The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinians traveling near Nablus and Tulkarm. Israeli forces shot and killed 3 Palestinians after they shot and killed an Israeli soldier and injured 3 Israeli soldiers at the Tunnels checkpoint west of Bethlehem; Hamas took responsibility for the attack. Israeli forces also shot and injured 3 Palestinians, including 2 children during raids in Beita and Deir Nidham. Elsewhere, Israeli forces assaulted 2 Palestinians near Carmel, causing bruises. Israeli forces also demolished 2 homes and a marble factory in Wadi Fukin. 69 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Hebron, Dura, Jenin, Kafr Ra’i, Qalqilya, Husan, Nablus, Jericho, and al-Fara’a refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested during a late-night raid in Isawiya. In Gaza, telecommunications broke down for the third time, this time due to a lack of fuel. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 19 people in Jabaliya refugee camp, al-Qarara, and al-Maghazi refugee camp. The number of fatalities was likely much higher since the Gaza Ministry of Health was unable to communicate with hospitals and civil defense members in northern Gaza and due to the telecommunications breakdown. Israeli forces continued to raid al-Shifa Hospital, stealing bodies of Palestinians who had not yet been buried. Israel also put al-Ahli Hospital under siege, preventing movement in and out of the hospital. Israel said the bodies of 2 of the Israeli captives were found in a building near al-Shifa Hospital. In South Lebanon, Israel attacked several sites and anti-tank missiles were fired at Israel. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/16; AJ, AP 11/17)

The Gaza Ministry of Health was not able to update the casualty figures due to a collapse in services and communications at hospitals in northern Gaza, leaving the death toll at 11,479, including 4,630 children and 3,130 women, and around 32,000 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. At least 3,250 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 190 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 47 children. More than 2,730 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals had been killed and 5,431 have injured since 10/7. 51 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.61 million Palestinians, around 70% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12 due to the Israel blockade. As of 11/6, at least 40,000 housing units have been destroyed and 220,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 45% of all housing units. No aid entered Gaza due to UNRWA vehicles running out of fuel. Turkey said that 27 cancer patients from Gaza arrived in Turkey for treatment. The director of the Indonesian Hospital said its facilities were “completely out of service,” with 45 patients still awaiting surgery. The Gaza Ministry of Health said 9 out of 35 hospitals in Gaza were partially functioning while the rest were out of service. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA 11/16)

The Palestinian Prisoners Society said Israel had arrested more than 2,760 Palestinians during raids in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7. (AJ, WAFA 11/16)

The members of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee at the UN said they will not participate in the establishment of a “safe zone” without an agreement of all parties, saying these ‘safe zones’ otherwise put Palestinians at risk. (UNOCHA 11/16)

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh said he was confident in the resistance’s ability to outlast the Israeli war on Gaza. (AJ 11/16)

The Israeli military claimed to have found a tunnel and weapons at al-Shifa Hospital but refused to allow independent observers access to its findings. Israel had claimed that Hamas had a command-and-control center at the hospital but no longer appeared to make that claim. (AJ, REU, REU 11/16)

PA finance minister Shoukry Bishara sent a letter to Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich demanding that Israel pay the PA the full amount of tax revenue due from October. (HA 11/16)

Israeli interior minister Moshe Arbel informed 2 Palestinians, who he claims are Hamas operatives, that Israel has begun efforts to revoke their Jerusalem residency status. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel should stop talks on a prisoner swap, saying Israel should only “talk with fire and brimstone.” (AJ, HA 11/16)

Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi said Jordan will not ratify an agreement with Israel to exchange water for energy due to Israel’s attacks on Gaza. (AJ, HA, REU 11/16)

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Israel must ensure that food, water, and medical care is available at al-Shifa Hospital. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz, urging him to address the rise in settler violence and discussing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Blinken also told ABC News that he has told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel cannot reoccupy Gaza. France called Israeli settler violence a “policy of terror.” (AJ, HA, REU 11/16; AJ, HA, WAFA 11/17)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Israel was violating the visa waiver agreement with the U.S. by preventing Palestinian Americans from entering the West Bank and flying into Ben-Gurion Airport. (AX, NYT 11/16)

Bloomberg News reported that the EU and U.S. were considering raising a UN peacekeeping force to be deployed in Gaza when a ceasefire is reached. (AJ 11/16)

U.S. senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called on Israel to “Stop the bombing NOW” in a tweet on X. (AJ, HA 11/16)

The Los Angeles Times editorial board called for a ceasefire. (AJ 11/16)

Protesters from Jewish Voice for Peace blocked traffic on the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, calling for a ceasefire. (AJ, HA, REU 11/16)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor during a raid in Jaba‘, claiming that the teenager had thrown a Molotov cocktail at the forces. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 8 with baton rounds. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians in Hebron, injuring 2 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians with tear gas in Ein al-Beida. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen northwest of Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinians working their land east of Jabalia; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA 7/2; AA, AJ, AP, HA, MEE, WAFA 7/3; PCHR 7/4; PCHR 7/7; UNOCHA 7/22)

The PA handed the bullet that killed Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh to U.S. security envoy Mike Fenzel, who brought the bullet to the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem for forensic analysis with Israeli representatives present. It was reported that the PA was under intense pressure from the Biden administration to hand over the bullet and had not been told that the Israelis would partake in the forensics analysis. PA general prosecutor Akram al-Khatib later said that the U.S. had given guarantees that Israel would not take part in the analysis of the bullet. (AX 7/1; AA, AJ, AP, AX, MEE, REU, WAFA, WSJ 7/2; F24, HA, MEMO, REU 7/3; HA, JP, TOI 7/4)

1 68-year-old Palestinian woman died in an Israeli prison 6 months after being arrested for an alleged stabbing attempt in Hebron. The PA said it held Israel responsible for the death of the woman, who had yet to be sentenced. (HA, MEE, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA 7/2; AJ, WAFA 7/3; HA 7/9)

In Syria, Israeli forces fired missiles from northern Lebanese air space at chicken farms in Hamidiyeh, injuring 2 Syrians and causing damage. (AJ, AX, HA, MEE 7/2)

Israel said it had shot down 3 Hezbollah drones at a gas drilling rig in a maritime area disputed between Lebanon and Israel. Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati later criticized Hezbollah in a statement for launching the drones without government coordination. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, NAT, REU, REU, TOI 7/2; HA, HA 7/3; HA 7/4)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked a group of Palestinian children near Silat ad-Dhahr, catching, abducting, and torturing 1 for 1 hour and 30 minutes at the Hermesh settlement outpost before Israeli soldiers picked him up after being notified by Palestinians. Israeli forces demolished 1 house under construction in Yatma. 7 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 during late-night raids in al-Bireh, Hebron, and Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, 1 at a checkpoint near Ya‘bad, and 1 at a checkpoint while seeking an entry permit to East Jerusalem for treatment of cancer. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided and shut down a ceremony for Palestinians who passed their high school exams in Isawiya, claiming it was sponsored by the PA. Israeli forces also demolished 1 nursery school and 1 house in Bayt Safafa. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled farmland east of Maghazi and al-Bureij refugee camp. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Jabalia; no injuries were reported. (AA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/17; AA 8/18; PCHR 8/19; HA 8/26; JP 8/31; AP 9/10)

PA firefighters joined Israeli firefighters to combat wildfires raging west and southwest of Jerusalem. Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz thanked Mahmoud Abbas for “his initiative” in a tweet. The PA sent 20 Palestinian firefighters and 4 fire engines to help combat the fires. President Abbas later received a phone call from Israeli public security minister Omer Bar Lev thanking Abbas for sending the firefighters. (HA, MEMO, WAFA 8/18)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas, PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh, and foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki met with the Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Ramallah. In a statement, the PA said Foreign Minister al-Maliki called on Japan to recognize the State of Palestine. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/17)

Issam Daalis, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, said that militant factions in Gaza will start violently resisting Israeli restrictions put on Gaza during May if those restrictions are not lifted by 8/21. The ultimatum was made after a meeting of senior Hamas members. Daalis also said that Egypt had asked Hamas to give Israel time and the Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett had said some restrictions would be gradually lifted. (MEMO 8/18)

Israeli Palestinian lawmaker Ahmad Tibi from the Joint List filed a complaint against an Israeli soldier who prevented him and 3 other lawmakers from reaching al-Ibrahimi Mosque on 8/14 during a protest against Israeli renovations to the structure. Tibi further asserted that the soldier assaulted him during the incident. (HA 8/18)

In Syria, Israeli forces fired missiles at areas within Quneitra province from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The extent of the damage or if there were any casualties was unclear. (AP, HA 8/17)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers opened fire at Hizma, causing damage. Israeli settlers also attacked a Palestinian TV crew near Hebron covering the killing of 1 Palestinian woman (see below). Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian near Hebron, claiming that she had opened fire at soldiers and settlers with an M16 rifle; no Israelis were injured. Israeli forces seriously wounded 1 Palestinian near Jaba‘. Israeli forces also sealed off the entrances to Silwad and Kafr al-Dik. Elsewhere, Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at a car repair shop near al-Za‘ayyem, causing a fire damaging several vehicles. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Huwwara, injuring 2 with rubber-coated bullets and 15 with tear gas. Separately, Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qalqilya, al-Arqa, and al-Bireh, leading to tear-gas related injuries. 29 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Bani Na‘im, al-Dhariyya, al-Ubaydiyya, Tuqu‘, al-Ram, Birzeit, Bil‘in, Beita, Madama, Tell, Qabatiya, Silat al-Harithiyya, al-Tamun, Tubas, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers assaulted church officials at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, causing injuries and 1 hospitalization. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Shu‘fat and Shaykh Jarrah. In Gaza, 13 Palestinians were killed, including 2 children and 1 pregnant woman, and many were injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 219 to 232, including 65 children and 3 pregnant women. The casualties included: 4, including 1 pregnant woman and 1 child, and 2 were wounded in air strikes on 2 houses in Dayr al-Balah; 2, including 1 child, during air strikes in Jabaliya; 2 in air strikes on apartment buildings in Gaza City; 1, and 1 child wounded in artillery shelling in Bayt Hanun; 1 by live ammunition while on agricultural lands east of Juhur al-Dik; 1 Palestinian succumbed to wounds sustained on 5/13 during an air strike on Bayt Hanun; 2 bodies of unidentified Palestinians arrived at al-Shifa Hospital. 7 residential buildings and 1 youth center were demolished in Israeli attacks on Khan Yunis. In Israel, 1 Palestinian-Israeli minor who was shot and injured by Israeli police while sitting in a car with friends in Umm al-Fahm on 5/18 succumbed to his injuries. 1 Israeli man stabbed and injured 1 Palestinian worker from the West Bank in Holon. 58 Palestinian citizens of Israel were reported arrested after the general strike and mass protest on 5/18. 1 Israeli was lightly wounded by a rocket from Gaza in Sderot, 2 other rockets caused damage. 4 rockets were fired at the Haifa and ‘Akka areas from Lebanon; no damage or injuries were reported. Israel subsequently shelled areas of Lebanon; no damage or injuries were reported. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, MEE, PCHR, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/19; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, MEMO, PCHR, PCHR, WAFA 5/20; HA, MEE, MEMO 5/21; NYT 5/26)

Hamas said it estimated that $92 million’s worth of damage was sustained to residential buildings and non-governmental offices since 5/10. $22 million’s worth of damage was sustained to the power grid as people in Gaza only are receiving 3-4 hours of electricity a day. Hamas also said that Gaza’s water supply is hard hit with 95% of the water unfit for drinking. (HA 5/20)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas said in a speech that his efforts to hold elections are ongoing, and that he is “ready to form an internationally accepted unity government.” President Abbas also discussed the situation in Gaza and East Jerusalem with UN secretary-general António Guterres. (WAFA, WAFA 5/19; ALM 5/21)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh spoke with EU representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff in Ramallah, calling on the EU to pressure Israel to stop its aggression in East Jerusalem and Gaza. Prime Minister Shtayyeh also spoke with Facebook executives about Facebook’s censuring of Palestinian voices on its platforms. (WAFA, WAFA 5/19)

An Israeli court ruled that Israeli forces had violated international law when they shot and killed 1 Palestinian 14-year-old in 2004 near Rafah, but that the family was not entitled to compensation, citing a wartime action principle. The Israeli soldiers shot her after she ran away from them as they fired warning shots. After she ran from the soldiers, they fired at her back and the commander shot her again as she lie dead on the ground. The commander was acquitted of all charges at an Israeli military court the year after. (HA 5/20)

A spokesperson for the Israeli military said that it had been trying to assassinate the head of Hamas’s military division Mohammed Deif throughout the duration of the ongoing attack on Gaza. Hamas later told AP that Deif is still alive and in charge of its military operations. (HA 5/19; AP 5/20)

1 Israeli journalist from Channel 20 was fired after saying, during a live broadcast, that “[o]ne [rocket] has fallen on a soccer field in a large Arab community [Shefa-Amr, a Palestinian-Israeli community]. Regretfully for us, it did not result in mass deaths there.” The rocket that the Israeli journalist Kobi Finkler was referring to was fired from Lebanon. (AJ, HA 5/20)

Haaretz reported that applications for gun licenses in Israel had risen 7-fold in the past weeks as violence had been rising in Israel. (HA 5/19)

The UNRWA appealed to have the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings opened for humanitarian access. (AJ 5/19)

U.S. president Joe Biden spoke to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to de-escalate the violence, according to a White House readout. It was the 4th time the 2 spoke in a week. Prime Minister Netanyahu said later in a statement that he was “determined to carry on with the attacks until calm and security are restored to Israeli citizens.” It was also reported that Egypt had secured a ceasefire agreement in principle between Hamas and Israel. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said calm could only be restored if Israel stopped its attack on Jerusalem and Gaza. Netanyahu also told some 70 foreign diplomats that he is considering sending group troops to Gaza to “conquer” it. (AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, AX, HA, HA, MEE, REU 5/19; AP, AP, AX 5/20) 

A letter circulated among House Democrats by Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) called for the U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken to work toward a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, and to provide humanitarian relief to Gaza. The letter also called for more than doubling the U.S. funding to the UNRWA, bringing the U.S. funding back to the level it was before the Trump administration ended all funding. Separately, more than 130 members of the House called on an immediate ceasefire. 3 Democrats in the House, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) also introduced a resolution aimed at blocking the $735 million’s worth of arms to Israel. In the Senate, senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, saying that every Palestinian and Israeli life matters; 8 other Democrats later co-sponsored the resolution. (AJ, HA, HA, HA, REU, Twitter 5/19; AJ 5/20)

Facebook said it has set up a center to monitor Arabic and Hebrew content deemed inflammatory or otherwise violating Facebook’s policies. Facebook has been criticized for silencing Palestinian voices on its social media platforms, including Instagram and WhatsApp. (WAFA 5/19; HA 5/20)

250 employees at Alphabet, the parent company of Google, wrote an open letter calling for Alphabet to review all business contracts, terminating those “with institutions that support violations of Palestinian rights,” including the Israeli military. The letter also called for not stifling free speech on Palestine. (AJ, HA, MEE, WAFA 5/19)

At the UN, the U.S. again refused to support a UN security council (UNSC) statement calling for an immediate ceasefire after intensified pressure from France. This was the 4th time the UNSC had met to discuss the escalation between Hamas and Israel since it began and the 4th time that the U.S. has blocked a statement. (AX 5/18; AJ, REU 5/19; HA 5/20)

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa said to France24 that the situation in Gaza, particularly the bombing of homes and confinement to the strip, reminded him of apartheid in South Africa. When asked if Israel was an apartheid state, President Ramaphosa said that the country is an apartheid type of state. (F24 5/19; MEMO, WAFA 5/20; AM 5/21)

Norway’s wealth fund divested from 2 companies, Shapir Engineering and Industry Ltd. and Mivne Real Estate KD Ltd., due to the companies’ involvement in Israeli settlement activity. (AJ 5/20; MEMO 5/21)

Ireland announced $1.83 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza. (WAFA 5/20)

The Iranian Red Crescent said it would donate $100,000 to the Palestinian Red Crescent to help treat the wounded in Gaza. (WAFA 5/19)

UNRWA called for extra funding of $38 million to help the organization with its humanitarian efforts after the attacks on Gaza. (WAFA 5/19; AJ 5/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized 1 solar panel and 15 olive seedlings near ‘Urif. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Dura and Bayt Umar, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 13, including 5 with live ammunition and 8 with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces seized a caravan in Sabastiyya. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Tarqumiyya and Jenin refugee camp; Israeli forces also seized a vehicle during a house raid in Aqraba. In East Jerusalem, 1 Israeli settler rammed Palestinians with his vehicle near the Old City, causing injuries; Palestinians were throwing stones at the vehicle but it was unclear what transpired before the ramming, which appeared in a video. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinians in Shaykh Jarrah during a tour of the neighborhood by 2 Israeli lawmakers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Israeli forces attacked Palestinian worshipers with tear gas, sound bombs, and rubber-coated bullets at the Haram al-Sharif compound, injuring more than 305 people, including inside of al-Aqsa Mosque where a sound bomb caught a carpet on fire. Israeli forces prevented the Palestinian Red Crescent from entering the compound. Israel also reversed its decision from 5/9 to allow Jewish worshipers to enter the Haram al-Sharif compound for the Israeli celebration of Jerusalem Day. The Jerusalem Day march was later canceled by its organizers as Israeli police decided to prevent the settler march to go through the Damascus Gate plaza. Israeli forces also confiscated the keys to the al-Aqsa Mosque from the Islamic Waqf. Also at the Haram al-Sharif compound, Israeli police were filmed beating up an Israeli-accredited Palestinian journalist covering the events for Anadolu Agency. The Palestinian Red Crescent said that 612 Palestinians were injured throughout Jerusalem, including 333 who were hospitalized. In Gaza, Israeli started a military operation later dubbed “Guardian of the Wall” after Hamas fired rockets at Israel, giving Israel hours to leave the Haram al-Sharif compound. Hamas had earlier in the day warned Israel that it would fire rockets at 6 p.m. if Israel did not remove its forces from the holy places. 20 Palestinians were killed, including 9 children, and dozens were injured. The casualties included: 2, including 1 child, in 1 drone strike at Jabaliya; 10, including 6 children in 2 drone strikes at Bayt Hanun, with 32 others wounded, including 12 children; and 1, with 2 injured, in an Israeli air strike in Khan Yunis. 7 were also killed, including 1 child, and 34 were injured in Jabaliya in an explosion that was not conclusively attributed to an Israeli air strike. Additionally, damage was sustained in al-Bureij refugee camp, al-Qarara, and Rafah. In Israel, 1 Palestinian citizen of Israel was shot dead and 1 other injured by 1 Jewish-Israeli in Lydda; 3 Jewish-Israelis were arrested. Israeli forces later violently dispersed Palestinian-Israeli protesters at the Lydda city hall. In Ramla, Jewish-Israelis threw stones at Palestinian-Israelis and their property and set fire to trash cans. Israeli police dispersed Palestinian-Israeli protesters in Nazareth, Kafr Kana, Kafr Manda, Shefa-Amr, Majdal Krum, Dayr Khana, Umm al-Fahm, Baka al-Garbiyeh, Taiba, Jaffa, Haifa, and Jaljulya; 46 were arrested. The Knesset was evacuated after a rocket from Gaza landed in the vicinity of Jerusalem. (HA 5/9; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AX, FOX, GDN, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, MEE, MEE, MEMO, NYT, PCHR, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/10; ALM, HA, HA, MEE, PCHR, PCHR 5/11; ALM, HA, WAFA 5/12; WAFA 5/19; MEE 5/21; NYT 5/26)

Israel closed all crossings to Gaza and the sea for fishing as collective punishment for rockets fired at Israel. (PCHR 5/10)

The PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and the PA presidency condemned Israel’s attack on the Haram al-Sharif compound and called on the international community to take action. The PA civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh said the Palestinian leadership is “examining all options to respond to this heinous aggression against the holy sites and the citizens.” PA president Mahmoud Abbas also discussed the situation with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/10)

Leader of the Ra’am (United Arab List) Mansour Abbas said that he had broken off contacts with Israeli opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett just before he was to have a joint meeting with them, citing the violence in Jerusalem and Gaza. Mansour Abbas met with Naftali Bennett on 5/9. (ALM, HA 5/10; ALM, HA, MEMO, NBC 5/11)

Israel attacked Syria in the Quneitra region with a helicopter, injuring 1. (HA 5/10)

Iran confirmed that it is in direct talks with Saudi Arabia to resolve the issues between the 2 countries. A Saudi official confirmed the talks on 5/7. (AJ, HA, REU 5/10)

The U.S. said 1 of its Coast Guard ships had fired 30 warning shots at 13 Iranian vessels that came too close to the ship and 6 other U.S. navy vessels. Iran said that it was the U.S. that had acted recklessly in the encounter. (AJ, HA, REU 5/10; AP, MEMO 5/11)

UN security council members met at an emergency session to discuss the situation in Palestine-Israel. No statement was issued after the meeting. U.S. state department spokesperson Ned Price said that the U.S. administration wanted to make sure that a statement would “not escalate tensions.” Spokesperson Price also refused to say if the U.S. condemned the Israeli air strike that killed 9 Palestinian children, and suggested that Palestinians, contrary to Israelis, do not have the right to defend themselves, saying that only states recognized by the U.S. have that right. (HA, MEE 5/11)

In the West Bank, 4 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Qalqilya; during the raids in Ramallah and Bethlehem, 3 Palestinians were injured. Israeli forces prevented Palestinian farmers east of Tubas from plowing their land. In East Jerusalem, 9 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya and Silwan. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen 3 nautical miles off the coast of Jabaliya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/18; PCHR 12/19)

A 21-year-old Palestinian shepherd who lost 4 fingers due to an undetonated grenade in a West Bank military firing zone in 2012 was awarded, by the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, $87,000 for his injuries as the court ruled that the Israeli defense ministry had neglected to clear the area. (HA 12/18)

U.S. president Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. house of representatives. 2 articles of impeachment passed. Article 1: Abuse of Power passed 230-197 and Article 2: Obstruction of Congress passed 229-198. (FOX, NYT, REU, WP 12/18; AP, CNN 12/19)

The World Bank announced that it will provide a $9 million grant to improve early childhood development among Palestinian children. (World Bank 12/18; WAFA 12/20)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian shepherds working near Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. Later, they open fire on Palestinian minors approaching the border fence near Gaza City, injuring 1. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces cut down or uproot at least 520 olive trees in a Palestinian grove outside Bardala village near Jericho. They also demolish a recently repaired road outside Hebron and a Palestinian home between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. IDF troops arrest 2 Palestinian brothers at a checkpoint in central Hebron when one of them is found with a knife on his person; arrest 8 more Palestinians during late-night raids near Salfit, Jenin, Tulkarm, and Hebron; and patrol near Hebron. The raids in Jenin refugee camp spark clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is lightly injured. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian imam while he is leaving his mosque in Silwan and demolish a Palestinian home in al-Walaja village. (MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 2/11; MNA 2/12; PCHR 2/14)

Two Palestinians suffocate to death and several others are injured when Egyptian forces pump unidentified gases into a smuggling tunnel running from Gaza into northeastern Sinai Peninsula. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/11)

A U.S. official denies that the Trump administration has asked U.S. and international financial institutions to stop transactions with the Palestinians, denying a charge leveled by a senior PA official on 2/10. “The U.S. has not requested that foreign donors restrict assistance to the Palestinians, nor has it requested that financial institutions cease transfers to Palestinian Authority (PA) bank accounts,” the official says. (AFP, TOI 2/12)

U.S. representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) apologizes for her 2/10 tweet about Israeli influence in U.S. politics. “Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes,” she writes in an apology statement. “At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, wither it be AIPAC, the NRA, or the fossil fuel industry.” (NYT 2/11; CNN 2/12)

Israeli forces strike a demolished hospital and an observation post along the Syria-Israel border in Qunaytra, causing moderate damage, according to the Syrian press. An IDF spokesperson declines comment. (HA, JP, REU, TOI, YA 2/11)

Unidentified Palestinians fly an incendiary device from Gaza into southern Israel attached to a cluster of balloons, where it lands in an open area in the Sdot Negev Regional Council. IDF troops detonate the device, causing no damage or injuries. In response, the Israeli Air Force conducts 3 air strikes on Hamas sites in Khan Yunis, Gaza City, and Bayt Hanun, causing extensive damage. Also along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians gathering to continue the Great March of Return near al-Bureij refugee camp; 1 Palestinian is injured. They also open fire on Palestinian farmland near Rafah, Gaza City, Bayt Hanun, and Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, following the shooting attack on an Israeli settler vehicle at the nearby Beit El checkpoint on 1/5, IDF troops conduct raids in al-Bireh overnight, confiscating surveillance tapes and sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents of the area throughout the day; several Palestinians are injured (1 critically). They also arrest 5 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids near Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron, and Tubas; and patrol near Hebron and Nablus. Israeli settlers uproot 60 olive and almond trees from a Palestinian grove near Hebron. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, YA 1/6; PCHR 1/10)

Following a week of increasing tensions between Fatah and Hamas, the Fatah-dominated PA announces plans to remove its staff from the Rafah border crossing on 1/7. “This decision comes in the light of recent developments and brutal practices of the de facto gangs,” reads the PA statement. “Since we took over the Rafah crossing, Hamas has been obstructing the work of our crew there. We had to bear a lot in order to give the opportunity for the Egyptian effort to end the division.” The PA took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing in the context of the 10/12/17 Hamas-Fatah reconciliation agreement, which was never fully implemented. (JP, REU, WAFA 1/6)

U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman says that the Trump administration’s long-awaited Palestinian-Israeli peace plan will likely not be released for at least several more months. “We want to release it a way that gives it the best chance of getting a good reception,” he says, adding that the upcoming Israeli elections on 4/9 are “a factor, but not the only factor.” Meanwhile, U.S. national security advisor John Bolton meets with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Following the meeting, Bolton says that the U.S.-Israel relationship has never been stronger than it is now under Netanyahu and U.S. president Donald Trump. (HA, JP, JP, TOI 1/6)

In an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi says that Egypt’s military coordination with Israel is at its “closest ever.” He adds, “We have a wide range of cooperation with the Israelis.” (AJ, CBS, HA 1/6)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops detect and dismantle an explosive device lashed to a balloon in an open area near the border fence. Separately, 2 Palestinians cut through the border fence near Jabaliya refugee camp, throw an incendiary device at an IDF post, and return to Gaza. The attack causes no reported damage. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a water pipeline in Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is lightly injured. IDF troops conduct raids in al-Walaja near Bethlehem, sparking minor clashes; there are no reported injuries. They arrest 12 Palestinians during further raids in and around Hebron, Bethlehem, and Tulkarm; and patrol near Nablus, Bethlehem, Tulkarm, Salfit, and Qalqilya. Israeli settlers harass Palestinian farmers working near Nablus; there are no reported injuries. A settler assaults a Palestinian in Hebron’s Old City, breaking he man’s jaw. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 4 Palestinians during late-night raids in al-Ram, sparking clashes; there are no reported injuries. They arrest 1 more Palestinian during a raid in Silwan. (MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/13; MNA 10/14; PCHR 10/18) 

Israeli defense minister Avigdor Lieberman says that he will not allow any more Qatari-funded fuel transfers to Gaza until all violence along Gaza’s border is “entirely” over. “As long as the violent protests continue on the Gaza border, including the launching of incendiary balloons and kites and the burning of tires near Israeli towns, the fuel and gas for the Gaza Strip will not be renewed.” Lieberman ordered the transfers to stop on 10/12. Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh says that the protests and other resistance activities along Gaza’s border will continue until the “siege on Jerusalem, [Haram al-Sharif] and all the lands of Palestine is lifted.” (TOI 10/13)

Thousands of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border to continue the Great March of Return. IDF troops violently disperse them near Khan Yunis, Rafah, Gaza City, Jabaliya refugee camp, and al-Bureij refugee camp; 7 Palestinians are killed, including 2 children, and at least 500 are injured. This brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 166. After reports of fires in southern Israel sparked by incendiary kites and balloons flown from Gaza, Israeli artillery shells protesters allegedly behind the attacks near Gaza City; there are no reported injuries. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops shut down all roads leading to Khan al-Ahmar, the Bedouin village near Jerusalem that is slated for evacuation and demolition. The Israeli authorities declare the area a closed military zone in preparation of imminent demolitions. Later, hundreds of Palestinians gather in the village for Friday prayers in solidarity with the residents. IDF troops violently disperse Friday protests against the Israeli occupation in Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya; several Palestinians are injured. They also conduct raids in Yatta village near Hebron overnight, sparking minor clashes with residents; and patrols near Hebron, Nablus, and Tulkarm. Armed Palestinians reportedly open fire on an IDF checkpoint near Ramallah late at night, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA 9/28; MNA, MNA 9/29; PCHR 10/4)

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announces that it has received a complaint from the State of Palestine against the U.S. regarding the move of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem earlier this year. According to the ICJ, the Palestinians are arguing that the move represented a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations. (HA, MNA, REU, TOI, WAFA, YA 9/29)

Following a petition from the American Civil Liberties Union, a federal court in Arizona blocks implementation of the state’s 2016 anti-BDS law, which requires that state contractors certify that they don’t participate in any boycotts of Israel. District Judge Diane Humetewa writes, “A restriction of one’s ability to participate in collective calls to oppose Israel unquestionably burdens the protected expression of companies wishing to engage in such a boycott.” (EI, HA 9/28)

Approximately 1,500 right-wing Jewish activists visit Joseph’s Tomb near Nablus overnight, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and Palestinian residents of the area; 20 Palestinians are injured, including 2 journalists. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops raid a Palestinian boys school near Nablus, sparking minor clashes; there are no reported injuries. They also arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in Qalqilya; and patrol near Hebron and Tulkarm. Separately, PA security forces arrest dozens of Hamas affiliates during raids across the West Bank. The raids come one day after Hamas security forces summoned dozens of Fatah members for interrogation in Gaza. In East Jerusalem, approximately 1135 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif to commemorate Sukkot, sparking minor confrontations between their Israeli security escort and Palestinian worshippers; there are no reported injuries or arrests. Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Qalandia refugee camp, Biddu, and the Old City. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct limited incursions to level land near Khan Yunis and Bayt Lahiya. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 9/27; PCHR 10/4)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas addresses the UN General Assembly in New York City, calling on the Trump administration to reverse its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reinstate aid to UNRWA, and oppose Israel’s settlement enterprise. “It is ironic that the [Trump] administration still talks about what they call the ‘Deal of the Century,’” he says. “But what is left for this administration to give to the Palestinian people?" He also calls on Hamas to implement their 12/7/17 reconciliation agreement and give up control of Gaza to the PA. In response, Hamas releases a statement calling Abbas’s speech a “declaration of failure” on the stalled Palestinian reconciliation process. (HA, TOI, YA 9/27; DPA, HA, HA, JP, MNA, MNA, TOI, YA, YA 9/28)

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi says that Germany, Sweden, the EU, Japan, and Turkey, as well as a number of other countries, collectively pledged $118 million to UNRWA at a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York City this week. Meanwhile, the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, the main policy-level fundraising body for the Palestinians, meets in New York to discuss an proposed humanitarian aid package for Gaza. (HA, JP, MNA 9/28; TOI 9/29)

After meeting with Rwandan president Paul Kagame, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces that Israel and Rwanda will soon open embassies in each other’s countries. Netanyahu also says Kagame wants to start a direct flight between Kigali and Tel Aviv. (TOI 9/29)

Unidentified Palestinians in Gaza open fire on an Israeli construction crew working along Gaza’s border fence, causing minor damage to a vehicle. Israeli forces then shell a Hamas post near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing an unclear amount of damage. Armed groups in Gaza then launch 8 rockets into southern Israel, injuring 3 Israelis and causing minor damage in Sderot. In a significant escalation, the IAF conducts a massive wave of retaliatory air strikes, targeting approximately 140 sites across Gaza; 3 Palestinians are killed, including a pregnant mother and her 18-month-old child, and 12 are injured (2 critically). The strikes cause significant damage. After the first wave of air strikes, Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza launch approximately 150 rockets and other projectiles into Israel; 9 Israelis and 1 Thai worker are injured. (TOI 8/8; AHR, EI, HA, MNA, PCHR, TOI, WAFA 8/9; PCHR 8/16)

Before the escalation of violence in the afternoon, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working along Gaza’s border fence near Gaza City, causing no injuries or damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 8 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids in and around Qalqilya, Bethlehem, Jericho, Tulkarm, Hebron, and Nablus; and patrol near Jenin and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 4 Palestinians and confiscate 3 vehicles during raids in Qalandia refugee camp and Qatanna. (MNA 8/8; MNA 8/9)

The residents of Khan al-Ahmar, the Bedouin village near Jerusalem that the Israeli government has slated for evacuation and destruction, decide not to accept any relocation proposals, including the one the Israeli government filed with the High Court of Justice on 8/7. (MNA 8/8)

PA FM al-Maliki announces that Colombia has decided to recognize the State of Palestine. Colombia was previously the only South American country not to recognize the State of Palestine. (WAFA 8/8; HA, TOI, YA 8/9)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya on 2 separate occasions, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border fence, IDF troops open fire on a Great March of Return tent camp near Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Jabaliya refugee camp. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya and the Old City. (MNA 5/21; PCHR 5/24)

One week after the U.S. and Guatemala formally opened their new embassies in Jerusalem, Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes attends a similar ceremony to inaugurate the new Paraguayan embassy in the city. Meanwhile, a senior PA official says that the Palestinians are urging Arab states to cut ties with Guatemala and Paraguay over their embassy relocations. “A similar request was made regarding America after it relocated its embassy, but it was clear that no Arab nation would cut its ties with the U.S.,” the official says. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/21)

For the 5th consecutive Friday, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at protests against U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya, Bil‘in near Ramallah, and along Gaza’s border near Jabaliya refugee camp; 1 Palestinian is injured. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 1 Palestinian and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids near Hebron, and patrol near Hebron and Qalqilya. (MNA, WAFA 1/5; PCHR 1/11)

Axios reports that the U.S. has frozen $125 million in aid to UNRWA, following U.S. pres. Trump’s threats to condition support for the agency on Palestinians’ participation in his peace initiative. The sum comprises one third of annual U.S. support for the agency, and it was set to be delivered on 1/1. A State Dept. official later denies the story. “Just because they were expecting the money on the 1st, and they did not get it at that time, does not mean it was suspended or canceled. Deliberations are ongoing, and we have until mid-January to make a final decision.” (AX, FP, TOI 1/5; JP, REU, TOI 1/6)

For a 7th day in a row, Palestinians across the oPt gather to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital (attendance continues to steadily decline). Israeli forces violently disperse protestors in Hebron and 3 nearby villages (Dura, Bayt Umar, and Halhul), outside the Beit El settlement near Ramallah, Bethlehem, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and along Gaza’s border near al-Bureij refugee camp, Bayt Hanun, Khan Yunis, and Rafah; at least 26 Palestinians are injured, including 1 journalist, and 5 are arrested. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently detain 2 Palestinian youths inside an ambulance in Halhul; arrest 3 Palestinians during late-night raids in Hebron and near Ramallah; and patrol in and around Hebron, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian students outside a school in Burin village near Nablus, sparking minor clashes; there are no serious injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids in Issawiyya and Abu Dis. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 12/13; MNA, PCHR 12/14)

Unidentified parties fire 3 rockets from Gaza toward Israel in the evening; 2 are intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system and 1 falls in an open area, causing no damage or injuries. The IAF conducts air strikes on at least 5 Hamas sites across Gaza, causing damage but no injuries. The Israeli authorities announce that both the Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings will be closed indefinitely as collective punishment for the week of rocket attacks emanating from Gaza. (HA, TOI 12/13; HA, PCHR, WAFA, YA 12/14; PCHR 12/21)

At an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, reps. of the 57 OIC members jointly declare East Jerusalem to be the capital of the State of Palestine and urge all countries to recognize Palestine. Addressing the attendees, PA pres. Abbas says that Israel’s violations and of international law free the Palestinians from prior commitments made in context of the peace process, threatens to abandon the PA’s security coordination with the IDF, and announces the Palestinians’ intention to go to the UNSC for full UN membership. (AFP, HA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/13)

Thousands of Palestinians gather across the oPt to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The IDF deploys additional battalions in the West Bank to quell the protests, and Israeli forces violently disperse them in Tulkarm, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jenin, Shu‘fat refugee camp, at a checkpoint near Ramallah, in the Old City of Jerusalem, and along Gaza’s border near Khan Yunis and al-Bureij refugee camp; at least 30 Palestinians are injured, including 9 with live ammunition, and 16 are arrested. Palestinians also observe a general strike throughout most of the oPt. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 14 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya, Ras al-Amud, and Wadi al-Juz. (HA, MNA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/7; PCHR 12/14)

Unidentified parties fire 3 rockets from Gaza toward Israel; 2 fall short of the border, and 1 lands in an open area in southern Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF targets 2 Hamas positions in Gaza with artillery shelling and air strikes. (HA, MNA, WAFA 12/7)

In response to U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the Palestinian delegation at the UN files a formal complaint, requesting that the UN Security Council (UNSC) work toward reversing Trump’s decision. Senior PA official Jibril Rajoub says that U.S. VP Mike Pence, who is set to visit Israel and the oPt later this month, is “unwelcome in Palestine.” He says the Palestinians “will not welcome Trump’s deputy in the [oPt].” The response from the international community is near-universal condemnation, with few exceptions. Israeli PM Netanyahu says that some countries have reached out to discuss similar recognitions of Jerusalem. “I have no doubt than when the U.S. embassy will move there, and even before that, many embassies will relocate to Jerusalem,” he adds. Czech Republic pres. Miloš Zeman says Trump’s announcement made him “truly happy.”(HA, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/7; HA 12/8)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish the 2d floor of a Palestinian residential building in al-Za’ayem village near Jerusalem. IDF troops arrest 8 Palestinians, issue 1 arrest summons, and confiscate 1 car during latenight raids in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, and Nablus, and patrol near Hebron and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in Sur al-Bahir. On 3 separate occasions, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp off Gaza’s coast. They arrest 2 fishermen and confiscate 1 boat. (MNA, WAFA 9/18; PCHR 9/21)

PA pres. Abbas tells Hamas leader Haniyeh by phone that he is “satisfied with the atmosphere” created by Hamas’s 9/17 pledge to dissolve its administrative committee in Gaza. He also promises to follow up when he returns from his trip to the UNGA in New York this week. (TOI, WAFA 9/18)

On the sidelines of the UNGA in New York, U.S. pres. Trump meets with Israeli PM Netanyahu to discuss the 7/14/2015 Iran nuclear deal and the Palestinian-Israel peace process. In a joint press conference, Trump says he still believes there is a “good chance” Palestinian-Israeli peace will happen. Netanyahu, for his part, focuses his remarks on Iran. After the meeting, the White House releases a statement saying that Trump and Netanyahu discussed their “continuing efforts to achieve an enduring Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, the optimism in the region about peace, and expanding economic opportunities to improve conditions for peace.” (HA, NYT, TOI 9/18; HA, TOI 9/19)

Also in New York, Netanyahu publicly meets with Egyptian pres. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for the first time. They discuss ways to resume Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, according to the Egyptian embassy in Washington. (HA 9/18; HA, YA 9/19)

The U.S. military opens its first base on Israeli soil in the Negev. The base will house dozens of U.S. soldiers, who will operate a large ballistic missile radar system. (HA, YA 9/18)

IDF troops conduct raids in Abu Dis nr. Jerusalem, sparking clashes with students at Al-Quds University; 6 students are injured. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops raid the Silwad home of the family of the Palestinian driver who allegedly rammed and killed an Israeli on 4/6. They confiscate NIS 85,000 (approx. $23,000) and a vehicle during raids nr. Jenin; and patrol nr. Ramallah and Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Khan Yunis and arrest a Palestinian attempting to cross into Israel nr. Jabaliya r.c. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Jabaliya r.c. and again nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces ban 7 Palestinians from Haram al-Sharif for periods as long as 6 mos. (They have banned more than 40 Palestinians from the sanctuary in the past few weeks.) Meanwhile, 385 Jewish settlers tour the sanctuary; when a handful of them perform religious rites, guards escort them from the area. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 4/13; PCHR 4/20)

PA pres. Abbas says that he may take “unprecedented steps” to end the Hamas-Fatah rivalry that prevents the PA from taking control of Gaza. “These days, we are in a dangerous and tough situation that requires decisive steps, and we are [ready] to take these decisive steps. Therefore, we are going to take unprecedented steps in the coming days to end the division,” he says. Some analysts say that Abbas’s moves come in response to Hamas’s 3/16 announcement of the formation of a new comm. to administer Gaza. (TOI 4/13)

The Gaza-based Ministry of Interior announces that it will begin accepting applications for jobs in the security forces from female Palestinians. The change in policy marks the first time females will be hired as security forces since 2014. (MNA 4/13)

In Beijing, PA FM al-Maliki calls on China to play a more active role in the Palestinian peace effort, including support for Palestinian initiatives in international forums. China’s FM Wang Yi says that the fact that the Palestinians do not have a sovereign state yet is a “terrible injustice.” (HA, REU, WAFA 4/13)

Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls on the Egyptian govt. to “immediately disclose” whether or not it is detaining the 4 Palestinian men, all reportedly Hamas affiliates from Gaza, who were abducted on 8/19/2015 as they traveled by bus from the Rafah border crossing to Cairo. HRW says that Al Jazeera published a photograph purporting to show 2 of the men in a Cairo facility in 8/2016. The report reads, “incommunicado detention violates basic protections for both civilians and fighters under Egypt’s code of criminal procedure, which requires authorities to bring criminal suspects in front of a prosecutor within 24 hours and prosecutors to charge the detainee based on evidence or release the person immediately. It also violates international law, which requires that all detainees, regardless of their particular status, be brought ‘promptly’ (i.e., within days) before a judicial officer or equivalent to review the legality and necessity of their detention.” (HRW 4/13)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian youth during clashes in Qatanna n. of the city. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian driver after he allegedly rams his car into a group of Israeli security forces at a junction nr. Nablus, injuring 4. They also violently clash with Palestinian protesters at Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm (the IDF maintains a shooting range close to the university and blocked administrators from building a wall to deter violent protests at the range last mo.), w. of Qalqilya, and outside a settlement nr. Ramallah, injuring 16 Palestinians. The IDF assaults 1 Palestinian and arrest 19 others during raids and house searches in Jenin r.c.; 4 villages, Qaddura r.c., and Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah; and 7 villages nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers assault Palestinians picking olives outside Burin village nr. Nablus, causing no major injuries; the settlers then set fire to some of the olive trees. Palestinians throw rocks at an Israeli settler’s car driving nr. Ramallah, causing moderate injuries. Palestinian gunmen later open fire on an Israeli settler’s car driving nr. Ramallah, causing damage. They also arrest 6 Palestinians on late-night raids in al-Thawri and Issawiyya. In Israel, Palestinian journalist and administrative detainee al-Qiq begins an open-ended hunger strike after being tortured in Israeli detention. He was captured by Israeli forces during a raid at his home on 11/21. In West Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian accused of planning a stabbing attack nr. the Central Bus Station. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces stationed e. of Khan Yunis open fire on Palestinian agricultural land, causing no damage or injuries. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya late at night, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 11/24; MNA 11/25; PCHR 11/26; HA 12/12; MNA 1/10; SAM 1/28)

U.S. secy. of state John Kerry meets with Israeli PM Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss means of quelling the ongoing violence in the oPt among other issues. Kerry reportedly rejects Netanyahu’s request for the U.S. to recognize construction within Israel’s settlement blocs in exchange for Israel undertaking measures to improve the humanitarian situation in the oPt. (AA, HA, MNA 11/24; TOI 11/25; HA 11/27)

Dozens of Gazans gather nr. the border for a 2d day, protesting the Israeli killing of 7 Gazans on 10/9. IDF troops open fire on the protesters, killing 2, injuring 26, and arresting 5 of the 70 who cross into Israel. Meanwhile, unidentified Palestinians fire a rocket toward Ashqelon, Israel, and it is intercepted by an Iron Dome missile defense battery. IAF jets launch retaliatory air strikes on Hamas military sites in s. and c. Gaza, killing 1 pregnant Palestinian and her young daughter and injuring 5 others. Off the coast nr. Jabaliya r.c., Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI 10/10; PCHR 10/15)

Stabbing attacks continue in East Jerusalem, with 2 such incidents today. First, Israeli police shoot and kill a Palestinian youth nr. a gate to the Old City after he allegedly stabs and injures 2 Israelis. Later, Israeli police shoot and kill a Palestinian after he stabs and injures 2 policemen nr. the same gate (a 3d police officer is injured by friendly fire), and clashes break out following the attack. After a funeral for the Palestinian killed in Shu‘fat r.c. on 10/8, Israeli forces clash with and violently disperse stone-throwing Palestinians. Israeli forces also arrest 2 Palestinians in a hospital in al-Tur and clash with stone-throwers, injuring at least 29 Palestinians. (MNA, WAFA 10/10; MNA, YA 10/11; PCHR 10/15)

In the West Bank, undercover Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian youth and detain 4 others in overnight clashes nr. Jenin; the IDF will conduct raids in the village during the day, confiscating computers and arresting 1 Palestinian. Throughout the day IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian stone-throwers and protesters across the West Bank, injuring 34 Palestinians and 1 Israeli soldier. The IDF also conducts raids and patrols throughout the region, arresting 4 Palestinians and confiscating a vehicle. Israeli settlers continue attacking Palestinians and their property, clashing with Palestinians outside the Kiryat Arba settlement; Israeli forces violently disperse the gathering. Palestinian shops in and around Hebron observe a general strike in the morning, protesting the killings of Palestinians from the area by Israeli forces on 10/7 and 10/9. In Israel, around 1,500 Palestinian citizens peacefully march through Nazareth in protest of the recent Israeli attacks and restrictions on access at Haram al-Sharif. A similar demonstration in Ramla turns violent, and the Israeli police arrest 10 Palestinians accused of stone-throwing. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 10/10; HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 10/11; TOI 10/12; PCHR 10/14)

Israeli PM Netanyahu approves the deployment of 16 reserve companies of border police—as many as 2,000 troops—in Palestinian cities across Israel, in Jerusalem, and along major highways (the cabinet will approve the proposal on 10/11). (JP, TOI 10/10)

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)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Dayr al-Balah and Jabaliya fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers and agricultural areas nr. the border fence, causing damage. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Qalqilya, 2 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 village nr. Jenin, and Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrols in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Salfit. IDF troops arrest 3 Palestinians at a checkpoint nr. Jerusalem and 2 more at an entrance to the Gush Etzion settlement bloc. Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders to Palestinians in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Tubas; demolish a well, a wall, and 10 olive trees in a village nr. Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian woman as she is exiting Haram al-Sharif and 6 youth playing in the sanctuary. They also conduct house searches and raids in al-Jdayra, arresting 4 youth and sparking light clashes; arrest 2 Palestinian youths in Bayt Hanina. Israeli authorities issue demolition orders for 5 Palestinian-owned buildings in Silwan. (MNA, WAFA 3/23; MNA 3/24; PCHR 3/26)

Swiss amb. to the PA Paul Garnier visits Gaza to discuss a possible long-term cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. UN Special Coordinator Serry conducted similar meetings in Gaza on 3/2. (MNA 3/23; ALM 4/14)

Fearing that the continued tax revenue freeze could spark an uprising in the West Bank, Senior IDF officers say that the IDF has issued 10,000 permits for Palestinian laborers in the West Bank and has directed its troops to engage in clashes with Palestinian protesters less frequently. (TOI 3/23; YA 3/24)

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough clarifies the Obama admin.’s response to Israeli PM Netanyahu’s campaign rhetoric and subsequent attempts to defend himself from international criticism in a speech at the annual J Street conference. “After the election,” McDonough says, “the PM said that he had not changed his position, but for many in Israel and in the international community, such contradictory comments call into question his commitment to a 2-state solution, as did his suggestion that the construction of settlements has a strategic purpose of dividing Palestinian communities and his claim that conditions in the larger Middle East must be more stable before a Palestinian state can be established.” (YA 3/23; HA, TOI 3/24)

In Geneva, the UNHRC holds its scheduled debate on Israeli violations of Palestinian rights in the oPt. Israel is absent, pursuant to its longtime boycott of the council, but so is the U.S. Israel’s FM denies a Reuters report claiming that the U.S. absence stems from the Obama admin.’s recently announced reassessment of its policy on defending Israel in international institutions. Later, U.S. amb to the UNHRC Keith Harper confirms that the U.S. has joined the Israeli boycott due to the UNHRC’s focus on Israel. (JP, REU, TOI 3/23; JP 3/24)

Netanyahu gives a major policy speech on Israeli peace and security, drafted as a rebuttal to Obama’s 6/4 Cairo address and intended to inject a Zionist narrative (see Doc. C1). In an effort to appease Obama, he for the 1st time agrees to support the creation of a Palestinian state, but only under a host of conditions that would essentially redefine Palestinian sovereignty. (IFM 6/14; NYT, WP, WT 6/15; WJW 6/18; JPI 6/26)

The badly decomposed body of a Palestinian shepherd missing since 4/21/09 is found 50 m fr. the n. Gaza border fence nr. Bayt Hanun, raising speculation that he was fatally shot by the IDF when he strayed nr. the border. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin (firing on residential areas, causing no injuries), Jerusalem. Jewish settlers attack a 10-yr.-old Palestinian boy in Silwan nr. Jerusalem; when the boy’s family intervenes, 30 settlement guards fr. settlements in the area join in the attack, beating another 4 Palestinians. A Palestinian dies in an Egyptian hospital of injuries received in an IDF drone strike on Jabaliya r.c. during OCL. (OCHA, PCHR 6/18)

IDF troops in the Erez industrial zone fatally shoot 2 armed Palestinians laying a roadside bomb nearby, wound and arrest a 3d; fire a shell at Palestinian resistance mbrs. e. of Jabaliya, killing 1 armed Palestinian, wounding another armed Palestinian, 2 bystanders. Hamas mbrs. fire 3 mortars and a rocket fr. n. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries; the IDF responds with an air strike on the launch site, killing 1 Hamas mbr., wounding 4. As the Annapolis mtgs. open, at least 15,000 right-wing Israeli demonstrators protest in Jerusalem against any possible concessions by Israeli PM Ehud Olmert to the Palestinians. In Gaza, Hamas and Islamic Jihad host a conference on Palestine, attended by Hamas’s top leaders (including Ismail Haniyeh, Mahmud Zahar), vowing to “not relinquish a centimeter of Palestine” or recognize Israel’s right to exist. (NYT, WP, WT 11/27; OCHA 11/28; PCHR 11/29)

An Islamic Jihad suicide bomber detonates a device in a store in Tel Aviv, killing 1 Israeli security guard, 1 Israeli civilian, wounding 30. The IDF assassinates wanted Hamas mbr. Hamid Sidr, firing a missile at his car as it drives nr. Nablus, also killing his passenger, Hamas mbr. Firas Abu Ghazala, and injuring 2 bystanders; fires shells, heavy machine guns at a car traveling 800 m. fr. the border fence nr. Jabaliya, killing all 3 Palestinians inside; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis; bulldozes a hardware store, shelter, tour company parking lot for 50 buses in the al-Tur quarter of Jerusalem, 2 Palestinian homes under construction (1 in Yabad), 2 exisiting Palestinian homes (in Bayt Marsam, Dura), a 3-story building in the Nablus industrial zone, 67 dunams of agricultural land nr. Bayt Hanun; conducts arrest raids nr. Bethlehem. Jewish settlement security guards block Palestinians, international activists fr. picking olives in Falami, cut down 10+n15 olive trees as IDF soldiers look on. (GS, PM 11/4; NYT, WP, WT 11/5; Interfax, QA 11/5 in WNC 11/6; LAW, PCHR, PR 11/6; MEI 11/8; JPI 11/15)

Israel releases its annual poverty report, showing that the poverty rate has stayed steady at 17.7% for the past 5 yrs. Unofficial estimates show that of the nearly 320,000 poor families, an estimated 90,000 families are Arab. Nearly 50% of Arab families are below the poverty line, compared to 1 in 7 Jewish families; 50,000 of the 75,000 children in poverty are Arab. (MM 11/5)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Hadashot reports that Meir Kahane's Kach movement has set up Jewish "strike forces" to provoke and terrorize Arab population [FBIS 5/25]. Jerusalem court convicts Hanna Siniora, editor of al-Fajr, of censorship violation 2 1/2 years ago when al-Fajr published interview with Arafat without prior approval of censor [FBIS 5/26].

Arab World: Arafat speaks at Arab summit, asks for more money for intifadah; declares that none of the $128 million pledged at Algiers Arab summit (6/88) has been paid [FBIS 5/26].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Jabalya camp Israeli troops shoot, kill 20-year-old Palestinian. [FBIS 5/26, FJ 5/29]. In O.T. at least 48 Palestinians are wounded in clashes [FBIS 5/26]. Israeli military court acquits 4 Israeli soldiers of manslaughter in beating death of Palestinian; the court convicts 4 of brutality, rules that their orders were "manifestly illegal" [WP 5/26].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Civil administration in Gaza reports that since beginning of intifadah (12/9/87) Beach camp has spent 190 days (not consecutive) under curfew; Jabalya 164 days; Dayr al-Balah 116 days; Khan Yunis camp 105 days; Rafah's Shabura quarter 137 days; Rafah's G and O quarters 122 days; al-Shaja'iyah 40 days [FBIS 5/3].

Other Countries: Italian parliament upgrades status of PLO to "general delegation" of Palestine; new status is below full diplomatic recognition [FBIS 5/4].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Palestinian stabs, kills 2 Israelis, injures 4 others in Jerusalem [FBIS 5/3, MET 5/16]. In Duhayshah troops shoot, injure at least 25 Palestinians, demolish 5 homes. At least 10 Palestinians are injured throughout O.T. [FJ 5/8]. Israeli soldier disappears north of Gaza Strip [LAT 5/8].

Arab World: Israel shells S. Lebanon village of Nabatiyyah [FBIS 5/3]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli pres. Chaim Herzog reduces to 15 years the sentences of 3 members of the Jewish Underground serving life sentences for the assault on Hebron University in 1983 in which 3 Palestinians were killed [WP 5/21].

Arab World: U.S. ambassador to UN Vemon Walters arrives in Damascus for talks with Pres. Asad. Walters tries to win release of the 18 foreign hostages held in Lebanon. [NYT 5/21].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 21 Palestinians are injured during clashes at Beach and jabalya camps. Curfew is imposed on Beach refugee camp. Army seals off roads to Jerusalem to stop Palestinians from going to Jerusalem for Friday prayers [FJ 5/22].

Arab World: Palestinian factions clash in Shatila and Burj al-Barajinah camps. Arafat loyalists are flushing out Palestinian dissidents. Fighting isaimed at securing better positions before impending entry of Syrian forces. [WP 5/20, NYT 5/21].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli High Court denies government request to deport Mubarak 'Awad before hearing his appeal, but says he must remain in jail until hearing [WP, CSM 5/10]. Govemment drops charges that 'Awad had organized or participated in violence and that Palestinian Center for the Study of Non-Violence was financed by PLO [WP 5/10]. Chaim Herzog is sworn in for 2d 5-year term as president [MET 5/19]. Israeli authorities seize 40 taxis operating between Jerusalem and Ramallah on charges that owners owe taxes [FJ 5/15].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Duhayshah refugee camp, Palestinian bystander is killed when Israeli troops open fire on demonstrators; during funeral, mourners clash again with soldiers. Camp is ordered under curfew. At least 3 Palestinians are wounded during other W. Bank clashes. In Gaza Strip, 2 Palestinians are severely beaten by soldiers. Curfew is imposed in Jabalya refugee camp [WP 5/10].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Jerusalem, hundreds of demonstrators throwing stones and carrying portraits of slain PLO official Khalil al-Wazir clash with border police near al-Aqsa Mosque; several are wounded, and at least 30 demonstrators are arrested [NYT, WP 4/23]. A

rab World: In Damascus PLO leaders, including Faruq al-Qaddumi, George Habash, and Nayif Hawatmah, meet with Syrian vice president 'Abd al-Halim Khaddam [LAT, WP 4/23].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Idna village, near Hebron, soldiers shoot, kill Palestinian who army says attacked patrol with nail-studded club. Palestinian demonstrator is killed by army gunfire inKhan Yunis refugee camp; another is shot dead in Gaza village of Bani Suhayla. At least 13 are shot, woundeduring clash with Israeli troops in Jabalya refugee camp [NYT, WP 4/23].

Arab World: Israeli warplanes attack 2 PFLP-General Command bases midway between Beirut and Sidon [NYT, WP 4/23].