The Palestine Chronology

Amid continuing heightened tension across the oPt during Passover, Israeli forces escort hundreds of Israeli settlers to Joseph’s Tomb outside Nablus and to Solomon’s Pools outside Bethlehem in the morning, sparking clashes in Nablus with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 1 Palestinian is injured. Also, around 200 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif; 5 are removed from the area when they attempt to perform religious rites. Israeli authorities close the Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza, indicating that they plan to keep it closed through 4/30. Elsewhere along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working nr. Khan Yunis, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Ramallah after he and another Palestinian allegedly attempt to stab an Israeli soldier. They also conduct raids nr. Bethlehem, issuing arrest summons to 3 Palestinians; patrol nr. Hebron, Salfit, and Jericho. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 4/28; PCHR 5/5)

Israeli PM Netanyahu’s office releases a statement formally rejecting the French peace initiative, including the peace conference planned for 5/30 in Paris. “Israel is ready immediately to begin direct negotiations with the Palestinians without any preconditions,” it reads, adding that “any other diplomatic initiative distances the Palestinians from the table of direct negotiations.” Meanwhile, a U.S. State Dept. spokesperson reiterates that the Obama admin. has not yet taken a position on the French initiative. (HA, TOI, USSD 4/28; MNA 4/29)

In the West Bank, IDF troops detain a Palestinian youth after arguing with her at a checkpoint nr. Bethlehem, and conduct raids in a village nr. Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians. Amid the clashes, Israeli soldiers fire tear gas canisters at a girls’ school, causing many students to choke. The IDF conducts late-night raids in and around Jenin, Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah, and Tubas, arresting 16 Palestinians and confiscating and damaging property; patrols nr. Jenin and Nablus. Israeli soldiers set fire to a Palestinian flag at a checkpoint nr. Nablus. Israeli settlers steal a Palestinian’s horse from a village nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish 2 residential structures in Kafr Walaja early in the morning, and arrest 18 Palestinians during raids in Silwan, the Old City, and Bayt Hanina. In West Jerusalem, Jewish Israelis assault and moderately injure a Palestinian bus driver nr. the Central Bus Station. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 4/13; HA, PCHR, WAFA 4/14; HA 4/15; PCHR 4/21)

The Israeli press reports that PM Netanyahu and DM Ya’alon recently gave their approval for the construction of 267 settler residences in the West Bank, including in a number of outposts. (HA 4/13; PCN 4/14)

A Palestinian lawyer says that an Israeli court has rescinded the ban on products of 5 Palestinian food companies entering Jerusalem, which was issued by Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture on 3/9. (MNA 4/13)

Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Khan Yunis. Early in the morning in the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 3 Palestinian homes under construction in a village nr. Bethlehem and a playground in a village nr. Nablus. They also reopen a road e. of Hebron that they closed on 3/14, following a formal request from the PA. IDF troops patrol in a village nr. Ramallah, sparking clashes with stonethrowing Palestinians; 2 Palestinians are arrested and there are no serious injuries. They conduct further raids and house searches nr. Nablus, Jericho, and in Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrol nr. Qalqilya, Jericho, Ramallah, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Municipality prepares to demolish a Palestinian home in Wadi al-Juz, but Israeli PM Netanyahu’s office intervenes, canceling the demolition to avoid increasing tensions in the city ahead of Passover. Meanwhile, the extreme messianic group Temple Institute says that it conducted a secret Jewish wedding at Haram al-Sharif, violating the ban on Jewish religious ceremonies at the sanctuary. (MNA, WAFA 4/12; MNA, TOI, YA 4/13; PCHR 4/14)

COGAT announces that the Israeli govt. has given approval, in principle, to a Palestinian request to build a power plant nr. Jenin. (YA, 4/12; MNA, YA 4/13)

A U.S. State Dept. spokesperson says that the U.S. opposes a UNSC res. censuring Israel’s settlements, such as the one the Palestinian leadership is currently circulating. He adds, “I can firmly shut the door,” ending all speculation about U.S. support for the effort. (USSD 4/12; JP 4/13)

 In Gaza, at least 2 Palestinians die in a smuggling tunnel collapse nr. Rafah, according to Palestinian sources. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Gaza City. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Aida r.c. and al-Azza r.c. nr. Bethlehem late at night, sparking clashes with armed and stone-throwing Palestinian youths in both; there are no serious injuries. They conduct further raids in Salfit and nr. Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah, and Tulkarm, arresting 13 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrol nr. Hebron, Tulkarm, and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces confiscate property and arrest 1 Palestinian during raids in the Old City. In Israel, right-wing Jewish activists spray paint racist graffiti on the walls of a synagogue in Safed. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 4/10; MNA 4/11; TOI 4/12; PCHR 4/14)

Israeli PM Netanyahu says that there has been a “significant decline” in the number of serious Palestinian crimes against Israelis. He also reaffirms his ban on MKs and other elected officials visiting Haram al-Sharif ahead of the Jewish holiday Passover. (TOI 4/10)

In the West Bank, Israeli authorities reopen a road in e. Hebron 5 mos. after sealing it behind earth mounds. Israeli forces confiscate 4 water tanks and 2 cars, and demolish 16 residential tents and 15 livestock barracks in a village nr. Nablus, displacing 117 Palestinians. IDF troops conduct raids and house searches nr. Jenin, Ramallah, and Hebron, arresting 5 Palestinians; patrol nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers uproot trees and level land nr. Ramallah, sparking minor clashes with Palestinians in the area; there are no injuries. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. al-Bureij r.c., arrest a Palestinian attempting to cross into Israel for work nr. Jabaliya r.c., and open fire on Palestinian picnickers nearby, causing no injuries or damage. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces detain 2 Palestinian fishermen nr. Khan Yunis. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in the Old City. (MNA, WAFA 4/7; MNA 4/8; PCHR 4/14)

Western diplomats and senior Palestinian officials say that the Palestinian leadership informally circulated a draft res. to UNSC mbrs. this week condemning Israel’s settlements and calling for a 1-year time frame on a 2-state solution. They say PA pres. Abbas hopes to have it brought for a vote while he is in New York for a climate conference at the end of 4/2016 (he is set to arrive on 4/22). (HA, TOI 4/7; HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 4/8; TOI 4/10)

In Gaza City, senior Hamas and Fatah officials meet for national reconciliation talks, continuing the process begun in Doha on 3/26–27. There are no major announcements of progress. (MNA 4/8)

Israeli and Turkish officials meet in London for another round of reconciliation talks. Turkey’s FM will say, on 4/8, that progress was made today and that an agreement is due “very soon.” The Israeli govt. does not comment. (HA, JP, TOI, YA 4/8; ECO 4/12)

For the 2d day in a row, the IEC cuts off power to a major West Bank city, this time affecting parts of Hebron from 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. It is the 3d time the IEC has implemented its plan to intermittently and punitively disrupt power supplies to areas of the West Bank in response to unpaid debts. (HA, JP, MNA 4/5)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working nr. Rafah, causing no injuries. Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nearby. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a slaughterhouse, a balcony, and a water well in a village nr. Bethlehem and force a number of Palestinian shops to close in a village nr. Nablus, arresting 2 Palestinians who allegedly threw stones at them. IDF troops also conduct latenight raids and house searches in Nablus and nr. Hebron arresting 9 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 2; take measurements and photographs of a home nr. Hebron, threatening punitive demolition; and patrol nr. Qalqilya, Jenin, and Hebron. Israeli settlers enter a village nr. Nablus late at night, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is injured. Meanwhile, Palestinian youths throw Molotov cocktails at Israeli forces on a patrol nr. Ramallah; there are no serious injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raid al-Quds University in Abu Dis, destroying and confiscating property, and issue an arrest summons for a Palestinian journalist during a raid in al-Thawri. Israeli police arrest 2 right-wing Jewish activists attempting to sneak into Haram al-Sharif disguised as Muslims. (MNA, WAFA 4/5; MNA 4/6; PCHR 4/7)

The day after Israeli PM Netanyahu invited him to Jerusalem for a face-to-face meeting, PA pres. Abbas says that he is prepared to work with Israel to stop and monitor “mutual incitement,” calling for the reinstatement of the joint Palestinian-Israeli-U.S. comm. for monitoring incitement, which was established as part of the Wye River Memorandum in 1998 and met regularly until 9/2000. (JP 4/5; TOI 4/6)

Amid deescalating violence in Israel and the West Bank, an Israeli security guard detains a Palestinian woman after she allegedly stabs and injures an Israeli woman in a small city nr. Tel Aviv. Later, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian man at a checkpoint nr. Nablus as he walks toward a group of Israeli settlers, alleging that he was planning a stabbing attack. Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces carry out punitive demolitions of the 3 Jenin-area homes of Palestinians killed on 2/3 in a confrontation with Israeli forces in East Jerusalem, sparking minor clashes with stonethrowing Palestinians in the village; there are no serious injuries. Israeli forces also shut down a number of Palestinian shops in a village nr. Nablus and erect several mobile checkpoints around the village. IDF troops conduct raids and house searches nr. Bethlehem, Salfit, Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, and Qalqilya, arresting 12 Palestinians, issuing arrest summons to 1, and confiscating a vehicle and surveillance tapes; patrol nr. Qalqilya and Hebron. Israeli settlers raze a small swath of Palestinian land nr. Nablus. Off Gaza’s c. coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/3; PCHR 4/7)

Early in the morning, the Israeli authorities put into effect their decision to extend the fishing zone off the s. Gaza coast to 9 naut. mi. The Israeli-enforced fishing zone remains 6 naut. mi. off the n. coast. (MNA 4/3)

The Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) cuts the power supply to 2/3 of the Jericho district because of alleged unpaid debts on the part of the PA and the Jerusalem District Electricity Corp. (JDECO). A JDECO official says that his org., the PA, and the IEC have a disagreement over rate calculation and interest rates, and that a lawsuit is pending. Meanwhile, IDF troops conduct late-night raids and house searches nr. Bethlehem and Nablus, arresting 8 Palestinians, and patrol during the day nr. Salfit and Hebron. In Israel, Israeli forces shut down a poultry factory in the Negev as punishment for employing Palestinians working in Israel illegally. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Khan Yunis, and violently disperse Palestinian protesters nr. Jabaliya r.c., injuring 1 Palestinian. (HA, MNA 3/31; AFP 4/3; PCHR 4/7)

An IDF military tribunal downgrades the charges facing Elor Azaria, the soldier who killed the supine Palestinian in Hebron on 3/24, from “murder” to “manslaughter.” The soldier will be released on bail on 4/1. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 3/31)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian agricultural land nr. Rafah and Palestinian farmers working nr. Gaza City, causing no damage or injuries. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In East Jerusalem overnight, Israeli forces demolish a playground and uproot a number of trees in Silwan, and arrest 3 Palestinians during latenight raids in al-Tur and Bayt Hanina. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a home, a farm, a water network, and some trees outside a village nr. Bethlehem, as well as 2 homes, a large barn, and a playground in n. Bethlehem. IDF troops conduct a raid on the Hebron home of the Palestinian activist who captured the video of the Israeli soldier shooting and killing an incapacitated Palestinian on 3/24. The IDF conducts further raids and house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, and Jenin, as well as in Jenin itself, arresting 11 Palestinians; patrols nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Jenin. Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF) troops conduct a raid in c. Nablus, sparking armed clashes with Palestinian youths; 13 Palestinians are injured (5 of whom are PASF). (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/29; WAFA 3/30; PCHR 3/31) 

Politico publishes a 2/17 letter signed by 11 mbrs. of the U.S. Congress, including Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), addressed to Secy. of State John Kerry and calling for investigations into the “disturbing number of reports of possible gross violations of human rights by security forces in Israel and Egypt.” The letter highlights “what may be extrajudicial killings” by Israeli forces in Israel and the oPt. (POL 3/29; HA, JP, MNA, TOI 3/30)

Israel’s Knesset passes a 1st reading of 2 bills that would create economic incentives for settlement growth. The 1st would reduce bureaucratic restrictions on home purchases in settlements, preventing settlers from paying taxes to both the govt. and the Civil Admin. The 2d would entitle settlers to tax breaks as long as they are eligible for a grant promoting capital investment. (HA 3/29)

Alleged stabbing attacks continue across the oPt. Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian youth in c. Hebron when a knife is found on her person, and arrest another Palestinian youth after she allegedly attempts to stab Israeli police officers in Issawiyya, East Jerusalem. Israeli forces also assault and arrest 4 Palestinian youths nr. the Old City of Jerusalem. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s occupation, separation wall, and settlement in 4 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Silwad, and Nabi Salih), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, and 2 areas along Gaza’s border; 5 Palestinians are injured. Israeli authorities keep the Erez border crossing closed for the 3d of 3 planned days and maintain the closure of the West Bank, as decided on 3/22. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers and bird hunters nr. Jabaliya, causing no injuries. Separately, Israeli settlers in c. Hebron verbally assault the human rights worker who captured video of the unprovoked killing nearby on 3/24. IDF troops conduct raids nr. Jenin, Tubas, and Bethlehem, arresting 1 Palestinian and issuing arrest summons to 5; patrol in Tulkarm and nr. Hebron. Israeli forces shut down a checkpoint nr. Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 2 Palestinians are injured. (MNA, TOI 3/25; MNA 3/26; PCHR 3/31)

At the Jaffa Military Court, IDF prosecutors formally charge with murder the Israeli soldier who shot and killed an incapacitated Palestinian in c. Hebron on 3/24. (TOI 3/27)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian shepherds nr. Khan Yunis, causing no injuries. Also, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Khan Yunis. In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers on patrol in a village nr. Bethlehem open fire on Palestinian students returning home, injuring 1. IDF troops raid a PA-run charity in Tulkarm and a university in Jenin, destroying and confiscating equipment, and conduct further raids and house searches in and around Jenin, Bethlehem, and Tulkarm, arresting 8 Palestinians. Israeli forces begin razing 40 dunams (around 9.8 acres) of Palestinian land nr. Hebron; destroy 3 residential structures and a number of health facilities, tents, and an animal barn nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian man nr. Nablus with sticks and stones, inflicting moderate injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a store in Jabal Mukabir and a small mobile home in Bayt Hanina, and arrest 17 Palestinians during raids in the Old City. Also, a Palestinian shopkeeper demolishes his own store in Jabal Mukabir after Israeli forces surround it (he says he carried out the demolition himself because he did not want them to damage the adjacent store). Meanwhile, the Israeli authorities bar all Palestinian men under the age of 50 from entering Haram al-Sharif today, ahead of the Jewish Purim holiday on 3/24. Later, they close al-Aqsa Mosque after detaining 17 Palestinians attempting to enter the sanctuary. (MNA, WAFA 3/22; MNA 3/23; PCHR 3/24)

Israel’s political leadership decides to bar West Bank Palestinians from entering or exiting Israel, except in humanitarian cases, during the Jewish Purim festivities. The ban begins late tonight and extends through midnight on 3/26 local time. In recent years, the Israeli govt. has not imposed a ban on Palestinian movement during Purim. (TOI 3/22; HA, JP 3/23)

The PA cabinet decides to ban the products of 5 Israeli food companies—Tnuva, Strauss, Tara, Soglowek, and Tapuzina—from entering the West Bank in response to Israel’s 3/9 order to ban 5 Palestinian food companies from distributing their products in East Jerusalem. Although the order is effective today, it will take some time for the Israeli products to be cleared from shelves. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 3/22)

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)

Israeli forces demolish a 2-story home in a village nr. Bethlehem, an agricultural building nearby, and a clothing warehouse and 2 homes in East Jerusalem. Also in East Jerusalem, they arrest a Palestinian youth who was allegedly planning to conduct a stabbing attack in Shu‘fat r.c., and arrest 5 Palestinians on late-night raids in Bayt Hanina and Bayt Duqqu. In the West Bank, IDF troops raid a village nr. Ramallah, sparking clashes with stone-throwing youths; there are no serious injuries. They conduct further house searches and raids nr. Ramallah, Nablus, and Hebron, arresting 7 Palestinians and ordering several shops to close; patrol in 6 villages nr. Hebron during the day. Israeli forces demolish 6 stores in s. Nablus late at night. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/16; MNA, PCHR 3/17; PCHR 3/24)

The Israeli authorities announce that, beginning 3/18, they are temporarily suspending elderly Gazans’ weekly visits to Haram al-Sharif, citing recent alleged violations. Since the cease-fire that ended Israel’s summer 2014 assault on Gaza, Israel has permitted as many as 200 Gazans over the age of 60 to travel weekly to Jerusalem for Friday prayers. (MNA 3/16; TOI 3/17)

IDF troops shoot and kill 2 Palestinians outside a settlement nr. Hebron after they allegedly open fire on a group of Israeli soldiers at a bus stop, injuring 1. The IDF then raids the 2 Hebron-area homes of the alleged attackers, damaging doors and interrogating their families; and closes a road leading to a village nearby (it will be reopened on 4/12). IDF troops also shoot and kill a Palestinian driver nr. the same settlement after he allegedly rams and injures 2 Israeli soldiers. Another IDF soldier is injured by friendly fire. Elsewhere in the oPt, a Hamas mbr. dies in a tunnel collapse e. of Gaza City. An armed group fires a rocket from Gaza into s. Israel, which lands in an open area along the border, causing no injuries or damage. IDF troops arrest 16 Palestinians during late-night raids and house searches in and around Tulkarm, Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jenin, and Ramallah; patrol during the day nr. Hebron and Qalqilya. Israeli forces deliver a stop-work order to a construction site nr. Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians allegedly planning a stabbing attack in Abu Dis and 2 Palestinians in late-night raids in Jabal Mukabir. In Israel, the Israeli authorities order the closure of a construction site in Haifa for 21 days for harboring Palestinian workers who entered Israel illegally. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 3/14; HA, JP, WAFA 3/15; PCHR 3/17)

Citing senior Israeli officials, Haaretz reports that the Israeli govt. and the PA have been holding secret negotiations over the past mo. with the goal of gradually restoring PA security control over cities in the West Bank and ensuring continued security coordination. In response, 2 mbrs. of Netanyahu’s cabinet— Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Immigration Absorption Minister Zeev Elkin—say they had not been informed of the talks and that they oppose them. (HA, TOI 3/14)

Israel’s Knesset passes the 2d and 3d readings of an amendment designed to deter Israelis who transport, employ, or otherwise accommodate Palestinians who work in Israel illegally. The measure, advanced by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, passes by a vote of 44–16. (TOI 3/14)

Uncoordinated stabbing and alleged stabbing attacks continue in the West Bank and Jerusalem, resulting in the deaths of 3 Palestinians. Two Palestinians open fire on an Israeli bus in Ramot, causing no damage. Israeli police then chase the shooters into the Old City, where they shoot and kill the 2 men after they allegedly attempt to ram their car into a Jewish Israeli pedestrian, causing no serious injuries. A 3d Palestinian is critically injured in the crossfire. The IDF maintains, for a 2d day, the closure of 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Salfit. On the outskirts of the village nr. Salfit, Israeli soldiers open fire on 2 Palestinian youths as they approach an IDF checkpoint, killing 1 and critically injuring the other. An IDF spokesperson says that one of the youths was armed with a knife and intended to attack the soldiers. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 3/9; PCHR 3/10)

Elsewhere in the oPt, Hamas announces that 1 of its fighters died earlier in the day during unspecified training exercises. IDF troops raid a village nr. Jenin, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. They conduct further raids in and around Nablus, Qalqilya, Bethlehem, and Hebron, arresting 18 Palestinians. An Israeli settler stabs and injures a Palestinian nr. Nablus. Late at night, Israeli settlers spray price-tag graffiti on the walls of a Palestinian home in a village nr. Bethlehem. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/9; MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/10; PCHR 3/17)

In response to the string of attacks on 3/8 and after conferring with senior security officials, Israeli PM Netanyahu announces that Israel will complete the construction of the separation wall in the s. Hebron Hills. He also states that his govt. proposes new legislation to deter and punish Palestinians who enter Israel illegally, close Palestinian media outlets responsible for alleged incitement, and deny work permits to the families of Palestinians who commit serious crimes against Israelis. Israeli police immediately arrest 10s of Palestinians in raids across Israel, targeting those who entered the country without proper permits. (HA, JP, TOI 3/9)

The Israeli authorities inform 5 Palestinian food companies that their goods will no longer be permitted to pass through the Beitunia crossing for sale in Jerusalem. Israel last barred West Bank food products from entering East Jerusalem for a brief period in 2010. (TOI 3/13)

In Cairo, French FM Jean-Marc Ayrault says that France will not recognize the State of Palestine if the planned French peace initiative fails, effectively retracting his predecessor’s 1/29 pledge. “There is never anything automatic,” he says, adding that “France will present its initiative to its partners. It will be the first step, there is no prerequisite.” (TOI 3/9; JTA 3/10)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian in the Old City after she allegedly draws a knife with the intent to stab 1 of them. Israeli police shoot and kill a 2d Palestinian nr. the Old City after he opens fire on them with an automatic weapon, injuring 2 (1 seriously). Israeli forces then raid the alleged attacker’s home in Issawiyya, issue arrest summons to his father and uncle, take measurements in preparation for possible punitive demolition, and spark minor clashes with stone-throwing youths. In Israel, Israeli police shoot and kill a 3d Palestinian nr. Petah Tikva after he allegedly stabs and moderately injures an Israeli; shoot and kill a 4th Palestinian in Jaffa after he stabs several people, killing 1 U.S. citizen and injuring at least 10 Israelis (5 seriously). Later, a video of the incident in Jaffa circulates on social media, apparently showing an Israeli police officer shooting the Palestinian attacker execution-style. After the attacks in Petah Tikva and Jaffa, the IDF seals the Qalqilya and Salfit-area villages of the alleged attackers, blocking residents from entering or exiting. (HA, INT, JP, MNA, NYT 3/8; PCHR 3/10)

Elsewhere, Israeli forces confiscate a tractor from a village nr. Nablus and level farmland outside a bedouin village in the Negev. They also conduct raids nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, Bethlehem, Jericho, Tulkarm, and Jenin, as well as in 1 neighborhood in East Jerusalem, arresting 16 Palestinians and demolishing some property; patrol in 4 villages nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers raze a large area of land nr. Bethlehem. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 3/8; PCHR 3/10)

U.S. VP Joe Biden arrives in Israel, meets with former Israeli pres. Shimon Peres in Jaffa, and pledges “total, unvarnished commitment” to Israel. Meanwhile, a White House official denies a 3/7 Wall Street Journal report that the Obama admin. plans to change policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: “There has been no change to our policy or strategy with regard to this issue.” (HA, JTA, TOI 3/8; JP 3/9)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops shoot and moderately injure a Palestinian nr. al-Maghazi. In the West Bank, Israeli police arrest a Palestinian at a checkpoint e. of Jerusalem on suspicion that she was planning a stabbing attack. IDF troops conduct raids in 2 villages nr. Hebron, damaging property and sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths in both; there are no serious injuries. They conduct further raids and house searches in and around Hebron, Jenin, Nablus, Bethlehem, and Ramallah, arresting 10 Palestinians. Israeli forces demolish an animal barn nr. Hebron and erect concrete barriers nr. the Gush Etzion junction s. of Bethlehem, where 10 Palestinians have been killed in alleged attacks since 10/2015. Late at night, they carry out the punitive demolition of the Hebron home of the Palestinian driver who was killed on 11/4/2015 after allegedly ramming 2 Israeli soldiers. In East Jerusalem, an Islamic Waqf guard intervenes to stop a Jewish Israeli tour guide from performing prayers at Haram al-Sharif. Israeli police then escort the guide out of the sanctuary. Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in Abu Dis.

(MNA, WAFA 3/7, 3/8; PCHR 3/10) Citing senior U.S. officials, the Wall Street Journal reports that the Obama admin. is working on a final push toward a 2-state solution before Pres. Barack Obama leaves office in 1/2017, which might include U.S. support for a new United Nations Security Council (UNSC) res. Obama has not, however, made a final decision on the matter. Meanwhile, Israeli PM Netanyahu cancels his trip to the U.S. to attend the annual American Israel Public Affairs Comm. (AIPAC) conference later this mo. Initial press reports speculate that Netanyahu’s cancellation is a response to the Obama admin.’s neglect to schedule a meeting for him with Obama. (NYT, REU, WSJ, YA 3/7; HA, JP, NYT, TOI 3/8)

In Gaza, a Hamas mbr. is killed in a tunnel collapse nr. Khan Yunis. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Post reports that some Hamas mbrs. fear that Israel is responsible for the recent tunnel collapses. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian soccer player as he attempts to cross through the Erez border crossing. In the West Bank, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth nr. Jericho after he allegedly stabs and lightly injures an Israeli officer; demolish a fuel station in a village nr. Jerusalem. They also patrol nr. Ramallah, Tulkarm, and Hebron. Israeli settlers smash the windshield of a Palestinian car nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces seal off Issawiyya for 3 hours after some police officers on patrol in the neighborhood come under gunfire. They also conduct raids in the neighborhood, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; there are no injuries and 2 Palestinians are arrested. In Israel, around 300 residents of 2 bedouin villages slated for destruction—Atir and Umm al-Hiran—demonstrate in Beersheba, calling for the govt. to avert its plan to displace them and build a new Jewish Israeli town on their land. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 3/3; PCHR 3/10; EI 3/18)

Random attacks continue in the West Bank: Israeli forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinians in a settlement nr. Nablus after they allegedly attack and lightly injure an Israeli settler. Later, 2 Palestinian youths allegedly stab and lightly injure 2 Israeli soldiers at a settlement nr. Nablus. After the 2d incident, the IDF shuts down all roads leading from Nablus except 1; closes the entrances to nearby villages (they will keep the roads sealed through 3/4). Meanwhile, IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in and around Jenin, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Nablus, arresting 20 Palestinians. Israeli forces demolish 12 residential, educational, and agricultural structures in a village nr. Nablus, and a home under construction nr. Tulkarm, and deliver stop-work orders to 3 homes under construction nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a 3-story building in al-Tur. Dozens of right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 3/2; MNA, PCHR 3/3; PCHR 3/10)

Israel’s High Court of Justice rules that the govt. must return 1,700 dunams (around 420 acres) of unused land nr. Ramallah to its Palestinian owners. (JP, MNA 3/2)

In the West Bank, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops violently disperse Palestinians demonstrating in solidarity with hungerstriking Palestinian prisoner Muhammad al-Qiq, in Ramallah and in 1 nearby village, as well as in 2 areas nr. Bethlehem; 1 Palestinian is injured. They also conduct raids and house searches in 1 village each nr. Salfit and Jenin, and in Nablus, arresting 7 Palestinians; patrol in 6 villages nr. Hebron and 2 nr. Salfit. Israeli forces uproot 100 olive trees nr. Salfit. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops arrest 3 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel nr. Rafah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians in late-night raids in Shu‘fat refugee camp (r.c.), al-Tur, and Issawiyya. (MNA 2/16; MNA, WAFA 2/17; PCHR 2/18)

French amb. to Israel Patrick Maisonnave meets with an Israeli Foreign Ministry (FM) official and formally presents, for the 1st time, details of the French peace initiative. Hours later, Israeli prime minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu calls the proposal “puzzling,” saying that the French promise to recognize Palestinian statehood should the initiative fail encourages the Palestinians not to take it seriously. (HA, JP, TOI 2/16)

In Israel, a suspected Palestinian stabs and injures a Jewish Israeli in Rahat nr. Beersheba, then flees the scene. Later in Ashqelon, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Sudanese national after he allegedly stabs and injures an Israeli soldier. Meanwhile in the West Bank, IDF troops confiscate the work permits of a number of Palestinians trying to cross into Israel nr. Jenin (a PLO spokesperson says 10 permits have been revoked so far, and that the Israelis decided to do so hours after lifting the closure of nearby Qabatiya on 2/6). IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in 1 village and Tulkarm r.c. nr. Tulkarm, 1 village each nr. Nablus and Jenin, and 2 nr. Salfit, as well as Aida r.c. and 1 village nr. Bethlehem, arresting 13 Palestinians and issuing an arrest summons to 1; patrol in 4 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. (MNA, WAFA, YA 2/7; PCHR 2/11)

 On the 75th day of his hunger strike, Palestinian prisoner al-Qiq rejects an Israeli military court offer to be released on 5/1, demanding an immediate end to his administrative detention and treatment in a Palestinian medical facility upon release. (MNA 2/7; SAM 2/8)

Hamas and Fatah officials meet in Doha to start a new round of mediated talks on Palestinian national reconciliation. They discuss the possible formation of a new unity PA govt., elections, and the civil servants Hamas has hired in Gaza since 2007, who have not been paid a full salary since the current PA consensus govt. was sworn in on 6/2/2014. (XIN 2/6; AnA, JP, MEMO, TOI 2/7)

The IDF maintains, for a 2d day, the closure of Qabatiya where the 3 Palestinians suspected of perpetrating the 2/3 shooting in the Old City were from. In the village, an Israeli armored vehicle rams and seriously injures a Palestinian youth, and 3 other Palestinians are injured in intermittent clashes. (HA, MNA, WAFA 2/4; PCHR 2/11)

In Ramla, Israel, 2 Palestinian youths are detained after allegedly stabbing and lightly injuring an Israeli security guard at a bus station. In Silwan, unidentified assailants throw Molotov cocktails at an Israeli bus, causing substantial damage and no injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinian youths gathering in Jabal Mukabir, East Jerusalem, to call for the return of the bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces (there are no serious injuries).Israeli forces also demolish a building in al-‘Izzariya; conduct a raid in Abu Dis, sparking clashes with stone-throwers (there are no serious injuries); arrest 3 Palestinians on further raids in Silwan, Qalandia r.c., and Biddu. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 5 homes and 4 other Palestinian structures in the Jordan Valley, as well as 3 agricultural structures in a village nr. Ramallah overnight. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians protesting and throwing stones nr. Qalqilya; 1 Palestinian is injured. The IDF conducts raids and house searches in 1 village each nr. Salfit, Nablus, and 3 villages nr. Ramallah, arresting 6 Palestinians and issuing 1 family a notice to vacate their home; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 7 nr. Hebron. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 2/4; MNA 2/5; PCHR 2/11)

Palestinian hunger striker al-Qiq rejects an Israeli High Court of Justice decision to suspend his administrative detention until his health improves. Al-Qiq argued that the ruling upheld his administrative detention in a different form. (MNA 2/4)

Israeli PM Netanyahu files an ethics complaint against 3 MKs from the Joint List for their 2/2 visit to the East Jerusalem families of Palestinians who have allegedly committed serious crimes or attacks in recent mos. (HA, JP, YA 2/4; JP, TOI 2/5)

IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian youth nr. Tulkarm who was attempting to sneak into Israel for work. The youth allegedly pulled a knife on the soldiers after they started chasing him. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolish 4 Palestinian bedouin homes nr. Ramallah, displacing 22 people. The IDF raids a mobile phone shop in a village nr. Nablus, shooting and injuring a Palestinian, arresting him and 2 others they suspect are also affiliated with Hamas, and confiscating personal property. IDF troops conduct further raids and house searches in Aida r.c. and 1 village nr. Bethlehem, Jalazun r.c. and 1 village nr. Ramallah, Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Salfit, and Hebron and 1 village nearby, arresting 15 Palestinians; patrol in 5 villages nr. Hebron and 4 nr. Ramallah. After a “situational assessment” in the evening, the IDF ends the partial closure of the Ramallah area that was imposed after the 1/31 shooting attack in the area. Israeli forces pull out of the area before midnight, remove all mobile checkpoints, and return the checkpoints to normal use. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth after they find a knife on his person; arrest 14 Palestinians on latenight raids in al-‘Izzariya, Issawiyya, and the Old City. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Dayr al-Balah, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 2/1; JP, MNA 2/2; PCHR 2/4)

For a 2d day in a row, unknown Gazans fire a rocket toward Israel. It lands in an open area, causing no damage or injuries. IAF jets then launch air strikes on Hamas military sites nr. Dayr al-Balah and Khan Yunis late at night, causing substantial damage. Meanwhile, IDF troops stationed along Gaza’s border open fire on agricultural fields nr. Khan Yunis, causing damage. In the West Bank, armed Palestinians fire at an Israeli settler’s car nr. Ramallah, causing damage. Israeli forces assault and detain 4 Palestinians as they are being released from an IDF detention center nr. Jenin. IDF troops conduct house searches and raids in Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Nablus, Jenin r.c., and Balata r.c. nr. Nablus, arresting 9 Palestinians and confiscating personal property; patrol in al-‘Arub r.c., al-Fawar r.c. and 6 villages nr. Hebron, as well as 2 areas nr. Salfit. In Israel, Israeli forces demolish a home in a Palestinian village nr. Jerusalem, sparking clashes between dozens of Palestinian residents and the Israeli police; 5 Palestinian citizens of Israel are arrested. The Israeli authorities say that the house was 1 of 7 in the area built on land zoned for agriculture. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 1/24; HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/25; PCHR 1/28)

Israeli PM Netanyahu confirms that his govt. will allow the settlers who were forcibly evicted from 2 homes in c. Hebron on 1/22 to return once their proper paperwork is in order. He also says he will form a ministerial comm. to deal with related issues, acquiescing to a request from Education Minister Naftali Bennett (his proposal will be approved on 1/25). (HA, JP, TOI, YA 1/24)

An Israeli settler rams his car into 2 Palestinians nr. Salfit, killing 1 and injuring the other. Then, Israeli settlers shoot and critically injure a Palestinian in the Tekoa settlement nr. Bethlehem after he allegedly stabs and injures a pregnant Israeli settler. After the attack, the IDF raids the suspect’s home in a village nr. Bethlehem, arresting his son; orders the removal of all Palestinian workers from the Gush Etzion settlement bloc where Tekoa is located. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts further late-night raids and house searches in 2 villages nr. Bethlehem, 1 nr. Jenin, ‘Askar r.c. and ‘Aqabat Jabir r.c., and in and around Hebron and Nablus, arresting 17 Palestinians; patrols in the Hebron and Ramallah areas. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles nr. Nablus, damaging 2. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian in Shu‘fat when he is found with a knife on his person. In Israel, suspected rightwing Jewish activists vandalize and set fire to a carwash in Petah Tikva because the owner hired Palestinian employees. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 1/18; JP, MNA, YA 1/19; PCHR 1/21)

The IDF announces that, starting on 1/19, Palestinian laborers will be banned from working at Israeli settlements, citing the incident in Tekoa to justify the ban. The ban will last for 2 days. (HA, TOI 1/18; MNA 1/19)

The EU Foreign Affairs Council adopts a series of “conclusions on the Middle East peace process,” with provisions on Israel’s settlements, restarting peace negotiations, and reaffirming the 11/11/2015 guidelines on labeling products imported from Israel’s settlements. Due to Israeli lobbying over the past week, the final language does not codify a “distinction” between Israel and its settlements. (EUPO, HA, REU, TOI, WAFA 1/18)

IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian close to the Bayt ‘Aynun junction nr. Hebron after he allegedly attempts to stab one of them, and the Palestinian Red Crescent reports that Israeli forces prevented medics from treating the man. The incident sparks brief clashes between the IDF and stone-throwers; there are no injuries. Separately, IDF troops shoot and kill a 2d Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Nablus after he stabs and lightly injures an Israeli officer. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolish 4 greenhouses and a water well in the Jordan Valley, a home under construction in a village nr. Hebron, and 2 livestock structures outside al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Salfit and Bethlehem, arresting 1 Palestinian and issuing an arrest summons to 1; patrols in Jenin and 1 village each nr. Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Salfit, as well as 5 nr. Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Bayt Lahiya. The Israeli authorities shut down the Kerem Shalom border crossing temporarily due to an escalation of violence in the n. Sinai (the Egyptian army kills 30 fighters with SPIS and other armed groups in operations today nr. Rafah, Shaykh Zuwayd, and al-Arish). Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces arrest 2 Palestinian fishermen working nr. Bayt Lahiya and confiscate their boat. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police violently disperse an educational event allegedly organized by the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement (Israel banned the Northern Branch on 11/16); 1 Palestinian is arrested and there are no serious injuries. Israeli forces also assault 1 Palestinian and arrest another on raids in Silwan. (AHR, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/14; JP, MNA 1/15; PCHR 1/21)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian youth nr. Qalqilya as he attempts to enter Israel for work; shoot and injure a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Jenin after he allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli soldier. The IDF patrols in a village nr. Bethlehem, sparking clashes with stone-throwers and injuring 7 Palestinians. IDF troops conduct house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Nablus, as well as 2 nr. Bethlehem, arresting 14 Palestinians; patrol in 1 village each nr. Nablus and Jericho, 5 nr. Hebron, and 2 nr. Ramallah. Israeli forces continue leveling land nr. Asfar settlement s. of Bethlehem in preparation for the construction of a military tower. A Palestinian resident of the area says that they have razed 2.5 dunams (around 0.6 acres) since 1/6. The Israeli authorities declare a 300-dunam (around 74 acres) swath of land nr. Jenin a closed military zone; return the body of a Palestinian killed by Israeli forces in East Jerusalem on 10/12. Late at night, Israeli police arrest 60 Palestinian workers who allegedly entered Israel illegally. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/10; MNA 1/11; PCHR 1/14)

The head of the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs reports that the health of Palestinian prisoner al-Qiq, who has been on hunger strike since 11/24, is quickly deterioriating. He calls on human rights groups to intervene for the release of al-Qiq and another hunger striker, Jordanian prisoner Issa Qaraqe. (MNA 1/10)

The Jerusalem District Court rules that the municipal govt. must draft a plan to build at least 20 playgrounds in Shu‘fat and Bayt Hanina within 5 years, responding to a suit filed in early 2015 by Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. The petitioners complained about a lack of recreational space in Palestinian areas of the city, citing the huge discrepancy between the number of playgrounds in Jewish and Palestinian neighborhoods. (HA, JP 1/10)

Ajnad Bayt al-Maqdis fighters fire 5 rockets toward s. Israel; 2 land in open areas nr. Sderot, causing no damage or injuries, and 3 land short of the border fence. Holding Hamas responsible, IAF jets launch late-night air strikes on 2 Hamas military sites in Gaza City and Bayt Hanun, causing extensive damage but no injuries. (HA, MNA, TOI 1/1; PCHR 1/7)

A Palestinian citizen of Israel opens fire in a Tel Aviv pub, killing 2 and injuring 7. The attacker flees and, according to Israeli police on 1/4, kills a 3d Israeli civilian, a taxi driver, in n. Tel Aviv. (The suspect will be killed in a shootout in n. Israel on 1/8.) In the West Bank, Israeli authorities return to their families the bodies of 23 Palestinians killed recently by the IDF, including 17 to the Hebron area. They also return to a Palestinian transportation company in Nablus 11 buses confiscated since 10/1 for carrying Palestinian youths to protests. The IDF conducts a late-night raid in Tulkarm, arresting 1 Palestinian; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 nr. Nablus. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists at demonstrations against Israel’s occupation and recent crackdown on the oPt in 2 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in and Ni‘lin), 2 nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum and ‘Azun), and along Gaza’s border nr. Bayt Hanun; 5 Palestinians are injured. (AP, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 1/1; HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/2; HA 1/4; PCHR 1/7)

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)

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)