The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uprooted 100 olive saplings in Yatta. Israeli forces shot and injured 3 Palestinians trying to enter Israel for work near the separation barrier north of Qalqilya. Israeli forces also destroyed Palestinian-owned crops while conducting drills in the Jordan Valley. 5 Palestinians were arrested during raids in al-Fawar refugee camp, Salim, and Kafr Rai. In East Jerusalem, 5 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Issawiyya. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces sprayed water from water cannons at Palestinian fishermen 3 nautical miles west of Bayt Lahiya. In Gaza, Israeli forces shelled al-Maghazi, al-Bureij, and Bayt Lahiya, injuring 1 Palestinian and damaging 1 house in al-Maghazi, after claiming 1 rocket fired from Gaza landed on an empty field in Israel. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/19; AJ, WAFA, WAFA 1/20; PCHR 1/21)

The PA received 5,000 doses the Russian-made COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V after Israel cleared the shipment. (AJ 1/19)

An Israeli court reversed its decision to freeze the bidding process for an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem. The bidding process was halted on 1/15 after a petition by Palestinian residents and Ir Amim, which complained that 40% of the planned housing would be for Israeli citizens only, forbidding Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem from buying the property. (HA 1/15; HA 1/20)

At an Israeli cabinet meeting, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to legalize 3 Israeli settler outposts and establish 3 new settlements, but was stopped by Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz, who called the proposal “politically irresponsible . . . especially at such a sensitive time,” referring to either the upcoming Israeli elections of the transition of power in the U.S. (HA 1/19)

U.S. president Donald Trump pardoned the Israeli spy recruiter, Aviem Sella, who recruited Jonathan Pollard to spy on the U.S. for Israel in the 1980s. President Trump cited support for the clemency by Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman, and Sheldon Adelson’s widow Miriam Adelson. Israel never extradited Sella to the U.S. after he was indicted in 1987. (AP, HA, JP 1/20)

At the confirmation hearing for Antony Blinken, U.S. president-elect Joe Biden’s pick for secretary of state, Blinken said he supported the normalization deals made between the U.S., Israel, and Morocco, and Sudan, Bahrain, and the UAE. Blinken also said that it is “vitally important” that the U.S. involve Israel in reentering the Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement, that he does not see an immediate way forward on finding a solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and that he and President-Elect Biden both oppose the BDS movement. He furthermore stated that he considers Jerusalem the capital of Israel and that the U.S. embassy to Israel would remain in Jerusalem. Blinken did not mention East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. (HA, MEE 1/19; HA, MEMO, REU 1/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assaulted 1 Palestinian in Huwwara; he was treated at a hospital for his injuries. Israeli settlers with military escort also attacked Palestinian homes in Hebron; no injuries were reported. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian shepherds and farmers in the Masafer Yatta area, causing several injuries. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian using rubber-coated bullets near the separation barrier in the Jenin area. Israeli forces also violently dispersed a protest in Kafr Qaddum, causing tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces prevented Palestinians from farming their land in Jalud. 1 man alleged to be Palestinian threw a Molotov cocktail at an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint near Jit before driving away in his car; the soldier was unharmed. 4 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Kisan and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Tur. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian shepherds east of Dayr al-Balah; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/19; TOI, WAFA 12/20; PCHR 12/24)

In Israel, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the 1st to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the COVID-19 virus. Israel does not plan to offer vaccinations to Palestinians in the West Bank. The PA says it has secured the Russian-made vaccine Sputnik V, which will arrive in 2021. 20 percent of the Palestinian vaccinations are expected to be delivered for free from the World Health Organization as part of a scheme to deliver vaccinations to poorer countries. (AJ, AP 12/17; REU 12/18; AJ, REU 12/19; HA 12/20)

Israeli protesters demonstrated against Prime Minister Netanyahu for the 26th Saturday in a row in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The protesters are demanding that Prime Minister Netanyahu resign due to his COVID-19 response, the Israeli economy, and the corruption cases against him. (HA 12/19)