The Palestine Chronology

Palestinian protesters march in Ramallah, calling for the end of the Paris Protocol and against the Oslo accords, in a continuation of the show of anger against rising living costs in the West Bank. PA PM Salam Fayyad announces an emergency economic package, including cancelling recent price rises for fuel and cooking gas and a VAT cut. A senior Palestinian trade union official describes the measures as insufficient. Fayyad also calls on donor countries to increase aid to the PA. (Guardian, MNA 9/11)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF levels land by the border fence nr. al-Bureij r.c. and Dayr al-Balah in the morning; opens fire from border positions nr. Bayt Hanun, causing no injuries, at night. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Jenin, 2 villages nr. Jenin, and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Ramallah, 1 village nr. Hebron, and 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night. (PCHR 9/13)

Palestinian economic protests continue in the West Bank, with a public transport strike and demonstrations in a number of cities. In Hebron, protesters throw stones at a police station, and Palestinian riot police fire tear gas. (MNA 9/10)

Freedom Theater director and former al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (AMB) commander Zakaria Zubeidi begins a hunger strike to protest his detention without charge by the PA since 5/13/12, in connection with the attack on the late Jenin governor Qaddura Musa, who died of a heart attack shortly after the shooting on 5/1/12 (see QU in JPS 164). (MNA 9/10)

Israeli naval vessels fire at Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids at night in 1 village nr. Salfit and in alNabi Salih village nr. Ramallah, where they fire rubber bullets and tear gas at stone-throwing Palestinians, wounding 1. (PCHR 9/13)

An Egyptian army spokesperson confirms that Egypt and Israel are coordinating Cairo’s operation against militants in the Sinai, in which over 30 people have been killed. (REU 9/8)

Palestinians fire a rocket from the Gaza Strip into Israel, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron in the morning; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the afternoon; patrols in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm, 2 villages nr. Jenin, and 1 village nr. Jericho at night; conducts house searches in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 village nr. Jenin at night. Jewish settlers from the Esh Kodesh outpost invade the village of Qusra, provoking clashes with Palestinian residents, 15 of whom are injured. (MNA 9/8, 9/9; PCHR 9/13)

Palestinians demonstrating against rising living costs block streets and burn tires in Ramallah and Tulkarm. (MNA 9/8)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF fires a missile at a group of armed Palestinians nr. al-Bureij r.c. at night, killing 3 Palestinian fighters. In the West Bank, unknown assailants shoot dead Hisham al-Rakh, a colonel in the PA security forces, nr. Jenin r.c. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Yatta village nr. Hebron, and conducts training and sets up tents nr. the village in the afternoon; patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Nablus, in Balata r.c. in Nablus, and in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem. Jewish settlers destroy dozens of olive trees in a village nr. Nablus. (MNA 9/5; MNA, PCHR 9/6; PCHR 9/13)

After several legal delays (see QU in JPS 165), Israeli security forces evict Jewish settlers from Migron, an unauthorized settlement outpost nr. Ramallah. Around 50 families are moved out and relocated a short distance away in new housing built by the government for the purpose. Meanwhile, Jewish settlers accompanied by police move into a section of a Palestinian home in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, after a court ruling in favor of the settlers’ ownership claims. (MNA, REU 9/2)

Israeli naval vessels fire at Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya in the afternoon, causing no injuries. IDF troops on the Gaza border arrest 3 Palestinians crossing the border fence nr. al-Bureij r.c. in the afternoon to look for work in Israel; open fire nr. Bayt Hanun, causing no injuries, at night. Also at night, the IDF makes air strikes on Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades (IQB) training sites nr. Nussayrat r.c., causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Jericho and 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Jenin, and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the afternoon; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon; patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya and 1 village nr. Jenin (firing tear gas at stone-throwing Palestinians) at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. (PCHR 9/6)

The IDF launches 2 air strikes nr. Gaza City, injuring 3 armed Palestinians. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, 2 villages nr. Tulkarm, and 1 village nr. Jericho at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin at night. Jewish settlers attack a Palestinian-owned vehicle in a village nr. Hebron. (MNA, WAFA 9/1; PCHR 9/6)

Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen 2.5 naut. mi. offshore in the morning, causing no injuries; the IDF arrests 2 Palestinians trying to cross the border for work nr. al-Bureij r.c. at night. Palestinians fire 3 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, causing no injuries or damage. In retaliation, the IDF fires missiles at 2 locations nr. Gaza City at night, causing no injuries but damaging civilian property including 2 schools. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning; patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Ramallah, and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the afternoon; patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Jenin, and 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 3 villages nr. Hebron at night. The Israeli newspaper Ha’Aretz reports that the IDF will close the Ras Khamis checkpoint in occupied East Jerusalem, leaving a single exit for the residents of Shu’fat r.c. (HA, MNA 8/27; PCHR 8/30)

A UN report about the Gaza Strip says that the territory will be unliveable by 2020 unless urgent action is taken to improve basic infrastructure like water, power, health, and schooling (See Docs in JPS 166). (REU 8/27)

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries; IDF arrests 2 Palestinians at the border nr. alBureij r.c. trying to cross into Israel for work. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 village nr. Jenin (firing tear gas at stone-throwing Palestinians) in the morning; patrols in 4 villages nr. Qalqilya and 2 villages nr. Ramallah at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 3 villages nr. Hebron and 2 villages nr. Salfit at night. Palestinians report that Jewish settlers destroy crops in 2 villages nr. Ramallah. (MNA 8/25; PCHR 8/30)

An Egyptian military source says that during meetings at the Kerem Shalom crossing, Israel and Egypt are negotiating over an increase of forces in the Sinai. (MNA 8/24)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF arrests 5 Palestinians attempting to cross the border nr. al-Bureij r.c. to look for work in Israel in the morning; the IDF opens fire on an area nr. Khan Yunis at night, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning and in 1 village nr. Jenin at night. (PCHR 8/30)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm (firing tear gas at stone-throwing Palestinians in one case) in the morning, in 1 village nr. Tulkarm and 1 village nr. Hebron, and in Hebron and 1 village nr. Tulkarm; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Hebron, ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ refugee camp (r.c.), 1 village nr. Nablus, and 1 village in Jenin. Jewish settlers try to set fire to 2 cars and write racist slogans in a village nr. Nablus. (MNA 8/22; PCHR 8/30)

Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman writes to members of the Quartet, urging them to call for new elections in the PA and describing Pres. Abbas as an obstacle to peace due to his weak mandate and determination to pursue goals in international forums. (HA, ToI 8/22)

European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton criticizes Israel for its recently announced plans to expand Har Homa settlement in occupied East Jerusalem. (HA, ToI 8/22)

Sectarian clashes between Sunni Muslims and Alawites in Lebanon continue, with a death toll of 12 in 3 days of fighting in the northern city of Tripoli. (REU 8/22)

In East Jerusalem, PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Hanan Ashrawi addresses diplomats from Asia, the EU, Latin America, and the Middle East, calling on them to increase donor aid to the PA and to support a revived Palestinian statehood bid at the UN (see QU in JPS 165 for details). (NYT 8/14)

Israeli Jerusalem municipal officials approve construction of 12 commercial and hotel towers (24–33 floors each) on East Jerusalem’s Jabal Abu Ghunaym/Har Homa settlement site. The IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin and Qalqilya. Jewish settlers fr. Eliezer settlement nr. Bethlehem, escorted by the IDF, bulldoze and level 5 d. of Palestinian agricultural land and a well in nearby al-Khadir village; the leveling cuts off Palestinian access to another 11 d. of crop land. (PCHR 8/16; OCHA 8/18)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF enters 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, searching a car repair shop and arresting 1 Palestinian. (Israel Army Radio 8/8; PCHR 8/9, 8/16; OCHA 8/18)

The Washington Post runs a special report on the tensions in Druze villages in the Golan Heights over the civil war in Syria, noting that deepening divisions between Asad loyalists and an increasing number of critics have occasionally erupted in violence. (WP 8/8)

With Israel’s suspension of fuel shipments to Gaza since 8/5, rolling blackouts across Gaza increase fr. 8–10 hrs./day to 12 hrs./day. An uncorroborated report says that unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah in the morning; conducts arrest raids, house searches in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning and 2 villages nr. Hebron and Jenin late at night. OCHA reports that since 8/1, the IDF has demolished 3 structures in the Bethlehem area: a restaurant, part of another building, and a local road used by Palestinian farmers to access their crop land. (Mivzak Live [Internet] 8/7; PCHR 8/9; OCHA 8/10)

Israel’s Finance Comm. allocates nearly $1.8 m. to move some structures at Migron settlement outpost to the site near Psagot where Migron settlers are to relocate. (JPI 8/17)

U.S. defense secy. Leon Panetta arrives in Israel for a 2-day visit intended to calm Israeli fears over Iran and to project a U.S.-Israeli unified front. He urges Israel to allow sanctions and diplomacy time to work and to avoid unilateral actions. Separately, Israeli PM Netanyahu warns that ‘‘time to resolve this issue peacefully is running out.’’ Meanwhile, anonymous U.S. admin. officials say (NYT 8/2) they are optimistic that ‘‘Israel has no imminent plans to attack and may be willing to let the United States take the lead in any future military strike, which they say would not occur until next year at the earliest.’’ (Defense News 8/1; NYT, WP 8/2; WP 8/21)

IDF troops make a predawn incursion into c. Gaza to level land and clear lines of sight along the border fence e. of alMaghazi r.c.; they withdraw later in the morning. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin. (PCHR 8/2, 8/9; OCHA 8/10)

Around this date, House Foreign Affairs Comm. mbr. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) launches a new congressional caucus, the Congressional HellenicIsraeli Alliance, aimed at supporting the growing bilateral relationship between Israel and Greece, and on a broader level, Cyprus. It is also aimed at reinforcing a budding U.S.-Israeli-Greek-Cypriot alliance to pressure Turkey on regional affairs. (The Hill 8/7)

PA PM Fayyad and Israeli Fin. Min. Yuval Steinitz sign an economic agreement, to go into effect on 1/1/2013, that will regulate taxes and bilateral trade with the aim of reducing illegal trade and tax evasion and building the PA’s tax revenue base. It is the first major IsraeliPalestinian economic agreement since the 1994 Paris Protocol, which sets out in detail the economic relationship between Israel and the PA. (JP, UPI 8/1; JPI 8/17)

Overnight (similar to 7/30), IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire into agricultural areas along the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis sporadically for hours, causing no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Tulkarm and 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin late at night. Jewish settlers fr. Halmish settlement nr. Ramallah uproot and burn 30 Palestinian olive trees on Palestinian land nr. al-Nabi Salih. OCHA reports that Israeli authorities demolished an extension to a Palestinian home in East Jerusalem. (PCHR 8/2; OCHA 8/3)

With the Tal Law exempting the ultraOrthodox from military service set to expire at midnight, Israeli DM Barak orders the IDF to start drafting ultraOrthodox Jewish men and gives IDF officials 1 mo. to draft official guidelines to implement the order. (NYT, WP, WT 8/1)

Israeli pres. Peres’s office releases the text of a letter that it says is from Egyptian pres. Mohamed Morsi, formally responding to a Ramadan greeting Peres sent on 7/15/12. The text, welcomed by Israel, pledges to work to promote Middle East peace and get bilateral Israeli-Egyptian relations back on track, particularly regarding border security. Morsi aides deny that any letter was sent, but Peres’s office releases copies that show Morsi’s name typed (not signed) and an accompanying letter from the Egyptian amb. on embassy letterhead, indicating that the letter had been cleared with Morsi’s office. Official bilateral relations do not suffer, and public optimism on future relations increased. Most analysts believe (e.g., NYT, WP 8/1) that the incident simply reflects Morsi’s attempt to speak to 2 audiences, Israel and the international community, and his constituency in Egypt, hostile or at best ambivalent concerning the peace treaty with Israel. (NYT, WP 8/1)

At a $50,000-a-couple fundraising breakfast for top donors in Jerusalem, Republican presidential candidate Romney tells supporters that the Palestinian economy is more the victim of ‘‘cultural’’ flaws than Israeli restrictions. Romney also dramatically understates Israeli GNP ($21,000 per capita vs. $32,282) and overstates Palestinian GNP ($10,000 per capita vs. $1,600). Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat remarks: ‘‘All I can say is that this man needs a lot of education. He doesn’t know the region, he doesn’t know Israelis, he doesn’t know Palestinians, and to talk about the Palestinians as an inferior culture is really a racist statement.’’ Romney then leaves for Poland, the last leg of his tour. Of note: the breakfast, which brought in over $1 m., marks the 1st fundraising event for a U.S. presidential candidate ever to be held in Israel. (NYT, WP 7/31; WJW 8/2; JPI 8/10; see also WP 7/28)

Overnight, IDF troops on the s. Gaza border sporadically fire into agricultural areas along the Gaza border e. of Khuza for hours, causing no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts latenight patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya and nr. Jenin. (PCHR 8/2; OCHA 8/3)

On the 2d day of his trip to Israel, Republican presidential candidate Romney prays at the Western Wall and gives a public address to 300 select supporters in Jerusalem (calling Jerusalem the capital of Israel). He vows to support Israel’s right to defend itself and calls for Israel and the U.S. to use ‘‘any and all means’’ to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He does not repeat the comment his foreign policy aide, Dan Senor, made en route to Israel that Romney would ‘‘respect’’ an Israeli decision to strike Iran unilaterally, nor does he mention the Palestinians or the peace process. Romney meets with his former business colleague PM Netanyahu, who makes kind remarks but is seen (e.g., WP 7/30) as being careful not to take sides in the election. He also meets with Israeli pres. Peres and PA PM Salam Fayyad; the Romney camp cancels at the last minute a planned meeting with Labor party officials. In an interview with CNN later in the day, Romney says that the U.S., in consultation with Israel, should move its embassy to Jerusalem. In response, White House spokesman Josh Earnest says: ‘‘The view of this administration is the capital should be determined in final status negotiations between the parties. That’s the position held by the previous administrations, both Democratic and Republican.’’ (NYT, WP, WT 7/30; WP 7/31; WJW 8/2)

Timed with Romney’s visit to Israel, the Obama admin. leaks a story to the Israeli daily Ha’Aretz that NSA Donilon briefed an Israeli official (some say PM Netanyahu, though Israel explicitly denies this) over dinner in Israel earlier in 7/2012 on ‘‘U.S. contingency plans for any attack on Iran,’’ emphasizing that the U.S. is making serious preparations for a military strike if such action is deemed necessary. A Netanyahu spokesman says Donilon did not share any operational plans. Donilon’s office says it does not comment on private meetings. (WT 7/30)

In Tunis en route to Israel, U.S. defense secy. Leon Panetta says Israel and the U.S. are united in support of strong sanctions against Iran. (NYT, WP 7/30)

Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 nr. Jenin in the morning; patrols in 2 villages nr. Jenin and Ramallah in the evening. Jewish settlers block roads and stone Palestinian cars nr. the evacuated settlement of Homesh nr. Jenin. (PCHR 8/2; OCHA 8/3)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 rockets or mortars fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (2 synchronized) in the evening; conducts late-night patrols in 2 villages nr. Jenin and Jericho; and conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron and Nablus, firing tear gas and stun grenades at stonethrowing youths who confront them in Nablus (causing no serious injuries). Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Kafr Qaddum, al-Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin. IDF soldiers fire live ammunition (al-Nabi Salih only), rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; a Palestinian child (al-Nabi Salih) and 1 Swedish activist (Kafr Qaddum) are moderately injured by tear gas canisters, and 1 Palestinian (Kafr Qaddum) is moderately injured by a rubber-coated steel bullet. (YA 7/28; 8/2; OCHA 8/3)

Pres. Obama signs into law the U.S.-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act, which calls for an unprecedented strengthening of military, intelligence, and technology cooperation intended to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge. Experts describe the act as prescribing a ‘‘laundry list of security enhancements’’ for Israel (see QU in JPS 165 for details). (JTA, White House press release 7/27; WP 7/28, 7/30; Defense News 8/1)

Hamas acting PM in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh meets with Egyptian pres. Morsi in Cairo to discuss Fatah-Hamas reconciliation prospects and ways of further easing the siege of Gaza. (WP 7/28)

Gaza’s power plant begins operating on 4 turbines for the first time since 2006, after Israel (in a gesture to mark Ramadan) allowed the UN Development Program to import new transformers to replace those destroyed by an Israeli air strike in 2006. The improved capacity of the plant and additional Israeli fuel imports to mark Ramadan reduce rolling blackouts across Gaza to 8–10 hrs./day (down from around 12 hrs./day in recent months). The IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho and Ramallah in the morning; conducts synchronized patrols in 4 villages nr. Jenin at midday; patrols in alNabi Salih in the afternoon, firing rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at stone-throwing Palestinian youths who confront them (causing no serious injuries); and conducts synchronized patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho in the evening. (PCHR 8/2; OCHA 8/3)

PA Fin. Min. Nabil Kassis says the government is finding it harder each month to meet its routine budget expenses because donors, including the U.S. and Arab states, have failed to fulfill their 2012 pledges. The PA had hoped to close a $1.1 b. gap in its $4 b. budget, but is expected to fall short by $250,000, despite increasing taxes and making cuts to subsidies. (WT 7/27)

Republican candidate Mitt Romney begins a 6-day international tour of Britain, Israel, and Poland to point up his foreign policy skills. The theme of the trip is ‘‘the importance of locking arms with the nation’s allies.’’ Aides say that on the Middle East, Romney intends to highlight differences with Obama over plans for the peace process, support for Israel, Iran’s nuclear program, and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. (WT 7/26; see QU in JPS 165 for details.)

The International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation (formed by Israeli Knesset mbrs. and mbrs. of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008) sponsors 2 panels on Capitol Hill to mark nearly 20 yrs. since the signing of the 9/2003 Oslo Accord and to discuss how to move the peace process forward. Speakers include former State Dept. adviser to the negotiations Aaron David Miller, Likud MK and avid settlement supporter Danny Danon (who supports annexation of the West Bank except for the Palestinian population, which would be left to fend for itself), right-wing settler leader and former MK Rabbi Benny Elon (who supports annexation of the West Bank and creation of a Palestinian state in Jordan), and Israeli negotiator to the Oslo talks Yossi Beilin (who says: ‘‘My interest is not necessarily a Palestinian state. All I want is a Jewish majority forever.’’), and Jerusalem Post dep. managing editor Caroline Glick (who says Oslo was destined to fail because Palestinian leaders ‘‘raised a generation of kids who value death’’). The only representative of the Palestinian viewpoint, American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) dir. Ghaith al-Omari, praises Oslo for establishing a sense of ‘‘mutual respect’’ necessary for moving talks forward and calls for a quick resumption of negotiations. Elon responds that there will be no progress until the Palestinians understand that the Jewish people ‘‘are back in Zion, back in Jerusalem.’’ (WJW 7/26)

To mark the start of Ramadan, Israel eases access restrictions for West Bank Palestinians wanting to enter East Jerusalem, permitting children 12 and under and adults over 40 to enter without permits. In addition, the IDF removes 2 key roadblocks: one on the main road from Aqraba village to Nablus and the other in the Jordan Valley, opening the main northeastern entrance to Jericho from Road 90 (closed since 2000). The IDF also patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah in the morning, 1 nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon, and 1 nr. Qalqilya late at night; conducts late night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Kafr Qaddum, al-Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin. IDF soldiers fire live ammunition (al-Nabi Salih only), rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; no serious injuries or arrests are reported. (PCHR 7/26; OCHA 7/27)

The IDF bulldozes 3 agricultural storehouses and a well nr. Hebron; conducts late-night patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 nr. Hebron, and 1 nr. Jenin; and conducts separate late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron. Hundreds of Jewish settlers, escorted by the IDF, enter Balata village nr. Nablus to pray at Joseph’s Tomb; the IDF imposes a curfew on local Palestinians during the visit. (PCHR 7/19, 7/26; OCHA 7/27)

In Bulgaria, a suicide bomber detonates a device outside a bus boarding Israeli tourists in the port city of Burgas, killing at least 6 Israelis and wounding 32 plus the Bulgarian tour operator. Israel blames Iran for the blast and vows retaliation, but Iran denies the allegation, and no group takes responsibility. (NYT, WT 7/19; NYT, WP 7/20; JPI 7/27)

The IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm (synchronized) and 1 nr. Ramallah during the day; patrols in Jenin, Jericho and 2 villages nr. Jericho and Ramallah late at night; and conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. Hamas authorities in Gaza hang 3 Palestinian prisoners (all convicted of murder in 2004, 2009, and 2010). (PCHR 7/19; OCHA 7/20)

The Knesset education comm. votes to grant full university status to an academic center in Ariel settlement, deep in the West Bank, making it the first accredited Israeli university in occupied Palestinian territory. The decision comes as Palestinian medical students from al-Quds University in Abu Dis, just outside East Jerusalem, await a verdict on their appeal of a 2/2012 Israeli ruling that denied their request to be allowed to sit for Israeli exams that would certify them to practice in East Jerusalem or Israel. The Israeli government had denied the students permission to sit for the exams on the grounds that al-Quds was not an accredited Israeli university and could not gain accreditation because it was a Palestinian entity located in the West Bank. When they then sought permission to take the tests as foreigners, the Israeli court denied permission on the grounds that al-Quds could not be considered a foreign university, since it also has a campus in East Jerusalem. There has long been a shortage of doctors to treat Palestinians in East Jerusalem, where most Palestinian doctors are forced to work without licenses. (HA 2/13/12)

After 2 weeks of unsuccessful efforts to draft plans that would integrate ultraOrthodox Jews and Palestinian citizens of Israel into the Israeli military, Kadima head Shaul Mofaz quits PM Netanyahu’s governing coalition; Netanyahu does not try to dissuade him. Analysts believed the decision (e.g., NYT 7/19) hurts both Kadima and Likud, and might hasten early elections. (NYT 7/18, 7/19)

Fmr. Israeli government attorney David Scharia is named the UNSC’s chief counterterrorism lawyer, marking the first time that an Israeli has been appointed to a security post within the UN Secretariat. (WP 7/18)

U.S. secy. of state Clinton meets with Israeli leaders (including PM Netanyahu, Pres. Peres, DM Barak, FM Avigdor Lieberman) and Quartet special envoy Tony Blair in Jerusalem and with PA PM Salam Fayyad in Ramallah. Though the main purpose of her visit is to discuss Iran, Syria, and other regional changes brought by the Arab Spring, she tells the Israeli and Palestinian sides that they must resume peace talks soon and avoid all unilateral actions. She emphasizes that while the international community is ready to offer ample support for a return to negotiations, the hard work must be done by the parties themselves. (WP 7/17)

Israel allows 40 Palestinian prisoners held in its Ramon prison to receive visits from family members from Gaza, marking the 1st time Israel has allowed family visits for Gazan prisoners since Hamas seized control of the Strip in 6/2007. Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts evening arrest raids, house searches nr. Qalqilya; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin; and conducts late-night patrols in al-Nabi Salih. (TOI 7/16; WP 7/17; PCHR 7/19; OCHA 7/20)

Christians United for Israel (CUFI) opens its 7th annual conference in Washington. At least 5,600 participants attend. Organizers note that CUFI now has 1.1 m. members, 754,000 Facebook fans, and 96 college chapters. The conference theme is ‘‘Defend America; Vote Israel.’’ CUFI founder James Hagee focuses on the importance of Christian Zionism and supporting Israel as part of ‘‘living out God’s mandate.’’ Other speakers include Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), fmr. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations head Malcolm Hoenlein, and Zionist Organization of America pres. Morton Klein. The speakers focus on Iran, U.S.-Israel security cooperation, and halting Palestinian incitement. (WJW 7/19)

Around this date (before Ramadan begins on 7/20), Israel, as a goodwill gesture to Abbas, advances the PA almost $45 m. in VAT taxes for 7/2012 to help it meet monthly budget expenditures. Israel notably makes the move just before a visit by U.S. secy. of state Hillary Clinton, though it says it was not asked to do so by the U.S. (JPI 8/3)

The IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Jericho in the morning; conducts late-night patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah, in Jenin and 1 nearby village (synchronized), and in 1 village nr. Jericho; conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, and Nablus. (PCHR 7/19; OCHA 7/20)

The IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in 2 villages nr. Salfit (synchronized), in Jericho and 1 nearby village (synchronized), and 1 village each nr. Bethlehem, Jenin, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. Jewish settlers fr. Adei Ad outpost nr. Nablus beat a Palestinian shepherd grazing his sheep nearby and kill his sheep; an Israeli guard fr. nearby Shilo settlement intervenes and the settlers flee; the guard summons Israeli border police, who photograph the scene and take the shepherd’s formal complaint. (PCHR 7/19; OCHA 7/20)

In Israel, 1,000s of Israelis demonstrate in Tel Aviv to mark the 1st anniversary of the launch of the 2011 social justice protests against the rising cost of living. During the protest, one of the prominent activists connected with the July 14 Movement, Moshe Silman, immolates himself and is critically injured (he dies on 7/20). (WP 7/17; NYT 7/21)

An Israeli government-appointed commission headed by former Israeli supreme court justice Ephraim Levy issues a nonbinding legal judgment that Israel’s presence in the West Bank is not occupation and that the government should grant retroactive approval to unauthorized settlement outposts. The commission states that unauthorized outposts were established with the knowledge and encouragement of senior government officials that amounted to ‘‘implied agreement’’ by the government. (NYT 7/10) (see Doc. C1 in JPS 165)

During the day, unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the evening, Palestinian gunmen inside Gaza fire into Israel, hitting a parked civilian vehicle, but causing no injuries. Late at night, Israeli warplanes and helicopters carry out 3 air strikes on Khan Yunis and Rafah in s. Gaza, causing no reported casualties. The targets include a training site used by the al-Ansar Brigades (military wing of a small faction called al-Ahrar Movement, which was formed shortly after Hamas’s 2007 takeover of Gaza by disaffected Fatah members who aligned themselves with Hamas), and 2 open areas used by rocket-launching teams. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; in Tulkarm in the afternoon; and in Qalqilya, 1 nearby village, and 1 village nr. Jenin late at night. The IDF also bulldozes a plot of Palestinian agricultural land outside Qalqilya and conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Umar. Jewish settlers stone Palestinian cars driving nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers also enter a Palestinian area (exact location not reported) to pray at a local religious site without proper coordination with the IDF; the IDF intervenes to remove the settlers. (TOI 7/9; WT 7/11; PCHR 7/12; OCHA 7/13; JPI 7/20)

IDF troops on the c. Gaza border capture and arrest 2 Palestinians (including 1 teenager) attempting to sneak into Israel to find work. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Jericho, neighboring ‘Ayn al-Sultan r.c., and 2 villages each nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah in the morning; in Ramallah, 2 nearby villages, and 1 village nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon; and in Jericho late at night. The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Qalqilya in the afternoon; and nr. Bethlehem, Jenin, and Ramallah late at night. (PCHR 7/12; OCHA 7/13)

Hamas authorities in Gaza demolish 200 residential structures (180 belonging to 1 clan) in the Abu Amrah area of Gaza City, saying they were built without permission on ‘‘state land.’’ Some families are offered modest compensation. (OCHA 8/3)

For the 2d day in a row, unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Jericho, nearby ‘Ayn al-Sultan r.c. and Fasayil village, and 3 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; and in Jenin in the afternoon. The IDF also conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Kafr Qaddum, al-Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin. IDF soldiers fire live ammunition (al-Nabi Salih only), rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters. A Palestinian in Bil‘in is moderately injured by a rubber-coated steel bullet; 3 Palestinians (including a child) are hit by tear gas canisters in Kafr Qaddum; and 3 internationals and 1 Palestinian are arrested. In addition, tear gas canisters and percussion grenades spark a brush fire in Kafr Qaddum, destroying 20 Palestinian olive trees. (TOI 6/6; PCHR 7/12; OCHA 7/13)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border nr. Bayt Hanun fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for recyclable goods in the former settlement sites, wounding 1 Palestinian. Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. OCHA reports that over the past 3 days, Israel has allowed Gaza authorities to import 20,000 tons of construction aggregates that have been stored at the Sufa crossing since it was closed in 10/2007. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho and Ramallah in the morning; in 2 villages nr. Jenin and Jericho in the afternoon; and in Jericho, 1 nearby village, and 2 villages nr. Ramallah late at night. Jewish settlers fr. Taffuh settlement nr. Nablus cut down at least 120 olive trees in the nearby Palestinian village of Yatma. Jewish settlers also seize 5 d. of Palestinian agricultural land nr. al-Khadir village nr. Bethlehem and install a mobile home. (TOI 6/5; PCHR 7/12; OCHA 7/13)

Ha’Aretz journalist Uri Blau, who used leaked classified government documents for several reports he published, confesses to reduced charges of possessing classified information without authorization but ‘‘with no intention to harm national security’’ in exchange for 4 mos. community service. (WP 7/6) (see 5/31/12)

The IDF conducts late-night patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho and Ramallah; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin. (PCHR 7/5, 7/12; OCHA 7/13)