The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian residential tent with 2 Palestinians in it in al-Baqa’a; both were unharmed. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man at a checkpoint near Deir Nidham, claiming that the man threw a grenade and opened fire at Israeli soldiers when he was shot. Israeli forces also detained and assaulted 2 Palestinian journalists and vandalized their vehicle at the Deir Sharaf checkpoint. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 5 Palestinians, including 1 with live ammunitions and 4 with baton rounds during a raid in Shuqba. Israeli forces also blocked roads in the Nablus area for Palestinians to facilitate a settler march between the Eli and Beit El settlements. Meanwhile, Israeli forces issued stop-work orders for residential structures in Bardala. Israeli forces also prevented Palestinian workers in Area B from carrying out work on an agricultural road near Atara and seized drilling equipment. 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Hebron, al-Shuyukh, and Bayt Rima. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian family was forced to demolish 2 storage rooms in Bayt Hanina. 2 Palestinians were arrested in raids in Shu’fat refugee camp and Silwan. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, QDS, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/10; WAFA 7/12; PCHR 7/13; UNOCHA 7/29)

36 Palestinians, including 20 children, fled their homes in the al-Baqa’a community after several settler attacks, including an arson attack on 1 residential tent earlier in the day. (WAFA 7/12; WAFA 7/13; UNOCHA 7/27)

UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese told the UN Human Right Council that more than 800,000 Palestinians have been imprisoned by Israel since 1967, with 5,000 currently being held in prison. She called “the entire occupied Palestinian territory . . . an open-air prison, where Palestinians are constantly confined, surveilled, and disciplined.” (AJ, MEE, REU, WAFA 7/11; MDW 7/16)

Save the Children released a report saying that Palestinian minors were subject to emotional and physical abuse, including of a sexual nature, in Israeli custody. Save the Children also said that Palestinian children are the only ones in the world experiencing systematic prosecution in military courts. (AJ 7/10)

The Knesset voted 64 to 54 to approve the first of 3 readings of a bill that would prevent the judicial branch of government from overturning decisions made by government, ministers, and elected officials on the grounds of “reasonableness.” Large demonstrations against the bill were held in several places in Israel. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, NYT 7/10; AP, ALM, AX, MEE, NYT 7/11; ALM 7/12)

Overnight in the West Bank, 4 Jewish extremists set fire to 2 Palestinian family homes in the village of Duma, nr. Nablus, killing an 18-mo.-old child and severely injuring the 3 other mbrs. of his family (the father and mother will succumb to their injuries on 8/8 and 9/7, respectively). The extremists leave price-tag graffiti nr. the site of the attack. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at demonstrations against the Israeli occupation and the morning’s arson attack in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Jalazun r.c., Silwad, and outside Ofer Prison) and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 4 Palestinians are injured. They also violently disperse Palestinians gathering in Hebron and 1 village nearby to protest the morning’s arson attack, injuring 6. In the evening, clashes break out at Atara checkpoint nr. Ramallah, and Israeli soldiers shoot a Palestinian in the back, critically injuring him (he will succumb to his injuries on 8/1). During the day, Israeli forces patrol in 5 villages nr. Hebron and 1 each nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah; assault a Palestinian driver at a checkpoint nr. Nablus. An Israeli settler rams a Palestinian firefighter with a car while he is putting out a fire nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers also damage 35 olive tree seedlings nr. Ramallah. Elsewhere, a Palestinian opens fire on an Israeli vehicle nr. Ramallah, causing damage. Late at night, unknown assailants throw a molotov cocktail at a Hamas leader’s car in Jenin. IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Bayt Lahiya open fire on a small group of Palestinians approaching the border fence to protest the morning’s arson attack nr. Jenin, killing 1 and moderately wounding another. In East Jerusalem, the Israeli authorities bar men under 50 from entering Haram al-Sharif in the wake of the morning arson attack. Clashes break out across the city, with Israeli forces firing rubber-coated metal bullets at Palestinian protesters in Shu‘fat r.c., Issawiyya, Bayt Hanina, al-Suwana, al-Tur, and Silwan; 2 Israeli police officers and 13 Palestinians are injured, including 1 seriously. Meanwhile, unknown assailants throw rocks and firebombs in the Old City, injuring 1 Israeli police officer. An Israeli settler rams a Palestinian with a car in Ras al-Amud, injuring him. During the day, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians on raids and patrols in the Old City and Silwan. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 7/31; HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 8/1; PCHR 8/6)

In Ramallah, 5 new ministers are sworn into the PA consensus govt. after being announced on 7/30. (MNA 7/30; HA, YA 8/4; MNA 8/5)