The UNGA votes to upgrade the Palestinians’ observer status to that of a non-member state by a significant margin of 138–9, with 41 abstentions (3 countries did not participate). The ‘‘no’’ votes...
An Israeli official tells the media that U.S.-Israeli efforts to soften the wording of the Palestinians’ resolution for the UNGA have failed, though reports indicate that the U.S. is still trying...
Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas heads to New York ahead of the expected 11/29 UNGA vote on a resolution to upgrade the status of Palestine to a non-member observer state. PA officials express...
Israeli leaders defend the 11/21 Gaza cease-fire in the face of strong criticism from politicians like Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid and Kadima’s Shaul Mofaz, who believe that the operation had not...
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The UNGA votes to upgrade the Palestinians’ observer status to that of a non-member state by a significant margin of 138–9, with 41 abstentions (3 countries did not participate). The ‘‘no’’ votes were cast by the U.S., Israel, Panama, Palau, Canada, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, the Czech Republic, and Micronesia. Israeli PM Netanyahu describes the vote as ‘‘meaningless’’ and says that the decision ‘‘will not further the establishment of a Palestinian state, but will make it more distant.’’ U.S. amb. to the UN Susan Rice calls the resolution ‘‘unfortunate and counterproductive.’’ Hamas leader Mishal says that the success of the UN bid should be considered alongside the recent Gaza conflict as a single strategy to empower Palestinians. (AP, JP, REU 11/29)
Israeli naval vessels detain 6 Palestinian fishermen working 5 naut. mi. off the Gaza coast (well within the 6 naut. mi. radius that Israel reportedly approved on 11/24). IDF forces make a brief incursion into the Gaza Strip e. of Khan Yunis with military bulldozers to level land. The IDF opens fire at Palestinians approaching the border fence nr. Jabalya, injuring 1 and also opens fire at civilians and farmers by the border fence nr. Bayt Hanun, causing no serious injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin at night, clashing with stone-throwers. (MNA 11/29; PCHR 12/6)
An Israeli official tells the media that U.S.-Israeli efforts to soften the wording of the Palestinians’ resolution for the UNGA have failed, though reports indicate that the U.S. is still trying to convince key countries not to support it. Other reports suggest that the UK will back the bid if Abbas agrees not to use the upgrade to take Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague. France says it will vote in favor. (Guardian, HA, JP, REU 11/27)
Investigators exhume the remains of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah in order to seek possible traces of poison. A Palestinian medical team worked with Swiss, French, and Russian forensic teams, before the tomb is resealed. French magistrates opened a murder inquiry into Arafat’s death in August, following findings by a Swiss institute of high levels of polonium on Arafat’s clothing supplied by his widow Suha, as part of an Al Jazeera investigation. (AFP, REU 11/27)
Former Israeli FM Tzipi Livni announces that she is leaving the Kadima party and will run in the forthcoming elections as the head of a new party, Hatnua. A handful of Kadima MKs resign from the party and are expected to join her new party. (YA 11/27)
In Gaza, a Fatah delegation joins Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh for a ceremony to honor families bereaved in Operation Pillar of Defense. Meanwhile, Palestinian factions hold a meeting in Gaza Strip and agree to hold a joint rally raising Palestinian flags to support the UN bid. (MNA 11/27)
In the Gaza Strip, the IDF opens fire on farmers and civilians nr. Jabalya at the border fence, causing no injuries. The IDF opens fire nr. Rafah at Palestinians nr. the border, wounding 1. The IDF also fires warning shots at Palestinians collecting scrap metal nr. Bayt Hanun, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Jenin, and conducts house searches and arrest raids in Tulkarm at night. Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails launch a 1-day hunger strike in solidarity with long-term hunger strikers Ayman Sharawna and Samer Issawi. (MNA 11/27; PCHR 11/29)
Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas heads to New York ahead of the expected 11/29 UNGA vote on a resolution to upgrade the status of Palestine to a non-member observer state. PA officials express optimism about the anticipated level of European support, and also say they do not take seriously threats from Israel that the PA will be punished for pursuing the initiative. The Palestinians circulate a revised draft resolution. Behind the scenes, Israeli and U.S. officials press the Palestinians to tone down the wording of the text (see Quarterly Update in JPS 167 for details). Israeli diplomatic officials now say that Israel’s response to the bid will depend on what Abbas does with the upgraded status. Meanwhile, Hamas leader Mishal telephones Abbas to express Hamas’s support for the bid. (JP, HA, MNA, REU 11/26)
Israeli DM Barak (Independence party) announces he will leave political life after the national elections scheduled for 1/22/13. Likud primaries are held and result in a win for the more hard-line wing of the party, including an almost guaranteed Knesset seat for far-right activist Moshe Feiglin. Mins. Benny Begin, Dan Meridor, and Michael Eitan all fail to make the top 10 places on the party’s slate. (HA, REU, ToI 11/26)
Egyptian mediators begin separate talks with Hamas and Israel about fleshing out and implementing the details of the cease-fire. Palestinian demands reportedly include the opening of more Israeli crossings into the Gaza Strip. (JP, REU 11/26)
In Gaza, 2 Palestinian civilians die from wounds sustained during Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense, raising the comprehensive Palestinian death toll to 164. During the day, the IDF opens fire on Palestinian civilians approaching the border fence nr. Khan Yunis, lightly injuring 1. The IDF also opens fire on Palestinian civilians and farmers staging a march to the border fence e. of Jabalya to protest Israel’s imposition of a ‘‘no-go’’ buffer zone, injuring 2. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning, in 1 village nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the afternoon, and 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night; conducts late-night house searches and arrest raids in al-‘Arub r.c. and 1 other village nr. Hebron, and 1 village nr. Nablus. (MNA 11/26; PCHR 11/29)
Israeli leaders defend the 11/21 Gaza cease-fire in the face of strong criticism from politicians like Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid and Kadima’s Shaul Mofaz, who believe that the operation had not successfully restored ‘‘deterrence.’’ DM Barak asserts that ‘‘it is still not time to enter Gaza in a very wide operation and conquer it.’’ Barak also reveals that Israel dropped 1,000 times as many explosives on the Gaza Strip as landed on its soil. FM Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) states that Israel will ‘‘eventually need to overthrow the Hamas regime.’’ (INN, JP, REU, YA 11/22)
In Gaza, Palestinian factions organize a major rally in Gaza City to celebrate the cease-fire and call for national reconciliation. On a rare visit to Gaza since the Hamas takeover in 2007, Fatah Central Comm. mbr. Nabil Shaath tells the crowds that Israel failed to isolate them from the West Bank. PM Ismail Haniyeh tells the rally that the ‘‘resistance fighters changed the rules of the game’’ but that the fighters should ‘‘guard’’ the truce ‘‘as long as Israel respects it.’’ (AP, MNA 11/22)
Meanwhile, the toll of Operation Pillar of Defense continues to climb: an Israeli soldier dies from injuries sustained by a Palestinian rocket attack during the operation, becoming the 2d soldier and 6th Israeli to die in the fighting. In the Gaza Strip, rescue workers pull the bodies of 2 more Palestinians from the rubble of the Dalou family home (bombed on 11/18), raising the Palestinian toll to 160. Though the ceasefire generally continues to hold, the IDF opens fire on Palestinians who protest at the border fence nr. Khan Yunis, injuring 1 man. (AP, MNA 11/22; PCHR 11/29)
In the West Bank, Israeli authorities transfer 30 Palestinian prisoners to administrative detention, apparently because of their involvement in solidarity events for Gaza. (MNA 11/22)
The IDF patrols in 1 village each nr. Jenin and Tulkarm in the afternoon; conducts house searches and arrests in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning and in Qalqilya, al-Bireh, Balata r.c. nr. Nablus, 3 villages nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Jenin, 1 village nr. Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Tulkarm, Nur Shams r.c. nr. Tulkarm, 1 village nr. Ramallah, and Bethlehem, 4 nearby villages, and Dahaysha r.c. and al-Azza r.c. (both nr. Bethlehem) at night. Those detained overnight include at least 5 mbrs. of the Palestinian parliament affiliated with Hamas. Right-wing Jewish extremists chop down 300 olive trees belonging to Palestinians nr. Hebron, leaving graffiti nearby reading ‘‘price tag’’ and ‘‘regards from Beersheba and Tel Aviv.’’ (MNA 11/22; MNA, ToI 11/23; PCHR 11/29)
The European Parliament passes a resolution expressing support for ‘‘Palestine’s bid to become a UN nonmember observer.’’ (EJP 11/22)
The Lebanese army disables a rocket aimed at Israel and say 2 others were fired but fell short of the border. No group claims responsibility. (REU 11/22)
