The Palestine Chronology

The IDF makes a brief incursion 700 m into the al-Fukhari area of s. Gaza to level 60 d. of agricultural land. In the West Bank, low-level clashes between Palestinian protesters and the IDF continue in Hebron for a 3d day, with no serious injuries reported. The IDF demolishes 6 wells w. of Jenin that provide water to 47 greenhouses and 456 d. of agricultural land; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron, Ramallah. (NYT 2/26; OCHA, PCHR 3/4)

Palestinians protesting Netanyahu’s 2/21 decision to add sites in Bethlehem and Hebron to Israel’s national heritage roster clash with IDF troop in Hebron; no serious injuries are reported. IDF troops conduct late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-Fara‘a r.c. s. of Tubas and nr. Hebron, Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah. In Gaza, the IDF makes a day-long incursion to level land along the n. Gaza border nr. Bayt Lahiya to clear lines of sight. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus uproot 45 Palestinian olive trees in nearby Burin village; the IDF imposes a curfew on the village while the settlers work. Palestinians report (PCHR 2/24) that in the previous wk. Israel’s Jerusalem planning comm. convened to discuss a plan to build 549 settlement housing units on 153 d. of Bayt Safafa land s. of Jerusalem as part of a 4-stage settlement expansion plan, though no decisions were taken; the plan (several parts of which were approved before Netanyahu declared a temporary settlement freeze in 11/09) is aimed at reinforcing the separation of Jerusalem from the s. West Bank. (NYT, WT 2/23; PCHR 2/24; OCHA 2/25)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on Palestinians scavenging material from destroyed buildings 400 m fr. the border, forcing them to flee; no injuries are reported. Shortly after, the same IDF unit shells the area where the Palestinians had been scavenging as well as a Palestinian home in Bayt Lahiya, causing damage but no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Bayt Rima nr. Ramallah during the day; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. Some 50 Jewish settlers break into the ancient Na’aran synagogue in Palestinian-controlled area A in Jericho to hold religious services, declaring their hopes of “renewing Jewish settlement in Jericho”; the IDF removes the settlers, arresting at least 35. Jewish settlers escorted by IDF troops enter Kafr Haris village n. of Salfit to perform Jewish prayers at monuments in the village. (HA 2/22; PCHR 2/24; OCHA 2/25)

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu adds 2 key West Bank Jewish shrines, the Tomb of the Patriarchs (known as alIbrahimi Mosque to Palestinians) in the center of Hebron and Rachel’s Tomb just inside Bethlehem, to Israel’s national heritage sites, allocating $1 m. for their maintenance and repair as part of a $100 m. project to refurbish and link 150 national heritage sites, creating a “historical biblical trail [to] educate the next generation about Jewish and Zionist history.” The PA condemns the action. (IFM 2/21; PCHR, WT 2/22; NYT 2/23; JPI 3/4)

In Gaza, IDF troops on the s. Gaza border e. of al-Qarara exchange cross-border fire with armed Palestinians, causing no reported injuries; Israeli naval vessels then shell the area, injuring 3 armed Palestinians, damaging a mosque. IDF troops in observation towers on the Gaza border e. of Jabaliya fire on Palestinian farmers working land 400 m fr. the border (outside Israel’s no-go zone), forcing them to leave. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. Late in the evening, IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire at Palestinian homes in Bayt Hanun for 40 mins., causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF opens fire on a Palestinian vehicle driving nr. Husan village w. of Bethlehem, wounding 3 Palestinians (ages 17–21), claiming they fired on an IDF patrol; fires tear gas, stun grenades at Palestinians attempting to reach their agricultural land inside a closed military zone nr. Hebron, injuring an 8-yr.-old Palestinian boy; raids and seals (until 2/28) 2 Palestinian organizations in Sur Bahir nr. Jerusalem; imposes a late-night curfew on, conducts house searches in al-Zubaydat village nr. Jericho. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba settlement in Hebron throw stones and bottles at Palestinian houses in nearby Wadi Husayn, injuring a 7-yr.-old Palestinian boy. Jewish settlers fr. Shilo settlement n. of Ramallah seize 10 d. of Palestinian agricultural land to expand their settlement. (PCHR 2/24; OCHA 2/25)

The IDF makes a day-long incursion into c. Gaza to level land inside the no-go zone e. of al-Maghazi and al-Musaddar, demolishing 3 Palestinian homes (displacing 13 residents), leveling 17 dunams (d.; 4 d. = 1 acre) of agricultural land, exchanging gunfire with armed Palestinians throughout the day (no injuries reported). In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Bayt Sira village w. of Ramallah in the evening, firing rubber-coated steel bullets at stonethrowing youths who confront them, causing no injuries; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin, Ramallah. (OCHA 2/18; PCHR 2/24; OCHA 2/25)

In the morning, IDF troops on the n. Gaza border nr. Bayt Lahiya fire on Palestinians collecting scrap metal from destroyed sites nr. the border fence (no injuries are reported). In the West Bank, an off-duty Palestinian policeman (not in uniform) stabs, kills an IDF soldier parked in a jeep at a junction s. of Nablus in Israeli-controlled area C and is detained by an Israeli security guard from a nearby Jewish settlement; PA Pres. Abbas denounces the attack, urging Palestinians to participate only in nonviolent protests against Israel. In response, the IDF raids, searches several Palestinian houses and the assailant’s home in al-Khiljan village southwest of Jenin, confiscating computers and cell phones, and arresting 6 Palestinians, including 4 of his brothers. The IDF also fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas to disperse Palestinians and international activists planting 500 olive trees on Palestinian land slated for Israeli confiscation in Bayt Umar village nr. Karme Tzur settlement; levels Palestinian land nr. Bayt Sahur for construction of an IDF observation post; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem, Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah (arresting 20 Palestinians, all between the ages of 15 and 18), and nr. Hebron. (NYT, OCHA, PCHR, WP 2/11; OCHA, PCHR 2/18)

In the West Bank, the IDF makes a rare daytime incursion into Bayt Umar village, 1 of the 4 Hebron-area villages raided on 2/4, setting up a checkpoint in the center of town and chasing away Palestinians; they withdraw after 3 hrs. without staging any raids or making any arrests. Late at night, the IDF raids an apartment building in al-Bireh nr. Ramallah that houses international activists working with the International Solidarity Movement, searching for individuals “known to have been involved in illegal riots that interfered with Israeli security operations [e.g., weekly separation wall protests],” checking visas and passports, and arresting 1 Spanish journalist and 1 Australian activist. The PA calls (2/7) the arrest raid a violation of the Oslo interim accords, which gave the PA full security and civil control of Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr. Brakha escorted by IDF troops attempt to enter Iraq Burin village; soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas at 10s of Palestinians who try to block their entry, injuring 3. (OCHA, PCHR 2/11)

In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubbercoated steel bullets, stun grenades, tear gas at stone-throwing Palestinians and nonviolent international activists taking part in protests against the separation wall in Bil‘in and at peaceful Palestinian protesters demonstrating against planned land confiscations in Dayr Nizam and al-Nabi Salih both northwest of Ramallah (10s suffer tear gas inhalation at all 3 sites). Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba and Harsina settlements nr. Hebron uproot 80 Palestinian-owned grapevines along a nearby settler-only bypass road. (OCHA, PCHR 2/11)