The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to large swaths of farmland and attacked 3 houses in Burin. Israeli settlers also set up a settlement outpost near Beita. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians trying to prevent the settlers from setting up a mobile home on their land near al-Buqa‘a, beating them and using pepper-spray. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles driving near Turmus ‘Ayya, leading to 1 injury and causing damage. Israeli forces demolished 1 residential structure in al-Khadir and 1 car wash in Bayt Jala. Israeli forces also seized 1 dunam (0.25 acres) of land in Tuqu‘ and delivered a stop-work order for 1 agricultural structure near Dura. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Tarqumiyya, Surayf, Bayt Umar, Turmus ‘Ayya, and Aqraba. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Shaykh Jarrah, spraying skunk water and physically assaulting several protesters; 6 Palestinians were injured, including 2 who were taken to a hospital, and 3 were arrested. 5 others were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/4; AJ, AJ, ALM, HA, MEE, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA 5/5; PCHR 5/6)

The leader of the Hamas military wing Mohammed Deif warned Israel against evicting Palestinians from their homes in Shaykh Jarrah, saying Hamas will respond to the Israeli aggression. (AJ, AP, HA 5/5)

Member of Hamas’ politburo Mahmoud al-Zahar called on Palestinian factions to reactivate the Palestinian parliament, calling it the only legitimate Palestinian institution. (MEMO 5/5)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s mandate for forming a government expired, leaving Israeli president Reuven Rivlin to choose another candidate or seeing if the Knesset members can choose a candidate. (AJ, AP, AX, MEE 5/4; HA 5/5)

Israel and Lebanon resumed U.S.-mediated indirect talks over their maritime border dispute after talks last stalled in October last year. (AJ, AP, HA, MEMO, REU 5/4)

U.S. president Joe Biden expressed support for UAE’s normalization deal with Israel in a phone call with UAE crown prince Shaykh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. (HA, REU 5/4)

In the West Bank, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accompanied by Israeli settlers, toured Susiya, closing off the town and surrounding area to Palestinians. Israeli authorities approved seizure of a tract of Palestinian-owned land in Husan and Nahalin for settlement expansion. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian during a raid in Hizma. Israeli forces also assaulted 1 Palestinian in Kafr Haris; Israeli forces said they thought the man intended to stab someone in a nearby settlement but did not arrest him after talking to his employer who confirmed he was waiting to get picked up. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raided Qaryut, leading to tear-gas related injuries and 1 Palestinian Red Crescent vehicle was vandalized by Israeli forces. 11 Palestinians were arrested, including 10 during raids in and around Yatta, Bayt Umar, Tuqu‘, Marda, and Hizma; 1 was arrested at a checkpoint south of Jenin. In East Jerusalem, 11 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Tur, Silwan, Shu‘fat, and Issawiyya. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands east of al-Qarara and north of Bayt Hanun; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/14; PCHR 3/18)

Jamila al-Shanti became the 1st woman to gain a seat on the 15-member Hamas politburo. (ALM 3/14)

Palestinian refugees in ‘Ayn al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon protested outside UNRWA offices against unaffordable food prices. (MEMO 3/15)

Kosovo opened its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem. Kosovo promised to open an embassy in Jerusalem as part of a normalization agreement between the U.S., Israel, and Kosovo on 9/4/2020, where the latter received financial incentives and recognition of the country. The PA and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation denounced Kosovo’s decision. (AJ, AP, HA, HILL, REU 3/14; ALM, WAFA, WAFA 3/15; WAFA 3/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished 1 house and 1 water well, displacing 5 Palestinians west of Jenin; and demolished 1 house in Bayt Iksa. Elsewhere, Israeli forces seized 3 water pumps from Bayt Umar. 7 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Hizma, Nablus, Jenin, Jericho, and Yatta. In East Jerusalem, 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Shu‘fat refugee camp and Issawiyya. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian agricultural lands east of Khuza‘a; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/10; PCHR 8/13)

The Israeli high court of justice blocked a punitive demolition of the family home of an alleged Palestinian attacker who is accused of killing an Israeli soldier on 5/12 during a raid in Ya‘bad. The majority opinion cited “serious damage to a number of basic rights, including property rights and human dignity.” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the decision a “miserable ruling.” (HA 8/10)

Prime Minister Netanyahu said in an interview that Israel had not annexed parts of the West Bank yet because the U.S. had not given him their final approval. Netanyahu said that U.S. president Donald Trump had been preoccupied by other issues and had put Israeli annexation on hold. (JP 8/11)

After daily protests since the massive explosion in the Beirut port on 8/4, Lebanese prime minister Hassan Diab and his cabinet resigned. Lebanese president Michal Aoun asked the prime minister to stay in a capacity as caretaker until a new government is formed. (AJ, REU 8/10; HA, REU 8/11)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers destroyed 3 Palestinian-owned vehicles in Asira. Israeli authorities issued 2 military orders to seize 100 dunams (24.7 acres) of land in Qaryut and Jalud south of Nablus. Israeli forces also raided Bayt Umar, leading to clashes with Palestinians; several suffered tear gas inhalation and 1 vehicle was seized. 3 Palestinians were arrested, including 1 during a late-night raid in Hebron. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested on separate occasions, including 1 after he and his mother were pepper-sprayed by Israeli police near Shu‘fat refugee camp; and 1 at his workplace in Issawiyya. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands near the Gaza fence on 2 separate occasions; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/8; PCHR 9/12)

According to the Israeli military, 1 missile was fired from Gaza toward Israel but landed inside of Gaza. A delegation of Egyptian security officials also met with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine members after days of rocket fire between Gaza and Israel. (HA 9/8)

Hezbollah forces downed an Israeli drone in the Lebanese town of Ramyah. It was also reported that missiles were fired from Syria toward Israel, but they failed to penetrate Israeli territory. (AJ, HA, HA 9/9)

Ramadan begins. Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, lightly injuring 1 bedouin woman. Late at night, the IDF retaliates with air strikes on a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border and a “terrorist center” in n. Gaza, causing no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF searches a home in Issawiyya in the morning; conducts synchronized raids into 3 villages e. of Qalqilya, searching several homes and summoning 4 Palestinians for interrogation; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Umar. (AFP 8/1; AFP, JP, REU, YA 8/2; PCHR 8/4; OCHA 8/5)

Israeli and Lebanese troops briefly exchange fire across their common border, causing no injuries. Lebanese troops fired first, believing the IDF patrol strayed into Lebanese territory, though the IDF denies this. (DS 8/1; NYT, WP 8/2; WJW 8/5; JPI 8/12)