The Palestine Chronology

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of al-Maghazi fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers nr. the border fence, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and raids targeting Hamas in Nur Shams r.c. and Tulkarm r.c., arresting 7 Palestinians; also conducts house searches and raids in and around Nablus, in Balata r.c., and Hebron, arresting 6 Palestinians, including a PA security officer; patrols in and around Jenin; confiscates a garbage truck and a tractor nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers uproot over 500 olive trees outside Hebron. In Abu Dis, Israeli soldiers enter the rebuilt “Gate of Jerusalem” protest tent camp (see 2/16) to take pictures and prepare for another round of raids, demolitions, and evacuations. The PA security forces (PASF) raid the office of 2 Palestinian Legislative Council mbrs. in Ramallah, arresting the office manager. In East Jerusalem, 58 Israeli settlers escorted by 20 Israeli soldiers tour Haram al-Sharif. (AFP, MNA, WAFA 2/18; MNA, PCHR, WAFA 2/19; PCHR 2/26)

Israel’s Supreme Court overturns the Central Election Comm.’s (CEC) 2/12 decision to bar MK Haneen Zoabi (Balad) from participating in the 3/17 election. (AFP, HA, TOI, YA 2/18; WAFA 2/19)

White House and State Dept. spokespersons confirm that the U.S. is not passing complete information to Israel about the contents of the negotiations between Iran and the P5+1, saying Israel is inaccurately “characterizing our negotiating position.” Meanwhile, over 20 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives sign on to a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) asking him to postpone Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress until after the Israeli elections on 3/17. (POL 1/28; AP, HA, YA 2/18; AFP, HI 2/19)

In the Gaza Strip, unknown assailants destroy the car of a senior Hamas official with explosives in Nussayrat r.c. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, after Palestinian and international activists rebuild the “Gate of Jerusalem” tent camp in Abu Dis, Israeli forces return to the area and deliver a 24-hour eviction notice. Hours later, they demolish and evacuate the camp for a 3d time. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in Jalazun r.c. and 4 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, Silwad, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), injuring 3 Palestinians with rubber-coated metal bullets and 1 with a tear gas canister. IDF troops also arrest 2 Palestinian boys tending sheep nr. Hebron and 3 others tending their land nr. Qalqilya. The IDF patrols nr. Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron, as well as in al-‘Arub r.c. and Salfit. Israeli settlers open fire with live ammunition on Palestinians peacefully protesting nr. Bayt Umar, causing no injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct a house search in Ras al-Amud, arresting 1 Palestinian. (IMEMC, MNA 2/6; TOI 2/7; PCHR 2/12)

Israeli PM Netanyahu orders the implementation of a plan that will include the destruction of around 400 Palestinian-owned and EU-funded structures in the West Bank. The order follows the 2/5 publication of a report in the Daily Mail on EU funding of Palestinian projects that do not have the correct licenses under Israeli law. (DM 2/5; TOI 2/6; WAFA 2/8)

U.S. VP Joseph R. Biden announces that he will not attend Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on 3/3. (AP, JDF 2/6)

On the sidelines of a security conference in Munich, reps. of the P5+1 and Iran discuss Iran’s disputed nuclear program ahead of their end of 3/2015 political accord deadline. U.S. Secy. of State Kerry and Iranian FM Zarif also meet to discuss how sanctions would be lifted under a possible deal and how many centrifuges Iran would be permitted to keep operational. (REU 2/6; JP, TOI 2/7; AFP 2/8)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis shoot live ammunition and smoke bombs at Palestinians protesting the Israeli occupation and blockade nr. the border fence, causing no injuries. Late at night, IDF troops e. of al-Bureij arrest 3 Palestinians approaching the border fence to attempt to cross into Israel. In 3 separate incidents off the coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in c. Hebron and nr. Bethlehem; patrols nr. Hebron and Qalqilya. IDF troops arrest a Palestinian in c. Hebron on the suspicion that he was going to enter al-Ibrahimi Mosque with a knife. In 2 separate incidents nearby, Israeli settlers hit a Palestinian and an Israeli photographer for the human rights organization B’Tselem with their cars, injuring both. Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders to Palestinians constructing 2 homes in Bayt Umar nr. Hebron and confiscate a tractor being used for the project; demolish 2 farmhouses, a well, 800 dunams of crops, and 500 m of stone walls in a village s. of Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian man at Haram al-Sharif and another on a raid in the Old City. An Israeli settler shoots and injures a Palestinian youth as he tends to a herd of sheep in Silwan. (MNA, WAFA 2/1; PCHR 2/5)

PM Hamdallah says that the PA will be paying its employees a portion of their salaries “soon,” but that the Israeli govt. may be freezing transfers of tax revenues for the 2d mo. in a row. (MNA, WAFA 2/1; JP 2/2)

MK Masud Ghnaim (United Arab List) says that the newly united list of non-Zionist parties will not join a coalition formed by PM Netanyahu or his chief rivals, MKs Herzog and Livni, but that it would support a center-left bloc, confirming the stance presented by MK Ahmad Tibi on 1/17. (TOI 2/1)

In the Gaza Strip, around 200 Palestinians violently protest outside the UN’s headquarters in Gaza City against UNRWA’s 1/27 suspension of its cash assistance program. The protest was organized by a Hamas comm. IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis open fire on agricultural lands, causing damage. Unknown assailants set fire to a Fatah official’s car in Gaza City. Also, dozens of Palestinian health professionals gather outside the Ministry of Health building to protest unpaid salaries. In the West Bank, a Palestinian youth is moderately injured when he sets off a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance left over after recent IDF exercises nr. ‘Ayn al-Hilwa in the Jordan Valley. The IDF conducts arrest raids and house searches nr. Hebron and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, IDF troops conduct house searches and arrest raids in the Old City. An Israeli settler attempts to kidnap a Palestinian youth in Silwan, moderately injuring him in the attack. (AFP, MNA, WAFA 1/28; HA, MNA, PCHR 1/29; HA 1/30; PCHR 2/5)

Hours after the IDF retaliated to projectile fire from Syria on 1/27, Hizballah fighters fire an antitank missile from inside Lebanon at an IDF convoy in a disputed area along the border nr. Shaba‘ Farms, killing 2 soldiers and injuring 7. The IDF responds with artillery fire, killing a Spanish peacekeeper with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). About an hour later, Hizballah fires mortars at several IDF positions in the area, causing no injuries. The IDF responds again by firing between 25 and 50 artillery shells and conducting IAF flyovers. Following the exchange, Hizballah and the Israeli govt. then exchange messages through UNIFIL expressing the desire to avoid further escalation. (AFP, BBC, HA, JP, MNA, TOI 1/28)

U.S. House of Reps. minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) calls Israeli PM Netanyahu and asks him to postpone or cancel his planned 3/3 congressional address. Netanyahu also speaks to Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV), the minority leader, and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), a prominent supporter of Israel. (RC 1/28; JP 1/29; HA 1/30)

In the Gaza Strip, Egyptian authorities keep the Rafah border crossing open for a 3d day. Meanwhile, unknown assailants blow up the car of a local Fatah leader using a flammable liquid. Off the coast nr. al-Sudaniyya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage. Meanwhile, IDF troops e. of Rafah open fire on agricultural land along the border fence, causing damage. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish several residential and storage structures owned by Palestinians nr. Jerusalem and deliver a stop-work order to a construction site nr. Hebron. The IDF patrols nr. Hebron and Jenin; raids 3 homes in Tulkarm overnight belonging to friends and family of the Palestinian man who stabbed 13 Jewish Israelis in Tel Aviv on 1/21, arresting 2. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct arrest raids in al-Tur. In West Jerusalem, around 10 Jewish Israelis attack a Palestinian Druze university student, severely injuring him, after they hear him speaking in Arabic. (MNA, WAFA 1/22; HA 1/23; PCHR 1/29)

PA PM Hamdallah meets with Swedish consul-gen. Ann-Sofie Nilsson in Ramallah. Hamdallah calls on the international community to pressure Israel into unfreezing the transfers of tax revenue to the PA, which have been held since 1/2. Meanwhile, reps. of the PA and Russia meet and sign 2 bilateral agreements, which will establish joint comms. to supervise economic cooperation between them. (MNA 1/22, 1/23)

In Israel, the major non-Zionist parties— Hadash, Balad, Ta’al, and Ra’am—announce that they have agreed to run on a joint list in the 3/17 election. Ayman Odeh, newly elected chair of Hadash, will lead the list. Earlier in the day, the Knesset House Comm. approved the request to split the Ra’am and Ta’al parties, which were joined at the United Arab List in the current Knesset under Ahmad Tibi’s leadership. (HA, TOI 1/22; +972, HA, NYT 1/23)

The State Dept. announces that neither Pres. Obama nor Secy. of State Kerry will meet with Israeli PM Netanyahu when he visits Washington to address a special session of Congress on 3/3. A State Dept. spokesperson cites “long-standing practice and principle” when explaining why the pres. would not meet with another head of state 2 weeks ahead of his or her national election. (HA, JP 1/22; JTA 2/1)

Sixty-three of the 751 mbrs. of the EU parliament send a letter to foreign affairs chief Mogherini asking her to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which has governed the trade relationship since 2000. The 63 MEPs cite serious violations of international law committed during OPE. (WAFA 1/27; EI 2/4)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis open fire on Palestinians as they approach the border fence, causing no injuries. Meanwhile, 100s of civil servants hired by the Hamas-run govt. protest the fact that they have not been paid since 6/2/2014. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Bayt Umar nr. Hebron, sparking clashes with residents; 5 Palestinians are injured with rubber-coated metal bullets. The IDF also patrols nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Jenin. Israeli settlers vandalize Palestinian property in Turmus ‘Ayya village nr. Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct house searches and arrest raids in al-Tur. (MNA 1/13, 1/14; PCHR 1/15; OCHA 1/23)

Before departing Ankara for Cairo, PA Pres. Abbas confirms that the Palestinian leadership would like to resubmit their draft res. to the UNSC after they refer the issue to the Arab Peace Initiative for approval. (JP, WAFA 1/14)

An official in the former Hamas-run govt. in Gaza says that some security personnel hired after 2007 will receive NIS 1,000 (around $250) on 1/15, their 1st payment since 6/2. Civil servants employed by the Hamas-run govt. were paid a partial salary of around NIS 4,800 (around $1,245) on 10/29. (AFP, MNA 1/13)

The U.S. State Dept. announces that any bill Congress passes regarding new sanctions on Iran will be vetoed by the pres. Meanwhile, Pres. Obama calls Israeli PM Netanyahu to brief him on the negotiations with Iran, ahead of the meeting between reps. of Iran and the P5+1 in Geneva set for 1/15. (JP 1/14)

In the West Bank, a Palestinian infant faints while his family waits in line at the Allenby border crossing. He is taken by helicopter to a Jerusalem hospital. The IDF detains 7 Palestinians, including 6 from 1 family, at a mobile checkpoint nr. Bethlehem, then closes a checkpoint outside a village n. of Jerusalem, effectively barring its residents from leaving. Israeli troops also conduct house searches and raids in a village n. of Hebron; patrol nr. Jericho, Ramallah, Salfit, al-Fawar r.c., Hebron, Jenin, and Tulkarm. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers destroy 8 dunams of agricultural land s. of Yatta village. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces clash with stone-throwing Palestinian youth in Wadi al-Juz, arresting 1 Palestinian; conduct house searches and arrest raids in Silwan and al-Tur. (HA, MNA, WAFA 12/27; PCHR 12/31)

Hamas leader Mishal travels to Turkey to appear alongside PM Ahmet Davutoğlu at the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) annual congress in Konya. Mishal commends the Turkish govt. for its support of the Palestinian people. (HA, YA 12/27; TOI 12/28)

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) meets with Israeli PM Netanyahu in Jerusalem and says that Congress plans to place restrictions on UN funding if the UNSC passes a res. setting a timetable for ending the Israeli occupation. (TOI 12/27)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian man during a late-night arrest raid in Qalandia r.c. nr. Ramallah. Clashes then break out in the camp, with residents throwing stones and Israeli soldiers injuring around 30 Palestinians with rubber-coated metal bullets and stun grenades. In response to Palestinian youth who were throwing stones and empty bottles at Israeli settlers’ vehicles nr. Nablus, IDF troopssurround a school and fire tear gas into its yard, causing no injuries. Israeli forces deliver stop-work notices in 2 villages nr. Hebron, both of which are outside the Gush Etzion settlement bloc. Shortly after, the soldiers clash with stone-throwing Palestinian youth in the area, dozens of whom suffer from tear gas inhalation. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Bethlehem, Jenin, Salfit, Tulkarm, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces deliver a demolition order to the Silwan home of the Palestinian man who is suspected of shooting right-wing Jewish activist Yehuda Glick on 10/29 and was killed on 10/30 by Israeli security forces. They had previously delivered an order to punitively demolish the home on 11/19, but the Israeli High Court of Justice froze the order. They also deliver a demolition order to a 19-person residence in the Old City. Separately, Israeli police detain 3 Palestinian children at Haram al-Sharif. (MNA, WAFA 12/15; HA, WAFA 12/16; PCHR 12/18)

Israeli PM Netanyahu meets with U.S. Secy. of State Kerry in Rome to discuss the rival draft UNSC res. being prepared by the Palestinians and the French. Netanyahu opposes both, saying, “We will not accept attempts to dictate to us unilateral moves on a limited timetable.” Kerry then meets with French FM Fabius, UK Foreign Secy. Hammond, German FM Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and EU foreign affairs chief Mogherini in Paris. Separately, Arab League secy.-gen. Nabil Elaraby meets with Fabius in Paris. Fabius hopes to persuade the Palestinians and the Arab League to back the French draft as a compromise, avoiding a U.S. veto. (AFP, HA, MNA, NYT, TOI, YA 12/15)

Iranian and U.S. diplomats hold bilateral talks over Iran’s disputed nuclear program ahead of negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 on 12/17. The 2 sides agreed to a 7-mo. extension to the talks on 11/24. (AFP 12/15)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops on the e. border fence twice open fire on Palestinian agricultural lands, causing no injuries. Late at night, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the coast nr. alSudaniyya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, PA security forces enter the H2 area of c. Hebron and arrest 2 Palestinians. IDF troops deliver demolition orders to several homes, tents, and other residential structures in 2 bedouin communities s. of Hebron. The IDF conducts house searches in Jalazun r.c., as well as nr. Hebron and Bethlehem; patrols nr. Salfit, Hebron, Tulkarm, Jenin, and in al-‘Arub r.c. An IDF raid in ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus sparks clashes with stone-throwing residents; 1 Palestinian is injured. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces enter Shu‘fat r.c. and clashes break out with residents, causing no injuries; conduct house searches in Ras al-Amud and Jabal Mukabir. An unknown assailant throws a firebomb at a bus nr. the Old City, causing some damage. (IMEMC, JP, MNA 12/2; MNA 12/3; PCHR 12/4)

Israeli PM Netanyahu fires Fin. Min. Lapid and Justice Minister Livni from his cabinet. Netanyahu criticizes the 2 ministers for disloyalty, citing their opposition to his “nation-state” bill, and tells the press that he will soon call for the 19th Knesset to be dissolved. Meanwhile, reps. of the 4 nonZionist parties in the Knesset, Balad, Hadash, Ra’am, and Ta’al, meet to discuss running as a joint list in the upcoming elections. (AFP, FP, HA, JP 12/2; AFP, REU, YA 12/3)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry holds talks with European FMs at a NATO meeting in Brussels. They discuss France’s draft UNSC res., which sets a timetable on IsraeliPalestinian peace negotiations. (AFP, REU 12/2; AFP, HA 12/3)

The UNGA passes a res. introduced by Egypt, which calls on Israel to give up its nuclear weapons and put its nuclear facilities under international oversight. (YA 12/2; EI 12/4)

The French parliament passes a symbolic res. that facilitates recognition of Palestinian statehood. The res. “invites the French govt. to use the recognition of the State of Palestine as an instrument to gain a definitive res. of the conflict,” and sets a 2-year deadline for the creation of an independent Palestinian state. (AFP, IMEMC, MEMO, REU, RT 12/2; WAFA 12/3)

In the Gaza Strip, Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for the 2d day in a row. Off the coast nr. Rafah, Israeli naval forces open fire on a Palestinian fishing boat, causing no injuries or damage. In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers shoot and critically injure a Palestinian woman after she fights with an Israeli settler nr. Gush Etzion settlement, and they later raid the woman’s home in Bayt Fajjar and arrest her father. Nr. the Jabara checkpoint s. of Tulkarm, IDF troops open fire on several Palestinians attempting to climb the security fence and enter Israel. A Palestinian hits and critically injures an Israeli settler with his car nr. Nablus. The IDF closes the nearby Hawara and Zatara checkpoints while they search for the driver. The IDF later conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Hebron, Nablus, and Bethlehem. Late at night, PA security forces clash with residents in al-Am‘ari r.c. nr. Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a home under construction in Issawiyya. In West Jerusalem, a Jewish Israeli man attacks a Palestinian taxi driver with pepper spray, lightly injuring him. (HA, MNA, WAFA 12/1; IMEMC, MEMO, MNA 12/2; PCHR 12/4; MNA 12/16)

Israeli PM Netanyahu presents fin. min. and leader of the Yesh Atid party Lapid with 5 conditions to meet to stay in the ruling coalition, which include supporting Netanyahu’s “nation-state” bill and continued construction in Jerusalem. Lapid rejects the terms. Earlier in the day, Netanyahu had warned if harmony within his ruling coalition was not preserved, he would hold new elections, 2 years ahead of schedule. (JP, TOI 12/1; HA, REU 12/2)

In the West Bank, an Israeli bus driver runs over 2 Palestinians at al-Jalama checkpoint in Jenin, killing 1 and injuring the other. It has not been determined if the collision was intentional or accidental. IDF troops detain a Palestinian at a military checkpoint e. of Jerusalem, arrest 2 in Hebron, and arrest 1 at a checkpoint e. of Nablus. The IDF conducts raids and house searches in al-Fawar r.c. and nr. Ramallah, arresting 5, including a Hamas official; patrols nr. Hebron and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security officers shoot tear gas canisters at 2 Palestinian men, moderately injuring them; arrest a young woman after she tries to stop the soldiers from physically assaulting her disabled mother. Later in al-Tur, Israeli security forces violently disperse Palestinians gathered for a funeral, injuring 1 with a rubber-coated metal bullet. Additional clashes break out in Silwan. In West Jerusalem, a group of Israelis verbally and physically assaults a Palestinian. (AFP, IMEMC, MNA, WAFA 11/25; IMEMC, MNA 11/26; IMEMC, PCHR 11/27)

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) releases a statement condemning the “nation-state” bill that Israel’s cabinet passed on 11/23. PA Pres. Abbas and Israeli pres. Reuven Rivlin separately denounce the bill. (TOI, WAFA, YA 11/25; GDN 11/26)

The Palestinian prisoner’s club at Rimon prison declares a state of emergency after clashes on 11/24 and increasing restrictions in the prison. (PNN 11/25)

Israeli fin. min. Yair Lapid blocks the transfer of NIS 70 m. (around $17.8 m.) to fund the relocation of an army base in the Beit El settlement, which was ordered by DM Moshe Ya’alon and PM Netanyahu. Lapid says that a cabinet vote would be required for a transfer of this magnitude. (HA 11/25; IMEMC 11/26)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troopsstationed along the border arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to enter Israel overnight. In the West Bank, 4 Israeli settlers, including 1 private security officer, assault a Palestinian shepherd nr. Tubas, seriously injuring him. They bring him back to the Messicot settlement and Israeli soldiers detain him for several hours. Nr. Ramallah, Israeli settlers set a Palestinian home on fire and leave racist graffiti on the walls. Palestinian youth set fire to the checkpoint at the entrance to al-Shuhada Street, prompting the IDF to close the checkpoint intermittently for 3 weeks. The IDF conducts arrest raids and house searches overnight nr. Hebron and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces fire a sound bomb at a Palestinian in Shu‘fat r.c., moderately injuring him. (WAFA 11/22; IMEMC, MEMO 11/23; IMEMC 11/24; PCHR 11/27; B’Tselem 12/16)

Reps. of Iran and the P5+1 continue negotiations in Vienna ahead of their 11/24 deadline. U.S. Secy. of State Kerry calls Israeli PM Netanyahu to discuss the negotiations with him. (HA 11/22)

In the Gaza Strip, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops stationed nr. the border open fire on an unarmed 10-year-old Palestinian boy, critically injuring him. Later, the IDF arrests 3 Palestinians who cross the border fence into Israel nr. the Kerem Shalom crossing. In the West Bank, Palestinians gather nr. ‘Askar refugee camp (r.c.) to throw stones at Israeli military vehicles, sparking clashes with the IDF that leave 1 Palestinian injured. IDF troops deliver demolition orders to 5 Palestinian families n. of Qalqilya and temporarily seal all entrances to ‘Azun village e. of Qalqilya; patrol nr. Bethlehem and Hebron. Late in the evening, the IDF conducts arrest raids and house searches in Bil‘in, detaining mayor Basil Mansur, sparking clashes with stone-throwing local residents; conducts arrest raids nr. Hebron and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, 10s of Palestinian women refuse to submit their ID cards to Israeli security officers outside Haram al-Sharif, defying a new Israeli access restriction; Israeli security forces beat several of the women with rifle butts to disperse them. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces escort 30 right-wing Jewish activists into Haram al-Sharif. Separately, IDF troops conduct arrest raids and house searches in 3 other areas of East Jerusalem. At an Israeli cabinet meeting, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu reiterates his pledge to maintain the status quo at Haram al-Sharif, meaning that he intends to respect Jordan’s custody of the area. In West Jerusalem, a Palestinian stabs a Jewish Israeli with a screwdriver, injuring him; Israeli police set up roadblocks around the area in effort to capture the assailant, but he escapes. Late at night, a Palestinian bus driver is found hanged in his bus in West Jerusalem. Israeli authorities allege suicide, but the man’s family believes that Israeli settlers killed him in retaliation for the earlier stabbing. Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces break out in al-Tur, East Jerusalem, in response to the bus driver’s death. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 11/16; AFP, IMEMC, JP, MNA 11/17; PCHR 11/20)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry calls Palestinian Authority (PA) Pres. Mahmoud Abbas and tells him the U.S. will veto any UN Security Council (UNSC) res. on ending the Israeli occupation within 2 years. Abbas has been circulating such a res. since his speech at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on 9/26/ 2014. (AP 11/18)

Israeli justice minister Tzipi Livni postpones until 11/23 a debate in her comm. over a new “nation-state” bill, which would enshrine Israel’s status as the national homeland of the Jewish people in the Basic Laws. Netanyahu says that he may sidestep the comm. debate and introduce the bill in the Israeli cabinet. (JTA, REU 11/16)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 village each nr. Nablus and Ramallah; patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian child with a sponge-tipped bullet during clashes in Issawiyya, leaving the boy blind in 1 eye. (MNA 11/13; PCHR 11/20)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah and Israeli PM Netanyahu in Amman to discuss the recent tensions in Jerusalem. They agree to a series of practical measures designed to restore calm, and they do not announce them to the press. The Jordanian govt. will consider returning its amb. to Tel Aviv based on Israel’s implementation of its share of the measures. Kerry meets PA Pres. Abbas earlier in the day, but the Palestinian leader did not attend the 3-way meeting. (BBC, HA, MNA, REU, ToI 11/13)

In the Gaza Strip, small explosive devices are detonated by unknown parties at the entrances of 15 Fatah mbrs.’ homes and under their cars, causing damage but no injuries. An additional blast occurs on a stage set up for a demonstration scheduled for 11/11 marking the commemoration of Yasir Arafat’s death (an event approved by Hamas authorities on 10/30). The attacks take place the day before a planned visit to Gaza by PM Rami Hamdallah, senior Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad and Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikhwe, but they cancel their trip as a result of the attacks. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Bethlehem; patrols in Hebron, 3 nearby villages, and Aida r.c. nr. Bethlehem. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 2 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in and Nil‘in), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum). There are no serious injuries, except in Bil‘in, where 3 people are wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces and Palestinians clash in Shu‘fat r.c., with no serious injuries reported. (HA, MNA, REU 11/7; PCHR 11/13)

Israeli PM Netanyahu orders the demolition of homes belonging to the families of the Palestinians who hit Israelis with their cars in Jerusalem in recent weeks (see 10/22 and 11/5). (AFP 11/7)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Ramallah, and in Jenin r.c. at night; patrols in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Salfit. The IDF demolishes 3 homes in Aqraba village nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities continue restrictions on access to al-Aqsa mosque compound, denying entry to Palestinian men under 40. (MNA, JP 11/3; PCHR 11/6)

An Israeli govt. comm. advances plans for 500 residences in the East Jerusalem settlement Ramat Shlomo. PM Netanyahu approved the move on 10/27. The U.S. State Dept. criticizes the move, as it did on 10/28. In Washington along with PA intelligence chief Majid Faraj, PLO chief negotiator Erakat meets with U.S. Secy. of State Kerry and urges the U.S. to support the PA’s plan to seek a UNSC res. that will set a timetable for the end of the Israeli occupation. (AP, HA, JP 11/3)

In the Gaza Strip, Hamas security forces arrest 5 Palestinians on charges relating to the 10/31 rocket fire. Also responding to the incident, Israel closes the Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrests in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Jenin, and Ramallah; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah, and 1 village each nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, and Tulkarm. Palestinians throw a Molotov cocktail at an Israeli settler bus outside Hawara village nr. Nablus, and in response the IDF imposes an overnight curfew on the village. Israeli soldiers shoot and injure 19 Palestinians during a protest at Qalandia checkpoint, 2 with live ammunition and 17 with rubber-coated metal bullets. (HA, MNA 11/2; PCHR 11/6)

Jordan’s King Abdullah says that his country will confront Israel’s “unilateral policies” and work to protect “Muslim and Christian holy sites,” in response to the 10/30 closing of Haram al-Sharif and the escalating tensions in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Dep. Secy.-Gen. of the Arab League Ben Hilli says that Israel has reached a “red line” with regard to “violations”in Jerusalem. Netanyahu, meanwhile, says that “Islamic extremist elements” are trying “to stir up unrest” and that Israel will maintain the status quo at Haram al-Sharif. (AFP, HA, JP 11/2)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and wound 4 Palestinians in a village nr. Jenin during a patrol. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Salfit at night. (PCHR 10/30)

Israeli PM Netanyahu says that condemnations by the international community of settlement construction announcements are “disconnected from reality,” referring in particular to criticism from the U.S. State Dept. the previous day. (HA 10/28)

The PA transfers millions of dollars to the Gaza Strip for the partial payment of salaries to civil servants hired under the Hamas govt. after 2007. Minister of Social Affairs Shawqi al-Aissa tells the media that each civil servant would receive an initial payment of $1,200. On 9/11, Hamas began partially paying the employees of its govt. a portion of salaries they are owed. (MNA 10/28)

Egyptian forces begin demolishing hundreds of homes and buildings along the 13 km border between Sinai and Gaza, advancing the creation of a “buffer zone” that will be as wide as 500 m in some places. The demolitions come as a surprise to the area’s residents, though Egyptian officials have conducted meetings regarding fair compensation for the past 2 weeks and early work on the buffer zone began on 2/15. Following the 8/24 attack that killed 31 Egyptian soldiers, the Egyptian govt. began increasing the severity of its countermeasures in the Sinai, including expediting work on the buffer zone. Around 800 homes are set to be demolished, which will displace up to 10,000 people, and their owners will receive commensurate compensation or replacement housing. (MNA 10/28; NYT 10/29)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and wound 2 Palestinians in clashes sparked by a patrol in Bayt Furik village nr. Nablus. Israeli soldiers also shoot and wound 1 Palestinian nr. Kafr Ya‘bid, after several Palestinians throw stones at Israeli settlers’ vehicles nearby. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Tulkarm; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Ramallah and Salfit; demolishes 4 structures nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raid Issawiyya, Silwan, and Bayt Hanina, sparking clashes with residents. (HA, MNA 10/27; PCHR 10/30)

Israeli PM Netanyahu approves plans for 1,060 new housing units in East Jerusalem settlements Ramat Shlomo and Har Homa. The EU foreign affairs office and U.S. State Dept. both criticize the move. (AFP, HA 10/27)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. alSudaniyya, Israeli naval forces detain 5 Palestinian fishermen and confiscate their boat. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Jenin and 2 nearby villages in the morning, and in 2 villages each nr. Hebron and Nablus, and in Salfit; patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm and 1 village nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers from Yitzhar torch about 100 olive trees in Hawara nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian drives his car into a light rail station, killing a baby and injuring another 8 people. (An Ecuadorian citizen will succumb to her injuries on 10/26.) The driver is immediately shot and killed by police. Israeli PM Netanyahu says that PA Pres. Abbas is responsible for inciting such acts. Separately, Palestinian protesters in Issawiyya and Silwan clash with Israeli security forces. (HA, JP, MNA, REU 10/22; PCHR 10/23; HA 10/26)

Unknown assailants in the Sinai Peninsula fire small arms and an antitank missile across the border into Israel at IDF troops, injuring 2. The IDF returns fire, killing 3. (AFP, HA, REU 10/22)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Rafah, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishermen on 3 separate occasions, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 3 villages nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Ramallah, and in Tubas and the nearby al-Fara‘a r.c.; patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya and 1 village each nr. Hebron and Ramallah. In Hebron, 2 Jewish settlers are injured when Palestinians throw stones at their car. In East Jerusalem, hundreds of Israeli security troops enter Haram al-Sharif, deploying stun grenades and rubbercoated metal bullets to disperse stone-throwing Palestinian worshippers. (AFP, MNA 10/13; PCHR 10/16)

UN Secy.-Gen. Ban meets with Israeli PM Netanyahu in Jerusalem and PA PM Hamdallah in Ramallah. The senior UN official discusses the Gaza war, tensions in Jerusalem and the need to restart peace talks with the Israeli premier; Gaza reconstruction, the Palestinian unity govt., and the need to realize a negotiated 2-state solution with Hamdallah. (AFP, MNA 10/13)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops conduct a limited incursion to level land close to the border fence nr. Khan Yunis. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. (PCHR 10/2)

Israeli nongovernmental organization Peace Now reports that the Jerusalem municipality is going ahead with the proposed construction of 2,610 new settler homes in Givat Hamatos, a settlement in East Jerusalem. Tenders can now be published for the project, soliciting construction of the units. The U.S. is “deeply concerned” with the news and the announcement overshadows a meeting in the White House between Pres. Obama and Israeli PM Netanyahu. (AFP, WP 10/1)

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces stationed along the n. border open fire on gravelcollectors nr. Bayt Lahiya, wounding 1. In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in s. Hebron shoot a sound bomb at a group of Palestinian children on their way home after school, injuring 1. Later, IDF troops destroy an electricity network in a village nr. Nablus. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron and Salfit; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah. (MNA 9/29; PCHR 10/2)

Israeli PM Netanyahu addresses the UNGA in New York City. In a speech about the global threat of radical Islam, Netanyahu draws a connection between Hamas in Gaza and ISIS. (HA, REU 9/29)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. alSudaniyya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries or damage, but arresting 2 fishermen. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and wound a wanted Fatah activist during a raid in Nablus, then arrest him. The IDF patrols in Tulkarm and the nearby Nur Shams r.c., as well as 1 village nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home in Bayt Hanina. (MNA 9/3; PCHR 9/4)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with PLO chief negotiator Erakat and senior PA official Faraj for 2 hours in Washington to discuss the Israeli expropriation of 988 acres of West Bank land, the planned negotiations in Cairo, and other issues. Later, Kerry speaks with Israeli PM Netanyahu over the phone regarding the 8/31 expropriation announcement. (AFP, AJ, YA 9/3)

The Palestinian and Israeli negotiators agree on an open-ended cease-fire deal, which PA Pres. Abbas confirms in a brief televised address. The agreement contains 3 points: Israel will permit humanitarian aid and construction material to enter Gaza; Israel will restore the fishing zone from 3 to 6 naut. mi. away from the shore, and gradually extend it to 12 by the end of 2014; and indirect negotiations will continue within 1 mo. in Cairo to deal with the remaining disputes, including Hamas’s demand for sea and airports in Gaza, and the release of recently rearrested prisoners who were released in the Shalit deal. Additionally, talks between Palestinian officials and Egyptian authorities are scheduled to take place soon with the goal of opening the Rafah crossing permanently. Israeli PM Netanyahu agrees to the cease-fire deal without putting it to a vote in the security cabinet, a move reportedly opposed by Economy Minister Naftali Bennett. Haaretz reports that over half of the security cabinet would have voted against the deal. (AFP, AJ, AP, HA, JP, MNA, NYT, WP 8/26)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF continues its assault and armed Palestinian groups continue firing projectiles into Israel until the new ceasefire goes into effect in the evening. The Israeli air force hits approximately 32 targets, while IDF troops stationed along the border fence open fire on 3 occasions, 2 with artillery and 1 with live ammunition. Six Palestinians die in the attacks, and dozens are injured. Among the targets in Gaza is the so-called Italian building, a 13-story residential and commercial complex. Though the building is mostly empty at the time of the Israeli strikes, its destruction leaves around 70 families homeless. Prior to the cease-fire, the armed Palestinian groups launch more than 180 projectiles into Israel, killing 2 Israelis and wounding 5. In the West Bank, 7 Israeli settlers attack a Palestinian nr. Jerusalem with knives and stones, leaving him unconscious. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in Nablus, 3 villages nr. Hebron, 3 villages nr. Ramallah, Jenin, 1 village nr. Jenin, and Tulkarm, arresting 17; patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 2 villages nr. Salfit. In East Jerusalem, dozens of Palestinians gather in Bayt Hanina, al-Tur, and Wadi al-Juz to celebrate the cease-fire announcement and Israeli security forces disperse the celebrations with waste water, sound bombs, and tear gas. One Palestinian is arrested in Wadi al-Juz. (MNA, REU, YA 8/26; HA 8/27; PCHR 8/28)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF continues its assault with attacks on 41 targets, killing 11 Palestinians and injuring dozens. Israeli fighter jets and drones strike targets in n. Gaza, as well as nr. Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and Rafah, while IDF troops fire smoke bombs and live ammunition across the Israel-Gaza border in 1 location and Israeli artillery shelling hits 2 others. The armed Palestinian groups fire over 100 projectiles into Israel; of which, 3 land in urban areas, 73 land in open areas, and 17 are intercepted by Iron Dome batteries. Meanwhile, Hamas executes 4 alleged collaborators with Israel in the courtyard of a mosque in Jabaliya r.c. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts patrols in Hebron and 2 nearby villages, as well as 1 village nr. Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces clash with a group of Palestinian youth outside a checkpoint nr. Shu‘fat, and 1 Palestinian is wounded when the soldiers open fire with tear gas and rubbercoated metal bullets. (AFP, AP, HA, MNA 8/23; PCHR 8/28)

Following talks between Hamas leader Mishal and PA Pres. Abbas in Doha on 8/21 and 8/22, Hamas publicly agrees to support Abbas’s application to join the ICC. According to PLO chief negotiator Erakat, only Islamic Jihad has not yet approved the document Abbas is asking all Palestinian factions to sign before he moves forward. (AFP, AP, MNA 8/23)

On the diplomatic front, Abbas travels to Cairo for talks with Egyptian pres. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. After their meeting, Abbas says “my main goal is for the truce talks to resume in Egypt as soon as possible.” In an interview on Egyptian television, Abbas says that he is planning a major diplomatic initiative and that he will present the plan to U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry, who is scheduled to visit the region in the coming days. The plan reportedly includes asking the UN to set a timetable for the Israeli occupation and signing the Rome Statue on behalf of the PA, which would give the ICC jurisdiction over cases relating to the occupation. For its part, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry releases a statement after the Abbas/al-Sisi meeting inviting the Israelis and Palestinians to return to Cairo for further cease-fire negotiations. (AJ, HA, WSJ 8/23)

Israeli PM Netanyahu holds talks with UN Secy.-Gen. Ban Ki-moon. Netanyahu compares Hamas to ISIS, in reference to the group’s 8/22 execution of collaborators, and blames the group for the latest escalation in violence. (AJ, HA, REU 8/23)

In the evening, 2 rockets are fired from Lebanon into n. Israel. No group claims responsibility for the attack, though Lebanese military officials suspect a small, local Palestinian group. Late at night, 5 rockets are fired from Syria into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israeli military officials say that a Palestinian group, not Syrian govt. forces, is responsible. Between the 2 sets of rocket attacks, 8 Israelis are lightly injured. (DS, JP, REU 8/23; AFP, HA, YA 8/24)

The IDF continues its aerial assault on the Gaza Strip with strikes on 46 targets, killing 5 Palestinians and injuring dozens more. The armed Palestinian groups launch approximately 130 projectiles into Israel, killing 1 Israeli child nr. Sderot, wounding 8, and causing damage across s. Israel. (One of the wounded Israelis, an IDF sgt., will succumb to his injuries on 8/29.) Meanwhile, Hamas executes 18 suspected collaborators with Israel, as the group’s crackdown on informants continues. PA Pres. Abbas’s office denounces the execution, calling it “extrajudicial.” In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and wound a Palestinian as they violently disperse Palestinians protesting OPE in Bethlehem. Additional clashes break out at demonstrations across the West Bank, including Qalandia, Ofer prison, Jalazun r.c., and Bayt Furik, where 10 Palestinians are injured. IDF troops conduct house searches and raid in Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Qalqilya, 2 nr. Hebron, 2 nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Dura, arresting 3, including a mbr. of the Palestinian Legislative Council. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at a weekly demonstration against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Nil‘in), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum). There are no serious injuries, except in Kafr Qaddum, where 1 is wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet. In East Jerusalem, clashes break out in al-Tur when Israeli forces patrol the neighborhood. No injuries or arrests are reported. (YA 8/22; HA 8/23; PCHR 8/28)

For a 2d day of talks, PA Pres. Abbas meets with Qatari emir Bin Hamad al-Thani and Hamas leader Mishal to discuss the continued Israeli assault and possible future cease-fire negotiations. The 2 Palestinian leaders make a statement calling on the UN to create a “timetable” for an end to the Israeli occupation. (MEMO, Yahoo! 8/22; AFP, HA, MNA 8/23)

Following the death of the Israeli boy early in the day, PM Netanyahu says that “Hamas will pay a heavy price” and that the “IDF and the Shin Bet will intensify their operations.” (HA 8/23)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF continues its assault, launching air strikes on approximately 65 targets, killing at least 30 Palestinians and injuring over 100. The armed Palestinian groups fire more than 150 rockets and mortars into Israel, primarily toward Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and areas in the s. One rocket lands in the Israeli settlement Mod’in Ilit in the West Bank, causing damage but no injuries, and 23 are intercepted by Iron Dome batteries. In the West Bank, IDF troops, accompanied by bulldozers, enter areas nr. Nablus, the Jordan Valley, and Ramallah to demolish 3 homes and confiscate 6 tents, leaving 63 Palestinians homeless. Late at night, the IDF conducts house searches and raids in Ramallah, Hebron, 2 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 village nr. Jenin, arresting 7. (AA, AFP, HA, REU, YA 8/20; PCHR 8/21)

In the evening, Israeli PM Netanyahu says in a press conference that the assault on Gaza will continue, but alludes to a new, regional “diplomatic horizon.” He calls on PA Pres. Abbas to play a “significant part” in his longterm plans. Earlier in the day, a Hamas spokesperson says that the Palestinian delegation has not been instructed to return to talks in Cairo and that “the Egyptian offer was a stillborn, and it was buried today.” (AFP, AP, HA, NPR, REU 8/20)

In the Gaza Strip, Palestinians continue emergency relief efforts, with many more bodies found in the rubble and many people succumbing to their injuries. In East Jerusalem, right-wing Jewish activists, accompanied by MK Moshe Feiglin, tour Haram al-Sharif with Israeli security forces escorting them. Israeli police close the main gates into the area while the group is inside. They also bar access to all women and men under 50 years of age. Separately, leader of the messianic Temple Mount movement Yehuda Glick tours Haram al-Sharif with a group of settlers. (MNA 8/17; PCHR 8/21)

The Palestinian delegation and the Israeli negotiators return to Cairo to restart talks on extending the current 5-day cease-fire, which is set to expire on 8/18. Upon landing at Cairo International Airport, an anonymous Palestinian negotiator says that his side is “less optimistic than we were earlier” about reaching a deal in time and that the final point of contention is Hamas insistence that Israel agree to lift the blockade on Gaza before the talks conclude. The parties meet for 9 hours of negotiations. Meanwhile, at the start of a cabinet meeting, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says that he has given the Israeli negotiators a “very clear mandate to stand firmly on Israel’s security needs.” Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri responds, saying that lifting the blockade on Gaza would be the only way to ensure Israeli security. U.S. Pres. Barack Obama calls several foreign leaders to discuss the Israeli assault on Gaza, among other things. (AJ, AP, BBC, JP, MNA 8/17; MNA 8/18)

In a goodwill gesture aimed at facilitating the negotiations in Cairo, Israeli authorities lift the fishing ban on Gaza, allowing Palestinian fishermen to sail 3 naut. mi. offshore. (HA 8/17)

The Qatari Comm. for Rebuilding the Gaza Strip says that it will double the previously reported donation to each Palestinian family whose home was destroyed, following up on the 8/16 announcement. (JP 8/17)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF and most armed Palestinian groups maintain the cease-fire for a 3d day. In one incident, Palestinians fire 1 rocket, which is intercepted by an Iron Dome battery, and a few mortar rounds, causing no injuries. Throughout the 72-hour cease-fire, 25 Palestinians died, succumbing to injuries sustained in earlier attacks. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Salfit at night; patrols during the day in 3 villages nr. Ramallah and in Qalqilya. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU, YA 8/7; PCHR 8/8)

Acting U.S. special envoy for Palestinian-Israeli negotiations Frank Lowenstein lands in Cairo to meet with Egyptian officials to discuss a truce extension. In the evening, Hamas officials say that Israel is not responding to the group’s proposal and threaten an escalation if hostilities resume. The Palestinian delegation meets with Egyptian officials, while the Israeli envoys return to Israel to meet with PM Netanyahu and DM Ya’alon before returning to Egypt. Egyptian authorities say that Cairo will agree to permanently open the Rafah crossing on the condition that the PA’s national unity govt. runs the terminal. Overall, the Egyptian authorities are warning that the talks are making no progress. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU, YA 8/7)