The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinians and Israeli activists working an olive grove near Turmus ‘Ayya and set fire to 2 Palestinian-owned vehicles. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian homes in ‘Ayn Bus. Israeli forces shot and killed 5 Palestinians and injured 21 others during a late-night raid in Nablus. Israel claimed it was raiding Nablus to destroy an explosives lab belonging to the Lion’s Den group; at least 1 anti-tank missile was fired by Israeli forces during the raid. The PA called the raid a war crime and said it had reached out to the U.S. to pressure Israel to end its deadly raids. Tens of thousands attended the funeral procession for the 5 victims and a general strike was issued in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. Israeli forces also shot and killed 1 Palestinian during a raid in Nabi Salih. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting in Hebron against the raid in Nablus, injuring 3 with live ammunition and others with baton rounds and tear gas. Israeli forces also seized 2 residential tents in al-Juwaya in the Masafer Yatta area, and assaulted Palestinians resisting the seizure. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolished 1 Palestinian home in Bani Na‘im. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Bireh, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Aida refugee camp, injuring 1 with live ammunition. (NYT 10/24; AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, AX, BB, BBC, CNN, DW, GDN, HA, HA, INT, JP, LT, MDW, MEE, PCHR, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WSJ 10/25; AJ 10/26; ALM, PCHR 10/27; UNOCHA 11/1; UNOCHA 11/13; HA 11/18)

The Israeli military suspended the security coordinator of the Har Bracha settlement after a video from 10/21 showed that he aided Israeli settlers in attacking Palestinians while in military uniform near Burin. The security coordinator was seen providing a settler with a gas grenade while he was watching the settlers attack Palestinians. The security coordinator was reinstated on 10/30. (HA 10/26; HA 10/31)

PLO secretary general Hussein al-Sheikh met with the ambassadors of Jordan, Egypt, France, and Germany, known as the Munich Group, to continue talks about developing a political horizon for ending the occupation. (WAFA 10/25)

Leader of the Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniyeh met with a delegation from the Taliban-led Afghan government in Istanbul. (MEMO 10/26; MEE 10/28)

Israeli president Isaac Herzog met with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken in Washington. Secretary Blinken said that the 2 discussed the need to deescalate the situation in the West Bank. (HA 10/26)

Amnesty International urged the ICC to “investigate unlawful attacks committed during Israel’s August 2022 assault on the Gaza Strip as war crimes.” Amnesty said it had investigated 3 deadly incidents during the assault, 2 of which it with certainty ascribed to Israel and 1 which “likely” was caused by an unguided rocket fired by Palestinian militants. The 2 Israeli attacks Amnesty investigated killed 6 Palestinian civilians, including “a four-year-old boy, a teenager visiting his mother’s grave, and a 22-year-old student at home with her family.” Amnesty said that of the 49 Palestinians killed, 33 were killed by Israel and 7 were killed by rockets fired by Palestinian militants; it was unclear who had caused the deaths of the remaining 8. (AI, AJ, MEE 10/25)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assaulted Israeli activists helping Palestinians in Kisan with olive harvesting. Israeli settlers also assaulted Palestinians harvesting olives with sticks and pepper spray in Jamma‘in. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian after he allegedly shot and injured a settlement guard at the Ma’aleh Adumim settlement. The Palestinian is also accused of having shot and killed an Israeli soldier on 10/8. Israeli forces also delivered demolition notices against 1 agricultural structure in Azzun ‘Atma and 1 in Nabi Ilyas. Elsewhere, Israeli forces prevented Palestinians from harvesting olives near Dayr al-Ghusun by denying them access to their land. (AP, HA, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/19; MDW, MEE, MEMO, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/20; HA 10/21; UNOCHA 11/1)

Acting UN humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territories Lucia Elmi said 2022 had been the deadliest year on average for Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 2006. Coordinator Elmi said at least 105 Palestinians, including 26 children, had been killed, up by 57% compared to the monthly average in 2021. (WAFA 10/19)

A group of Hamas officials, including Khalil al-Hayya, met with Syrian president Bashir al-Asad in Damascus. Hamas cut relations with the Syrian government in 2012 after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. (REU 10/18; AP, HA, MEE, REU 10/19)

Hamas said that Saudi Arabia had released 83-year-old Hamas official Mohammad Al-Khudary from prison after 3 years; he was said to be traveling to Jordan. (AJ, MEE, REU 10/19)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz issued a statement saying that Israel will not supply air defense systems to Ukraine. Media reported that while Israel is under pressure to support Ukraine in their effort to repel Russian forces, the Israeli government is afraid that Russia will retaliate by supplying S-400 air defense systems to Syria and Iran. (AX, HA, HA, MEE 10/19; HA, MEMO 10/20)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said Arab and Islamic countries had donated $39.5 million for developmental projects in Palestine through the Islamic Development Bank. (MEMO 10/20)

The PA also signed a $6.3 million economic support agreement with Norway and the UN development program for school projects in East Jerusalem. (WAFA 10/19)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinian minors during a raid in Rumana; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians during a raid in al-Arroub refugee camp, causing tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces razed farmland and olive trees in al-Zawiya to make room for water pipes connecting 2 Israeli settlements. Israeli forces also seized 1 bulldozer and construction equipment in Artas, seized 1 mobile home in Duma, and demolished 2 residential structures near Kafr Malik, displacing 17. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Dura, Hebron, Dheisheh refugee camp, Kafr Ni‘ma, and Tulkarm. In the Naqab, Israeli authorities demolished 1 Palestinian-owned home in al-Buqei‘a Bedouin community, displacing 14. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/21; PCHR 9/22; UNOCHA 9/30)

The PA security forces and local militant factions in Nablus reached an agreement to end tensions in the city. The PA security forces reportedly promised not to arrest Palestinians in Nablus on behalf of Israel and that the PA would release many of those arrested on 9/20 during the unrest that followed the arrest of Hamas member Musab Ashtaya. (HA 9/22)

30 Palestinians held on administrative detention announced that they would start an open-ended hunger strike, demanding their freedom. The mass hunger strike is scheduled to begin on 9/25. (AJ 9/25)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas held meetings with leaders of the UK, Libya, Malta, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Norway at the sidelines of the annual UNGA meeting. President Abbas also met with president of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari at the UN building. (WAFA 9/21; WAFA 9/22)

UK prime minister Liz Truss told Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid, during a meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA, that she is considering moving the UK embassy of Israel to Jerusalem. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Truss told reporters that Truss’s government is reviewing the current location of the embassy. The PA condemned the news, saying that “opening an embassy in Jerusalem amounts to complicity in Israel’s illegal annexation of the city.” Prime Minister Lapid also met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and UN secretary-general António Guterres. (ALM, NAT 9/21; AJ, DM, GDN, HA, IN, JP, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 9/22; MEE 9/23; MEMO 9/24)

Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borell convened a meeting with representatives from 25 countries, including the U.S. and the PA, to find ways to revamp the Arab Peace Initiative. (AX 9/21; WAFA 9/22)

The foreign ministers of Egypt, France, Jordan, and Germany held a meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA, focused on revamping the Middle East peace process. The 4 countries released a statement calling on resuming direct negotiations. (WAFA 9/22; WAFA 9/23)

In an interview with French media, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he was “in shock” over Israel’s refusal to supply air defense systems to Ukraine to help the country in its fight against the occupying Russian forces. (TOI 9/23; JP, MEE, REU 9/24; AJ 9/25)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 3 Palestinians with live ammunition during a raid in Jenin. Israeli forces also delivered a demolition notice for power lines in Sabastia. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers entered the Haram al-Sharif compound through the Lion’s Gate, the gate reserved for Muslim worshippers, in violation of the Status Quo. Hamas, Jordan, and the PA condemned the violation. (HA, HA, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/28; HA, MEMO 8/29; PCHR 9/1; UNOCHA 9/2; MEE 9/5)

Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons dissolved their representative bodies as part of a wide-scale protest against Israeli-enforced punitive measures, launched last week. (WAFA 8/27; WAFA 8/28)

In Lebanon, Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah met with a delegation of Hamas officials, including the deputy head of the political bureau Saleh al-Arouri. (TOI 8/28)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and arrested 1 Palestinian trying to enter Israel for work at the separation wall near Zeita. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces arrested PA governor of Jerusalem Adnan Ghaith during a house raid in Silwan. Governor Ghaith was later placed in house arrest on 8/4. 2 others were arrested, including 1 in the Hadassah hospital and 1 at the Damascus Gate plaza. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/31; MEMO, WAFA 8/1; WAFA 8/3; WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/4; MEMO 8/5; PCHR 8/4; UNOCHA 8/5)

The Israeli security cabinet voted to deduct $176 million from its yearly transfer of PA taxes collected by Israel to the PA, saying it is the amount the PA pays to Palestinian militants in Israeli prisons and their families. Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz abstained from voting, calling the vote a charade as Israel makes up the money in other payments to the PA to alleviate its financial issues. PA presidential spokesperson Nabil Rudeineh called the decision “robbery” and said the PA will not change its policy. (HA, WAFA, WAFA 7/31; MEMO 8/1)

The Israeli cabinet approved plans for the construction of a joint industrial park with Jordan. The $59 million plan will see Israeli and Jordanian factories on the Jordanian side while a logistics wing will be built in Israel above the West Bank. The agreement was reportedly made during Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid’s visit to Amman on 7/27. (HA, JP, TOI 7/31; AJ, MEMO 8/1)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Halhul, vandalizing 1 mosque; Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians with live ammunition and others with baton rounds and tear gas when the Palestinians confronted the settlers. Israeli settlers also assaulted Palestinian farmers in Shufa, causing injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers chased Palestinian herders off their land in al-Juwaya in the Masafer Yatta area and let their cattle graze on Palestinian crops. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers with Israeli police escort attacked 3 Palestinians in Silwan, causing hospitalizations, and vandalized 1 vehicle. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 8 Palestinian fishermen and seized 2 boats within 3 nautical miles northwest of the Rafah seaport; 6 of the 8 fishermen were released on 6/1. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/31; PCHR 6/1)

Hamas’s military judicial authority sentenced 2 Palestinians for spying for Israel. 1 of the Palestinians was sentenced to life in prison while the other received a 7-year sentence. (JP 5/31)

An Israeli military court sentenced 1 Palestinian man to life in prison plus 25 years for the killing of an Israeli soldier in the West Bank on 8/2019 and ordered him to pay $450,000 to the family of the soldier. The Palestinian man was not present at the killing, but the court claimed that he had formed a cell that incited the murder of the Israeli man. (HA 5/31)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken in a phone call. According to Axios reporting, President Abbas pressed Secretary Blinken on Israeli attempts to change the Status Quo at the Haram al-Sharif compound, the lack of a political horizon, the Israeli settler march on 5/29, and the Biden administration’s failure to act on its campaign promises on Palestine. Abbas also asked the U.S. to remove the PLO from the U.S. list of terror organizations and to reopen the PLO mission in Washington D.C. Abbas also met with Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi in Ramallah. (WAFA 5/31; AX, WAFA 6/1)

Haaretz reported that an Israeli plan to reduce the economic gaps between Palestinians and Israeli Jews living in Israeli cities had been postponed due to failure to fund the program. The plan was finalized in October 2021 in response to tensions between Palestinians and Israeli Jews in cities in which both populations reside. Additionally, some local governments have opposed earmarking funds exclusively for Palestinian communities in the cities they govern. (HA 5/31)

Israel and the UAE signed a free trade agreement removing tariffs on food, agriculture, cosmetics, medical equipment, and medicine. The agreement also defines tax rates, imports and intellectual property. The free trade agreement was part of the Israeli-UAE-U.S. normalization agreement. (REU 5/30; ABC, AJ, ALM, BB, HA, JP, MEMO, NBC, REU, TOI, WSJ 5/31; CNN 6/1; ALM, HA 6/2)

U.S. state department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that the Biden administration remains committed to reopening the U.S. consulate to Palestinians in Jerusalem. The statement comes after reporting in the Times of Israel that the U.S. had given up on its plans due to the instability in the Israeli government coalition. (REU 5/31; MEMO 6/1; AX 6/4)

15 Democratic members of the U.S. house of representatives, led by Cori Bush (D-MO), wrote a letter to Secretary Blinken urging him to send the “strongest message possible” to prevent Israel from evicting more than 1,000 Palestinians from the Masafer Yatta area, calling the displacement of Palestinians “a war crime.” (HA, MEE 5/31; WAFA 6/1)

Lebanese parliament reelected Nabih Berri of the Amal Movement as speaker at the 1st parliamentary session of the newly elected parliament. Speaker Berri, who received 65 of 128 votes, has been the speaker of the parliament since 1992. (AJ, HA, MEMO, REU, REU 5/31)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole 1 residential tent and vandalized a fence in Khirbet Martaba. Israeli also settlers assaulted 2 Palestinian minors in Qusra, leading to the hospitalization of 1 of them. Israeli forces subsequently violently dispersed Palestinians in Qusra protesting the settler attack, injuring 22 with baton rounds and tear gas. Israeli forces also shot and injured 7 Palestinians with baton rounds during a raid in Jifna; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silwad, Ras Karkar, Beit Fajjar, and al-‘Ain refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, dozens of Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces assaulted and detained 4 Palestinians in the Old City. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/22; WAFA 5/23; PCHR 5/26; UNOCHA 6/4)

A Jerusalem court overturned an Israeli police decision to bar 3 Jewish people from entering the Haram al-Sharif compound after they violated the ban on praying at the Muslim site. PA president Mahmoud Abbas called the court decision “a grave assault against the historic status quo,” and Jordan said the ruling violates international law. Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett’s office issued a statement saying that there had been no policy change at the Haram al-Sharif compound. Hamas said that the court decision crossed “all red lines and is a dangerous escalation.” Israeli police appealed the decision on 5/23. (AJ, HA, MEMO, REU, TOI 5/22; CNN, HA, JP, MEE, TOI, WAFA 5/23)

The 6 Palestinians who escaped Gilboa prison on 9/6/2021 were sentenced to 5 years in prison for their escape and each fined $1,487. 5 other Palestinian prisoners were sentenced to 4 years for assisting in their escape. (AJ, AP, HA, MEMO, WAFA 5/22)

Hamas imposed a 16.5% tax on 24 products from the West Bank, including bottled water and soft drinks. PA economy minister Khaled al-Osaily called the new taxes “illegal and not permissible within the same nation.” (ALM 6/1)

Hamas and the PA warned Israel, in separate statements, against carrying out the right-wing flag march through East Jerusalem on 5/29. (HA, MEMO 5/22)

Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, who on 5/19 announced that she was leaving the Israeli government coalition, said she would resume supporting the coalition after meetings with foreign minister Yair Lapid and several mayors. Rinawie Zoabi’s reversal brought the government coalition back to an equal number of Knesset members to that of the opposition. Rinawie Zoabi told her colleagues on 5/19 that she was leaving the coalition due to Israeli attacks on Palestinians at the Haram al-Sharif compound and at the funeral for Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. She further stated that the government coalition is not a government of change but a right-wing government. (AP, AX, HA, MEMO, NYT, REU 5/22; HA 5/23)

In Iran, a colonel in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Forces, Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, was assassinated in front of his house in Tehran by 2 people on a motorbike. Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi said on 5/23 that the assassination is being investigated and that Iran will revenge the killing. The New York Times reported later, on 5/25, that Israel had told the U.S. that it was behind the assassination of Khodaei. (AA, AJ, AP, HA, MEE, REU, TOI 5/22; AP, GDN, HA, IN, JP, MEE, REU 5/23; AJ, ALM, AP, HA 5/24; HA, NYT 5/25; HA 5/26; REU 5/29; REU 5/30)

Chairperson of the EU parliament’s relations with Palestine Manu Pineda was forced to cancel a trip to the occupied Palestinian territories with a group of other EU parliamentarians after Israel refused to allow him entry to Israel and his delegation access to Gaza. President of the EU parliament Roberta Metsola said on Twitter that she regretted the decision but that she would continue her visit to Israel. (HA, TOI 5/21; AJ, JP, TOI 5/22; HA, MEMO, WAFA 5/23; MEMO 5/25)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized 20 olive trees in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces demolished 1 Palestinian-owned home in Deir Salah in Area A. Israeli forces also raided the Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm, causing tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces opened fire near a girl’s school in Duma, causing panic among students. 1 Palestinian minor was arrested at the Havat Maon settlement. 9 others were arrested during late-night raids in Hebron, Harmala, Rafat, Tell, Jenin refugee camp, and al-Yamun. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/18; PCHR, WAFA 5/19; UNOCHA 6/4)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki met with Dutch foreign minister Wopke Hoekstra in Ramallah. Foreign Minister Hoekstra also met with representatives from the Palestinian NGO Al Haq, drawing ire from Israel as Al Haq is 1 of 6 Palestinian rights organizations that were deemed terrorist organizations by Israel in 10/2021. Hoekstra subsequently told reporters that “there isn’t a single European state—nor the United States—that has arrived at the same conclusions as has Israel [in regards to the terrorism accusations]. If there is proof, then we should see and we should review it. An accusation in and of itself can never be sufficient for a country that subscribes to the rule of law.” (WAFA, WAFA 5/18; JP 5/19)

The Hamas-affiliated Islamic Wafa bloc won the Birzeit University student council elections with 28 of 51 seats. The Fatah-affiliated Shabibia bloc won 18 seats. (MEE, MEMO, MEMO 5/19; MEMO 5/20; ALM 5/25)

Haaretz reported that the leaders of Turkey, Jordan, and the UAE had accepted an invitation by Israel’s president Isaac Herzog to discuss regional cooperation in climate change. (HA 5/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uprooted 17 olive trees and vandalized 1 agricultural structure in Kafr ad-Dik. Israeli settlers with military escort raided Joseph’s Tomb, leading to a confrontation with Palestinians; 1 Palestinian was shot with live ammunition and 13 with baton rounds; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces demolished 2 agricultural structures in al-Khader. Israeli forces also raided Burqa, opening fire near 2 schools and forcing them to evacuate. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished a 3-story building in Silwan, displacing 45 Palestinians; according to the families, they were not given prior notices or allowed to remove their possessions. 5 Palestinians were injured as Israeli police violently dispersed protesters during the demolition. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/10; WAFA 5/11; PCHR 5/12; UNOCHA 6/4)

Haaretz reported that Israel had revoked entry and work permits from 1,100 Palestinians who are relatives or friends of Palestinians accused of recent attacks against Israelis. In March, Israel expanded the list those subject to collective punishment measures to include 2d-degree relatives of suspected Palestinian attackers. The 2d-degree category includes cousins, grandparents, neighbors, and close friends. (HA 5/10)

Israel’s prime minister Naftali Bennett claimed that he had expelled 6 Waqf guards for supporting Hamas and said he had rejected Jordan’s request to increase Waqf staffing at the Haram al-Sharif compound. (HA, TOI 5/10)

EU high commissioner for foreign and security affairs Josep Borrell hosted a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee at the EU commission’s building in Brussels. PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and finance minister Shukri Bishara participated in the meeting, as did Israeli regional affairs minister Issawi Frej. Prime Minister Shtayyeh called on High Commissioner Borrell to hold Israel responsible for its actions during a meeting between the 2 of them. (UNESCO, WAFA 5/10; ALM 5/11)

Kuwait contributed $2 million to the UNRWA general programming. (WAFA 5/10)

In the West Bank, Israel forces raided Salim, injuring Palestinians with tear gas and arresting 1. 9 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Sa‘ir, Bethlehem, Balata refugee camp, Kafr Qalil, and Qibya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians at the Haram al-Sharif compound to make way for 1,538 Israeli settlers touring the compound. 3 settlers were detained by Israeli police for loudly praying at the compound. 100s of Israeli far-right protesters marched in the Old City, chanting anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim slogans. Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid called the march “a provocation that causes us damage.” 4 Palestinians were arrested in the Old City, including 3 minors. (HA 4/19; ALM, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/20; HA, HA, PCHR 4/21; UNOCHA 5/13)

Israel announced that it is closing all crossings from the West Bank and Gaza to East Jerusalem and Israel from 5 P.M. on 4/21 until an unspecified time on 4/23 for the Jewish holiday of Passover. Exceptions will be made for Palestinians from the West Bank with permits to pray at the Haram al-Sharif compound for the Friday prayers on 4/22 and for humanitarian and medical crossings. (HA 4/21)

Hamas convened with leaders of militant groups in Gaza at Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar’s office. Hamas sources said that Sinwar urged the militant leaders to coordinate after a militant faction fired a rocket at Israel on 4/18. (HA 4/19)

U.S. acting assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs Yael Lempert and deputy assistant secretary for Israeli and Palestinian affairs Hady Amr met with Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi, discussing the situation in Jerusalem. (HA 4/20; MEMO 4/21)

The PA and Germany signed an agreement for Germany to provide $17.3 million to build 2 solar power plants in Gaza. (WAFA 4/20)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian high school student who was shot by Israeli forces on 4/9 using live ammunition on her way home from school in Deir Ghazaleh succumbed to her injures. Israeli forces shot and seriously wounded 2 Palestinians during a raid in al-Yamun; 1 would later succumb to his injuries on 4/22. Israeli forces also shot and injured 3 Palestinians during a raid in Qarawat Bani Zeid. Elsewhere, Israeli forces placed dirt mounds on rural roads in the Masafer Yatta area and seized 1 school vehicle in al-Fakhit. 15 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Husan, al-Yamun, Ramallah, and Fasayil. In East Jerusalem, 561 Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a late-night raid. In Gaza, 1 rocket was launched at Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Israel subsequently fired a missile at Khan Yunis, causing damage. Hamas said it had fired an anti-aircraft missile at the jet conducting the air strike but that the missile had failed to hit the jet. Israeli forces also opened fire at Palestinian agricultural lands east of Abasan and Khuza‘a; no injuries were reported. (AJ, AP, F24, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, MEMO, NPR, REU, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/18; HA, MEE, WAFA, WAFA 4/19; MEMO 4/20; PCHR 4/21; HA, WAFA 4/22; UNOCHA 4/23)

Israeli authorities closed al-Ibrahimi Mosque for Palestinian visitors on 4/18 and 4/19 to facilitate a concert for Israeli settlers. (MEMO, MEMO 4/19)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan, discussing the latest Israeli violations on the Haram al-Sharif compound during the weekend. President Abbas also spoke with Russian president Vladimir Putin, who condemned Israel’s attacks on Palestinian worshippers at the compound. (HA, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA 4/18)

Jordan summoned the Israeli charge d’affaires for questioning about the Israeli-led violence on the Haram al-Sharif compound on 4/15 and 4/17. Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi also said that Jordan will host an emergency meeting of the Arab League on 4/21 to discuss the violence. (HA, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 4/18)

An investigation by The New Yorker revealed that Spain had used the Israeli company NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware to hack the phones of 60 Catalonian leaders and activists. The investigation also revealed that Pegasus spyware was used against employees of UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s office. Citizen Lab, which cooperated with The New Yorker for the story, suspected that the UAE was behind the hack. The piece also cited NSO Group CEO Shalev Hulio, saying that “almost all governments in Europe are using our [NSO Group’s] tools.” (AP, HA, New Yorker 4/18; MEMO 4/19; HA 4/24)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians marking Prisoners’ Day in Hebron and Bethlehem, injuring 1 with live ammunition and others with tear gas in Bethlehem and 1 with live ammunition and others with tear gas in Hebron. Israeli forces also confiscated 1 excavator in Deir Istiya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians at the Haram al-Sharif compound and inside al-Aqsa Mosque, injuring 17 Palestinians, including 5 who were taken to hospitals for treatment. More than 728 Israeli settlers toured the compound. Palestinians threw stones at buses carrying Israeli settlers to the compound, injuring 7 settlers. 18 Palestinians were arrested. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Tur, injuring 1 with a baton round. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, MDW, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/17; HA, WAFA 4/18; PCHR 4/21; UNOCHA 4/23)

The Jordanian foreign ministry said “Israel’s measures to change the status quo on the Haram al-Sharif compound are a dangerous escalation. Israel bears full responsibility for the consequences of the current escalation that is thwarting efforts invested to bring about calm,” in response to the many Palestinian injuries at the compound in the past days. The spokesperson for King Abdullah II also called on the international community to pressure Israel to stop its escalation at the holy site. PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who condemned the Israeli violence. Hamas and Islamic Jihad also slammed the Israeli-led violence on the compound. The PA also warned that Israel is attempting to spatially divided the Haram al-Sharif compound like it has done to al-Ibrahimi Mosque. (HA, HA, HA, JP, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/17; MEMO, MEMO 4/18)

The United Arab List (UAL) froze its membership of the Israeli coalition in response to Israeli punitive measures against Muslim worshippers at the Haram al-Sharif compound. Members of the UAL are expected to start working with the government coalition again after the end of the month of Ramadan, which is before the Knesset recess ends on 5/8. (AJ, HA, HA, MEE, NYT, REU 4/17; MEMO 4/18)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian minor succumbed to injuries sustained by Israeli forces during a raid in Kafr Dan on 4/14. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qarawat Bani Hassan, injuring 1 Palestinian minor with live ammunition and others with tear gas; the minor was also arrested. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 3 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 1 with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Dajan, injuring 3 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Qaryut, Beita, and Bazariya, leading to tear-gas related injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians at the Haram al-Sharif compound, including inside al-Aqsa Mosque, injuring more than 152 Palestinians with baton rounds, batons, and tear gas, including 8 who were admitted into intensive care facilities. Several Palestinian journalists at the compound were violently beaten by Israeli police, causing broken limbs. 3 Israeli police officers were lightly injured. Some 470 Palestinians were arrested at the compound before noon prayers, where some 50,000 worshippers were praying, about half from the West Bank. Around 440 were released within 24 hours, some of whom were banned from entering the compound until after the end of Ramadan. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, MDW, MEE, MEE, NYT, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/15; MEMO, REU 4/16 HA 4/18; PCHR 4/21; UNOCHA 4/23)

Hamas, the PA, Jordan, Morocco, UAE, Bahrain, the United Arab List, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the Israeli-led violence at the Haram al-Sharif compound (see above). The U.S. state department released a statement urging “all sides to exercise restraint, avoid provocative actions and rhetoric, and preserve the historic status quo on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount.” The spokesperson for UN secretary general António Guterres expressed grave concern about the situation in Jerusalem. (HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/15; HA, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/16)

Palestinians in the West Bank are under an Israeli-imposed curfew for the Jewish holiday of Passover, beginning at 4 P.M. and continuing until 4/17. Crossings between Gaza and Israel are closed. (HA 4/14; HA 4/15; HA 4/16)

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh spoke to Arab League secretary general Ahmed Aboul Gheit about the Israeli attacks on Palestinians at the Haram al-Sharif compound. Haniyeh also spoke with Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and speaker of the Kuwaiti parliament Marzouq al-Ghanim in separate calls. (MEMO 4/16)

At a Passover seder hosted by U.S. vice president Kamala Harris and 2nd gentleman Doug Emhoff, the couple served wine made by the settler winery Psagot Winery in the West Bank. The senior advisor for communications to Vice President Harris said in a tweet that “the wine served at the Seder was in no way intended to be an expression of policy.” (HA, MDW 4/17; MEE 3/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Asira al-Qibliya, throwing stones at houses and vehicles, leading to a confrontation with Palestinian residents; tear-gas related injuries were reported. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians sitting near Herod’s Gate plaza, causing injuries from pepper spray; 1 minor was arrested. (WAFA, WAFA 3/26; PCHR 3/31; UNOCHA 4/10)

Palestinians in the West Bank voted in the 2d round of municipal elections. No elections were held in Gaza as Hamas boycotted the elections, and in East Jerusalem Israel prevented elections from taking place. In the week leading up to the elections, Israel arrested 3 candidates and there was speculation whether Israel had coordinated with Fatah to ensure that the party would win the election. The Central Elections Commission said that the voter turnout for the 2d phase of the municipal elections was 53.69%. Candidates running on independent lists won 64.4% of the votes. Hamas, which formally boycotted the elections, allowed candidates to run as independents in the West Bank. (WAFA 3/21; HA, MEE 3/25; AP, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/26; WAFA 3/27; ALM 3/28; ALM, PCHR 3/29)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken arrived in Israel for a 3-day visit attending a summit of countries that have normalized ties with Israel and for meetings with PA officials. Secretary Blinken will later visit Morocco and Algeria. Jordan was said to have been informally invited and had declined the invitation. The PA called on the participants to bring up issues related to Palestinians during the summit and criticized Israel for using Iran to remove Palestine from the international agenda. (AX 3/25; AP, HA 3/26; HA, HA 3/27)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles at a checkpoint near Burqa; 1 Israeli settler was arrested by the Israeli forces, but Israeli police released him shortly after he was handed to them. Israeli settlers also threw stones at 2 Palestinian sisters herding sheep in Kisan. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers raided Sabastia, using pepper spray on Palestinians. Israeli forces demolished parts of 1 Palestinian home and razed 7 dunams (1.7 acres) of land in al-Ramadin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians, throwing stones and snowballs at Israeli forces in al-Tur; 22 Palestinians were arrested. Israeli forces also shot 1 Palestinian minor with a rubber-coated bullet and arrested him after he allegedly threw a stone at a police car. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands east of Deir al-Balah; no injuries were reported. (TOI, WAFA, WAFA 1/26; HA, PCHR, TOI 1/27)

1 64-year-old Palestinian prisoner suffering from schizophrenia was found dead in his cell at Nitzan prison. (PCHR 1/27)

1 million doses of Russian-made Sputnik COVID-19 vaccines entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing. The 1 million doses of the Sputnik vaccine were donated by the UAE. The PA health ministry said that about 30% of Gaza’s population is vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Almost 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to Gaza since the start of the pandemic in early 2020. (HA 1/27)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas extended the COVID-19-related state of emergency by 30 days. The state of emergency was 1st declared in March 2020. (WAFA 1/26; MEMO 1/27)

The autopsy performed after the death of an 80-year-old Palestinian American man in Jiljilyya on 1/12 found that the man died of a heart attack caused by “external violence.” The man had been detained by Israeli forces who gagged, blindfolded, and cuffed him. The Israeli soldiers uncuffed him before leaving him in a cold room, where he was found dead later in the night. (ALM, MEE, NYT 1/26; AP, HA 1/27)

Director of the Crisis and Conflict division of Human Rights Watch (HRW) Lama Fakih said that Amnesty International’s security lab had verified that her phone was infected with the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware 5 times between April and August 2021. Director Fakih was 1st alerted to the spyware infection by the company Apple on 23 and 24 November. NSO Group told HRW that it is “not aware of any active customer using [its] technology against Human Rights Watch staff member.” Fakih’s work includes monitoring human rights abuses in Syria, Myanmar, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, and the U.S. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, HRW, MEE, MEMO 1/26; WP 1/27)

Axios reported that a cable sent from the Israeli foreign ministry to Israeli embassies told its employees that it was a top priority to delegitimize the UN human rights council’s inquiry into human rights violations in Israel, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, set up after the Israeli attacks on Gaza in May 2021. (AX 1/26; JP, MDW, TOI 1/27; MEMO 1/28; HA 2/2)

Lebanon signed a deal to purchase electricity from Jordan via Syria. The deal is expected to give Lebanon 2 hours of additional electricity a day within 2 months. It is expected that the World Bank will finance the deal. (AP, MEMO, REU 1/26)

UK secretary of education Nadhim Zahawi said that protesters chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” could face prosecution in the UK, as he views the chant as related to Hamas. Secretary Zahawi’s comment was made during a conference on anti-Semitism hosted by his ministry. (MEE 1/27)