The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers built a structure in the Homesh settlement outpost with approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Israeli settlers also set fire to palm trees in Burqa, near the Homesh outpost. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian intelligence officer and injured 8 others during a late-night raid in Jenin. Israeli forces also demolished 1 house in Artas and 1 in Jericho. Elsewhere, Israeli forces seized a tractor and construction tools in Beitunia. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Tammun, Jenin, Nablus, and Dura. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian was arrested during a late-night raid in Bayt Hanina. (HA 5/28; AJ, ALM, AP, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/29; ALM, HA, MDW 5/30; PCHR 6/1; UNOCHA 6/2)

PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh met with EU representative to Palestine Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff in Ramallah, calling on the EU to pressure Israel to end unilateral measures. (WAFA 5/29)

The U.S., UK, and EU criticized the Israel decision to allow Israeli settlers to build a new structure at the Homesh settlement outpost and to allow settlers a permanent presence there. The U.S. said it was “deeply troubled” and that it “violates Israel’s commitment to the Biden administration.” The UK urged Israel to “honor recent commitments made in Aqaba and Sharm El-Sheikh.” (HA 5/30; MDW 6/1)

At a cabinet meeting, Israeli justice minister Yariv Levin defended his position that the government needs more control over the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court, saying “Arabs buy apartments in Jewish communities in the Galilee and this is causing Jews to leave these areas because they don’t want to live with Arabs,” noting that judges should understand that. (HA, MEE 5/29)

The Israeli military said it had successfully tested the C-Dome, a naval version of the Iron Dome system. (HA 5/29)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces raided al-Ibrahimi Mosque and prevented Muslim worshippers from entering the mosque. Israeli forces also sealed the entrance to Nabi Saleh. Elsewhere, Israeli forces dismantled and seized 2 residential structures in al-Muarajat, displacing 12. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 1 with a rubber-coated bullet. 9 Palestinians were arrested, including 8 during late-night raids in Sa‘ir, Yatta, as-Samu, and Tell; 1 was arrested at a checkpoint near Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 1 Palestinian stabbed and injured 1 Israeli soldier and 1 Israeli settler while being arrested in relation to a car-torching incident in Ras al-Amud. In Gaza, 2 Palestinians were arrested in the vicinity of the Gaza fence. In Israel, 1 Palestinian citizen of Israel was attacked by 4 Israeli Jewish people, who yelled “death to Arabs,” used pepper spray through the window of his vehicle, and vandalized his vehicle in Beersheba. The man was placed in house arrest after receiving treatment at a hospital, despite a judge saying that the Palestinian man was clearly attacked 1st by the Israelis. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/20; MEMO, WAFA 3/21; HA 3/23; PCHR 3/24; UNOCHA 3/25)

Israel said it had arrested 2 Palestinian men in the Galilee region for allegedly working with Hezbollah. (HA 3/20)

A Jewish vigilante militia set up by a former Israeli police officer was formally launched in the Naqab desert. The militia, The Barel Rangers, says it will patrol the Naqab to protect Jewish residents against Palestinian attacks. (AJ 3/24; MEE 3/26)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis open fire on Palestinians nr. the border fence gathering to commemorate Land Day, injuring 2. In the West Bank, thousands of Palestinians gather in several villages and cities for Land Day; IDF troops violently disperse protests in villages nr. Nablus and Ramallah, causing a number of Palestinians to suffer tear gas inhalation. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 1 nr. Jenin, and Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrols in 5 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 nr. Jericho, and al-‘Arub r.c. and 1 village nr. Hebron. Israeli forces deliver demolition notices to 7 Palestinian-owned agricultural structures and water wells in a village nr. Nablus and to 7 residential structures in a village nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians marching through the Old City to commemorate Land Day, injuring 1 and arresting 2. They also arrest 3 Palestinians at Haram al-Sharif, 3 in the Old City, and 1 during a house search in Silwan. Meanwhile, Palestinian citizens of Israel gather in Jerusalem, Dayr Hanna in the Galilee, and Rahat in the Negev to commemorate Land Day, but the Arab High Follow-Up Comm. does not call for a general strike as it did in 2014. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 3/30; YA 3/31; PCHR 4/2)

The Jerusalem Municipality announces that it has approved tenders to build 142 new residences in the Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem. Also, the Interior Ministry’s District Planning and Building Comm. approves a plan to construct over 2,200 new residences for Palestinians in Jabal Mukabir, East Jerusalem, and to retroactively approve hundreds that have already been built in the neighborhood. (WAFA 3/30; TOI 3/31; HA 4/1)

The PA Ministry of Civil Affairs announces that it will be providing 1 year of financial support to the approximately 15,000 Palestinian families in Gaza whose homes were destroyed during OPE. The project will be funded by international donors, primarily Arab League mbrs., and will grant families between NIS 1,000 and 1,500 per mo. ($250 to $378). (MNA, WAFA 3/30)

A bipartisan group of 4 U.S. senators sends a letter to Pres. Obama stating their opposition to the admin.’s reported reassessment of its policies regarding Israel and the possible end of U.S. support of Israel in international institutions, such as the UN. (TOI 3/31)

Military Action:

Syrian planes fire 2 air-to-air missiles at Israeli jets on reconnaissance flight over northern Lebanon, no hits reported; Israelis deny Lebanese report that pilotless drone plane was shot down over Bekaa by SA-6 missiles, say that reconnaissance flights will continue; Phalange and Druze militias exchange fire south of Beirut.

Casualties:

1 IDF soldier killed, 14 injured when explosion damages troop bus in eastern Lebanon; Lebanese military prosecutor demands death penalty for pro-Iranian Lebanese Shiites charged with killing 6 Lebanese Army soldiers in March.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: MK Shulamit Aloni says over a period of years settlers in West Bank have committed many dozens of murders, assaulted and harassed Arabs, and committed hundreds of acts of vandalism all with backing of military government and former Defense Minister Sharon; Knesset votes 41-32 against motion calling for full parliamentary investigation of Jewish vigilantism in West Bank, Defense Minister Arens says only way of ameliorating legal situation in occupied territories is by applying Israeli law; police release suspect in grenade attack during February 10 Peace Now demonstration; Israeli Druze communities call for total strike to protest inability of IDF to halt Phalange-Druze battles in Lebanon; Arab local councils in Galilee and Triangle hold 2-hour strike to protest inclusion of Arab-owned land in jurisdiction of new Misgav regional council; Israel warns Syria not to play with fire after attack on Israeli jets; prototypes of Israeli-made missiles shown at International Aerospace show at Le Bourget, Israel Aircraft Industry spokesman says prototype of Lavi jet fighter will make first flight in February 1986; Israeli bus and car damaged by stones in West Bank; anti-Arab slogans written on walls near Bethlehem; security forces disperse residents of Hussan, in Bethlehem area, trying to stop Israeli surveyors.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Fateh Central Committee, meeting in Damascus, cuts off food, fuel and pay to dissident PLO forces, estimated to number 150-500; Lebanese Foreign Minister meets ambassadors of 10 countries contributing to UNIFIL, would like troops to be deployed in Chouf region.

Arab Governments: North Yemen opposes Israeli-Lebanon agreement, calls for immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops.

US and Other Countries: All European Community members except Greece support Israeli-Lebanese troop withdrawal agreement.

Military Action:

Artillery duels between Druze and Phalange militia near Baabda.

Casualties:

5 killed, 9 wounded in Druze-Phalange fighting.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Chief of Staff Rafael Eitan says Israel may face 100 years of terrorism, that in practice the war in Lebanon has not ended, and one cannot solve all the problems of terrorism in one war, that if the IDF remains in Lebanon for long it may have to mount an intensive campaign to root out terrorist cells as was done in the Gaza Strip after the 1967 war; Defense Minister Sharon flatly rejects any PLO participation in future peace talks with Jordan, and dismisses Iraq's declaration of recognition of Israel's security needs as merely effort to get US arms for war against Iran; Israeli Foreign Minister legal adviser Elyakim Rubenstein says the recall of Egypt's Ambassador to Israel is a violation of the Camp David accords; Avid Kedar, head of Foreign Ministry's Egypt Department, says contacts between Israel and Egypt frozen since Peace for Galilee Campaign; Sgan Nitzav Albert Hayut, new director of Beersheba prison announces 500 security prisoners to be moved to new maximum security prison, equipped with latest electronic monitors, near Nablus; attorney Nissim Shakar of the Committee for Jaffa's Arabs says they will appeal proposed law that non-Jews must close shops on Yom Kippur as well as own religious holidays, and not transport goods on Saturday and Jewish holidays; Israeli officials announce requests by Palestinians to visit relatives in Lebanon decline due to security situation, 5 Israeli Palestinians disappeared recently in Lebanon; bomb near Zedekiah's Cave outside Jerusalem's Damascus Gate critically wounds a Palestinian worker; military authorities surround Najah University, effectively closing the campus, prevent Israeli Association for Civil Rights representative from entering, detain 9 student council members; in Nablus students stone troops who use tear gas and close off market area; rock throwing incidents in Ramallah, al-Bireh aid Dheisheh camp, now defined as District of Binyamin, also in jenin where placards and leaflets are found attributed to National Liberation Movement denouncing as treasonous Arafat's and Hussein's attempt to reach accommodation with Israel.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO Chairman Arafat goes to Moscow; 5 Palestinian leaders and Lebanese Communist Party meet in Tripoli.

Arab Governments: King Hussein tells local leaders that he has a letter from Reagan commiting the US to pressure Israel to restore Arab rights in the occupied territories, and that time is running out for achieving a unified Arab approach by March; Moroccan Foreign Ministry announces agreement with Britain on Arab League delegation to include non-PLO Palestinian; Egyptian Socialist Labor Party poll of 1,486 persons shows 82% want Israeli ambassador expelled, 76To want to sever relations with Israel.

US and Other Countries: State Department says Israeli settlement promotion campaign is unfortunate and counterproductive; Administration officials say US is counting on King Hussein to declare his readiness to join talks on basis of Reagan plan if the PLO and Saudi Arabia support it, if progress is made on troop withdrawals from Lebanon, and if Israel temporarily halts settlement activity; Secretary of State Shultz meets for 2 hours with 14 members of Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and leading Jewish Republicans, tells them of growing fears that Israel and Syria have tacit agreement to keep status quo in Lebanon, they tell him they want US to support Israel's demand for normalization of relations with Lebanon; delegation of Conservative MPs from Britain meet with Begin, give him message of support from Prime Minister Thatcher; European Parliament calls for establishment of a Palestinian state as a factor in a Middle East settlement, direct PLO-Israel dialogue, immediate halt to settlements in the West Bank, Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory, recognition of PLO as representative of Palestinian people if it drops from its charter all paragraphs calling for Israel's destruction, and sovereignty of all states in the region; Habib arrives in Israel.