The Palestine Chronology

Thousands of Palestinians gather across the oPt to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The IDF deploys additional battalions in the West Bank to quell the protests, and Israeli forces violently disperse them in Tulkarm, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jenin, Shu‘fat refugee camp, at a checkpoint near Ramallah, in the Old City of Jerusalem, and along Gaza’s border near Khan Yunis and al-Bureij refugee camp; at least 30 Palestinians are injured, including 9 with live ammunition, and 16 are arrested. Palestinians also observe a general strike throughout most of the oPt. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 14 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya, Ras al-Amud, and Wadi al-Juz. (HA, MNA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/7; PCHR 12/14)

Unidentified parties fire 3 rockets from Gaza toward Israel; 2 fall short of the border, and 1 lands in an open area in southern Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF targets 2 Hamas positions in Gaza with artillery shelling and air strikes. (HA, MNA, WAFA 12/7)

In response to U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the Palestinian delegation at the UN files a formal complaint, requesting that the UN Security Council (UNSC) work toward reversing Trump’s decision. Senior PA official Jibril Rajoub says that U.S. VP Mike Pence, who is set to visit Israel and the oPt later this month, is “unwelcome in Palestine.” He says the Palestinians “will not welcome Trump’s deputy in the [oPt].” The response from the international community is near-universal condemnation, with few exceptions. Israeli PM Netanyahu says that some countries have reached out to discuss similar recognitions of Jerusalem. “I have no doubt than when the U.S. embassy will move there, and even before that, many embassies will relocate to Jerusalem,” he adds. Czech Republic pres. Miloš Zeman says Trump’s announcement made him “truly happy.”(HA, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/7; HA 12/8)

IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian youth at a bus stop outside the Kiryat Arba settlement near Hebron, allegedly after he attempts to stab a settler. They leave the injured youth lying on the ground without receiving treatment before arresting him and taking him to a hospital in Israel. In a video released later, the youth can be heard pleading for water and explaining that he was attempting to commit suicide. Israeli forces demolish 8 homes and 6 retaining walls in Steih Dyouk village near Jericho. They also arrest a Palestinian living outside Yatta near Hebron before demolishing his home. The IDF arrests 7 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids in and around Nablus, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Salfit, and patrols near Jenin and Hebron. Israeli settlers uproot 27 olive trees on Palestinian land outside Burin village near Nablus. Meanwhile, PASF troops conduct a raid in Yatta overnight, sparking a brief firefight with the wanted Palestinians and their affiliates; 1 Palestinian is killed and another is seriously injured. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a building in Silwan and a 2-story apartment building in Ras al-Amud, and arrest 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in Qalandia refugee camp. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 9/13; PCHR 9/14; PCHR 9/21; EI 9/22)

The Egyptian authorities partially open the Rafah border crossing for a 3d day in a row, allowing Muslim worshippers to return from their pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. (OCHA 9/29)

The UN’s World Tourism Organization announces that the Palestinian bid for membership has been postponed until the body’s next meeting in 2019. The PA reportedly decided to suspend its bid following heavy U.S. pressure, according to a senior Israeli official. (HA, TOI 9/13)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces impose a curfew on Kafr Haris near Salfit, arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in the village, then escort approximately 1,000 Israeli settlers to perform religious rites at a site nearby. IDF troops arrest 9 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during raids near Nablus, Ramallah, Hebron, and Bethlehem, and patrol near Jenin and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during raids in Issawiyya, al-‘Izzariya, and Ras al-Amud. (MNA 8/21; PCHR 8/24)

Mohammed Tahsin al-Bazam, a Palestinian man, is killed in the Swedish town of Limmared. The Swedish police (8/21) will report that “several people wearing masks entered the apartment through a balcony and shot the man inside. They disappeared after the shooting as quickly as they arrived.” Palestinians in Gaza, including the local Fatah branch, accuse Israel’s spy agency, the Mossad, of assassinating the man. (HA 8/22; HA 8/23)

Palestinians in the West Bank, Israel, and across the world join in a general strike in solidarity with the 1,500-plus Palestinian prisoners’ Dignity Strike. IDF troops violently disperse protesters at the Qalandia checkpoint, Nabi Salih nr. Ramallah, ‘Azun nr. Qalqilya, outside Dayr Sharaf nr. Nablus, and along Gaza’s border nr. al-Bureij r.c.; at least 10 Palestinians are injured. Meanwhile, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Bethlehem. No Israelis are injured. They also arrest 5 Palestinian youths throwing stones at an Israeli settlement nr. Jericho; and patrol nr. Hebron during the day. Approximately 4,000 Jewish settlers, as well as former Arkansas gov. Mike Huckabee, visit Joseph’s Tomb nr. Nablus overnight, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and stone-throwing Palestinians; 2 Palestinians are arrested. IDF troops also conduct raids in Bayt Umar nr. Hebron, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Jabal Mukabir, Silwan, and Ras al-Amud. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working nr. Khan Yunis and agricultural areas nr. al-Maghazi r.c. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Rafah twice, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 5/22; PCHR 5/25)

Upon his arrival in Israel, U.S. pres. Trump gives a short speech on the tarmac at Ben Gurion Airport to a crowd of Israeli leaders, including PM Netanyahu. (The Israeli PM reportedly orders his ministers to greet Trump on the tarmac after many, including several party heads, said they were not planning to attend). “We have before us a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace to this region and to its people, defeating terrorism and creating a future of harmony, prosperity, and peace,” Trump says, referencing the peace initiative he hopes to advance during his visit to Israel. “But we can only get there working together. There is no other way.” Trump then meets with Israeli pres. Reuven Rivlin and visits the Western Wall, the first time a sitting U.S. pres. has done so. In his major policy speech of the day, Trump links the fight against Iran with Israeli-Palestinian peace, saying that the Arab states are willing to work with Israel to normalize relations, if Israel ends its occupation of Palestinian lands. (HA, NYT, TOI 5/22; HA 5/23)

In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Bayt Umar nr. Hebron overnight, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. They also arrest 5 Palestinians and confiscate a drone during raids nr. Hebron, Jenin, and Tulkarm; and patrol in and around Hebron. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian tears down the roof of his own home to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Ras al-Amud and al-Sawana. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA, WAFA 3/25; PCHR 3/30)

At the funeral of Hamas cmdr. Fuqaha in Gaza City, thousands of Hamas mbrs. and supporters call for revenge against Israel for its alleged role in his killing on 3/24. Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya says that “Fuqaha didn’t have enemies, and Israel is the only beneficiary in his assassination.” Also, Hamas’s military wing, Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, releases a statement threatening to “respond in a manner that befits [Fuqaha’s] position.” (HA, YA 3/25)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya and Khan Yunis, causing no injuries. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working nr. Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, a number of right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning, sparking a nonviolent confrontation with Muslim worshippers. Israeli forces arrest 14 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during raids in Jabal Mukabir, al-Tur, Ras alAmud, Shu‘fat r.c., and the Old City. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Qarawat Bani Hassan village nr. Salfit in the evening, sparking clashes with stonethrowing Palestinian youths; there are no serious injuries. They arrest 11 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during further raids nr. Ramallah, Hebron, and Nablus, and patrol nr. Ramallah, Hebron, and Qalqilya during the day. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/5; JP, MNA 2/6; PCHR 2/9)

Israel’s High Court of Justice delays by 1 mo. the demolition of 9 buildings in the Ofra settlement nr. Ramallah. The demolition was set to go forward by 2/8, but the court relented, arguing that a demolition this mo. would put undue burden on the residents, and promising to evacuate them peacefully in exchange for the delay. Meanwhile, thousands of settlers gather in Ofra to protest the planned demolition. (TOI 2/5)

IDF troops raid al-Sanabel radio station in Dura village nr. Hebron overnight, shutting it down on the grounds of alleged incitement and arresting 5 journalists. They also destroy and confiscate some broadcasting equipment. Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during late-night raids and house searches in and around Tulkarm, Jenin, and in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem; and patrol nr. Nablus. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. al-Bureij r.c. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault and arrest 5 Palestinian youths as they leave a soccer field in the Old City, demolish a blacksmith shop in the southeast corner of the city, and arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids in Ras al-Amud. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 8/31; PCHR 9/1; PCHR 9/8) 

The Egyptian authorities keep the Rafah border crossing open for the 2d of 3 planned days. (PCHR 9/1; OCHA 9/8)

The High Planning Comm. of Israel’s Civil Admin. advances plans for the construction of 463 settler residences in the West Bank, including approval for 234 units in the Elkana settlement, 31 in Bet Arye, and 20 in Givat Ze’ev. The comm. also retroactively legalizes 178 units built in Bet Arye in the 1980s. (AFP, HA, MNA 8/31)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth allegedly carrying a knife and planning a stabbing attack in Shu‘fat r.c., and arrest another Palestinian on a late-night raid in Ras al-Amud. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 3 Palestinians during raids nr. Nablus, Ramallah, and Jenin; and patrol in 2 villages nr. Nablus, and 3 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. Around 12,000 Palestinians attend a funeral for the Palestinian killed by PASF troops in Nablus on 8/23. After the funeral, hundreds of mourners break off from the procession, chant anti-Palestinian Authority (PA) slogans, and clash with PASF troops (there are no serious injuries). Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (JP, MNA, TOI 8/28; PCHR 9/1)

Palestinian officials announce the beginning of preliminary discussions about a possible summit meeting in Moscow between PM Netanyahu and Pres. Abbas, to be mediated by Russian pres. Putin. Separately, a senior PLO official says that the Palestinians recently rejected a U.S. offer for a trilateral peace summit with Israel, and that the Palestinians instead insisted on 2 central preconditions for any meetings: release of the 4th tranche of prisoners that were set to go free in connection with the last round of talks in 3–4/2014 and a settlement freeze. (HA, JP, TOI 8/28)

As the Palestinian school year begins, the PA Education Ministry accuses Israel of withholding the delivery of around 300,000 textbooks to schools in Gaza. Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) says the books must be examined and approved before being released. (HA 8/28)

An Israeli settler on a motorcycle runs over and seriously injures an elderly Palestinian outside Duma village nr. Nablus; he dies later in the day. It is unclear if the collision is an accident or an intentional ramming attack. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in al-Am‘ari r.c. nr. Ramallah overnight, arresting 1 Palestinian and sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents; 4 Palestinians are injured. IDF troops arrest 4 more Palestinians during late-night raids and house searches in Jenin and around Bethlehem. Israeli forces uproot around 500 olive trees outside a village nr. Salfit. Overnight, unidentified suspects throw Molotov cocktails at a structure in an Israeli settlement nr. Nablus, causing damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police escort around 100 Jewish settlers and 13 Israeli archaeologists on a tour of Haram al-Sharif, and bar Palestinian maintenance workers from entering the sanctuary. They arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Ras al-Amud, the Old City, and Silwan. In Gaza, 8 Palestinians are injured when a tunnel collapses in e. Gaza City. In Israel, dozens of Palestinian protesters gather outside the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashqelon in solidarity with hunger-striking prisoner Bilal Kayed. A counter-protest by right-wing Israeli activists sparks minor clashes; 13 Palestinians and Israelis are arrested, and there are no serious injuries. (JP, MNA, WAFA 8/10; PCHR 8/11; PCHR 8/18)

The Israeli police announce a NIS 1 b. (approx. $260 m.) plan to increase their presence in Palestinian areas of East Jerusalem by adding 1,200 officers and 5 new outposts in Ras al-Amud, Jabal Mukabir, Silwan, Issawiyya, and Sur al-Bahir. The outposts will be headquartered in buildings that already offer civic services, such as national insurance and post, reportedly to stop them from becoming sources of tension, as police outposts in East Jerusalem have been in the past. (HA, JP 8/10)

Israeli forces demolish 12 Palestinian homes in Qalandia r.c., sparking clashes with Palestinian protesters; there are no serious injuries. Israeli raids in Abu Dis and al-Am‘ari r.c. spark further clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians (3 Palestinians are injured). Late at night, they demolish 4 more Palestinian structures in Issawiyya and 1 under construction in Silwan, and arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Ras al-Amud. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians during raids in Zabbuba village nr. Jenin, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents (there are no serious injuries). They arrest 4 more Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, and patrol nr. Hebron, Salfit, and Qalqilya. The IDF reopens a road nr. Bethlehem, having closed it in the wake of a shooting attack in the area on 7/21. Israeli forces begin constructing permanent cement rooms at the entrance to al-Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron; the press reports that the rooms will be used as a security inspection area. Meanwhile, the IDF maintains the general closure of Hebron and its surrounding district that it put in place on 7/1. (MNA 7/25; JP, MNA, WAFA 7/26; HA 7/27; PCHR 7/28)

UNRWA releases a statement expressing concern for the humanitarian effects of the IDF’s weeks-long crackdown on Hebron and the surrounding area. (MNA 7/25)

In response to a petition from Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, Israel’s High Court of Justice orders the police to explain why they are withholding the bodies of Palestinians killed while allegedly carrying out attacks on Israelis. The police are given 3 weeks to respond. (TOI 7/26)

For a 2d day in a row, the IDF maintains a general closure on Hebron, sealing crossings across the city and barricading at least 20 villages in the surrounding district. The IDF also revokes the travel permits of 2,700 Palestinians from the area and maintains its complete lock-down of Bani Na‘im village and continues its closure of Yatta village (the IDF had been removing roadblocks in the area steadily over the past few weeks). Israeli soldiers arrest 4 Palestinians during raids in and around Hebron late at night; and patrol in 12 villages nr. the city throughout the day. On 1 raid, IDF troops clash with stone-throwing Palestinians in Dura village; 2 Palestinians are injured. Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli settlers throw rocks at Palestinian cars nr. Nablus, damaging several. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 11 Palestinians, including 1 journalist, during late-night raids in Ras al-Amud, Sur al-Bahir, Silwan, and the Old City. (JP, MNA 7/2; MNA 7/3; PCHR 7/14)

Israel’s security cabinet meets to discuss the recent surge of violence across the West Bank and Israel, confirm the approval of 42 new housing units in the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba, and decide to maintain the closure of Hebron and the surrounding district. Some ministers push PM Netanyahu to approve a massive round of settlement construction in response to the violence. He reportedly promises to examine the issue. (HA, JP, YA 7/3)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for passage in both directions. (OCHA 7/5)

In an unusual incident in Ramallah, 9 Israelis try to visit a Palestinian’s home for a fastbreaking meal, but stone-throwing Palestinian youths block them and set their vehicle on fire. PASF and IDF troops secure the group’s departure from the oPt. Meanwhile, the IDF arrests 3 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Bethlehem and Tulkarm and patrols nr. Hebron and Ramallah throughout the day. Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders to 2 residential buildings under construction and demolition notices to 4 structures nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 15 Palestinians during late-night raids in Ras al-Amud, Silwan, Qalandia r.c., and Wadi al-Juz. In Israel, Israeli forces demolish the bedouin village of al-Araqib for the 100th time in 6 years. (MNA, TOI 6/29; JP, PCHR 6/30; PCHR 7/14)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for the 1st of 5 planned days over the course of the next week. (OCHA 7/5)

Israel’s security cabinet approves the reconciliation deal with Turkey announced officially on 6/27. Only 3 ministers vote against it: DM Lieberman, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked. During a debate over the deal in the Knesset, MK Haneen Zoabi (Joint List) calls the IDF soldiers who raided the Mavi Marmara in 5/2010 “murderers,” sparking a heated confrontation with several right-wing MKs. Later, PM Netanyahu pledges to expel Zoabi from the Knesset. (HA, JP, YA 6/29).

Following pressure from the Israeli NGO Adalah, Israeli police make public portions of their new rules of engagement, approved by Israel’s atty.-gen. in 9/2015 amid the surge of violence. The new rules authorize the police to respond to stone- or firecracker-throwing with live fire. (JP 7/4; HA 7/5)

In a 3d day of cross-border violence, Israeli forces launch a number of air strikes on 4 Hamas sites in n. Gaza overnight; fire artillery shells at Palestinians along the border in multiple locations throughout the day, and launch a 2d round of air strikes in s. Gaza in the evening. 1 Palestinian is killed, 4 are injured, and significant damage is incurred. Meanwhile, Palestinian fighters fire mortar shells at IDF troops along the border, causing some damage. Amid the violence, Israeli authorities announce that the IDF has uncovered another tunnel leading from s. Gaza into the area along Israel’s side of the border (it is set for demolition in the coming days), lift a gag order on the news that Israeli forces arrested a Hamas operative in early 4/2016 who, after interrogation, divulged key information about Hamas’s tunnel operations. Separately, Hamas officials say they have contacted Egypt, Qatar, and the UN to request mediation, and that Egyptian officials “immediately and seriously acted to restore the situation to the status quo ante.” The IDF then confirms that the Egyptians are mediating to restore calm. However, crossborder violence erupts again later in the day. (HA, TOI, YA 5/5; OCHA 5/6)

Elsewhere in the oPt, IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in 1 village nr. Jenin and in al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, arresting 2 Palestinians and sparking brief clashes; there are no serious injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in the Old City and Ras al-Amud, arresting 5 Palestinians and deporting 1 to the West Bank. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/5; PCHR 5/12)

In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct late-night raids nr. Tulkarm, Ramallah, and Jericho, arresting 4 Palestinians, and patrol during the day in Tulkarm, nr. Jericho, Qalqilya, and Hebron. Off Gaza’s s. coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats overnight, injuring 1 fisherman (3 others are arrested and 2 boats are confiscated). In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault a group of Palestinian youths in Ras al-Amud, injuring 1. In Israel, Israeli forces destroy the bedouin village al-‘Araqib in the Negev for the 97th time. Meanwhile, around 2,000 Israelis gather in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv to demonstrate in support of Azaria, the Israeli soldier who shot and killed a detained Palestinian on 3/24. (EI, MNA, WAFA 4/19; PCHR 4/21)

Following Jordan’s 4/18 announcement that it is no longer planning to support the installation of cameras at Haram al-Sharif, an Israeli official says that “Israel’s support [for the initiative] remains unchanged.” (TOI 4/19)

An explosive device detonates on a bus in s. Jerusalem, injuring at least 20 Israelis (2 seriously). A Palestinian injured in the blast will succumb to his wounds on 4/20. Israeli officials treat it as a terrorist attack, and the Israeli police and security services begin investigations. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinian youths after they allegedly assault an Israeli youth in the Old City; arrest 7 Palestinian youths and confiscate some property during raids in Shu‘fat r.c., Qalandia r.c., Ras al-Amud, and the Old City; and shoot tear gas canisters at Palestinian schoolchildren in Ras al-Amud, causing no serious injuries. Israeli forces also raid and search a newspaper company’s offices. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot tear gas canisters at a school nr. Hebron, causing minor injuries; conduct raids and house searches nr. Bethlehem, Ramallah, Qalqilya, and in and around Hebron, arresting 10 Palestinians, issuing arrest summons to 4, and confiscating some property; patrol nr. Ramallah and Jericho. Along Gaza’s border, Egyptian forces flood and partially destroy a smuggling tunnel leading into the n. Sinai Peninsula. A military court in Gaza sentences 5 Palestinians to death on charges related to collaborating with Israel. A Palestinian woman is injured when she accidentally detonates a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance in Gaza City. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/18; JP, MNA, TOI 4/19; HA, MNA 4/20; PCHR 4/21)

The IDF lifts a gag order on the news that it discovered a tunnel leading from s. Gaza into Israel earlier this week (they will demolish it on 4/19). Hamas’s military wing says “this tunnel is just a drop in the ocean of what the resistance has prepared for the defense of its people and the liberation of holy places, land, and prisoners.” (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 4/18; JP 4/19)

Citing Palestinian complaints and reservations, Jordan’s PM Abdullah Ensour says that Jordan has decided to halt the process of installing cameras at Haram al-Sharif following mos. of stalled negotiations with Israeli officials. (JP, MNA, TOI, YA 4/18; HA 4/19, 4/27)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces carry out the punitive demolition of the Jabal Mukabir home of an imprisoned Palestinian accused of attacking Israeli soldiers on 10/10/2015, and also demolish a half-built home in Ras al-Amud. Also in Ras al-Amud, a Palestinian family demolishes their own home on Israeli orders. Later, the Israeli authorities return 2 bodies of Palestinians killed in confrontations with Israeli forces since the beginning of the habba (“surge” or “revolt” in English) in the oPt in 10/2015. One family rejects the body of their relative when they discover it is frozen, allegedly in violation of the deal they made with the Israelis (they had agreed to limit the size of the funeral and deposited a NIS 20,000 [around $5,250] guarantee). Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian woman at Haram al-Sharif after she confronts Jewish Israeli MK Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli. In the West Bank, IDF troops raid a number of quarries nr. Qalqilya, confiscating millions of dollars’ worth of equipment. They also raid a number of chicken farms and erect a mobile checkpoint outside a village nr. Ramallah, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is injured. The IDF violently disperses stone-throwing Palestinians in a village nr. Tulkarm, causing no serious injuries; raids a village council’s office in a village nr. Bethlehem, destroying property and breaking its main doors; conducts further raids and house searches nr. Tulkarm, Jenin, Nablus, and Bethlehem, arresting 4 Palestinians, issuing arrest summons to 2, and confiscating property; and patrols nr. Tulkarm, Jenin, and Hebron. Israeli forces begin razing 650 dunams (around 160 acres) of Islamic Waqf–owned land nr. Jericho, and confiscate heavy equipment from a factory nr. Bethlehem. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct limited incursions to level land nr. Bayt Lahiya and Dayr al-Balah. (MNA, WAFA 3/21; MNA 3/22; PCHR 3/24)

A PA official who monitors settlement growth in the West Bank reveals that Israeli officials recently informed Palestinians in villages nr. Nablus of their intention to confiscate 1,200 dunams (around 300 acres) of nearby land. The IDF’s Coordinator of Govt. Activities in the Territories Unit (COGAT) disputes this figure, saying that only 612 dunams will be seized and incorporated into the nearby settlement of Eli. (MNA, WAFA 3/21; EI 3/30)

At the annual AIPAC conference in Washington, leading presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump present their foreign policy ideas and pro-Israel credentials. All the remaining candidates, except Sen. Bernie Sanders, are set to address the conferees (AIPAC rejected Sanders’s offer to give a speech via satellite after he declined to attend). (HA, JP, YA 3/21; JP 3/22)

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)

Stabbing and other small-scale violent incidents continue in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt) and Israel. In Tel Aviv, 2 Palestinians armed with knives attack a group of Israelis at an office building, killing 2 and injuring 2. Israeli police arrest 1 of the attackers and the other flees. Later, IDF troops raid the Hebron-area home of 1 of the suspects, delivering punitive demolition orders and arresting 3. Nr. Bethlehem, a Palestinian driver opens fire in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, injuring 10 settlers and killing 3 others, including a U.S. citizen. Israeli forces shoot at the driver, causing him to crash his car and killing 1 Palestinian bystander in the crossfire; they arrest the driver at the scene. In c. Hebron, Israeli forces fire tear gas and skunk water, blocking a number of Palestinian children from accessing their school, after a Palestinian allegedly throws a tear gas canister at an Israeli checkpoint and injures a soldier. Also, a Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained in clashes with the IDF on 11/11. (HA, MNA, NYT, WAFA, YA 11/19; PCHR 11/26)

Elsewhere, a number of Palestinian municipalities in Israel, including Nazareth, Rahat, and Sakhnin, go on strike in protest of the 11/16 outlawing of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement. In the West Bank, IDF troops and stone-throwers clash during raids in Dahaysha r.c. and patrols nr. Jenin, injuring 4 Palestinians and arresting 1, respectively. Israeli forces continue their string of late-night house searches and raids in the Hebron, Ramallah, Jalazun r.c., and Dahaysha r.c. areas, arresting 12 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 4; patrol during the day nr. Jenin, Tulkarm, Salfit, Hebron, and Qalqilya. Israeli settlers leave racist graffiti and throw stones at Palestinian homes in a village nr. Ramallah late at night, causing minor damage. Israeli forces begin demolishing a synagogue in the Givat Ze’ev settlement nr. Jerusalem, pursuant to the Israeli govt.’s 11/16 compromise with settler leaders (the demolition will be completed by 12/10). In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces clash with and violently disperse Palestinians at a checkpoint in Abu Dis, seriously injuring 1 Palestinian; arrest 4 Palestinians on raids in Issawiyya and Jabal Mukabir; assault a Palestinian youth in Ras al-Amud. (EI, HA, MNA, NYT, WAFA, YA 11/19; MNA, TOI 11/20; PCHR 11/26)

Israel’s Coordinator of Govt. Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Unit cmdr. Yoav Mordechai signs an agreement with the PA Minister of Civil Affairs Hassan al-Shaykh to grant Palestinian mobile phone users in the West Bank access to 3G high-speed data services. The new services are expected to be in place by mid-2016. (AP, HA 11/19)

After a mass joint funeral in Hebron for the Palestinians whose bodies the IDF returned on 10/30, dozens of stone-throwers briefly clash with IDF troops in c. Hebron; 4 Palestinians are injured. In the latest small-scale violence, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Jenin after he allegedly attacks an Israeli soldier. The Israeli authorities then close a nearby checkpoint, blocking Palestinians from traveling between Israel and the West Bank (they will reopen it on 11/1). The Israeli crackdown on the violence continues throughout the oPt as well, with IDF troops clashing with and violently dispersing Palestinian protesters nr. Ramallah and Jenin, and along Gaza’s border nr. al-Bureij r.c. (7 Palestinians are injured). They also patrol nr. Ramallah, Salfit, and Nablus; conduct late-night raids and house searches across Hebron, Nablus, and Bethlehem, arresting 11 Palestinians and issuing an arrest summons to 1. Israeli soldiers assault and seriously injure a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Jerusalem. Israeli settlers block Palestinian farmers from working in their olive fields nr. Nablus, causing no injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian at a checkpoint in Ras al-Amud and 8 on raids in Sur al-Bahir. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 10/31; JP 11/ 1; PCHR 11/5)

Stabbing attacks continue in the West Bank today. Private Israeli settlement security guards shoot and kill a Palestinian youth at a checkpoint nr. Jenin after he allegedly stabs and injures an Israeli soldier. IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian youth after he stabs and lightly injures an Israeli soldier in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc nr. Bethlehem. (HA, MNA, YA 10/23; PCHR 10/29)

Elsewhere in the oPt, IDF troops clash with and violently disperse Palestinians throwing stones and protesting in 3 locations along Gaza’s border and across the West Bank, injuring 117 Palestinians and arresting 3. They also violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, occupation, and recent violence in 4 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, and Silwad) and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 1 Palestinian is seriously injured. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts raids and house searches in Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah and 1 village nr. Nablus, arresting 2 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 each nr. Jenin and Nablus. Israeli forces destroy around 90 olive trees nr. Qalqilya during a military training exercise. Israeli settlers attack and attempt to stab the head of the Israeli group Rabbis for Human Rights while he is assisting with the Palestinian olive harvest nr. Nablus; attempt to attack the Nablus-area home of the Palestinian who was shot on 10/21 after IDF soldiers thought she was trying to sneak into a settlement. Palestinian stone-throwers in the area ward off the attack. In East Jerusalem, thousands of Palestinians march in a funeral procession through al-‘Izzariya for the Palestinian killed nr. the city on 10/21; Israeli forces then violently disperse the 400-some Palestinian youths that throw stones in the area after the march (27 Palestinians are injured).Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians on late-night raids in Issawiyya, Ras al-Amud, al-Thawri, and s. of the Old City. (HA, MNA, TOI, YA 10/23; PCHR 10/29)

New Zealand’s UN envoys distribute to the mbrs. of the UNSC a draft res. encouraging Israel and the Palestinians to undertake confidence-building steps as a prelude to a new round of peace negotiations. (AFP, TOI 10/23; JP, MNA 10/24; HA, TOI 10/28; AP 10/30)

The Israeli crackdown on the oPt continues amid the ongoing wave of violence. In the West Bank, Israeli forces punitively demolish the Hebron apartment of the Palestinian who stabbed an Israeli woman to death outside the Gush Etzion settlement nr. Bethlehem on 11/10/2014. Throughout the day, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians protesting w. of Tulkarm and outside a settlement nr. Ramallah, injuring 3 Palestinians. The IDF conducts a raid in a village nr. Bethlehem, sparking clashes with stonethrowing Palestinian youths; 1 Palestinian is injured with live ammunition. IDF troops also conduct late-night raids and patrol in other areas across the West Bank, arresting 21 Palestinians, including 1 senior Hamas official on charges related to incitement, and issuing arrest summons to 4. Israeli settlers burn tires and verbally confront Palestinians nr. Salfit. In East Jerusalem, a large group of Israeli settlers escorted by Israeli forces forcibly evict Palestinians from 2 homes in Silwan. The property was allegedly purchased by the Israeli settler association Ateret Cohanim. Later, Israeli forces raid the Jabal Mukabir home of 1 of the Palestinians who attacked a group of Israelis on a bus in East Jerusalem on 10/13 and the Old City home of the Palestinian who attacked a group of Israelis in Tel Aviv on 10/8, taking measurements and preparing for a possible punitive demolition. They also arrest 7 Palestinians on late-night raids in Abu Dis, Ras al-Amud, and Issawiyya. In West Jerusalem, Jewish Israelis attempt to assault a Palestinian man on his way home from work, but his boss intervenes. (HA, MNA 10/19; EI, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 10/20; PCHR 10/22)

Israeli PM Netanyahu orders the Israeli police to suspend their construction of a concrete barrier in East Jerusalem between Jabal Mukabir and the nearby Israeli settlement East Talpiot, responding to complaints from his cabinet about dividing Jerusalem. The police erected sections of the planned 300 m barrier on 10/18. (HA, TOI 10/19)

Israel’s Foreign Ministry summons the French amb. to Israel to a disciplinary meeting, during which Israeli officials criticize the French plans to push for the UNSC to sponsor an international observer force at Haram al-Sharif, as reported in the French press on 10/17. Meanwhile, U.S. secy. of state Kerry says that the U.S. opposes the French proposal for an international observer force. (HA, JP, TOI 10/19)

For the 8th day in a row, IDF troops stationed along Gaza’s border open fire on Palestinians protesting and throwing stones throughout the region, killing 2 Palestinians and injuring at least 142 (a 3d Palestinian will succumb to injuries sustained today on 10/23). Stabbing incidents continue, as IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian in the Kiryat Arba settlement nr. Hebron after he stabs and moderately injures an Israeli soldier. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops clash with and violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstations and violent protests in 4 areas nr. Ramallah (outside the Beit El settlement, Silwad, Budrus, and Bil‘in), and nr. Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Qalqilya, killing 1 Palestinian and injuring 73. The IDF patrols outside Ramallah and in Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwers (2 Palestinians are injured); conducts house searches and raids throughout the region, arresting 4 Palestinians. Palestinian gunmen open fire on IDF vehicles nr. Ramallah, causing minor damage. In East Jerusalem, the Israeli police bar Palestinian men under the age of 40 from entering Haram al-Sharif; clash with stone-throwing Palestinians in Ras al-Amud (2 Palestinians are injured); conduct raids nr. the Old City and Issawiyya (4 Palestinians are arrested). (EI, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 10/16; PCHR 10/22)

The UNSC convenes to discuss the recent violence in Israel and the oPt as well as Israeli restrictions on Palestinian access at Haram al-Sharif, at the request of Jordan. French amb. to the UN François Delattre says that France has prepared a draft presidential statement that would, inter alia, urge all parties to maintain the status quo at the sanctuary. (AFP, HA, JP, TOI, YA 10/16; HA 10/17)

Stabbing incidents continue in Jerusalem. In West Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian after he allegedly stabs and moderately injures an Israeli woman nr. the c. bus station. They later raid his Ras al-Amud home. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian outside a gate to the Old City after he attempts to evade them and ignores their calls, according to PCHR. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 10/14; PCHR 10/22)

For a 6th day in a row, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians protesting along Gaza’s border, injuring 5 with live ammunition e. of al-Bureij r.c. They also level land n. of Bayt Hanun. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 10/14; PCHR 10/22) 

The wave of violence and Israeli crackdown continues across the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Pursuant to the Israeli security cabinet’s order on 10/13, Israeli forces set up roadblocks and checkpoints around al-Suwana, Wadi al-Juz, Sur al-Bahir, Jabal Mukabir, Issawiyya, and Silwan overnight. They also arrest 20 Palestinians on early morning raids throughout the area. IDF troops injure 13 Palestinians in clashes with protesters throughout the West Bank. They also assault and critically injure a Palestinian man nr. Ramallah after stopping his vehicle to investigate alleged stone-throwing in the area (the man will have a heart attack and die on 10/15). Late at night, the IDF delivers punitive demolition notices to 7 homes around Nablus and Ramallah belonging to Palestinians accused of attacking Israelis in recent mos.; conducts raids and house searches across the West Bank, arresting 14 Palestinians; patrols nr. Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwers (1 Palestinian is injured). Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian agricultural land outside a village nr. Nablus and chase local farmers off with stones and gunfire, seriously injuring 4 Palestinians and 1 international activist. IDF troops arrest 4 settlers after the incident. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA, YA 10/14; EI, MNA 10/15; PCHR 10/22)

Following Israel’s security cabinet meeting on 10/13, Public Security Min. Gilad Erdan approves a series of temporary measures aimed at easing restrictions on the acquisition of firearms, stating that “citizens with firearms training are a multiplying force for the police in their fight against terror.” (JP, TOI 10/14; HA, TOI 10/15)

On the 2d day of Yom Kippur, Israeli forces escort a number of right-wing Jewish activists around Haram al-Sharif. The group attempts to perform Jewish rites in commemoration of the holiday, but they are blocked by Islamic Waqf guards. All Palestinian men under the age of 40 are barred from the sanctuary and all but 3 entrances are closed for the 2d day in a row. (HA, MNA, WAFA 9/23; PCHR 10/1)

In the West Bank, thousands of Palestinians march through c. Hebron for the funeral of the Palestinian woman who was killed by the IDF on 9/22, and clashes ensue between stone-throwing youths and Israeli forces. Late at night, Palestinians throw firebombs at an Israeli settlement nr. Ramallah, causing minor damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 12 Palestinians on late-night raids in Sur al-Bahir and Ras al-Amud. Meanwhile, Jewish Israeli youths throw stones at a Palestinian boy, causing minor injuries, and separately at Palestinian cars in s. Jerusalem. Unknown assailants throw a firebomb at a Jewish family’s home in Abu Tor, causing damage. On Gaza’s border e. of Jabaliya r.c., Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian attempting to cross into Israel for work. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 9/23; MNA, TOI 9/24; PCHR 10/1)

Israel’s Defense Ministry announces the easing of additional restrictions on Palestinian movement and access during the Muslim holiday ‘Id al-Adha, supplementing the restrictions announced on 9/21: border crossings hours will be extended; married men older than 45 and married women older than 30 from the West Bank will be allowed to pray at Haram al-Sharif on 9/24 and 9/25. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI 9/24)

Amid escalating tensions in East Jerusalem, Israeli police violently disperse Palestinians protesting access restrictions at Haram al-Sharif in Issawiyya, Shu‘fat r.c., al-Tur, and Silwan, injuring at least 25 Palestinians and 3 Israeli police officers. Separately, Israeli forces arrest 5 Palestinians on late-night raids in al-Tur and Sur al-Bahir; shut down a café in al-Tur. As PM Netanyahu tries to push mandatory minimum sentencing for stone-throwers through the Knesset, Palestinians throw stones and a firebomb at an Israeli bus in Ras al-Amud in the evening, causing serious damage, and later throw stones at a bus driver nearby, causing minor injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and seriously injure 1 Palestinian during clashes in Aida r.c. and 1 Palestinian after he allegedly throws a firebomb at an Israeli military vehicle nr. Nablus. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel for work. Separately, Egyptian authorities allow 500 Muslims from Gaza to pass through the Rafah border crossing for Hajj. In Israel, the IDF deploys an Iron Dome battery outside Ashqelon (nr. the Gaza border) in response to the escalation of violence in Jerusalem and in anticipation of possible tension over Palestinian prisoner Allan’s hunger strike. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 9/17; MNA, YA 9/18; PCHR 10/1)

Israeli atty. gen. Yehuda Weinstein approves police use of Ruger sniper rifles against stone-throwing in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Israeli PM Netanyahu approves a proposal to increase security in Jerusalem, providing 800 additional officers in the city from 9–10/2015. (HA, JP, WAFA, XIN 9/17; HA, NYT, TOI 9/18; HA 9/19; HA 9/21)

The UNSC releases a statement expressing “grave concern” over the recent violence in East Jerusalem, calling on all sides to work together to lower tensions and to refrain from provocative actions that would change the status quo at Haram al-Sharif. (UNSC 9/17; JTA 9/18)

At its general conference, the mbrs. of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reject, 61–43, with 33 abstentions, a res. proposed by Egypt and other Arab states calling for inspections and international oversight on Israel’s nuclear weapons program. (DS, HA, JP, TOI 9/17)

In East Jerusalem, an Israeli police vehicle runs down a Palestinian in Ras al-Amud and police beat him, causing injuries. Later, the police arrive at the hospital and summon the man for questioning. The event sparks clashes with stonethrowing Palestinians, injuring 1 Palestinian. Nearby, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Jabal Mukabir and al-Tur. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian attempting to cross the border. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids and house searches nr. Hebron, Jenin, and Nablus, arresting 9 Palestinians total and sparking clashes with Palestinian youths nr. Hebron. Israel begins construction on a fence along its southern border with Jordan, continuing a barrier that runs along the border with Egypt. (HA, JP, MNA 9/6; PCHR 9/10)

A PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. says that PA pres. Abbas will announce the termination of the Oslo Accords due to Israel’s “lack of commitment” in his 9/30 UNGA speech. He does not comment on the future of PA security coordination with the IDF, which the Oslo II agreement established in 1995. (MNA 9/6; JP, MNA, TOI 9/7)

Off the n. Gaza coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently disperse around 300 Israeli settlers in the Beit El settlement protesting the High Court’s 7/26 injunction on building in the settlement and its order for 2 residential buildings to be demolished by 7/30; 2 settlers are arrested. The settlers throw stones at empty Palestinian vehicles in the area. A separate group of over 200 Israeli settlers reoccupies the Sa-Nur settlement outpost nr. Jenin that was evacuated in 2005, calling for the govt. to approve the return of settlers to the site. Overnight in East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish 2 Palestinian stores, 2 warehouses, and 3 residences in Silwan; assault and arrest 2 Palestinians during a raid in Ras al-Amud. Israeli settlers assault an elderly Palestinian in Ras al-Amud, lightly injuring her. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 7/28; HA, PCHR 7/30)

Israeli PM Netanyahu says that his govt. is taking “legal action” against the High Court’s 7/26 demolition order for the 2 residences in the Beit El settlement. His comments follow 2 days of minor clashes between settlers and Israeli troops in and around Beit El. (HA, JP, TOI 7/28)

Netanyahu meets with Cypriot pres. Anastasiades in Cyprus and, according to PA sources, Anastasiades reportedly outlines a new European and Cypriot initiative to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations . The PA sources say that Anastasiades discussed the initiative with PA pres. Abbas on 7/27, and it includes an invitation for Netanyahu and Abbas to separately address EU leaders in Brussels at a future summit. (JP 7/27; JP, MNA, REU, TOI 7/28)

The U.S. Parole Commission announces that imprisoned Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard’s parole has been approved and that he will be released from prison on 11/21, having completed a 30-year sentence after being convicted of passing military intelligence to Israel in 1985. Pollard will be required to stay in the U.S. for 5 years after his release. Secy. of State Kerry reiterates that Pollard’s release is not connected to the tension surrounding the nuclear deal reached by the P5+1 and Iran on 7/14. (EI, HA, MNA 7/28; HA 7/29)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian during a raid in c. Nablus. Less than an hour later, they shoot and injure a Palestinian photojournalist attempting to cover the story. The IDF also conducts raids in a village nr. Jenin, confiscating property and arresting 2 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho and 1 nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 13 Palestinians on raids in the Old City and Ras al-Amud. (HA, MNA, WAFA 7/23; PCHR 7/30)

Israeli chief negotiator, Dep. PM Shalom meets with PLO secy.-gen. Erakat for “trustbuilding” talks in Amman. They present initial proposals for restarting peace negotiations. The meeting will be 1st reported on 7/26. (MNA, TOI 7/26; HA, MNA 7/28)

Israel’s Civil Admin. grants permits for the construction of 1,065 new residences in various settlements around the West Bank, including infrastructure developments that will connect 296 residences to utilities in the Beit El settlement. (HA, TOI, YA 7/22; PCN 7/23; MNA 7/24)

UNRWA issues an urgent appeal for contributions, reaffirming that it is running at a budget deficit of around $100 m. and that if it does not receive sufficient pledges, UNRWA schools will be forced to close throughout the Middle East. (AFP, UNRWA 7/23)

Overnight in Gaza, purported ISIS affiliates blow up cars belonging to mbrs. of Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s military wings in 5–6 simultaneously timed blasts in c. and s. Gaza City, lightly injuring 2 people and damaging several homes. No armed group claims responsibility. In the West Bank, Israeli authorities deliver stop-work orders to 3 homes under construction in a village nr. Hebron. IDF troops conduct a late-night raid in a village nr. Hebron; patrol in 1 village and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, and ‘Aqabat Jabir r.c. and 1 village nr. Jericho. Israeli settlers fire 2 shots toward Palestinian farmers working nr. Ramallah, causing no injuries; conduct 3 demonstrations nr. Ramallah and Bethlehem calling for increased settlement construction. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians on raids in Ras al-Amud. (JP, MNA, NYT, YA 7/19; MNA, WAFA 7/20; MNA 7/21; PCHR 7/30)

Israel’s National Labor Court rejects a complaint filed by 3 Palestinian laborers on 7/14 calling for recognition of their rights to the same working conditions as Israelis in special industrial zones in Israeli settlements. (JP 7/19)

The Financial Times reports that “senior levels” of the European Commission have approved the preparation of a technical guidance document to facilitate the labeling of goods produced in the Israeli settlements. (FT 7/19)

The Obama admin. formally delivers the nuclear deal reached with Iran on 7/14 to Congress, which begins the legislature’s mandated 60-day review period (it will end on 9/17). (NYT, REU 7/19)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis open fire on 3 Palestinian youths walking nr. the border fence, seriously injuring 1. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest and assault a Palestinian man on a raid in a village nr. Hebron, moderately injuring him and sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 2 Palestinians are injured. During the day, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Hebron and 2 nr. Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, around 20 Palestinians throw stones and Molotov cocktails in an Israeli settlement nr. Ras al-Amud, lightly injuring 1 settler. Israeli forces conduct a raid in Silwan, arresting 4 Palestinians and sparking minor clashes with residents; 5 Palestinians are lightly injured. Israeli security officers detain and assault 2 Palestinian youths at a light rail station in Shu‘fat, moderately injuring 1. (MNA, YA 7/17; PCHR 7/30)

A special panel of the ICC orders chief prosecutor Bensouda to reconsider “as soon as possible” her 11/2014 decision not to investigate Israel’s 5/2010 raid on the flagship of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, the Mavi Marmara. (AP, HA, ICC, MNA, NYT 7/16)

U.S. State Dept. spokesperson John Kirby comments on the Israeli govt.’s planned demolition of Palestinian homes in Susiya village nr. Hebron, saying “we strongly urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from carrying out any demolitions.” (TOI, USSD 7/17; JP 7/19)