The Palestine Chronology

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry announces at a press conference in Amman that direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations will begin as early as the following week in Washington. Kerry says details are still being finalized, but that Israeli justice minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat will travel to the U.S. to hold preliminary talks. Kerry made no mention of any conditions or framework for the talks. UN Secy.-Gen. Ban Ki-moon welcomes the news and commends Kerry for his efforts, as does EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton. (HA, JP, MNA, REU 7/19)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Hebron and 2 nearby villages, and 1 village nr. Qalqilya at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin and al-‘Arub r.c. at night. Israeli soldiers clash with protesters at regular demonstrations by Palestinians, Israelis and international activists against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and the occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), causing no serious injuries, except in Nabi Saleh, where 1 person is shot and wounded by a rubbercoated metal bullet. (MNA 7/19; PCHR 7/25)

Pro-Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators take to the streets across Egypt, and 3 people die in clashes between supporters and opponents of ousted pres. Morsi. Meanwhile in the Sinai, gunmen launch attacks on Egyptian army posts and police stations, killing 3 civilians when a rocket-propelled grenade struck their home. (AFP, MNA, REU 7/19)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian in Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah, during clashes sparked by an IDF arrest raid in the camp. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 4 villages nr. Hebron at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning, and in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Salfit at night. Israeli soldiers also attack regular demonstrations by Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and the occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih), 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum) and 1 village nr. Bethlehem (al-Ma‘sara), causing no serious injuries except in Bil‘in (1 injury from tear gas canister) and Kafr Qaddum (2 injuries from rubber-coated metal bullets). (MNA 6/28; PCHR 7/4)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry conducts further shuttle diplomacy, holding talks in Amman with Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas followed by discussions in Jerusalem with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, which are also attended by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, National Security Adviser Ya’akov Amidror, and Special Envoy Yitzhak Molcho. Kerry meets separately with Israeli pres. Shimon Peres. Meanwhile, director of the Palestinians’ High Coordination Cmte. for Prisoners’ Release Amin Shuman says that Israelis and Palestinians have held secret talks about freeing prisoners detained before 1993. (AFP, HA, MNA, REU 6/28)

Three people are killed and hundreds injured as violent clashes take place between supporters and opponents of Egyptian pres. Mohamed Morsi, with the Muslim Brotherhood office ransacked in Alexandria. (NYT 6/28)