinian youths walking nr. Nablus (the IDF later alleged the youths had been throwing stones), injuring 1; violently clash with Palestinians protesting outside a settlement nr. Ramallah, injuring 1; conduct a raid in a village nr. Jenin, sparking clashes with stone-throwers (8 Palestinians are injured). The IDF also conducts late-night raids and house searches in 3 villages nr. Jenin and 1 nr. Tulkarm, arresting 3 Palestinians; patrols in 4 villages, al-‘Arub r.c. and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron. Israeli forces confiscate construction materials from 2 stores nr. Hebron. In Gaza, Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for the 1st of 2 planned days. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault a group of Palestinian women after denying them entry to Haram al-Sharif; there are no serious injuries. The women are murabitat, volunteer guards that Israeli authorities banned from the sanctuary on 9/9. Meanwhile, more than 70 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/3; HA, TOI 12/4; PCHR 12/10)

Stabbing and alleged stabbing attacks continue in the West Bank and Jerusalem, leading to the deaths of 2 Palestinians. First, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian youth in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc nr. Bethlehem after he allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli settler (no Israelis are injured). E. of Tulkarm, an Israeli soldier shoots and kills a Palestinian at a checkpoint, claiming that she attempted to stab him. Finally, a Palestinian stabs and lightly injures an Israeli civilian in West Jerusalem. Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian woman each in Hebron, outside a settlement nr. Nablus, and s. of Bethlehem, claiming that the women are carrying knives. A video of the Bethlehem incident will show IDF troops forcing the Palestinian woman to pick up a knife prior to her arrest. Late at night, Israeli troops raid the Nablus-area home of the Palestinian woman accused of planning a stabbing attack outside a nearby settlement earlier in the day. They detain and threaten her family. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA, 12/1; PCHR 12/3)

Elsewhere in the oPt, IDF troops chase, shoot, and injure 3 Palestinian youths in Hebron, alleging that they were preparing to throw Molotov cocktails at an IDF post. IDF troops also conduct late-night raids in 3 villages, al-‘Arub r.c. and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron, ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus, and Dayr ‘Ammar nr. Ramallah, arresting 18 Palestinians and issuing an arrest summons to 1; patrol in 8 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron and 1 village nr. Qalqilya. Palestinian youths throw stones at Israeli soldiers nr. Qalqilya, sparking clashes in which 4 Palestinians are injured and an errant tear gas canister causes minor fire damage to a nearby home. E. of Gaza City, IDF border troops open fire on Palestinian farmers, causing no injuries. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces patrol in al-Tur late at night, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; there are no serious injuries. They also conduct raids in Issawiyya and al-Tur, arresting 4 Palestinians and shooting tear gas canisters at a Palestinian hospital (several patients suffer burns and tear gas inhalation). Meanwhile, a Palestinian family demolishes their own home in the Old City on order from the Israeli authorities. Israeli forces demolish 2 Palestinian apartments in Bayt Hanina. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 12/1; EI, MNA 12/2; PCHR 12/3)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces confiscate 4 water pumps and 7 residential tents in the Jordan Valley; deliver a stop-work order to a Palestinian home under construction in a village nr. Hebron. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Hebron and 1 village nearby, 1 village each nr. Salfit and Tulkarm, 2 villages nr. Ramallah, Jenin, Jenin r.c. and 2 villages nearby, arresting 17 Palestinians; patrols in 7 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, and 1 village nr. Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Silwan and Issawiyya, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; there are no serious injuries. (MNA 11/30; PCHR 12/3)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces kill 2 Palestinians in separate incidents. First, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian after he stabs and injures an Israeli police officer nr. the Damascus Gate to the Old City. Israeli forces then temporarily shut down all entrances to Nablus, home of the alleged attacker. In the evening, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians protesting the morning’s killing, in Ras al-Amud, firing at protesters with live ammunition. A 17-year-old Palestinian is shot and taken to a medical center in Silwan, where he succumbs to his injuries; Israeli forces raid the center in an attempt to retrieve the boy’s body and question the Palestinian medical staff. Also nr. Ras al-Amud, Israeli police arrest a Palestinian after he allegedly stabs and injures a Nepalese woman on a bus. Meanwhile in the West Bank, IDF troops violently clash with Palestinians protesting outside a settlement nr. Ramallah, in a village nr. Hebron, in Bethlehem, and at Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm; at least 12 Palestinians are injured. The IDF conducts a raid in a village nr. Ramallah, sparking clashes with stone-throwers wherein 3 Palestinians are injured. Israeli forces take pictures and measurements of the Hebron-area homes of Palestinians who were shot and killed on 11/22 and 11/23 during confrontations with Israeli settlers and the IDF. They also conduct late-night raids and house searches in 2 villages nr. Jenin, 3 nr. Hebron, 1 each nr. Tulkarm and Nablus, arresting 9 Palestinians; patrol in Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and 2 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers spray racist graffiti on a Palestinian car nr. Bethlehem. Off Gaza’s coast nr. Jabaliya r.c., Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 11/29; JP, MNA, WAFA 11/30; PCHR 12/3)

In response to the EU’s new labeling guidelines for products imported from Israel’s settlements (11/11), the Israeli govt. announces that PM Netanyahu has ordered all Israeli contacts with EU bodies involved in the peace process to be suspended, including EU-sponsored projects for the Palestinians and all Foreign Ministry contacts with the EU. (HA, JP, MNA, REU, YA 11/29)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian woman at a checkpoint in the Jordan Valley after she allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli soldier. In Hebron, Israeli forces raid the Dream Radio station, destroying equipment, damaging offices, and issuing an order to shut the station down for 6 mos., claiming “incitement to violence.” This is the 3d Hebron radio station shut down by the IDF in the last mo., with others being closed on 11/3 and 11/21. IDF troops clash with and violently disperse Palestinians protesting in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, 1 nr. Ramallah, and at a checkpoint nr. Nablus; 7 Palestinians are injured. The IDF conducts raids and house searches in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm, 5 nr. Hebron, and 1 nr. Jenin, arresting 6 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 2; patrols in 5 villages nr. Hebron and 1 nr. Salfit. Off Gaza’s coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian on a raid in Ras al-Amud. In Israel, thousands of Palestinian citizens of Israel gather in Umm al-Fahm to protest the Israeli govt.’s 11/16 outlawing of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 11/28; MNA, WAFA 11/29; PCHR 12/3)