The Palestine Chronology

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Islamic Waqf officials at Haram al-Sharif, alleging that they refused to comply with orders related to Israeli restoration efforts at the sanctuary. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 15 Palestinians during raids nr. Hebron, Salfit, Nablus, Tulkarm, and Ramallah. They also temporarily detain U.S.-Israeli anti-occupation activist Jeff Halper at the Ma’ale Adumim settlement, following a complaint that he possesses “materials related to [the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement].” Halper, a cofounder of the Israeli Comm. Against House Demolitions, was leading a tour of the oPt. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (WAFA 3/8; PCHR 3/9; PCHR 3/16)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for the 3d of 3 planned days. (WAFA 3/8; HA 3/14)

A Hamas fighter dies in a tunnel collapse in s. Gaza. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Jabaliya r.c., injuring 1 fisherman. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian homes nr. Khan Yunis, injuring 1 youth. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot around 10 olive trees nr. Ramallah. Dozens of Palestinians confront 3 off-duty IDF soldiers and 1 armed Israeli settler in Qusra village nr. Nablus, preventing them from assaulting any residents. PASF troops intervene and escort the Israelis from the village. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s occupation, separation wall, and settlements in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, and Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah; there are no serious injuries. Palestinians and solidarity activists also set up a protest tent village nr. the Ma’ale Adumim settlement, which some Israeli lawmakers want to annex now that Donald Trump is the U.S. pres. The IDF violently dismantles and evacuates the village hours later. Late at night, IDF troops arrest 1 Palestinian and issue 1 arrest summons during raids nr. Hebron and Tubas, and patrol nr. Hebron and Salfit. (MNA,TOI, YA 1/20; PCHR 1/26)

Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th pres. of the U.S. Thousands gather outside the U.S. Capitol to protest or support Trump during his inaugural address, including a handful of Israeli settlers who flew to Washington for the occasion. (HA, JP, YA 1/20)

In Gaza, a Palestinian child is killed and a 2d is injured when they accidentally detonate a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance nr. Jabaliya r.c. Off the coast late at night, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. Meanwhile, employees of the Hamas-run govt. go on strike to protest unpaid salaries (they have not been regularly paid since 6/2/2014, when the PA consensus govt. was sworn in). In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 8 Palestinian agricultural structures nr. Ramallah early in the morning; prevent Palestinian laborers from carrying out renovations at a home in the Old City of Hebron; take measurements and photographs of a Palestinian home nr. Jenin, threatening punitive demolition. IDF troops conduct raids in a village nr. Hebron, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 2 Palestinians are injured. They conduct further raids and house searches nr. Jenin, Bethlehem, and Hebron, arresting 2 Palestinians, issuing an arrest summons to 1, and confiscating a vehicle; patrol in 1 village nr. Qalqilya and 4 nr. Hebron. Late at night, a Palestinian stabs and critically injures an Israeli security guard at the Ma’ale Adumim settlement nr. Jerusalem. The IDF then bars Palestinian workers from the settlement until at least 2/28 (the same day the alleged attacker will be arrested). In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians and issue 1 an arrest summons on raids in and around the Old City. (MNA, WAFA 2/25; HA, JP, MNA, YA 2/26; MNA 2/28; PCHR 3/3)

In the Gaza Strip, the union of hospital sanitation workers goes on a full strike following weeks of partial strikes protesting the govt.’s failure to pay them since 6/2. Off the coast nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on a Palestinian fishing boat, critically injuring 1 fisherman. IDF troops along the e. border open fire on agricultural lands, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, a Palestinian man enters a supermarket in Mishor Adumim, an Israeli industrial zone in the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc, and stabs 2 Israeli settlers, lightly injuring them. An off-duty Israeli security officer shoots him in the leg and the Israeli police detain him. Later, 2 Palestinian men are arrested in connection with the incident and IDF troops raid the injured man’s home in al-‘Izzariya. Separately, IDF troops shut down a secondary school nr. Nablus after a group of Palestinians throws stones at Israeli vehicles on a nearby road on 12/2. IDF troops patrol in ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus and 1 area in the e. part of the city, sparking clashes with residents and shooting 1 Palestinian in the foot. Israeli forces deliver demolition orders and stop-work notices to Palestinians in 2 villages nr. Bethlehem. The IDF conducts arrest raids and house searches nr. Nablus, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces enter the Jabal Mukabir neighborhood, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians nr. the homes of the 2 Palestinian men who were killed after they attacked a West Jerusalem synagogue on 11/18. During the clashes, Israeli forces detain 1 Palestinian boy and injure others with tear gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets. Separately, Israeli forces arrest another Palestinian boy in Silwan. Meanwhile, around 300 Israeli security officers escort multiple construction vehicles into Shu‘fat r.c., and they demolish around 20 stores and the abandoned Cola building for the expansion of an Israeli checkpoint. None of the Palestinian proprietors were notified prior to the demolition. Also, Israeli forces raid the home of a Palestinian reporter with Ma‘an News Agency. The soldiers detain his brother and father and tell the reporter that they will not be released until he turns himself in, which he does soon after. (AnA, AP, HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 12/3; MEMO, MNA, PCHR 12/4; PCHR 12/11)

Reps. of all the parties in the Knesset meet and agree to hold elections on 3/17/2015. Following the meeting, the full body votes in favor of dissolving the 19th Knesset. This vote constitutes a 1st reading, and like any bill it must pass 2 more (both scheduled for 12/8) before being implemented. (AFP, IHY, JP, TOI, YA 12/3)

The Jerusalem City Council announces its plans to use NIS 50 m. to fund new construction projects in the Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem. (AFP 12/3; JP 12/4)

The U.S. House of Reps. passes the U.S.- Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014, after the Senate passed it on 9/19. U.S. Pres. Barack Obama will sign it into law on 12/19. (AFP 12/3)