The Palestine Chronology

Along Gaza’s border fence, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian shepherds and bird-hunters near Dayr al-Balah, causing no damage or injuries. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp late at night, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot 35 olive trees from a Palestinian grove outside Turmus ‘Ayya near Ramallah. IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids near Jenin and Bethlehem; and patrol near Nablus, Hebron, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raid a Palestinian high school in Issawiyya, firing sound bombs toward the classrooms and sparking minor clashes; there are no reported injuries. They also arrest Adnan Ghaith, the PA’s governor of Jerusalem, during a raid on his home in Silwan. Ghaith was previously arrested on 10/21 and 11/1. A police spokesperson says only that today’s arrest has to do with money-related issues. The Israeli press reports that Ghaith is suspected of being involved with the selling of a contested piece of property in East Jerusalem. Other reports indicate that Ghaith is suspected of working with the PA’s security forces, which is forbidden for East Jerusalem residents under Israeli law, and with meeting PA officials and activists, which he was barred from doing after his arrest on 10/21. (HA, JP, MNA, MNA 11/25; AFP, TOI 11/26; PCHR 11/29)

The Egyptian army demolishes a tunnel leading from the Sinai Peninsula into Gaza, trapping 8 Palestinian workers, according to eyewitnesses in Rafah. Later, the Egyptian army announces that its troops killed 3 alleged terrorists and destroyed a number of tunnels along the border in recent days. Also along Gaza’s border fence, Israeli forces violently disperse hundreds of Palestinians gathering along the fence near Gaza City to continue the Great March of Return; 18 Palestinians are injured, including 3 journalists. They also conduct a limited incursion to level land along the border fence near Gaza City. On Israel’s side of the border fence, firefighters quell 6 fires allegedly sparked by incendiary kites and balloons flown from Gaza. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Gaza City and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 3 Palestinians during late-night raids near Qalqilya, Tulkarm, and Jenin; and patrol near Hebron and Tulkarm. (AFP, HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 7/3; PCHR 7/5)

PLO secretary-general Erakat says that the Palestinians are considering a reduction in their political, economic, and security relations with Israel in response to the new Israeli law allowing for deductions to the monthly transfers of tax revenues to the PA. Separately, PA officials say they have no plans to end the stipends to Palestinians imprisoned in Israel in connection with serious crimes against Israelis. (JP, WAFA 7/3)

The IDF declares Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin village near Jerusalem, a closed military zone ahead of planned evacuations and demolitions. Israel’s High Court of Justice approved the government’s plan to demolish the village on 5/24. (EI, WAFA 7/3)

Israeli PM Netanyahu lifts his ban on Israeli MKs and ministers visiting Haram al-Sharif. He temporarily lifted the ban in early 2017 after imposing it amid the habba, which was a surge of Palestinian resistance, random attacks, and protests that began in Jerusalem in 9/2015. (AJ, JP, TOI 7/3)

IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian minor amid clashes sparked by an IDF raid in al-Mughayyir village near Ramallah. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops conduct a raid in Jenin refugee camp late at night, sparking minor clashes (2 Palestinians are injured and 2 more are arrested). They arrest 3 more Palestinians during late-night raids near Bethlehem, Hebron, and in Tubas; patrol near Qalqilya and Hebron; and deliver stop-work orders to a Palestinian building under construction in Ya‘bad village near Jenin. Palestinians throw stones at Israeli settlers near Nablus, injuring 1. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish 15 commercial and agricultural structures in Issawiyya. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (AFP, EI, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/30; WAFA 1/31; PCHR 2/1)

For a 4th day in a row, Palestinians gather across the oPt to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Israeli forces violently disperse them in Tulkarm, Salfit, Bethlehem, at Huwwara checkpoint near Nablus, al-‘Arub refugee camp near Hebron, and along Gaza’s border near Khan Yunis, Jabaliya refugee camp, Gaza City, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Rafah; at least 24 Palestinians are injured and 8 are arrested. Meanwhile, Israeli forces confiscate Palestinian agricultural equipment near Nablus. IDF troops arrest 21 Palestinians during late-night raids near Ramallah, Jenin, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Salfit; and patrol near Hebron throughout the day. Palestinians throw rocks at Israeli settler cars near Jerusalem, lightly injuring 1 minor. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces uproot a number of trees in a cemetery outside the Old City and arrest a Palestinian attempting to stop them. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian lands near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya late at night, causing no damage or injuries. In West Jerusalem, Israeli police arrest a Palestinian youth after he allegedly stabs and injures 1 of them at the Central Bus Station. They later uncover a message the alleged attacker posted on Facebook indicating that he was motivated, at least in part, by the 12/6 U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. (HA, TOI, WAFA 12/10; PCHR 12/14)

The IDF demolishes a tunnel leading from Gaza into Israel near Kibbutz Nirim. “The tunnel that was thwarted today was a very significant tunnel and [built] to higher standards than what we are used to seeing,” a spokesperson says. (HA, NYT, TOI 12/10)

Senior PA official Nabil Shaath says that the PA no longer intends to sever all ties with the U.S. over Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “We are not cutting our relationship with America. We are protesting the move of Mr. Trump,” he says. Shaath says that some forms of communication have continued throughout the recent crisis, but that communication about the peace process has been “interrupted.” (TOI 12/10)

Fatah Central Committee member Azzam al-Ahmad says that there have been “obstacles” blocking the PA from taking full control of Gaza, which was supposed to proceed by today after being delayed from the 12/1 deadline initially enshrined in the 10/12 national reconciliation agreement. The 2 sides neglect to set a new deadline, and the future of the reconciliation process is therefore unclear. (AFP, TOI 12/10)

IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday protests against Israel’s occupation, settlements, and separation wall in 3 villages near Ramallah (Nabi Salih, Bil‘in, and Ni‘lin) and Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya; no Palestinians are seriously injured. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Hebron protest at the Abu Rajab house that Israeli settlers seized on 7/25, and which has been subject to ongoing litigation ever since. Elsewhere in Hebron, Palestinian youths throw stones at IDF troops on a patrol, sparking minor clashes; 1 Palestinian is lightly injured. The IDF also arrests 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid near Jenin, and patrol near Ramallah and Hebron. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian farmer working in his fields south of Bethlehem, causing moderate injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth in the Old City of East Jerusalem, allegedly for carrying a knife. Off Gaza’s coast late at night, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA 10/20; WAFA 10/21; MNA 10/22; PCHR 10/26)

A Hamas delegation arrives in Iran for talks on the Palestinian reconciliation process and other regional issues. A Hamas official says that the group wants to increase its cooperation with Iran and to “secure Iranian financial and logistical support.” (AFP, HA 10/20; HA 10/21)

A Palestinian youth succumbs to complications related to a congenital heart defect after the Israeli authorities refuse to permit him passage from Gaza to Israel or the West Bank for medical treatment. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian youth collecting firewood nr. the border fence outside Bayt Lahiya. In the West Bank, IDF troops confiscate a Palestinian vehicle during a raid in Bayt Umar village nr. Hebron, sparking minor clashes with stonethrowing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. They also arrest 5 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during raids nr. Hebron and Ramallah, as well as in Jenin, and patrol nr. Salfit and Hebron during the day. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian police officer nr. Nablus, causing minor injuries. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Gaza City and again nr. Khan Yunis and Bayt Lahiya, injuring 1 fisherman. (MNA, WAFA 1/14; MNA 1/15; PCHR 1/19; MNA 1/22)

PA pres. Abbas inaugurates the new Palestinian embassy at the Vatican after meeting with Pope Francis. The Vatican formally recognized Palestine as a state on 6/26/ 2015. (AFP, HA, LF, REU, WAFA 1/14)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Nablus after he allegedly throws a knife at them. Israeli forces seal off with cement blocks the main road leading to Nabi Salih nr. Ramallah, after the previous day’s protests in the village. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem and Hebron, arresting 1 Palestinian and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrols in 7 villages nr. Ramallah, 2 nr. Hebron, Tulkarm and 2 villages nearby, and 1 village nr. Jenin. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Khan Yunis and later nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working nr. Dayr al-Balah, causing no injuries or damage. In East Jerusalem, right-wing Jewish activists leave anti-Christian graffiti on the doors of Dormition Abbey nr. the Old City late at night. (JP, MNA, WAFA 1/16; HA, MNA, TOI, YA 1/17; PCHR 1/21)

The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran has abided by its obligations under the 7/14/2015 nuclear deal it made with the P5+1, and the U.S. and EU formally begin lifting sanctions on Iranian banking, money transfers, trade, insurance, shipping, and other industries (sanctions relating to human rights and terrorism will remain in place). Meanwhile, Iran releases 4 U.S. prisoners, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. In exchange, the U.S. releases 7 Iranian-Americans imprisoned on sanctions-related charges, inter alia. U.S. officials later confirm the swap, and say that Iran has agreed to release a 5th U.S.- Iranian dual citizen outside of the agreed swap. (AP, GDN, HA, FNA, WP 1/16; AFP, JP 1/17)

In Gaza, a small group claiming affiliation with ISIS fires 3 rockets toward Israel, with 1 landing in an open area nr. the Kissufim kibbutz on the Israeli side of the border, causing no injuries or damage. The IAF launches air strikes on a Hamas military site in c. Gaza in response; 4 Palestinians are injured. IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Bayt Hanun shoot and injure a Palestinian teenager approaching the border fence. They also fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers nearby, causing no injuries. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against the Israeli occupation in 4 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Silwad, and Nabi Salih), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 1 Palestinian is seriously injured. The IDF also patrols in a village nr. Bethlehem, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths (3 are arrested), as well as in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 each nr. Ramallah and Jenin. (HA, JP, MNA, REU, TOI, YA 8/7; MNA, WAFA 8/8; AFP 8/9; PCHR 8/13)

PA Prisoners’ Affairs Comm. head Qaraqe says that the IDF prosecutor intends to request permission from the courts to begin forcefeeding Muhammad Allan, a Palestinian prisoner who has been on hunger strike since 6/16. The International Comm. of the Red Cross says that Allan’s life is“at immediate risk” and calls for the Israeli authorities to allow his family to visit him. (EI 8/7; AFP, HA, WAFA 8/8)

Off Gaza’s coast nr. Dayr al-Balah, Israeli naval forces fire warning shots at 1 Palestinian fishing boat, then confiscate 8 nets. In the West Bank, Israeli forces destroy hundreds of trees in a nature reserve nr. Tubas; demolish the remaining grocery stands set up along bypass road Route 60 (several stands were confiscated on 6/15). IDF troops conduct 3 raids in Jenin r.c., arresting 1 Palestinian on each and destroying their property. They also conduct raids in Aida r.c. and 1 village nr. Bethlehem, and 2 villages each nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Nablus, arresting 12 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrol in 4 villages nr. Hebron, 2 nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police arrest 5 Palestinians as they exit Haram al-Sharif, and more than 50 right-wing Jewish activists tour the sanctuary. Israeli forces conduct a late-night raid in Issawiyya, sparking clashes with stone- and firework-throwing residents; 5 Palestinians are injured. Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian on a night raid in al-‘Izzariya. In n. Israel, the IDF declares a section of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights a closed military zone to nonresidents in response to recent fighting on the Syrian side of the border. (JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 6/16; PCHR 6/18)

Hamas sources say that Israel and Hamas have been holding an indirect exchange through various Arab, Turkish, and European channels about the prospect of agreeing to a 5–10-year cease-fire, and that elements under discussion relate to easing the blockade, including the possible construction of a seaport, and the entry of materials into Gaza in exchange for quiet. (AFP, HA, MNA, TOI 6/16; MNA 6/17)

At a meeting of the Fatah Revolutionary Council in Ramallah, PA pres. Abbas says that he intends to dissolve the PA consensus govt. and form an entirely new cabinet within the next few days. Hamas official Basem Naim speculates that Abbas was caught “off guard” by today’s reports of indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, and they prompted him to make this decision. However, other reports say that conversations about dissolution have been going on for mos. (HA, MNA, NYT 6/16)

Israel’s Defense Ministry announces a series of loosened restrictions on Palestinians’ movement during Ramadan this year (the holy mo. begins the evening of 6/17). The Israeli High Court of Justice rules to seal the East Jerusalem room of the man accused of shooting right-wing Jewish activist Yehuda Glick on 10/29/2014. The State’s prosecutors argued for the court to approve the punitive demolition of the whole home, as was initially ordered in the wake of the shooting. (JP, MNA, TOI, YA 6/16; HA 6/17)

On 2 occasions off Gaza’s coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, damaging 1. In the West Bank, IDF troops assault and moderately injure a Palestinian man nr. Bethlehem and assault another Palestinian attempting to cross into Israel nr. Jerusalem. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Ramallah, and in Nablus, ‘Aqabat Jabir r.c. nr. Jericho, and 1 village each nr. Hebron and Tulkarm, arresting 10 Palestinians, issuing arrest summons to 1, confiscating around NIS 4,300 (around $1,100), and destroying a door. The IDF patrols during the day in 1 village each nr. Jenin and Hebron. An Israeli settler rams a Palestinian man with a car nr. Nablus, injuring him. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinian youths on late-night raids in Bayt Hanina. (AFP, MNA, WAFA 6/8; PCHR 6/11)

PA PM Hamdallah and EU rep. to the PA John Gatt-Rutter, along with a delegation of EU officials, visit Susiya village in the s. Hebron hills to show support for the village’s 340 residents. On 5/4, Israel’s Supreme Court upheld the govt.’s plans to evacuate and demolish the village, denying a petition from activists and residents. Gatt-Rutter calls on Israel to reverse its demolition plans. Meanwhile, the bedouin residents of Umm al-Hiran, a village in the Negev, file another petition to Israel’s Supreme Court, appealing the court’s 5–4 rejection of their previous petition that called for a reprieve from the state’s planned evacuation and demolition of their village. (JP 6/8; JP, JTA, HA 6/9)

The UN releases its “List of Shame,” or blacklist, documenting known violators of children’s rights but excluding Israel and Hamas. Secy.-Gen. Ban excluded Israel and Hamas despite official requests from the PA, in the case of the former, and various international organizations, the U.S., and Israel, in the case of the latter. (EI, NYT 6/8; HA, MNA 6/9)

In Gaza, Hamas security forces arrest 3 Islamic Jihad mbrs. allegedly connected to the rocket fire that targeted Israel on 5/26. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct late-night house searches and raids in Jenin, 1 village nr. Tulkarm, and al- ‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, arresting 2 Palestinians. Israeli settlers take over 10 dunams (around 2.5 acres) of land nr. Nablus, planting grapevines on the land. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a newly built home in Silwan; arrest 1 Palestinian on a late-night raid in Bayt Hanina. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 5/27; MNA, PCHR 5/28; PCHR 6/4; NYT 8/4)

The Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) exec. comm. agrees to oppose the Palestinians’ bid to suspend Israel from FIFA via a res. at the body’s 5/29 congress. Meanwhile, PFA chair Jibril Rajoub says, “The vote is still on the agenda,” following talks with FIFA pres. Sepp Blatter. (HA 5/27; JP, MNA, WAFA 5/28)

Middle East Quartet envoy Tony Blair announces his resignation after 8 years in the post. He will step down next mo., but continue working with the U.S., EU, and others to support a 2-state solution. (AFP, statement from Blair’s office 5/27)

In Gaza, over 70 Palestinians are injured when police accidentally detonate an unexploded Israeli rocket in Gaza City. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces clash with Palestinians in a village nr. Ramallah, shooting 3 youths with live ammunition; clash with Palestinians in a village s. of Bethlehem, causing several to suffer from tear gas inhalation. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles nr. Nablus and Bethlehem, causing damage. Late at night, IDF troops clash with stone-throwing Palestinian youth in e. Nablus, injuring 19 with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades. The IDF raids a barber shop in ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus and a home nr. Jenin, arresting 1 Palestinian and issuing arrest summons to 2; patrols in and around Jenin, 3 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 each nr. Ramallah and Qalqilya. A Palestinian driver rams his car into 3 Israeli teenagers on a road nr. Bethlehem, injuring all 3; the IDF arrests the man an hour later. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, WAFA 5/14; AFP, MNA 5/15; PCHR 5/21)

Senior PLO official Wasel Abu Yousef says that the Palestinians will not enter a new round of peace negotiations with Israel unless a deadline for the occupation is set. Meanwhile, in Tunisia, PA Pres. Abbas says that the Palestinians welcome the French efforts to resume Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and have the UNSC pass a corresponding res. (JP, TOI 5/14; JP 5/15)

Israel’s Housing Ministry issues tenders for the construction of 85 new residences in the Givat Ze’ev settlement, n. of Jerusalem, and 1,500 new hotel rooms in the Jabal Mukabir neighborhood of East Jerusalem. Later, UN Secy.-Gen. Ban “strongly deplores” the new settlement announcements over the past 3 weeks. (AFP, HA, WAFA 5/14; AP, TOI 5/15)

The U.S. House of Representatives passes the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act by a vote of 400–25. (It passed in the Senate on 5/7.) The bill now goes to Pres. Obama, and White House spokesperson Josh Earnest says that he intends to sign it into law.

Meanwhile, Israeli govt. sources say the govt. will be willing to accept a nuclear deal with Iran in exchange for compensation in other areas from the U.S. (AP, JP, TOI, YA 5/15)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Jabaliya open fire on agricultural areas nr. the border fence, causing no damage or injuries. Off the coast nr. Rafah, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage. In the West Bank, Israeli authorities order the demolition of an electricity grid nr. Nablus. Israeli forces deliver demolition orders to a Palestinian agricultural structure and 3 homes nr. Bethlehem; block off all entrances to a nearby village. IDF troops confront a group of 4 Palestinians nr. Nablus, assaulting them and arresting 1. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Tulkarm, Hebron, 1 village each nr. Nablus and Tubas, and 2 nr. Bethlehem, arresting 10 Palestinians and issuing an arrest summons to 1; patrols in 2 villages nr. Jenin and 1 each nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah. Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians march through the streets of Ramallah commemorating the 67th anniversary of the Nakba. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct house searches and raids in al-Ram, arresting 1 Palestinian. (MNA, WAFA 5/13; PCHR 5/14; PCHR 5/21)

ICC prosecutor Bensouda says that she has not been provided any official information from either the Palestinians or Israel relating to Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip in 7–8/2014, and that, unless that changes, her decision to launch a full investigation will be based on publicly available materials. (AP, JP 5/13)

Israeli PM Netanyahu’s new govt. presents a document to the Knesset outlining the basic principles binding its ruling coalition. In language similar to that used for the 2009 and 2013 govts., it says that the govt. will work toward a peace agreement with the Palestinians, but it does not specify a 2-state solution. It also notes that “if an agreement of this kind is reached [with the Palestinians], it will be brought for the approval of the cabinet and Knesset, and if necessary, a national referendum as well.” (AFP, HA 5/13)

In an interview published today, U.S. Pres. Obama says that the U.S. is “taking a hard look” at its positions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and that the Palestinians “deserve an end to the occupation and the daily indignities that come with it.” Obama is hosting several leaders of the GCC countries at a summit in Washington today to discuss regional issues. (AWS, HA, REU 5/13)

The head of the Palestinian Power and Natural Resources Authority Omar Kittanah announces that the PA cabinet has approved an initiative to connect the electricity grid in the West Bank to Jordan. The PA will begin looking for funding for the project, which is estimated to cost $100 m. It is part of a regional, 3-year initiative to connect the grids of Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, and the oPt. (MNA 5/13)

The Vatican announces that it has concluded a treaty that will recognize the state of Palestine. (AP, NYT 5/13)

In Gaza, unknown assailants on the Egyptian side of the border shoot and injure a Palestinian driver at the Kerem Shalom border crossing. IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Gaza City open fire on Palestinian lands nr. the border fence, then they enter Gaza and arrest a Palestinian attempting to cross into Israel. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats on 2 occasions, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops on patrols in villages nr. Hebron and Jenin clash with stone-throwing Palestinian youth; 1 Palestinian is injured. The IDF also conducts house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Qalqilya, Jenin, Ramallah, and Hebron, arresting 3 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrols in and Tulkarm, and 2 villages nr. Ramallah. A Palestinian man stabs an Israeli settler nr. a settlement e. of Jerusalem, causing moderate injuries. (AFP, HA, JP, MNA 5/11; PCHR 5/14)

Israel’s Defense Ministry announces that it has signed a contract to purchase 4 new warships from Germany. They will be deployed over the next 5 years to defend Israel’s offshore natural gas drilling platforms. (HA, YA 5/11)

Israel’s High Court of Justice rejects a petition calling for the planned route of the upcoming Jerusalem Day parade on 5/17 to be changed to avoid the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. The court calls on the police to arrest any parade participants who shout racist slogans in that area. (HA 5/11; YA 5/12)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Bayt Lahiya fire warning shots at Palestinians walking nr. the border fence, critically injuring 1. Off the coast nr. Gaza City and then nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, injuring 2 fishermen and causing damage. A small armed group, with self-proclaimed affiliations to ISIS, fires mortar rounds at a Hamas military base; no injuries are reported. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Silwad, Jalazun r.c., and outside Ofer Prison), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 9 Palestinians are injured, including 3 photojournalists. The IDF also searches a home in a village nr. Hebron late at night, issuing a summons to a Palestinian; patrols in 2 villages nr. Jenin, 4 nr. Ramallah, 3 nr. Hebron, and 1 each nr. Tulkarm and Jericho. Israeli settlers cut the branches off 3 olive trees nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces enter Silwan and Issawiyya, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youth; the Israeli soldiers respond with stun grenades and rubber-coated metal bullets. (AFP, JP, MNA, TOI 5/8; MNA 5/9; PCHR 5/14)

In Gaza, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion e. of Jabaliya to level land. IDF troops stationed nr. Rafah arrest 3 Palestinians attempting to cross the border into Israel. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. A small armed group, with self-proclaimed affiliations to ISIS, posts a statement online threatening to “act” against Hamas if certain prisoners are not freed within 72 hours. Hours later, a bomb explodes on the perimeter of Hamas’s security headquarters in Gaza City. The group does not take credit for the bombing, but Hamas police proceed to arrest dozens of the group’s mbrs. and destroy a makeshift mosque-headquarters in Dayr al-Balah. In the West Bank, Israeli forces set up 12 mobile homes early in the morning on 650 dunams of previously leveled land outside a Palestinian village nr. Bethlehem. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts drills in the n. Jordan Valley, causing fire damage on large tracts of agricultural land; patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 each nr. Nablus, Qalqilya, and Jericho. Israeli forces also conduct house searches and late-night raids in and around Nablus, Jenin, and 1 village nr. Ramallah, arresting 18 Palestinians and confiscating some of their property. A Palestinian throws a Molotov cocktail at a bus of Israeli settlers nr. Nablus, then the IDF imposes a curfew on a nearby village. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security guards shoot and injure a Palestinian man at a Light Rail station nr. the French Hill settlement, after reportedly mistaking his belt buckle for a knife. (AFP, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/4; AP, MNA 5/5; JP 5/7)

Israel’s High Court of Justice approves COGAT’s request to demolish a number of tents and homes in a Palestinian village nr. Hebron. Approximately 450 Palestinians will be displaced. (MNA 5/4; JP 5/5)

Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman resigns as FM and says his Yisrael Beytenu party will not be joining the ruling coalition of PM Netanyahu’s next govt. He says that he chose “principles and not portfolios,” and that “what’s being built is not a national camp, but a govt. that smacks of opportunism.” Netanyahu’s deadline for forming a coalition is 5/6. (HA, JP, YA 5/4)

Mortar rounds fired from inside Syria hit a UN Disengagement Observer Force base in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, injuring 2 international peacekeepers. The IDF says that the fire was not deliberately aimed across the Israeli border. (AFP, REU, TOI 5/4)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Rafah fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers approaching the border fence, causing no injuries. Off the coast nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Silwad, Jalazun r.c., and outside Ofer Prison), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 4 Palestinians suffer moderate bullet wounds. The IDF patrols in 4 villages nr. Ramallah, and 1 each nr. Jenin and Jericho. Late at night, Israeli soldiers conduct house searches and raids in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 nr. Hebron, arresting 2 Palestinians, issuing 2 arrest summons, and sparking minor clashes. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces patrol in Wadi al-Juz, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youth. (MNA 5/1, 5/2; PCHR 5/7)

In an interview with Haaretz, ICC prosecutor Bensouda says she is considering war crimes investigations into Palestinians and low-ranking Israeli soldiers. Her comments indicate an expanded scope from previous speculation that only high-level Israeli officials would be targeted. However, she repeats that she is still preliminarily examining evidence and that no investigations have been formally opened. (AFP, HA 5/1)

In the Gaza Strip, Hamas police disperse over 400 Palestinians gathering in Shuja‘iya to protest delays in reconstruction and national disunity, assaulting several and arresting 7. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. Separately, the IDF returns 15 confiscated fishing boats to Palestinians in Gaza. The leader of the Palestinian fisherman’s union calls on Israel to give back 60 other confiscated boats, and he recognizes that this is the 1st time boats have ever been returned by sea, which is more convenient for fishermen than the usual overland method. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a sheep barn in a village nr. Nablus; deliver demolition notices for several water wells nr. Hebron. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Jenin, Nablus, and Hebron, arresting 4 Palestinians, including an imam; patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Anata, al-Tur, and Ras al-Amud, arresting 6 Palestinians. (AFP, MNA, NYT, WAFA 4/29; TOI, YA 4/30; PCHR 5/7)

In Gaza, IDF troops conduct a limited incursion e. of Khan Yunis to level land. Later, troops on the border e. of Khuza‘a open fire on agricultural land, causing no damage. Off the coast nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces deliver a demolition notice and a stop-work order to 2 Palestinian homes in a village nr. Hebron. Late at night, the IDF conducts house searches and raids in al-Bireh, Hebron, and a village nr. Jenin, issuing arrest summons to 4 Palestinians and seizing NIS 2,500 ($646), as well as various personal effects. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian driver rams a car into 2 Israelis nr. the Old City, killing 1. (The Palestinian man will be arrested on 4/16.) In c. Israel, Israeli forces demolish 5 Palestinian apartments overnight in villages nr. Tel Aviv. (MNA, WAFA 4/15; AFP, HA, JP, MNA, PCHR, TOI, YA 4/16; PCHR 4/23)

In response to the recent demolitions of Palestinian property in Israel on 4/13, 4/14, and today, Israeli PM Netanyahu attempts to set up a meeting with Joint List chair Odeh. The Arab High Follow-Up Comm. calls for Palestinian citizens of Israel to conduct a general strike on 4/28. Meanwhile, Israel’s Supreme Court upholds the 7/2011 Anti-Boycott Law, which allows for sanctions to be placed against individuals or organizations that call for boycotts against Israel. (Adalah, JP 4/15; HA, TOI, YA 4/16; HA 4/17)

In the West Bank, a Palestinian man stabs 2 Israeli soldiers at a junction nr. Ramallah, critically injuring 1, then the soldiers shoot and kill him. The IDF consequently conducts raids in several villages in the area and detains 7 Palestinians. The IDF also conducts house searches and raids in and around Hebron, and in Tubas, arresting 7 Palestinians; patrols in 1 village each nr. Jenin and Salfit. IDF troops assault a Palestinian man at a mobile checkpoint in Hebron, lightly injuring him. Palestinians throw rocks at 2 Israeli buses nr. Jerusalem, lightly injuring 3 in the 2 incidents. Off the coast of Gaza nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian doctor in Wadi al-Rababa. (WAFA 4/7; HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/8; PCHR 4/9)

Late at night, PLO delegates led by Exec. Comm. mbr. Ahmad Majdalani meet with Syrian dep. FM Faisal Mekdad in Damascus; Syrian govt. says it is ready to support Palestinian fighters in Yarmouk r.c., outside Damascus. (MNA 4/7; MNA, TOI 4/8)

Palestinian envoy to France Hale Fahoum says the Palestinian leadership supports the recently announced French initiative to pass a UNSC res. setting parameters for future peace negotiations. (YA 4/7)

FIFA Pres. Sepp Blatter says he opposes the Palestinian campaign to suspend Israel from international soccer competition ahead of a meeting with PFA head Jibril Rajoub in Cairo. (AFP, REU 4/7)

Off the coast of Gaza nr. Jabaliya and Rafah, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. Hamas authorities arrest a shaykh in al-Bureij r.c. for alleged support of ISIS. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Hebron, 2 villages nr. Jenin, and 1 nr. Qalqilya, arresting 5 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Qalqilya and Jericho, and 1 each nr. Ramallah, Hebron, and Tulkarm. An Israeli soldier assaults a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Bethlehem. Israeli authorities close al-Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron to all Muslim worshippers, allowing Jewish Israelis to enter in celebration of Passover through 4/6. In Balata r.c. nr. Nablus, Palestinian women gather to protest the PASF crackdown in the camp. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces confiscate a number of solar energy cells in a bedouin village. Also, a group of Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian youth at a gate to the Old City. (AFP, MNA, WAFA 4/5; AFP 4/6; MNA 4/7; PCHR 4/9)

PA Pres. Abbas announces that the Israeli govt. transferred NIS 1.37 b. (around $350 m.) of the NIS 1.8 b. ($460 m.) in previously frozen tax revenues, but that the Palestinians rejected the money in protest of unilateral deductions Israel made to pay the Palestinians’ debts to Israeli utility providers. (AFP, AP, JP, REU 4/5)

The PLO announces that it will send a delegation to Syria to meet with govt. and rebel leaders to find a resolution for the residents of Yarmouk r.c. (AFP, AJ, WAFA, YA 4/5; AFP, AJ, JP 4/6)

On 2 occasions off the coast of Gaza nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Bayt Jala village nr. Bethlehem, disrupting Palm Sunday celebrations. The IDF also conducts raids and house searches in 3 villages nr. Nablus, 1 village nr. Ramallah, and Jenin, arresting 18 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Jenin and Ramallah, and 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Jericho. Israeli forces deliver a demolition notice to a warehouse nr. Jenin. An Israeli settler rams a herd of Palestinian-owned sheep with his car nr. Qalqilya, injuring 29 of them. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault a group of Muslim worshippers at Haram alSharif, then they detain 3. Israeli forces also demolish part of a Palestinian’s home in the Old City; conduct house searches and raids in Ras al-Amud, Shu‘fat, and the Old City, arresting 9 Palestinians. (MNA, WAFA 3/29; PCHR 4/2)

On the 2d day of the Arab League’s 26th annual summit, the collected ministers agree to form a special comm. to organize the creation of a detailed timetable for the end of Israel’s occupation. (AFP, YA 3/29; JP 4/7)

Reps. of the Joint List and Palestinian activists conclude their 4-day march from unrecognized villages in the Negev to Pres. Rivlin’s residence in Jerusalem. Although he had earlier agreed to greet them, he is in Singapore for a state funeral. The coalition’s chair, Ayman Odeh, delivers a report on Palestinian bedouin communities in the Negev to Rivlin’s wife instead. (HA, WAFA 3/29; AFP, HA, WAFA 3/30)

EU amb. to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen says that the EU is not currently reassessing its policies regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite the recent reports that it is considering new sanctions on Israel’s settlements as an incentive for a new round of peace negotiations. He adds that the EU supports in principle a UNSC res. calling for a timetable on the Israeli occupation. (TOI 3/30)

Chinese FM Wang Yi, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, and UK Foreign Secy. Hammond join the 4th consecutive day of negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland. (AFP, ALM, AP, REU 3/29; HA 3/30; NYT 3/31)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis fire on a group of Palestinians approaching the border fence, causing 3 to suffer from tear gas inhalation. Separately, IDF troops stationed e. of Rafah open fire on agricultural lands nr. the border fence, causing damage. In 2 incidents off the coast nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at demonstrations to commemorate Land Day, upcoming on 3/30, and protest Israel’s occupation in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Silwad, outside Ofer Prison, and Jalazun r.c.), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 10 Palestinians are moderately injured. The Israeli soldiers also cut off a main waterline into Kafr Qaddum, denying the village water for several hours. IDF troops also violently disperse Palestinian and international activists gathering in Abu Dis at the site of the “Gate of Jerusalem” protest tent camp. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Hebron, arresting 1 Palestinian; conducts patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 each nr. Jenin and Jericho. (MNA 3/27; PCHR 4/2)

The Israeli PM’s office announces that it is unfreezing tax revenue transfers to the PA that it has held as a punitive response to the Palestinian accession to the ICC since 1/2015. A statement announcing the move says that the total will be reduced by an undisclosed amount to pay portions of the PA’s debts to Israeli utility providers, such as the IEC. The PA FM criticizes the announced deductions, saying in a statement that they are “an unjustified and illegal procedure that could cause complications.” (AP, HA, JP, NYT, TOI 3/27; AFP, WAFA 3/28; JP 3/29)

French FM Fabius announces that, now that the 3/17 Israeli election has passed, he plans to explore the prospect of introducing another United Nations Security Council (UNSC) res. laying out parameters for a new round of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. Meanwhile, an EU spokesperson announces that Hamas will remain a designated terrorist organization pending a decision on an appeal of the General Court’s 12/17/2014 removal of Hamas from the list. Similarly, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, which the U.S. claims funneled money to Hamas, has been removed from the list since it was last published in 7/2014. (AFP, AP, HA, REU, TOI 3/27; AFP 3/28)

The PA unity govt. delegation led by PM Hamdallah meets with Fatah and Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip, concluding its 3-day trip. (MNA 3/26) The Egyptian attorney, Samir Sabri, who filed the original motion to designate Hamas a terrorist organization in Egypt withdraws his case, saying he hopes to remove “obstacles which Egypt’s political leadership might face in serving its role in the Palestinian reconciliation.” The Court of Urgent Matters, which designated Hamas a terrorist organization 2/28, is expected to reconsider its initial ruling, though it was only in part based on Sabri’s motion. (AHR, MNA 3/27)

The 28th regular session of the UNHRC concludes today after a mo. of meetings, with the council having agreed on 3 res. on the Palestinians. They reaffirm the Palestinians’ right to self-determination, confirm Palestinian rights to sovereignty over their natural resources, and condemn ongoing settlement growth in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. (TOI 3/27; MNA 3/28)

PA Pres. Abbas arrives in Sharm al-Shaykh, Egypt, to participate in an Arab League summit on 3/28 and 3/29. Ahead of the summit, the Arab League agrees to send a delegation to Washington to lobby the U.S. Congress and promote the Arab Peace Initiative. (WAFA 2/25; MNA 3/27; HA 3/28)

In the West Bank, a Palestinian man dies from injuries sustained during clashes with IDF troops in Jalazun r.c. on 3/18. Another Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when he fell off the separation wall nr. Jerusalem last week while trying to cross into Israel for work. IDF troops raid a school nr. Ramallah, blocking entrances and exits for 2 hours; patrol in 3 villages nr. Hebron, 1 nr. Tulkarm, and Jenin. They also conduct raids and house searches in al-‘Arub r.c. and 1 village nr. Hebron, as well as 2 villages nr. Jenin, arresting 5 Palestinians. Off the coast of Gaza nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage but no injuries. In East Jerusalem, 78 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif. Meanwhile,Israeli forces raid Shu‘fat r.c. to detain several youths, sparking clashes with local residents and injuring 3 Palestinians; conduct raids in the Old City, arresting 3 Palestinians. (JP, MNA, REU, TOI, WAFA 3/25; MNA, PCHR 3/26; PCHR 4/2)

Israeli pres. Reuven Rivlin meets with PM Netanyahu and asks him to form the next govt., after the CEC delivers Rivlin the official results from the 3/17 election. The Israeli govt. has temporarily frozen the construction of 1,500 settler residences in Har Homa, East Jerusalem. The PM’s office denies a report that the freeze was motivated by U.S. diplomatic concerns. (AFP, HA, JP, TOI, YA 3/25; TOI 3/26)

Hours before leaving office, IDF Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon signs orders that will apply Israel’s penal code to Palestinians in the West Bank, except for a key amendment exempting people from criminal charges if they take action “urgently required to ward off someone who breaks into his home, business or farm.” The key amendment would have provided additional protections for Palestinians in confrontations with Israeli settlers. (HA 3/26)

A PA unity govt. delegation led by PM Hamdallah arrives in Gaza for a planned 3-day visit. Hamdallah meets with local Fatah officials as well as senior Hamas officials to discuss the reconstruction of Gaza and national reconciliation. They agree to form a joint comm. to cooperate on several issues relating to Gaza. (AFP, JP, MNA, WAFA 3/25)

In Gaza, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion nr. Rafah to level land. Off the coast nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage to 2 boats. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot 65 olive trees outside Turmus ‘Ayya village nr. Ramallah; perform religious rites at a site nr. Nablus, sparking clashes with local Palestinians; enter Isaac’s Hall in al-Ibrahimi Mosque in c. Hebron. After suspected Palestinian assailants set fire to an Israeli settler’s trailer nr. Nablus, the IDF imposes a curfew on a nearby Palestinian village and conducts raids and house searches in the area, sparking light clashes with residents. The IDF also conducts house searches in and around Hebron and Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Qalqilya and Jenin. IDF troops set up roadblocks and raid a school in a village nr. Jenin, sparking clashes with residents. Israeli forces destroy 300 olive trees and demolish 600 m of walls nr. Nablus; confiscate 2 water tanks nr. Tubas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Anabta village and in al-Tur, assaulting 1 Palestinian and arresting 2; arrest 4 Palestinian women at an entrance to Haram al-Sharif. In s. Israel, Israeli forces demolish several Palestinian bedouins’ homes in 3 villages in the Negev, and they surround a home in a 4th village, preparing to demolish it. (AFP, MNA, WAFA 3/19; AFP, MNA 3/20; PCHR 3/26)

In an interview with NBC, Israeli PM Netanyahu rolls back his 3/16 assertion that he will block the creation of a Palestinian state if chosen for a 3d consecutive term as PM. Later, U.S. Pres. Obama calls Netanyahu to officially congratulate him for his 3/17 victory, but also to discuss his controversial comments. Obama reportedly says that the U.S. will be reassessing its positions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in light of the PM’s new position. (AFP, HA, JP, NBC, REU, TOI 3/19; AFP, TOI, YA 3/20)

On the 4th day of bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Wall Street Journal reports that the P5+1 is refusing to compromise on its demand for staggered sanctions relief. (AP, JP, WSJ 3/19; AFP 3/20)

In the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Comm., chair Corker (R-TN) and ranking mbr. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) agree to delay a comm. vote on the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 until after the P5+1 and Iran’s deadline for reaching a political accord at the end of 3/2015. They schedule a vote for 4/14

In Gaza, Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for the 1st time since 1/22 (it will remain open until 3/10). Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian’s home nr. Tulkarm; deliver demolition notices to several residential buildings in a village n. of Jerusalem. The IDF conducts a military drill in c. Hebron and soldiers fire tear gas at Palestinian bystanders; house searches and raids in Nablus, 1 village each nr. Qalqilya, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Jenin, arresting 21 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 4; patrols in 4 areas nr. Ramallah and 1 village nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers destroy over 40 olive trees nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces deliver demolition notices to several buildings nr. Qalandia. (JP, MNA, WAFA 3/9; MNA, TOI 3/10; PCHR 3/12)

Hamas in Gaza releases a statement criticizing the PASF’s arrest of over 100 Hamas affiliates in the past 2 weeks, including 40 on 3/8. They accuse the PA unity govt. of using the arrests as retaliation for the detention of senior Fatah official Mamoun Sweidan in Gaza over the past few days. (MNA, YA 3/9)

Led by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), 47 Republican senators sign and release an open letter to the leaders of Iran. It says that they will consider any agreement the Obama admin. signs with the P5+1 in their negotiations with Iran to be merely an executive agreement, and that such an agreement could be revoked or modified in the future. Meanwhile, IAEA officials arrive in Tehran for talks on Iran’s nuclear program, specifically the results of the IAEA’s recent (2/19) report on Iran’s compliance with the JPOA, which governs its negotiations with the P5+1. (AFP, AP, JP, MDW, TOI 3/9; AP, TOI 3/10)

In Gaza, unknown assailants set fire to a Fatah leader’s house in e. Gaza City. Off the coast nr. al-Sudaniyya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing 2 injuries and arresting 4 fishermen. IDF troops e. of Gaza City fire on Palestinian homes and agricultural lands in the area, causing damage but no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Nablus, arresting 3 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron; arrests 1 Palestinian nr. Jenin. (MNA, WAFA 3/5; PCHR 3/12)

The PCC meets in Ramallah for a 2d day in a row and adopts several major resolutions, including calls to end security coordination with Israel, boycott all Israeli products, and to reject recognition of Israel as a Jewish state. The PLO Exec. Comm. will execute the decisions made by the council at an appropriate time, according to a statement released at the conference’s end. (MNA, NYT, TOI, YA 3/5; HA, JP 3/6).

Israeli officials announce that Israel will partially resume importing fruits and vegetables from Gaza next week (on 3/12), a practice halted in 2007 after Hamas began governing Gaza. (HA, REU, TOI 3/5)

Israel’s High Court of Justice issues an injunction temporarily delaying the demolition of 24 under-construction apartments in the West Bank settlement Beit El. The apartments were set to be destroyed by 3/8, and the court does not give a new deadline. Meanwhile, the IDF temporarily suspends its use of canine units in the West Bank, days after a video depicting an Israeli dog attacking a Palestinian youth on 12/23 proliferated in the media. (TOI, HA 3/6)

In Riyadh, U.S. Secy. of State Kerry briefs Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, other officials, and 6 FMs from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the ongoing negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. Kerry says that the U.S. is not seeking a “grand bargain” with Iran. (AFP, AP, JP, MNA, NBC, YA 3/5)

After receiving a letter of protest from a group of Democratic and Independent senators on 3/4, Majority Leader McConnell decides to temporarily postpone legislative action on the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, in an effort to consolidate bipartisan support. (TOI 3/6)

Off the coast of Gaza nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF floods an olive grove outside Bethlehem during a drill. The IDF also conducts house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Tubas, Nablus, and Jenin, arresting 2 Palestinians and sparking clashes nr. Jenin; arrests 5 Palestinians in a village nr. Bethlehem; patrols in 3 villages nr. Hebron, 5 nr. Ramallah, and 2 each nr. Jericho and Qalqilya. A group of Palestinian youth affiliated with Fatah steal a Tnuva milk truck and dump its contents in the middle of al-Manara Square in Ramallah. Tnuva is 1 of the 6 Israeli companies targeted by the boycott initiated by the National Comm. against Israeli Punitive Measures on 2/9. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in the Old City and al-‘Izzariya, arresting 5 Palestinians and issuing summons to 3. In n. Israel, Israeli police arrest 68 Palestinian workers who have been sleeping and laboring in Israel without permits. (MNA, WAFA 3/2; MNA 3/3; PCHR 3/5; HA 3/9)

Israeli state prosecutors tell the High Court of Justice that they are no longer pursuing the punitive demolition of the Silwan home of the Palestinian alleged to have shot and injured right-wing activist Yehuda Glick, leader of the messianic Temple Mount movement, on 10/29/ 2014. The prosecutors argue, instead, for the man’s room to be blocked off. (TOI 3/2)

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry meets with Hamas officials in Gaza and proposes a 3–5-year hudna, or truce. (AFP, HA 3/2; HA 3/9)

In Washington, Israeli PM Netanyahu addresses the AIPAC conference, saying he has a “moral obligation” to warn the U.S. Congress on 3/3 of the dangers of a potential deal with Iran. Hours later, U.S. Pres. Obama tells Reuters that Netanyahu’s trip to the U.S., and the way it was organized, is a distraction, but not “permanently destructive” to the U.S.-Israel relationship. (NYT, YA 3/2; HA 3/3)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with Iranian FM Zarif and Iran’s atomic energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi in Montreux, Switzerland, for 3-day negotiations over Iran’s nuclear weapons program. (TOI 3/1; REU 3/2)

While in Switzerland, Kerry speaks in front of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva and urges its mbrs. to end their “unbalanced focus” on Israel. (AP, JP, NYT, TOI 3/2)

In c. Gaza, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian homes nr. the border fence, causing damage. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Bethlehem, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents in both and arresting 2 in the former. They also patrol in 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Qalqilya, and 2 areas nr. Hebron; arrest a Palestinian man n. of Hebron who attempted to stab an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint; assault a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Jenin. The IDF violently disperses Palestinian and international activists nonviolently protesting in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, detaining 2 Palestinians, moderately injuring 2, and lightly injuring several. Israeli forces deliver demolition notices to a school and 2 homes in Hebron. Israeli settlers deface the walls of a Palestinian school nr. Nablus, leaving price-tag graffiti. Separately, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian youth from another village nr. Nablus, forcing him to remove his clothes in the cold weather. In East Jerusalem, Jewish Israelis set fire to a Greek Orthodox seminary and leave price-tag graffiti. An Israeli court bans 4 Palestinian women from entering Haram al-Sharif for periods ranging from 10 to 60 days. They were detained on 2/25. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/26; MNA 2/28; PCHR 3/5)

The IEC agrees to stop cutting power to areas in the West Bank (as it did on 2/23 and 2/25) in exchange for the Israeli govt.’s promise to offset the Palestinians’ debts with the tax revenues that it has punitively withheld from the PA since 1/2. The PM’s office also announces a deal that will connect Rawabi, the 1st planned Palestinian city, to the water grid, enabling new residents to move in to the city. The agreement will also connect several Israeli settlements in the area to the grid. (HA, TOI 2/26; NYT 2/27)

On the 6 mo. anniversary of the 8/16 cease-fire that ended Operation Protective Edge (OPE), 30 UN agencies and other international organizations in Gaza jointly express their alarm at the slow pace of reconstruction and the dire conditions in the Strip. In their statement, they say, “We must not fail Gaza,” and that “since 7/2014, the situation has deteriorated dramatically.” (WAFA 2/26)

The Jordanian and Israeli govts. sign a deal that will govern the construction of a pipeline to link the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, the 1st phase of a Dead Sea revitalization project that has been debated and discussed for over a decade. They plan to begin preparing tenders to offer to construction companies in the coming weeks. They ultimately plan to build a desalinization plant n. of Aqaba, Jordan. In 12/2013, reps. of Jordan, Israel, and the PA signed a memorandum of understanding at the World Bank to guide their joint efforts on the project. (AFP, TOI 2/26)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian man during clashes after a late-night arrest raid in Dahaysha r.c.; an Israeli soldier is lightly injured. IDF troops clash with Palestinians in Bethlehem and nearby Aida r.c., injuring 12 with tear gas, stun grenades, and live ammunition. They also demolish and evacuate the “Gate of Jerusalem” protest tent camp in Abu Dis for the 9th time, arresting a Palestinian woman nr. the camp hours later. The IDF raids the Birzeit home of the Palestinian teenager who stabbed an Israeli in East Jerusalem on 2/22. They also conduct raids and house searches in Bethlehem, and 1 village each nr. Nablus and Jenin, arresting 3 Palestinians and issuing summons to 2; patrol in al-Fawar r.c., 2 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 each nr. Jenin and Qalqilya. Israeli forces demolish tens of dunams of agricultural land nr. Hebron; seize 2 garbage trucks in a village nearby; begin demolishing a Palestinian’s home in another village nr. Hebron. Off the coast of Gaza nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian lawyer who works on prisoners’ issues. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/23; HA, MNA, NYT, WAFA, YA 2/24; PCHR 2/26)

The state-owned Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) temporarily cuts electricity to 50 Palestinian communities nr. Jenin and Nablus in response to the PA’s inability to pay its debts. The PM’s office denies responsibility and involvement in the decision to cut power. The IEC says that the Palestinians owe NIS 1.9 b. (around $487 m.). Israel’s ongoing tax revenue freeze has worsened the PA’s economic crisis. (HA, NYT, WAFA 2/23; MNA 2/24; WAFA 2/25)

IDF troops stationed along the border with Lebanon fire warning shots at 5 farmers approaching the fence nr. the Lebanese Marun al-Ras, causing no damage or injuries. (HA 2/23)

Concluding the trial that began on 1/13, the New York Federal District Court delivers a verdict in a case brought under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act by the families of American victims of 6 attacks in Israel from 2002 to 2004, finding the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) liable for $655.5 m. in damages. The Palestinians intend to appeal the ruling. It is unclear how they could pay the penalty, with Israel’s freeze of monthly tax revenue transfers causing an economic crisis for the PA. If they are unable to pay, the court may order the PA and PLO’s assets be seized. (AP, NYT, REU 2/23; AFP, EI, MNA, WAFA, YA 2/24; MEMO 2/26)