The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians and wounded 6 others during a raid in Kafr Dan. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian using live ammunition during a raid in Nabi Salih. Israeli forces also raided the Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm, injuring 1 Palestinian with live ammunition and 1 with a baton round to his face. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians during a raid in Budrus, injuring 1 with live ammunition and arresting 7. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Abwein, injuring 1 minor with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Bireh, injuring 1 with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians during a funeral procession in Beita, causing 35 injuries from tear gas. Meanwhile, Israeli forces blocked the entrances to al-Arroub refugee camp. Israeli forces also delivered notices that it will seize 264.4 dunams (65 acres) of land in Humsa al-Tahta and Furush Bayt Dajan for military purposes. 33 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Nur Shams refugee camp, Kafr Dan, al-Yamun, Tell, Balata, al-Bireh, al-Khader, Beit Umar, Halhul, al-Arroub refugee camp, and Hebron. Palestinians in the Ramallah and Bethlehem districts held a general strike in protest against the killing of several Palestinians by Israeli forces in the past 24 hours. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in the Old City and al-Tur. (ABC, AJ, AP, HA, MEE, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/14; WAFA, WAFA 4/15; PCHR 4/21; UNOCHA 4/23)

The Israeli military announced a curfew for Palestinians in the West Bank between 4 P.M. on 4/15 and 4/17 for the Jewish holiday of Passover. Crossings between Gaza and Israel will close during this period. Israel also announced that the restrictions on Jenin will end with the curfew on 4/17. The wide-ranging punitive restrictions in Jenin were instituted on 4/9. (HA 4/14; HA 4/15)

Haaretz reported that the Israel education ministry is requiring outside administrators of educational programs declare that their presentations do not portray the Israel Independence Day as the Nakba or challenge the notion of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. According to the Haaretz reporting, Adalah filed a challenge to the requirement in an Israeli court on 4/13. (HA 4/14)

Israel said it had successfully tested a laser-based missile defense system. The “Light Shield” is intended to be fully operational years from now, but will be placed near Gaza by the end of 2022 for further testing. (AP, HA 4/14; ALM 4/15)

In Syria, Israeli forces conducted air strikes on several targets near Damascus, causing damage. (AJ, AP, HA 4/15)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uprooted some 35 olive trees in Hebron. Israeli undercover forces assassinated 1 Palestinian in al-Bireh from close range before leaving him to bleed out. Israeli forces also delivered demolition notices for 3 industrial structures in Dayr Sharif. Elsewhere, Israeli forces delivered notices for land seizures to complete a 9.3-mile-long water pipeline to 2 Israeli settlements near Salfit. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Biddu, Bayt Duqqu, al-Za’ayyem, Kafr Dan, Jaba‘, Nablus, Aqabat Jabir, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Palestinians protested Israeli-planned evictions of Palestinians in Batn al-Hawa in Silwan. 6 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Tur and the Old City, including 1 man for gesturing his middle finger at Israeli police in the Old City. (AJ, MEE, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/25; HA, PCHR, WAFA 5/26; PCHR 5/27; AJ 5/30; HA 7/2; HA 7/4)

Israel reopened the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings for humanitarian aid and aid workers. The Kerem Shalom crossing remained closed for exports. Israel also allowed Gaza fishermen to fish up to 6 nautical miles from shore. (HA 5/24; HA, HA 5/25)

PA health minister Mai al-Kaila said the PA had received 103,000 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and that 46,800 of them would be sent to Gaza. 203,161 Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are fully vaccinated. (WAFA 5/25)

Jordan summoned the Israeli ambassador to the country to complain about the detention of 2 Jordanian citizens in Israel and the lack of access for the Jordanian embassy to talk to them. (WAFA 5/25; MEE 6/1)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken landed in Tel Aviv for meetings with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi, and defense minister Benny Gantz. Later in the day, Secretary Blinken met with PA president Mahmoud Abbas and PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh in Ramallah, as well as Palestinian activists at the offices of AMIDEAST. At a press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Blinken reiterated the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s “right to defend itself” and said that the U.S. will help rebuild Gaza while preventing Hamas from benefiting from any U.S. aid. Netanyahu said that Israel would have a “very powerful response” if Hamas breaks the ceasefire. During a meeting with President Abbas in Ramallah, Blinken announced that the U.S. would reopen the consulate general in West Jerusalem, servicing Palestinians. The Trump administration closed the consulate and merged it with the Israeli embassy after it was moved to Jerusalem. Blinken also said that the Biden administration is asking Congress to approve $75 million in aid to Gaza and another $30 million to UNRWA. (AJ, AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, AP, AX, AX, CBS, CNN, FOX, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WSJ 5/25; AP, MEMO, WAFA 5/26; AX 5/27)

Indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. through Germany, France, Britain, Russia, and China continued in Vienna to facilitate a reentry of the U.S. to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and for Iran to restart its compliance with the deal. (AP 5/25)

The government of Ireland recognized Israel’s settlement activity as de facto annexation of Palestinian lands. (RTE 5/25; MEE, WAFA 5/26)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers used pepper spray on 3 Palestinians at the Wadi Qana nature reserve near Salfit and vandalized 5 vehicles. Israeli forces closed all the entrances to Dayr Nidham, closed roads leading to Ya‘bad with concrete blocks and set up a metal gate, and closed access to 7 villages near Salfit. 17 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Kafr Dan, Qabatiya, Ya‘bad, Nablus, Balata refugee camp, al-Twana, Tulkarm, and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Shaykh Jarrah, injuring 1 with a sound bomb. Israel began allowing Jewish worshipers at the Haram al-Sharif compound for the 1st time since the beginning of Ramadan on 4/12; some 250 Jewish worshipers with military escort visited the compound; 9 Palestinians were arrested for protesting the settler incursion. 10 other Palestinians were arrested during raids in Bayt Hanina, al-Tur, and the Old City. In Israel, 1 Israeli woman succumbed to injuries sustained in a fall while seeking shelter on 5/15, raising the Israeli death toll from the Hamas-Israel escalation to 13. (AJ, AP, HA, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/23; PCHR 5/27)

PA presidency spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh warned that Israel’s lockdown of Shaykh Jarrah and continued attacks on the Haram al-Sharif compound could lead to an end of the ceasefire, which went into effect on 5/21, and asked the U.S. to intervene to keep the calm. (WAFA 5/23)

Leader of Hamas’s politburo Ismail Haniyeh met with Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, thanking him for Qatar’s support of Palestine. (MEMO 5/24)

Israeli police released a statement saying it had arrested 1,550 people since 5/9 who have taken part in violent and non-violent protest throughout Israel. Over 70% of the people arrested were Palestinian citizens of Israel, prompting Adalah to call it a “war” against Palestinian demonstrators. Israeli police have named the mass arrest campaign “Operation Law and Order.” (AJ, INT, MDW, NYT, WAFA 5/24)

The Jordanian foreign ministry condemned Israel’s continued violations of status quo agreements in East Jerusalem, specifically the continued raids on the Haram al-Sharif compound and policy reversal in allowing Jewish worshipers at the compound. (WAFA 5/23)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken said that the Biden administration is committed to “giving Israel the means to defend itself,” despite growing calls among democrats and activists to condition U.S. military aid to Israel. (AJ 5/23)

The UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories Lynn Hastings said that the UN would launch an urgent appeal to countries to help rebuild Gaza after Israeli air strikes caused massive destruction during the latest escalation, which ended on 5/21. U.S. president Joe Biden said his administration would work with the UN to send humanitarian aid to Gaza in a way that prevents Hamas from benefiting. Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz said he will condition any aid that is not for humanitarian relief on the release of Israeli prisoners and the bodies of 2 Israelis to Israel. Defense minister Gantz also said that Gaza should be kept on the “basic humanitarian threshold.” (AJ, HA, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 5/23; HA 5/24)

Kuwait said it will send 40 tons of aid to the Palestinian Red Crescent to help with its response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (MEMO 5/24)