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 settlers vandalized 1 Palestinian-owned agricultural structure in Kafr al-Dik. Israeli forces delivered demolition orders for 7 Palestinian-owned homes in Ma‘in. 17 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around al-Khadir, Husan, Hebron, Nablus, Tulkarm, Abu Dis, ‘Azun, Beita, Ramallah, al-Bireh, Sabastiyya, and Jenin refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces seized, for a 2d time, tents sheltering a family whose house was demolished in Issawiyya. 11 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Issawiyya, Shu‘fat refugee camp, and al-Tur; confrontations erupted during the raids in Issawiyya, leading to tear-gas related injuries and damage to property. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands east of Dayr al-Balah; no injuries were reported. (PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/4; PCHR 3/11)

Israeli authorities allowed changes to the structure of al-Ibrahimi Mosque, allowing the construction of an elevator to the designated Jewish area of the mosque. (WAFA 3/4)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas extended the COVID-19-related state of emergency for another 30 days. (WAFA 3/4)

According to Haaretz reporting, the Shin Bet has been threatening some Palestinian activists with administrative detention if they run in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections. Haaretz confirmed that at least 1 Palestinian activist was arrested and put in administrative detention for 4 months after announcing that he would run in the elections. (HA 3/4)

Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen and Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss a joint COVID-19 plan. Prime Minister Frederiksen had, prior to the trip, praised Israel’s vaccination campaign and said that Denmark is considering opening a vaccine factory with and/or in Israel, leading her own left-wing coalition to denounce her trip. The EU expressed dismay at the 2 European leaders’ trip, saying that cooperation on COVID-19 response was an EU issue 1st and foremost. (POL, POL 3/1; GDN, HA, REU 3/2; GDN, POL 3/3; AP, DR.DK, HA, POL, REU, TOI 3/4)

U.S. vice president Kamala Harris spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the ICC investigation into Israel. Vice President Harris expressed support for the normalization deals between Israel, the U.S., and several Arab and African countries during the Trump administration. (REU 3/4; AJ, HA, TOI 3/5)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz told FOX News that Israel is constantly updating preparations to strike Iran. Defense Minister Gantz also said that Hezbollah has hundreds of thousands of missiles. (AP, AJ, FOX, HA 3/5)