The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with a military escort raided Duma, setting cars on fire and attacking Palestinians. Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian with live ammunition who was trying to fend off the settlers. Israeli settlers also set fire to a tent near Kisan; the Palestinian couple who owned the tent were later reported missing. Elsewhere, an Israeli settler attempted to ram Palestinians on a street in Tuqu’. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling west of Jericho, causing damage. Israeli forces also shot and killed a Palestinian who allegedly attempted to ram soldiers at a checkpoint in Hebron using a tractor. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Arroub refugee camp, killing a Palestinian and injuring 1 other with live ammunition. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed a funeral procession in Beit Umar, killing 1 person and injuring 5 with live ammunition and others with baton rounds and tear gas. Israeli forces also shot and injured 2 people with live ammunition and injured 12 others with tear gas in ‘Ayn Bus. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Huwwara, injuring 3 with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters at the Jalamah checkpoint, injuring 2 with live ammunition. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Bireh, injuring 1 with live ammunition and 3 with baton rounds. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters at a checkpoint near Beit Furik, causing tear-gas related injuries. 40 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Hebron, Tulkarm, Nablus, Salfit, Tubas, Qalqilya, and Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting in Isawiya, injuring 1 with live ammunition. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes killed nearly 200 Palestinians and caused widespread destruction. Near Gaza, Palestinian militants attacked Kibbutz Sa’ad and Kibbutz Be’eri; no injuries were reported. Hamas fired rockets at Jerusalem, hitting targets around the city and in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, saying it was retaliation for Israeli attacks on civilian targets. Near the Blue Line, mortar shells were fired from Lebanon toward Israel; no injuries were reported. Israel also said it had 3 killed gunmen entering Israel from Lebanon; Hezbollah denied having an active operation into Israel. Islamic Jihad later claimed responsibility. Israel later fired artillery shells at Marwahin and used combat helicopters to attack South Lebanon, killing 5 members of Hezbollah. 3 Israeli soldiers were killed and 5 injured by forces in Lebanon. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, AP, HA, HA, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/9; AP, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 10/10; HA 10/11)

The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that as of 9:30 p.m. at least 687 Palestinians had been killed and 3,800 injured in Gaza, while 17 Palestinians, including 4 children, had been killed and 295 injured in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7. Israeli media reported more than 900 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 2,616 injured. Israel said it had hit 500 targets in Gaza overnight and 1,100 since 10/7. Hamas said Israeli airstrikes have killed 4 Israeli captives in Gaza. The UN reported that more than 187,518 Palestinians were displaced, including 137,427 sheltering in UNRWA facilities. 790 housing units were destroyed and 5,330 were damaged since 10/7. (AJ, ALM, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/9; ALM, AP 10/10)

The Israeli emergency rescue organization Zaka said that the bodies of 108 Israelis were found in Kibbutz Be’eri as were the bodies of Palestinian militants. Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the bodies of 70 militants were found in the town. (HA 10/10; AP 10/11)

Hamas’ Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson Abu Obaida said the Qassem Brigades would not negotiate the release of captives while Gaza was being bombarded. Earlier in the day Abu Obaida said Qassam Brigades would begin executing 1 Israeli captive each time Israel bombs a civilian target. There was no indication that the threat was carried out as civilian buildings were being bombed by Israel. Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera that Hamas is open to discussing a truce and all political dialogue. Hamas leader Ali Barakeh said only half a dozen members of Hamas planned the attack on Israel on 10/7 and none of its allies were informed but Hezbollah and Iran would join the battle if “Gaza is subject to a war of annihilation.” (AJ, REU, REU, REU 10/9; AJ, AP, HA 10/10)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, and Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman about the Hamas-Israel war. In a statement, bin Salman’s office said Saudi Arabia “continues to stand with the Palestinian people in their pursuit for their legitimate rights, striving for a dignified life, realizing their hopes and aspirations, and achieving a just and lasting peace.” (AJ, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/9)

Israeli military spokesperson Hagari said Israel had regained control in all communities surrounding Gaza but that Palestinian militants still could be in the area. (HA 10/9)

Reuters reported that Qatar was mediating a prisoner exchange that will see Israeli women and children released by Hamas in exchange for the release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israeli prisons. Egyptian sources also said that Egypt was in close contact with Israel and Hamas to prevent further escalation, calling on Israel to exercise restraint and Hamas to keep the captives in good condition. (HA, REU, REU 10/9; HA, HA 10/10; HA 10/11)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said that he had ordered that no power, water, food, or gas enters Gaza, saying “[w]e are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.” His office later said Gallant had ordered the intensity of the Gaza bombings to increase. Several Israeli politicians called for the formation of an emergency unity government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said the emergency government should “bring about the complete elimination of Hamas and the terrorist organizations in Gaza.” Benny Gantz’s National Unity party demanded that Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir not be part of the war cabinet and that no legislation unrelated to the war would be promoted. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, WAFA 10/9; AP 10/10)

Axios reported that Israeli prime minister Netanyahu told U.S. president Joe Biden that Israel will invade Gaza. The Washington Post reported that the U.S. is preparing for a prolonged war in Gaza and is assessing Israeli diplomatic, political, and military needs. The White House briefed members of Congress that Israel will need replenishment for the Iron Dome, ammunition rounds, precision-guided missiles, and small-diameter bombs. Biden said in a briefing that 11 U.S. citizens have been killed by Hamas and that there likely are U.S. captives being held in Gaza. The U.S. also said Iran was complicit in the Hamas attack and warned Iran about getting involved in the fighting. Iran denied any involvement or knowledge. (ALM, HA, HA, REU, REU 10/9; HA, REU, REU 10/10)

Egyptian officials said they had warned Israel about an imminent attack from Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office denied having received warnings. (HA 10/9)

President Erdoğan spoke to Israeli president Isaac Herzog, urging him to end indiscriminate attacks on Gaza. (AJ, ALM 10/9)

The UN Security Council convened a meeting on the situation in Gaza without releasing a statement. Secretary-General Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire and said 137,000 Palestinians were sheltering in UNRWA facilities. Guterres also said he was deeply distressed by Israel’s decision to prevent all power, food, and gas from entering Gaza. (AJ, AP, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 10/9; AJ, HA 10/10)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken deleted a tweet on X in which he said he “encouraged Turkey’s advocacy for a cease-fire.” The tweet was replaced by language that supported Israel’s “right to defend itself.” (HA 10/9)

Hungary, Bulgaria, and Poland evacuated hundreds of their own citizens and European and Israeli nationals from Israel. (HA, HA 10/9)

The U.S., Germany, the UK, France, and Italy issued a joint statement of support for Israel, saying the countries are coordinating to “ensure Israel is able to defend itself, and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region.” (AP, REU 10/9; HA, HA 10/10)

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov condemned violence against Palestinians and Israelis and criticized the U.S. for its “destructive policy” of undermining the Quartet by monopolizing Israeli-Palestinian dialogue during a press conference with Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit. (REU, WAFA 10/9)

The EU, Germany, and Austria said they suspended all aid to Palestinians in response to Hamas’ operation in Israel. None of the aid in question is delivered to Hamas. Later EU countries, including Ireland, France, Spain, and Luxembourg, objected to the EU Commission's decision and EU Crisis Management commissioner Janez Lanercic said the EU aid would continue. (AJ, HA, REU, REU, REU 10/9; AJ 10/10)

The Bank of Israel said it will sell $30 billion of foreign currency to maintain the shekel’s stability in light of the war with Hamas. The shekel had lost 10% of its value compared to the dollar in 2023 before the war. (AJ, ALM, HA, REU 10/9)

In the West Bank, the Israeli military claimed that Palestinian militants had opened fire at Israeli soldiers on 3 separate occasions at the Salem checkpoint and in Dayr Sharaf and Jalbun, damaging 1 vehicle. Israeli forces subsequently raided Jalbun, leading to tear-gas related injuries, and closed off all checkpoints to Nablus. Israeli forces also demolished 2 Palestinian homes in Furush Bayt Dajan, 1 Palestinian home under construction in al-Jiftlik, 1 car was near Haris, and issued demolition notices for 3 agricultural buildings and 1 residential tent in al-Matar. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian minor with live ammunition during a raid in ‘Azzun. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian at a checkpoint east of Bethlehem, claiming he tried to stab a soldier. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian man at a checkpoint near the Har Homa settlement, claiming he had attempted to stab soldiers. In Gaza, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters near the Gaza fence north of Jabaliyya, injuring 1 with live ammunition and causing tear-gas related injuries. (HA, QDS, QDS, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/18; PCHR 9/21; UNOCHA 9/26)

COGAT said the Beit Hanun (Erez) crossing to Gaza would remain closed on 9/18. The crossing was scheduled to be reopened at midnight on 9/17 after it had been closed since 9/14 due to Israeli holidays. (HA, QDS 9/18)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. (QDS 9/18)

Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, and the EU sponsored a conference called The Peace Day Effort to advance the two-state solution through political, economic, cultural, and security-oriented means. The conference was held in New York on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly meeting and attended by around 30 foreign ministers. China’s ambassador to the UN and U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Israeli-Palestinian affairs Andrew Miller also attended. Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said before the conference that it was convened as “[p]eople have started to losing hope in a two-state solution” and that there can be no solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict without the establishment of a Palestinian state. Palestinian and Israeli officials were not invited to partake. The PA expressed satisfaction with the initiative. (HA, MEE, TOI 9/18; AN, WAFA 9/19 HA 9/20)

Ahead of traveling to the U.S. for the annual UN General Assembly session Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israelis who protest his government’s judicial overhaul are aligning themselves with the PLO and Iran. The Prime Minister’s office later clarified, after backlash from the Israeli opposition and Jewish organizations in the U.S., that Netanyahu was criticizing that Israelis were protesting Israel at the same time as supporters of the PLO and BDS were and that they should also protest “those who deny the State of Israel’s right to exist.” Later in the day, Netanyahu met with Tesla, X, and Space X owner Elon Musk in Silicon Valley, defending Musk against charges of anti-Semitism brought by the Anti-Defamation League, among others. (ALM, AX, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, NYT 9/18; REU 9/19)

Helicopter fighter pilot Shira Etting, a leader in the Israeli protest movement against the Israeli government’s judicial overhaul, told 60 Minutes that “[i]f you want pilots to be able to fly, and shoot bombs and missiles into houses knowing they might be killing children, they must have the strongest confidence in the people making those decisions.” (HA 9/18; HA 9/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man at the Rantis checkpoint, claiming he had tried to take a weapon from an Israeli soldier after his car was stopped at the checkpoint. Israeli forces also tased and injured 1 Palestinian woman near Huwwara, claiming that she had tried to stab an Israeli soldier. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed a funeral procession in Beit Umar, injuring 2 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 3 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Dajan, injuring 15 with tear gas. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Nabi Salih, Beita, and Zweidin. (AJ, AP, HA, QDS, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/9; PCHR 6/15; UNOCHA 6/18)

The Higher Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel called for a general strike on 6/9 and 6/10 over the continuing rise in homicide rates among Palestinian citizens of Israel, blaming Israeli police inaction. (QDS, WAFA 6/9)

Axios reported that the Israeli government had decided to postpone discussions on settlement construction in the E1 area of the West Bank. Discussions were scheduled to take place next week. According to the reporting, both the U.S. and European countries have expressed concern about the plans to the Israeli government. (AX 6/9; MEE 6/10; JP 6/12)

In South Lebanon, Israeli forces violently dispersed Lebanese protesters demonstrating against Israeli constructing of a barrier near the border between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Lebanon south of Kfar Chouba. UNIFIL soldiers later intervened to help remove the Lebanese protesters. (AP, HA 6/9)

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that PA president Mahmoud Abbas will meet President Xi Jinping during a state visit on 6/13-6/16. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 6/9; JP 6/10; GDN, WAFA 6/11)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles in Hebron, causing damage. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man after he allegedly rammed his car into an Israeli soldier at the Beit Sira checkpoint, injuring the soldier. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian man driving near Kharas. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 2 Palestinian homes in Jalbun and 2 Palestinian homes in al-Walaja. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Ramallah, Aida refugee camp, Kafl Haris, Beita, Nablus, Nur Shams, ‘Azzun, and Aqabat Jaber refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, 3 Palestinians were arrested in Isawiya. In the Naqab, Israeli police shot and injured 1 Palestinian minor who was a bystander to a car chase in Ar‘arat an-Naqab. (AJ, HA, HA, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/2; PCHR, WAFA, WAFA 11/3; MDW 11/4; UNOCHA 11/13)

In the final communique from the 1st Arab Summit in 3 years, Arab state leaders pledged their continued to support for Palestine, said Jerusalem must be protected, condemned Israeli use of violence against Palestinians, and urged Israel to lift the blockade of Gaza. The 31st Arab Summit, held in Algeria, was the 1st since the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, and Sudan normalized relations with Israel. At the summit PA president Mahmoud Abbas asked the participating countries to form 2 ministerial committees to support Palestine in international diplomacy. (AJ, HA, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/2; MEMO, MEMO 11/3)

A spokesperson for the newly appointed UK prime minister Rishi Sunak said that his government does not intend to move the British embassy to Israel to Jerusalem, walking back statements made by Prime Minister Sunak’s predecessor Liz Truss who resigned last month. Truss, who like Sunak had been appointed by the Conservative Party, had told Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid that her government would review moving the British embassy to Israel to Jerusalem last month. Truss served as prime minister for 45 days before resigning due to dissatisfaction with her policies and popularity among Conservative Party members. (MEE, WAFA 11/2; AJ, GDN, HA, JP, MEMO, REU, TOI 11/3; NA 11/4)

In the West Bank, dozens of Israeli settlers escorted by Israeli forces stormed Huwwara, attacking Palestinians, stores, and vehicles; 53 Palestinians were injured and 6 were arrested. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinian vendors selling produce in Bardala, damaging their products. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Dura, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian man during a raid in Aqabat Jabr refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed a funeral procession for a Palestinian minor killed on 10/12 in al-Arroub refugee camp, causing tear gas related injuries. Israeli forces also shot and injured 2 Palestinians with baton rounds during a raid in Kafr Dan, tear-gas related injuries were also reported. 13 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in ‘Anata, Dheisheh refugee camp, Bethlehem, Hebron, Qalandia refugee camp, and Kafr Dan. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers stormed the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, leading to a confrontation with Palestinians; 20 Palestinians and 2 settlers were injured. Dozens of Palestinian-owned vehicles were vandalized and 5 Palestinians were arrested. MK Itamar Ben-Gvir joined the settlers brandishing guns and threatening to shoot Palestinians. Israeli settlers also toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Sur Baher, displacing 3. 13 Palestinians were arrested in Isawiya and al-Thuri. In Gaza, Israeli forces fired tear gas at al-Bureij refugee camp near a school, causing tear-gas related injuries among students and staff. (ABC, AP, HA, HA, MEE, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WP 10/13; AJ, JP, MDW, MEE, MEMO, WAFA 10/14; MEE 10/15; UNOCHA 10/16; PCHR 10/20; UNOCHA 11/1)

Israeli deputy mayor of Jerusalem Aryeh King called on Jewish settlers to volunteer to “protect” East Jerusalem neighborhoods during ongoing Palestinian protests in East Jerusalem over Israel’s continued siege of ‘Anata and Shu‘fat. (HA 10/12)

Israeli public security minister Omer Bar-Lev instructed Israeli police to ease the checkpoint restrictions around Shu‘fat, in what was described as an effort to ease tensions in East Jerusalem after days of protests against the siege of Shu‘fat and ‘Anata, which started on 10/8. (HA 10/13)

14 Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah, signed an agreement in Algeria to hold Palestinian elections. The agreement comes after 2 days of meetings mediated by Algerian officials. At the meetings were Hamas chairman of the political bureau Ismail Haniyeh, Fatah member Azzam al-Ahmad, and PFLP secretary general Talal Naji. The agreement recognized the PLO as the sole representative for the Palestinian people and called for elections within 1 year. According to leader of the DFLP Tayseer Khalid, Hamas and Fatah rejected a clause in the agreement to form a unity government. (AJ, CNN, F24, HA, JP, MEMO, NA, REU 10/13; MEMO, NAT 10/14; MEMO 10/15)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Kazakhstan. During the meeting, President Abbas said he does not trust the U.S. as a mediator for peace, instead voicing support of mediation efforts by the Quartet. Abbas also met with the leaders of Qatar, Kazakhstan, and Pakistan. A U.S. spokesperson criticized Abbas’s comments, calling President Putin “a far cry from the type of international partner needed to constructively address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” (AP, HA, MEMO, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/13; ALM, AX, TOI 10/15 HA, JP 10/16)

Lebanese president Michel Aoun officially said that Lebanon had accepted the maritime boundaries agreement with Israel, emphasizing that the agreement “does not signify any type of normalization.” Knesset members will vote on the agreement in 2 weeks. (AP, HA, MEMO, REU 10/13)

In the West Bank, unidentified assailants opened fire at a military post and at a settler vehicle near Huwwara; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces demolished 3 structures in 'Arab al-Rashayida. 19 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Hizma, Hebron, al-Arroub refugee camp, Yatta, Sa‘ir, Beit Umar, Talfit, and al-Shuyukh. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided the home of director of al-Aqsa Mosque Shaykh Omar Kiswani in al-Tur, seizing a laptop and documents and detaining Kiswani for several hours at a police station before releasing him. 4 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/19; MEMO 9/20; PCHR 9/22; UNOCHA 9/30)

Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem observed a general strike in protest over Israeli attempts to censor Palestinian textbooks and introduce Israeli curriculum in the schools. According to the head of the parents committee union, between 90% and 95% of the some 280 Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem observed the strike. (WAFA 9/17; NA, WAFA 9/18; AJ, HA, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/19; MEMO, PCHR 9/20; CNN 9/30)

It was revealed that Israel had installed a remote-controlled gun at a checkpoint on Shuhada Street in Hebron, capable of shooting baton rounds, stun grenades, and tear gas. The gun, which looks like a surveillance camera, was developed by the company Smart Shooter and can target people using artificial intelligence. (HA 9/24; DT, TOI 9/26 MEMO, VICE 9/27)

2 Palestinians were convicted of terrorist offenses for throwing stones at an Israeli car in East Jerusalem in May 2021. 1 baby was injured by a stone during the incident. (HA 9/19)

Representatives from Fatah and Hamas arrived in Algiers for reconciliation talks mediated by Algeria. (MEMO 9/20)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with prime minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, UN secretary-general António Guterres, and president of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder at the sidelines of the UNGA in New York. (WAFA 9/20)

In Syria, Israeli forces made incursions from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights into areas controlled by Syria, shooting 1 person who was said to be part of a group that threw objects at the border fence. The man was flown to a hospital in Israel for treatment of his injuries. (HA, JP, MEE, TOI 9/19)

Israeli historians Benny Morris and Benjamin Z. Keder published an article “’Cast Thy Bread’: Israeli biological warfare during the 1948 War” in Middle Eastern Studies, saying that declassified materials in the Israeli archives have revealed that Israel used biological weapons against Palestinians and Arab armies during the Nakba. The codename used for the biological weapons campaign used by the Zionist leaders, including David Ben-Gurion was “Cast Thy Bread.” Zionist militias were given typhoid bacteria which they were to put in water wells. Morris and Keder did not specify the number of casualties caused by biological weapons used during the Nakba. (HA 10/6; MEMO 10/11; HA 10/14; NA, WAFA 10/15)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian man succumbed to injuries sustained by Israeli gunfire on 9/6 during a demolition raid in Jenin; he was the 81st Palestinian killed by an Israeli in the West Bank this year, making 2022 the deadliest for Palestinians in the West Bank since 2015. Israeli settlers erected structures and barbwire fencing near Qusra. Israeli forces arrested 1 construction worker and seized 3 cement tankers in Ein ad-Duyuk at-Tahta near Jericho. Israeli forces also arrested the chairman of the Jenin Freedom Theater at the Za‘atara checkpoint; the PA condemned Israel’s attack on Palestinian cultural institutions. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 1 Palestinian family started demolishing their own home in Silwan. (HA, MEE, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/11; HA, MEMO, WAFA 9/12; HA 9/14; PCHR 9/15; UNOCHA 9/16)

Head of the Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Russia for meetings with Russian officials. Haniyeh and his delegation are scheduled to meet with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. (MEE 9/11; MEMO 9/12)

The U.S. state department’s annual fiscal transparency report said that the PA has failed to provide complete data on its budget within the required period. The report noted that the budget was not approved by the Palestinian legislator and information about debt was incomplete. The State Department report called on the PA to publish its executive budget. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf has in recent weeks met with Israeli and PA officials, calling on both parties to ensure that the PA is strengthened as both the U.S. and Israel have expressed concerns that the PA does not have the power to exert control over parts of Area A. The PA has said that the security instability in the West Bank is caused by Israeli raids and that calm would ensue if Israel stopped these raids. Haaretz also reported that Israeli officials have asked Qatar to pressure PA president Mahmoud Abbas to address issues in Jenin and Nablus. (AX 9/7; HA, MEMO 9/9; MEMO 9/10 HA, HA, HA 9/11; ALM, JP, MEE, WAFA 9/12)

Israel’s prime minister Yair Lapid met with German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Germany in an effort to pressure Germany to cancel or alter the agreements related to the Iran nuclear deal. (HA 9/12)

U.S. ambassador to Israel Tom Nides, at a counterterrorism summit in Israel, called the Israeli attacks on Gaza on 8/5-8/7 dubbed “Operation Breaking Dawn” “relatively calm” despite 49 Palestinians being killed during the assault. Ambassador Nides attributed the “relatively calm” to the increase in Israeli work permits for Palestinians in Gaza. (MDW 9/12)

In the West Bank, a group of 20 Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians planting olive tree saplings in Sinjil, injuring 1 with live ammunition and 5 others by physical assault; the settlers also vandalized 5 vehicles nearby. Israeli settlers also assaulted 4 Palestinians with pepper spray and damaged Palestinian-owned property near Burin. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers erected a settlement outpost on a tract of land outside of Birin. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor after the minor allegedly lightly injured an Israeli soldier with a hammer at a checkpoint in Beitin. Israeli forces also raided Balata refugee camp, firing tear gas from drones and injuring 4 with baton rounds. 9 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jenin refugee camp, Nablus, Qalandia refugee camp, Biddu, and Surif. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Silwan. Israeli forces violently arrested 1 Palestinian man walking to the Haram al-Sharif compound in the Old City, beating him and kneeling on his neck; the man’s nose was broken and needed 4 stiches to his forehead after the attack. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled farmland east of Juhor ad-Dik. (ABC, AJ, AP, HA, MEE, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/8; MEMO 9/9; ABC, AP, HA 9/11; PCHR 9/15; UNOCHA 9/16)

Israel police said it had arrested a 19-year-old Palestinian man in possession of an assault rifle in Jaffa and that he allegedly admitted to wanting to commit an attack. The man did not resist the arrest. (HA, JP 9/8)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas sent his condolences to King Charles III after his mother Queen Elizabeth II of the UK passed away at the age of 96. (WAFA, WAFA 9/8; WAFA 9/10)

Israel signed a free trade agreement with Guatemala, including for industry, food, and agricultural goods. (REU 9/8)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 5 Palestinians with live ammunition during a raid in Dheisheh refugee camp. Israeli forces also ordered Palestinian farmers near Jenin to stop drilling water wells for irrigation, delivered stop-work orders for 4 houses under construction in al-Karmel, and demolished 4 residential structures in al-Jiftlik. 17 Palestinians were arrested, including 16 during late-night raids in Silwad, Ras Karkar, Deir Jarir, Dheisheh refugee camp, and Hebron, and 1 was arrested at a checkpoint near Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 banquet hall in Isawiya and delivered a demolition notice against 1 apartment building in the neighborhood. 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Isawiya. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat west of al-Sudaniyya. (MEMO, MEMO, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/16; PCHR 8/18; UNOCHA 8/19; UNOCHA 9/2)

An Israeli court extended the solitary confinement of Palestinian prisoner Ahmad Manasra to November. Manasra, who is now 21 years old, has been held in Israeli prison since he was 13 and suffers from mental health issues. Manasra was arrested in 2015 after his cousin allegedly stabbed 2 Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem while with Manasra. (AJ, MEMO, WAFA 8/16; MDW 8/17; WAFA 8/18)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. During a press conference, President Abbas responded to a question of whether he would apologize for the 1972 Munich Olympics killing of Israeli hostages by remarking that “[f]rom 1947 to the present day, Israel has committed 50 massacres in Palestinian villages and cities. 50 massacres, 50 Holocausts, and until today, and every day there are casualties killed by the Israeli military.” Abbas’s Holocaust remark drew widespread condemnation, including from Chancellor Scholz, who issued a statement on the matter after the press conference. On 8/17, the PA released a statement saying that Abbas’s remarks were “not intended to deny the singularity of the Holocaust,” and that Abbas condemns the Holocaust “in the strongest possible terms,” calling it the “most heinous crime in modern human history.” (AP, HA, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/16; AP, AX, MEE, NYT, REU, WAFA 8/17; AJ, AP, CNN, HA, HA, HA, MEMO, MEMO 8/18; AP, WAFA 8/19; WAFA 8/20)

In the West Bank, unidentified militants shot and injured former Hamas deputy prime minister and professor at An-Najah University Nasser al-Shaer in Kafr Qalil; PA president Mahmoud Abbas condemned the assassination attempt and ordered an investigation into the incident. Hamas blamed Fatah incitement against Hamas on the attempt. Israeli settlers uprooted 70 olive saplings in al-Masara. Israeli settlers also vandalized 30 olive trees in Turmus ‘Ayya. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians and international activists protesting in al-Twana against ethnic cleansing in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 5 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian worker entering Israel at the Tarqumiyah checkpoint. 4 Palestinians were arrested, including 1 during a late-night raid in Hebron, 2 at the separation wall near Jenin, and 1 at the Allenby Bridge crossing. (AP, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/22; MEE 7/23; PCHR 7/28; UNOCHA 8/5)

India contributed $2.5 million in aid to the UNRWA. (WAFA 7/22)

In the West Bank, the Shin Bet arrested 3 Palestinian relatives of the Palestinian man who was stabbed to death by an Israeli settler on 6/21 near the Ariel settlement. The 3 were also eyewitnesses to the killing and had given their testimony to Israeli police before being arrested. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians at the Taibe checkpoint near Tulkarm. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian using a baton round during a raid in Nur Shams refugee camp. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Nur Shams refugee camp, Qaryut, Beit Umar, and al-Khader. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Wadi al-Juz, displacing 2. 2 Fatah activists were arrested. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen; no injuries were reported. (HA, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/26; HA, HA 6/27; PCHR 6/30; UNOCHA 7/2)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Jordan’s king Abdullah II in Amman. (WAFA, WAFA 6/26)

Israel’s economy ministry said the Israeli cabinet had approved issuing 3,500 additional permits for Palestinians to work in manufacturing and services to relieve an Israeli shortage of skilled workers. (REU 6/26)

The Wall Street Journal reported that senior Israeli military officials partook in a meeting in March this year with top officials from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the U.S., and representatives from Bahrain and the UAE in Sharm El Sheikh. At the secretive meeting, the officials were reported to have discussed efforts to combat Iranian missile and drone capabilities. The reporting comes 1 week after Israel’s defense minister Benny Gantz said that Israel is working with Arab partners in what he called “Middle East Air Defense Alliance.” (HA, WSJ 6/26; HA, MEMO 6/27)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces raided Kafr Qaddum, injuring 3 Palestinians with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian at a checkpoint near al-Bireh, saying he had thrown stones at a settler vehicle. Elsewhere, Israeli forces delivered a demolition notice for 1 mosque in Arab ar-Ramadin. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian man shot by Israeli police with a baton round to his head on 4/22 at the Haram al-Sharif compound died of his injuries. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Sur Baher, displacing 5. (AP, HA, MEE, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/14; PCHR 5/19; UNOCHA 6/4)

Israeli police commissioner Kobi Shabtai said he had ordered a probe into the Israeli police’s violent dispersal of the funeral procession for journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in East Jerusalem. (AJ, AP, HA 5/14; WP 5/15)

Rulers of the UAE appointed Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan as the new president of the UAE. Mohammed bin Zayed had served as the de facto ruler of the UAE after his half-brother, President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, suffered a stroke in 2014. The UAE announced that President Khalifa had died on 5/13. PA president Mahmoud Abbas visited the UAE on 5/15 to offer his condolences. (WAFA 5/13; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, REU 5/14; WAFA, WAFA 5/15)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at 1 Palestinian vehicle driving near the Homesh settlement outpost, injuring 1 and damaging the car. Thousands of Palestinians partook in a funeral ceremony in Ramallah for Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli forces on 5/11 in Jenin refugee camp. PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke at the ceremony and awarded her the Al-Quds star of honor. Abu Akleh will be buried in East Jerusalem on 5/13. Israeli forces prevented Palestinians in the funeral procession from accompanying her casket through the Qalandia checkpoint from Ramallah to East Jerusalem. Israeli forces also demolished a water collection pond used for irrigation in Marj Na‘aj. 7 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 during a late-night raid in Hebron, Rumana, Qabatiya, and Burqin, and 2 at flying checkpoints in Hebron and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided a house in Bayt Hanina, where friends and family of Abu Akleh were holding a memorial ceremony for her; Israeli forces confiscated Palestinian flags. Israeli police also raided Abu Akleh’s house on 5/11, confiscating Palestinian flags. 5 Palestinians were arrested during raids. (AJ, AJ, AP, CNN, GDN, HA, MEE, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/12; WAFA 5/13; PCHR 5/19; UNOCHA 6/4)

Israel’s higher planning council approved 4,427 new settlement housing units in the West Bank. 2,791 received final approval, while 1,636 were deposited for public comment before final approval. Among the new housing units are the retroactive legalization of the Mitzpeh Dani and Givat Oz VeGaon settlement outposts and expansion of the settlements of Negohot, Shvut Rachel, Dolev, Betar Ilit, and Kiryat Arba. According to Haaretz, the government’s meeting to approve the settlements was a condition by Yamina MK Nir Orbach to remain in the fragile government coalition. UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland condemned the settlement expansions. On 5/13, 15 European countries urged Israel to reverse its decision, including France, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. (PCN 5/9; ABC, AJ, AP, GDN, HA, JP, MEE, MEMO, REU, TOI, WAFA 5/12; AJ, ALM, F24, REU, WAFA, WAFA 5/13)

Ecuadorian president Guillermo Lasso met with Israeli president Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, saying he will open a representative office in Jerusalem and support Israel in votes at the UN. President Lasso also met with prime minister Naftali Bennett and foreign minister Yair Lapid. (HA 5/12)

The New York Times reported that the FBI stated in a 2018 letter to the Israeli government that it wanted to use NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware “for the collection of data from mobile devices for the prevention and investigation of crimes and terrorism” before purchasing the spyware later the same year. (NYT 5/12)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at 4 Palestinian-owned vehicles in Marda. Israeli settlers also attacked 1 Palestinian man near Burqa; the man was treated at a hospital for fractures to his hand. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers set up a settlement outpost in al-Muarrajat between Ramallah and Jericho. Israeli settlers also vandalized 2 solar panels in Burin. Israeli forces closed the Shufa and al-Kafiyat checkpoints. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian farmers trying to work their lands near Qusra, causing tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces delivered stop-work orders for 6 residential and commercial structures in al-Khalediya. 13 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Qabatiya, al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya, Beita, ‘Urif, Tammun, Tubas, Bethlehem, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, 1 Israeli settler rammed 1 Palestinian minor with their car in Silwan. In Israel, 1 Palestinian man shot and killed 5 people in Bnei Brak, including 2 Ukrainian nationals, 1 police officer, and 2 Israeli civilians, before he was shot and killed. The Palestinian man was from the West Bank town of Ya‘bad and was in Israel without a permit working nearby. PA president Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack. (AX, HA, NYT, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/29; AJ, AX, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/30; HA, HA, PCHR 3/31; ALM, HA 4/1; HA 4/3; UNOCHA 4/10)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz met with Jordan’s king Abdullah II in Amman. King Abdullah called on Israel to respect Palestinian access to the holy places in Jerusalem during the month of Ramadan. (AJ, HA 3/29)

The PA and Agence Française de Développement signed agreements worth $32 million for the restoration of the Saint Hilarion Monastery in Gaza and construction of a water reservoir west of Ramallah and a seawater desalination plant in Gaza. (WAFA 3/29)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, leading to a confrontation with Palestinians protesting the incursion; no injuries were reported. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinian farmers with pepper spray east of Hebron. Israeli forces delivered stop-work orders for 1 mosque, 3 houses, and 1 commercial structure in Marda. Israeli forces also forced Palestinian business owners to close their shops in Huwwara, claiming that stones had been thrown at Israeli settlers near the shops. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 4 water wells in Khallet al-Dabe. Israeli forces also demolished 1 commercial structure in ‘Anata. Israeli military said that shots were fired from a car at Israeli soldiers near Nablus; no injuries were reported. 13 Palestinians were arrested, including 10 during late-night raids in Dahariya, Za‘atra, Silwad, and Zeita; 3 were arrested at checkpoints near Bethlehem and Nablus. (TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/2; MEMO, MEMO, PCHR 2/3)

Haaretz reported that Israeli attorney general Avichai Mendelblit authorized establishing an Israeli settlement on the evacuated Evyatar settlement outpost near Beita. Attorney General Mendelblit is leaving office this week. Palestinians have held weekly protests at the site since the outpost was erected in May 2021. The outpost was evacuated in June 2021, but the houses erected remained as the settlers struck a deal with the Israeli government that they could move back if Israel deemed that the land is state-owned. Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz will have to declare the area state-owned, after which there will be a 45-day period to file objections. Several Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the past year while protesting the outpost. In a letter from Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid to Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, Lapid warned that if the Israeli government legalized the Evyatar settlement outpost, it “could have serious diplomatic consequences and damage foreign relations, first and foremost from the United States,” saying that the U.S. has already made this clear to him. Labor and Meretz publicly opposed legalizing the settlement outpost. (AP, HA, IN 2/2; HA, JP, MEE, TOI, TOI, TOI 2/3; HA, HA, HA 2/4; UNOCHA 2/11)

The Shin Bet admitted to having threatened random Palestinians in Israel that it would “settle the score” if they had participated in protests related to the May 2021 uprising in Israel that coincided with Israeli attacks on Gaza and eviction threats against Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah. (HA, MEE 2/3)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Amnesty International’s secretary-general Agnès Callamard in Ramallah, discussing the report Amnesty released on 2/1 that charged Israel with the crime of apartheid. (WAFA 2/2)

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said, at a conference in Tel Aviv, that the Israeli military on 4 occasions had offered assistance to Lebanon. According to Gantz, the offers were made to strengthen the Lebanese army in facing “the strengthening of Hezbollah under Iran’s support.” Israeli military sources later denied that Israel had made such offers and that Israel had only offered humanitarian aid following the explosion in the Beirut port. (HA 2/2; MEMO 2/3)

Israel, Oman, and Saudi Arabia all took part in the International Maritime Exercise 2022, led by the U.S. and with the participation of nearly 60 countries. It was the 1st time that Saudi Arabia and Oman partook in a naval exercise with Israel, which they have no formal relations with. (AJ, ALM 2/2)

The FBI confirmed reporting from the New York Times published on 1/28 that the agency had bought the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, but claimed to never have used it. The FBI further stated that it had bought the spyware for “product testing and evaluation.” (ALM, AP, HA, REU 2/2; MEMO 2/3)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles at a checkpoint near Burqa; 1 Israeli settler was arrested by the Israeli forces, but Israeli police released him shortly after he was handed to them. Israeli settlers also threw stones at 2 Palestinian sisters herding sheep in Kisan. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers raided Sabastia, using pepper spray on Palestinians. Israeli forces demolished parts of 1 Palestinian home and razed 7 dunams (1.7 acres) of land in al-Ramadin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians, throwing stones and snowballs at Israeli forces in al-Tur; 22 Palestinians were arrested. Israeli forces also shot 1 Palestinian minor with a rubber-coated bullet and arrested him after he allegedly threw a stone at a police car. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands east of Deir al-Balah; no injuries were reported. (TOI, WAFA, WAFA 1/26; HA, PCHR, TOI 1/27)

1 64-year-old Palestinian prisoner suffering from schizophrenia was found dead in his cell at Nitzan prison. (PCHR 1/27)

1 million doses of Russian-made Sputnik COVID-19 vaccines entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing. The 1 million doses of the Sputnik vaccine were donated by the UAE. The PA health ministry said that about 30% of Gaza’s population is vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Almost 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to Gaza since the start of the pandemic in early 2020. (HA 1/27)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas extended the COVID-19-related state of emergency by 30 days. The state of emergency was 1st declared in March 2020. (WAFA 1/26; MEMO 1/27)

The autopsy performed after the death of an 80-year-old Palestinian American man in Jiljilyya on 1/12 found that the man died of a heart attack caused by “external violence.” The man had been detained by Israeli forces who gagged, blindfolded, and cuffed him. The Israeli soldiers uncuffed him before leaving him in a cold room, where he was found dead later in the night. (ALM, MEE, NYT 1/26; AP, HA 1/27)

Director of the Crisis and Conflict division of Human Rights Watch (HRW) Lama Fakih said that Amnesty International’s security lab had verified that her phone was infected with the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware 5 times between April and August 2021. Director Fakih was 1st alerted to the spyware infection by the company Apple on 23 and 24 November. NSO Group told HRW that it is “not aware of any active customer using [its] technology against Human Rights Watch staff member.” Fakih’s work includes monitoring human rights abuses in Syria, Myanmar, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, and the U.S. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, HRW, MEE, MEMO 1/26; WP 1/27)

Axios reported that a cable sent from the Israeli foreign ministry to Israeli embassies told its employees that it was a top priority to delegitimize the UN human rights council’s inquiry into human rights violations in Israel, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, set up after the Israeli attacks on Gaza in May 2021. (AX 1/26; JP, MDW, TOI 1/27; MEMO 1/28; HA 2/2)

Lebanon signed a deal to purchase electricity from Jordan via Syria. The deal is expected to give Lebanon 2 hours of additional electricity a day within 2 months. It is expected that the World Bank will finance the deal. (AP, MEMO, REU 1/26)

UK secretary of education Nadhim Zahawi said that protesters chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” could face prosecution in the UK, as he views the chant as related to Hamas. Secretary Zahawi’s comment was made during a conference on anti-Semitism hosted by his ministry. (MEE 1/27)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raided Palestinian homes in Birin, causing damage. Israeli settlers also stopped 3 Palestine TV journalists while driving near Bittin, forcing them out of their car and beating them, causing bruising. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian with live ammunition during a raid in Tubas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Burqa, causing tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians throwing stones at a checkpoint near al-Arroub refugee camp, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Israeli forces in a friendly fire incident in the Jordan Valley, believing the 2 were Palestinians. 9 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in ‘Askar refugee camp, Qabatiya, Qatanna, and Zeita. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian demolished his own store under construction in Shu‘fat refugee camp. 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Isawiya. In the Naqab desert, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters near Sawa, injuring 3 and arresting 13; it was the 4th day in a row that Palestinians have protested a forestation program in the Naqab designed to displace Bedouins. (AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEMO, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/13; MEMO, WAFA, WAFA 1/14; HA 1/15; PCHR 1/20)

Israeli Channel 13 News reported that Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid met with PA intelligence chief Majed Faraj in the days after PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz, at Gantz’s home on 12/28/2021. Israeli sources said that Lapid and Faraj only talked about economic and security issues. (HA 1/13)

Members of the Jewish National Fund’s executive board called a meeting to gain clarification about why it had not been consulted about the forestation project in the Naqab that had led to large protests from Palestinians due to the displacement of Bedouins in the area. (HA 1/13)

The Citizen Lab said it had found NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware on dozens of phones belonging to Salvadorian journalists and human rights activists. The spokesperson of Salvadorian president Nayib Bukele said that El Salvador is not a client of NSO group. (AJ, AP, HA 1/13)

In the West Bank, an Israeli settler rammed by car 1 Palestinian man walking at the Beit Sira checkpoint, killing the man; it was unclear whether the settler rammed the man intentionally. Israeli settlers also tried to attack a car repair shop in Bazariya, but were repelled by Palestinians. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man during a late-night raid in Balata refugee camp; Israel claimed the man had opened fire at Israeli soldiers raiding the camp; no Israelis were injured. Israeli forces also seized 1 excavator in Dura. 8 Palestinian minors were killed in a traffic accident in the Jordan Valley; PA president Mahmoud Abbas declared a day of national mourning after the accident. 21 Palestinians were arrested in Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, al-Far‘a refugee camp, and Tulkarm; during the raid in al-Far‘a refugee camp, Israeli forces injured 1 Palestinian with a rubber-coated bullet and others with tear gas. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 6 nautical miles northwest of Rafah; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands east of Dayr al-Balah and Maghazi; no injuries were reported. (AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, MEE, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/6; PCHR 1/13)

Israeli deputy economy minister Yair Golan from the Meretz party called Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians a pogrom, in relation to attacks near at the Homesh settlement outpost. Deputy Economy Minister Golan was condemned by many Israeli politicians for his comments, and for calling the settlers “subhuman,” including by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett who said Golan’s remarks were “bordering blood libel” and that “[s]ettlement activity in the West Bank represents modern-day pioneering.” (AP, HA, TOI 1/6; HA, MEMO 1/7; HA, MEMO 1/8)

The Dutch government announced that it will no longer provide funding to the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC). Israel put UAWC, along with 5 other Palestinian rights organizations, on its terror list on 10/22/2021, claiming that the organizations are linked to the PFLP. The international community, including the EU, has criticized the terror designations for the organizations, saying Israel have not provided any evidence to support its claims. The Dutch government’s decision follows an external review predating the Israeli terror designation, which found that UAWC employees have personal ties to members of the PFLP, but that no funding has been used for PFLP purposes and that there are no organizational links between the PFLP and UAWC. The PA condemned the Netherlands’ decision to end funding, calling it pandering to anti-Palestinian sentiments. (AJ, ALM, AP, MEE, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA 1/6; AJ, WAFA 1/10; MEMO 1/11)

The Israeli military attorney told Adalah that it would not hand over the alleged evidence against the 6 rights organizations deemed terrorists by Israel, saying that the evidence is classified. (Adalah, WAFA 1/6)

Israeli Walla News reported that Israel’s director of European affairs at the foreign ministry, Aliza Bin Noun, shouted at European diplomats during a meeting where the Europeans complained about Israeli plans to build new settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. (MEE, MEMO 1/7)

A U.S. district judge in New York dismissed a lawsuit brought against the PLO and PA for the stabbing of 1 American man in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank in 2018. The judge called the U.S. law the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act of 2018, that allows individuals to sue the PLO and the PA, unconstitutional. (REU 1/7; WAFA 1/8)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor after he allegedly rammed a car into the Jabara checkpoint near Tulkarm; 1 Israeli soldier was moderately injured. Israeli forces temporarily evicted Palestinian families from their homes in Ibziq for 10 days, saying the Israeli military will carry out drills in the area. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 1 Palestinian-owned house east of Yatta, displacing 5, and started installing a concrete structure near the entrance of Fawwar refugee camp. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silwad, Burqa, and Dura. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian family demolished their own apartment in Silwan, displacing 6. 4 Palestinians were arrested during a late-night raid in Isawiya, including 1 minor. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/6; MDW 12/7; PCHR 12/16)

The Israeli-run Jerusalem municipality announced that construction of an Israeli settlement in the Qalandia (Atarot) airport area was postponed on environmental grounds. The decision follows pressure from U.S. officials for Israel to drop the plans, which would create 9,000 new settlement units in East Jerusalem. The environmental survey is expected to take 1 year to complete. Regional cooperation minister Issawi Frej spoke at the committee meeting discussing the plan, arguing for reestablishing the airport for joint Israeli and Palestinian usage, but his suggestion was rejected. (AJ, ALM, ALM, HA, MEE, REU 12/6; MEMO, WAFA 12/7)

The PA said it would cut wages by 25% as it continues to financially struggle. The PA blamed the wage cuts on Israel’s continued deduction of PA tax revenue, which Israel says amounts to what the PA pays in stipends to Palestinian prisoners and their families. (HA, REU 12/6)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Algiers. President Tebboune announced that Algeria will grant the PA $100 million in financial aid and that Algeria will host a meeting between Palestinian factions. (WAFA 12/5; HA, MEMO, WAFA 12/6)

Israel formally joined the EU research and development program 2021-2027 Horizon Europe, which has a $108 billion budget. Israel will not be allowed to use EU-granted funds in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. (ALM 12/8)

The national security advisors of Iran and the UAE met in Tehran, discussing ways to overcome the 2 countries’ differences. (HA, MEMO 12/6)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished 1 mosque and 1 agricultural structure, and uprooted 60 olive trees in Duma. 7 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 during house raids in Idhna, Abu Dis, Beit ‘Anan, al-Jib, Bayt Jala, and ‘Urif; 1 was arrested at the Container checkpoint. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces stormed the Dome of the Rock to prevent electric work from carrying out. Israeli forces also delivered evacuation and demolition notices to 10 Palestinian families living in 1 building in al-Tur. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a late-night raid in the Old City. (MEE, MEMO, MEMO, WAFA 11/4; PCHR 11/11)

The Intercept, +972 Magazine, and Local Call jointly published an article based on a leaked 74-page Israeli-made dossier presented to European countries in May that purport to show evidence that the 6 Palestinian rights organizations deemed terrorist by Israel defense minister Benny Gantz on 10/22 are linked to the PFLP. The reporting was also based on hundreds of pages of leaked summaries from interrogations by the Shin Bet and Israeli police of 2 Palestinian accountants who are the basis of the dossier against the 6 NGOs. The 2 accountants never worked for any of the organizations and allegations against the 6’s connection to the PFLP was based on hearsay and testimony that 1 of the accountants had seen receipts used for PFLP activities like cultural events. The fact that the allegation of financing was for cultural events was omitted by Israel in the dossier. The EU alluded to the dossier in a statement from last week where it said past allegations against the organizations were never substantiated. The dossier had also been sent to member of the U.S. congress. (HA 11/2; +972, HA, HA, INT, JP, MEE, MEMO 11/4; FP, NYT 11/5; AP 11/6)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Pope Francis in the Vatican. (MEMO, WAFA 11/4; TOI 11/5)

Israel’s Knesset passed its 1st state budget in over 3 years. (ALM 11/2; ALM, AP, HA 11/3; AJ, ALM, AP, AP, HA, MEMO, NYT, TOI 11/4; HA, REU 11/5)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians during a late-night raid in Qalandia refugee camp; both were taken to a hospital for treatment. Israeli forces also razed a paved road connecting Ya‘bad and Mariha and delivered a demolition notice for a house under construction in Ghazara. 6 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Qalandia refugee camp, Rantis, Tulkarm, and Tulkarm refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces and Israeli settlers clashed with Palestinians at the Damascus Gate plaza, injuring dozens of Palestinians; 22 were arrested. A video showed Israeli forces pulling 1 woman by her hair and beating Palestinians with batons. Palestinians in East Jerusalem have in recent weeks expressed dismay over Israeli forces’ decisions to disperse Palestinians present at the Damascus Gate plaza, leading to stone throwing. Palestinians also threw stones at a public bus near the plaza, lightly injuring 2 in the bus. In Israel, Israeli authorities delivered eviction notices for some 30 Palestinian shop owners in Tayibe and Qalansuwa, claiming that their stores were built without the correct zoning permits. (AJ, AP, HA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/19; HA, MEE 10/20; PCHR 10/21)

Hussein al-Sheikh, head of the PA Civil Affairs Committee, said Israel had approved the registration of 4,000 unregistered Palestinians living in the West Bank, allowing them to receive Israeli-issued ID cards to be used at Israeli checkpoints. The 4,000 registrations was part of an agreement made between PA president Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli minister of defense Benny Gantz. (AP, HA, MEMO, WAFA 10/19; ALM, REU 10/20)

Swedish foreign minister Ann Linde met with PA president Mahmoud Abbas and prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh in Ramallah. After Foreign Minister Linde’s meetings, she criticized the alleged corruption in the PA on Swedish public radio. (Sveriges Radio 10/19; JP, TOI 10/21)

The far-right Kahanist Israeli lawmaker Itamer Ben-Gvir of the Religious Zionist party and Ayman Odeh of the Joint List got into a physical altercation at a hospital in Rehovot, where Ben-Gvir was trying to provocatively visit a Palestinian prisoner who has been hunger striking for 90 days. The Palestinian is protesting his administrative detention and is said to be in life-threatening condition. Odeh was with the family of the hospitalized prisoner when Ben-Gvir tried to provoke the family. Ben-Gvir later filed a complaint against Odeh at a police station, saying he was physically attacked. A video of the incident showed Odeh pushing Ben-Gvir. (HA 10/19; AP 10/21; WAFA 10/22)

U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield called reports of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property “abhorrent” and called on Israel to fully investigate the incidents and the lack of response by Israeli forces during a UN security council meeting. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also noted that the U.S. believes that the UN security council has an outsized focus on issues related to Israel. UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland also briefed the council on Israeli settlement plans in E1, calling them “very worrying.” (JP 10/19; HA 10/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked and injured 1 Israeli soldier and damaged 3 vehicles in the Yitzhar settlement as Israeli forces tried to remove 1 settler-erected tent. Israeli settlers also installed water pipes on Palestinian-owned land in Ein al-Sakout. 14 Palestinians were arrested, including 13 during late-night raids in Beita, al-Khader, Umm Salamuna, and Yatta; 1 was arrested at a checkpoint near Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians at the Damascus Gate plaza using stun grenades and skunk water; 2 Palestinians were arrested. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian lands east of al-Qarara; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces also opened fire at municipal workers at a landfill near Juhor ad-Dik; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Gaza; no injuries were reported. (JP, WAFA, WAFA 10/11; HA, TOI 10/12; PCHR 10/14)

Founder of Rawabi City Bashar Masri announced that he will begin building 400 housing units on land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church in East Jerusalem near Bayt Hanina. Masri said it had taken him more than 10 years to get the building permits from the Israeli municipality. (WAFA 10/11)

Israel issued permits for 442 undocumented Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, making them official residents. Israel controls the Palestinian population registry so people without Israeli permits cannot receive a valid PA-issued identity card. More than 10,000 Palestinians are estimated to be living in the West Bank without being registered by Israel. Israel is said to register over 5,000 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza as part of an agreement made between Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz and PA president Mahmoud Abbas. (HA, TOI 10/11)

The Israeli high court of justice criticized the Israeli military for not protecting Palestinian farmers by enforcing a ban on Israeli settlers in the former Homesh settlement area. Because of the lack of enforcement, Palestinian farmers are frequently attacked by Israeli settlers in the area and Israeli settlers have erected a settlement outpost and a Yeshiva on the land. (HA 10/12)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Pope Francis on the phone. (WAFA 10/11)

Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett said that Israel will never renounce its claim to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, even if Syria or its president Bashir al-Assad gains favor with the world. Prime Minister Bennett also said that his government seeks to increase the Israeli settler population in the area from 27,000 to 100,000. (MEE, MEMO, REU, TOI 10/11; ALM 10/13)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized vehicles and set fire to 15 dunams (3.7 acres) of agricultural land in the Masafer Yatta area. 6 Palestinians were arrested, including 4 during late-night raids in and around Tubas and Nablus, and 2 at checkpoints near Huwwara and in Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian and Israeli protesters near Shaykh Jarrah, demanding that they end the lockdown of the area. 9 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 during house raids in Issawiyya and the Old City and 4 at the Haram al-Sharif compound. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Dayr al-Balah; no injuries were reported. In Israel, thousands demonstrated in Tel Aviv for “a joint future” for all Israelis after days of violence among Israeli citizens. There were also protests outside of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/22; PCHR 5/27)

Israel allowed a limited number of fishing boats from Gaza to start fishing, after closing the fishing zone since 5/10. (AP 5/23)

Egypt sent a convoy of 130 trucks to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid. (HA, WAFA 5/22)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani about the recent Israeli attacks on Gaza and East Jerusalem. Emir Al Thani promised to help organize other nations in ending Israeli attacks on the al-Aqsa Mosque. President Abbas also spoke to the emir of Kuwait, Nawaf Al‑Ahmad Al‑Jaber Al‑Sabah, and the Egyptian security delegation that had been working as intermediaries between Israel and Hamas before the ceasefire. (AJ, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/22)

The mayor of Lydda Yair Revivo threatened Palestinian-Israeli councilwoman Fida Shehade that he would send the Shin Bet after her because she had criticized the city’s treatment of its Palestinian-Israeli residents. (HA 5/23)

Lebanese prime minister-designate Saad Hariri said he would not continue trying to form a cabinet after Lebanese president Michel Aoun said that he was incapable of doing so on 5/21. (REU, REU 5/22)

The UN security council (UNSC) released its 1st statement since the escalation of violence against Gaza on 5/10, calling for adherence to the ceasefire. The statement mourned the loss of civilian lives, called for humanitarian aid to Palestinians, and reiterated its support for a 2-state solution. The U.S. has been criticized by other members of the UNSC for blocking statements before the ceasefire took effect on 5/21. UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories Lynn Hastings also toured Gaza to assess the damage, calling for the blockade to end and expressing concern about a potential new COVID-19 outbreak. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, WAFA 5/22)

In the West Bank, the Israeli military said that 1 Palestinian tried to ram a group of soldiers at a checkpoint near Ya‘bad and that a gun fell from the car as it passed the soldiers; no injuries were reported. 1 Israeli settler struck an Israeli soldier near the Kedumim settlement. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles on the Nablus-Ramallah and Qalqilya-Nablus roads, damaging some; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians at a checkpoint in Hebron, leading to tear-gas related injuries. 8 Palestinians were arrested, including 6 during late-night raids in and around Qaryut, al-Twana, Luban al-Sharqiyya, Ramallah, and Balata refugee camp; 2 were arrested at checkpoints near Tubas and Nablus. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen within 4 nautical miles west of al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands east of al-Bureij refugee camp and Dayr al-Balah; no injuries were reported. (HA 1/9; JP 1/11; PCHR 1/14)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with the head of the Palestinian Central Election Commission Hanna Nasser to discuss dates for general Palestinian elections. President Abbas said a date would be set no later than 1/20. (WAFA 1/9)

Israeli protesters demonstrated against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the 29th Saturday in a row in Jerusalem. The protesters are demanding that Prime Minister Netanyahu resigns due to his COVID-19 response, the Israeli economy, and the corruption cases against him. (AJ, WAFA 1/10)

The U.S. embassy in Rabat said the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs David Schenker had made “a historic visit” to the Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. The U.S. recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in December 2020 was part of the Moroccan-Israeli normalization deal. (AJ 1/9; AP 1/10)