The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian who allegedly rammed an Israeli at a checkpoint near Fawwar refugee camp. Israeli forces were also filmed abusing and assaulting a gas station worker in the refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians with baton rounds and arrested 4 others during a raid in Bayt Awa. Israeli forces also issued demolition notices for the family homes of 3 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces on 11/16 near Bayt Jala. 14 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Nablus, Qalqilya, the Masafer Yatta area, Hebron, and Ramallah. In Gaza, Israeli forces bombed Khan Yunis, Rafah, Jabalia refugee camp, Nuseirat refugee camp, Maghazi, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Dayr al-Balah, killing at least 165 people, including Al-Quds journalist Jabr Abu Hadros and 6 members of his family in Nuseirat refugee camp and former Palestinian minister of awqaf and religious affairs and al-Aqsa Mosque preacher Sheikh Yousef Salameh in Maghazi. Israel also bombed near the Rafah crossing and hit the European Hospital, killing at least 5 people. 2 Israeli soldiers were killed and 13 were injured in combat. In Lebanon, Israel said it attacked several Hezbollah positions. In Syria, Israeli airstrikes killed 23 people, including 5 Syrians and 6 Iraqis, and wounded 18, near the Iraqi border. Israeli forces also bombed near Aleppo. (AJ, AJ, HA, NYT, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/30; AJ, HA, WAFA 12/31; AJ 1/2)

More than 21,672 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 8,800 children and 6,300 women, and around 56,165 have been injured since 10/7. At least 7,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 312 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 79 children. More than 3,812 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured since 10/7. 168 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 955 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12 due to the Israeli blockade. As of 12/23, at least 65,000 housing units had been destroyed and 290,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting over 60% of all housing units. UNOCHA said more than 100,000 people have fled to Rafah in the past few days. UNICEF delivered 600,000 doses of vaccines to Gaza, saying that more than 16,800 infants have missed routine vaccines. UNRWA said 40% of Palestinians in Gaza were at risk of famine. 103 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza. (AJ, UNOCHA, UNOCHA 12/30)

The Gaza Ministry of Health held a press conference saying Palestinians captured by Israeli forces in Gaza were being tortured and held in poor condition. The ministry also said it had been able to reopen the medical facilities al-Arabi Hospital, Patient Friend’s Benevolent Society, Assahaba Medical Complex, al-Helou International Hospital, and several first aid centers. Lastly, it said that 5,300 people in critical condition needed to be evacuated to hospitals outside of Gaza to save their lives. 13 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are partially functioning, 9 of which are located in the south, the rest are out of service. (AJ, UNOCHA 12/30)

The armed wing of the PFLP, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, released a picture it said showed the body of 1 of the Israeli soldiers held captive in Gaza, saying he was killed by Israeli forces when they tried to rescue him. It was unclear if the soldier was taken captive on 10/7 or during the ongoing ground invasion. (AJ, HA, REU 12/30)

The PA foreign ministry said Israel was targeting UNRWA to expel the agency from Gaza. (AJ 12/30)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a press conference that the border zone between Egypt and Gaza, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, must be under Israeli control. Netanyahu also said Israel will attack Iran if Hezbollah expands its attacks on Israel. Ynet reported that Israel wants an underground wall along the Gaza border with Egypt. Netanyahu reportedly invited Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and war cabinet member Benny Gantz to participate in the press conference, which they declined. PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh said Netanyahu’s plans were “a blatant violation of agreements with Egypt and a termination of all agreements with the PLO,” calling on a unified Palestinian and Arab stance against it. (AJ, HA, REU, REU 12/30; AJ, AJ, WAFA, WAFA 12/31)

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israeli leaders will discuss resettling Palestinians in Gaza after the war. (AJ 12/30)

Israeli forces hacked the broadcast of the radio channel Voice of Palestine, issuing threats to people in Gaza. (WAFA 12/30)

The Wall Street Journal said that by mid-December Israel had dropped 29,000 bombs on Gaza, destroying 70% of homes, making Israel’s attacks “comparable in scale to the most devastating warfare in the modern record.” (AJ, HA 12/30; AJ, WAFA 12/31)

The New York Times reported that the Israeli military was so ill-prepared for Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 10/7 that soldiers used WhatsApp groups and social media posts to decide where to target. (AJ, NYT 12/30)

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 Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on a Palestinian attempting to enter Israel, injuring, then detaining him. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage but no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct house searches and raids in ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus, arresting a leader of Islamic Jihad, and in Yatta s. of Hebron, sparking serious clashes, in which 5 Palestinians are injured. The IDF also conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Tulkarm, Jenin, Salfit, Nablus, Hebron, and Ramallah; patrols nr. Hebron, Jenin and Qalqilya. Early in the morning, IDF troops close all 4 entrances to a village nr. Nablus. Israeli settlers chop down around 170 olive trees nr. Nablus and 38 nr. Salfit. (MNA, WAFA 1/11, 1/12; OCHA, PCHR 1/15)

Reps. of all PLO factions meet to discuss recent criticism of the PA unity govt. from Hamas. They conclude that Hamas is responsible for hindering the unity govt.’s work in Gaza. At a meeting between Hamas and Palestinian factions in Gaza, Hamas calls for an emergency comm. to be formed to administer the territory, and the PFLP and DFLP oppose the proposal. Instead, they agree to form a comm. to follow up on the implementation of the 4/23 national reconciliation deal, which led to the formation of the unity govt. on 6/2. (MNA 1/11; JP 1/13)

The IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning; and conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in 2 villages nr. Jenin. (PCHR 7/5; OCHA 7/13)

In a television interview in Beirut, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine–General Command (PFLPGC) leader Ahmad Jibril states that his faction, along with Hizballah and Iran, would fight to defend Syrian pres. Bashar al-Asad if foreign forces intervene in Syria. Jibril claims to have discussed the matter with Hizballah leader Hasan Nasrallah, but Hizballah does not comment. (WT 7/4)

Al-Jazeera satellite TV airs a special investigative report in which it claims to have uncovered new evidence that Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat did not die of natural causes in 11/2004 but was assassinated. The station funded scientific tests of Arafat’s clothing (kept by his widow, Suha Arafat) by a Swiss forensic institute that found unusually high traces of the radioactive substance polonium21. Suha Arafat immediately calls for Arafat’s body to be exhumed and tested. The PA says only that it would not ‘‘stand in the way of an exhumation.’’ (JAZ 7/3; NYT, WP 7/5)

Iran and the P5þ1 end 2 days of talks in Istanbul. Though the sides do not comment on progress, they say that deputies to Ashton and Jalili will soon meet to discuss how to reduce gaps in their positions and move negotiations forward. The meeting is later set for 7/24 in Turkey. (NYT 7/5, 7/10)

The IDF carries out an air strike on a car in a crowded section of Gaza City, assassinating senior al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB) mbr. Issam al-Batash and his nephew Subhi al-Batash, a mbr. of Hamas’s armed wing, the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades (IQB), wounding 4–6 bystanders; Israel claims the 2 men planned to infiltrate Israel and that Issam al-Batash was involved in plotting an AMB–Islamic Jihad suicide bombing in Elat on 1/29/07. Overnight, in the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids targeting the PFLP in Hebron, arresting 3; the IDF spokesman states that 9 other PFLP mbrs. are arrested in raids in Bethlehem, Jenin, and Qalqilya, but there is no corroboration. During the day, the IDF confiscates 150 d. of Palestinian agricultural land nr. the Gush Etzion settlement bloc nr. Bethlehem. Late at night, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, 1 each nr. Jenin and Salfit. (AP, HA, IDFS, MNA 12/8; JP, NYT, WP 12/9; PCHR 12/15; OCHA 12/16)

Israel releases Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Council (PC) mbr. Ahmad ‘Attoun, discharging him at the Qalandia crossing and ordering him to Ramallah. Israel revoked ‘Attoun’s Jerusalem residency status in 9/2009 on the grounds that he was affiliated with a “terrorist organization” (i.e., Hamas) and warned him in 5/2010 to leave the city or face deportation to the West Bank (QU in JPS 157). He was arrested in East Jerusalem on 9/26/11, when he went to address a protest rally in Shaykh Jarrah, and was charged with “being illegally present in the city.” (MNA 12/6; PCHR 12/8)

Israeli municipal forces in East Jerusalem demolish a Palestinian home. IDF troops make a brief incursion into al-Shuja’iyya neighborhood in Gaza City, leveling land to clear lines of sight and exchanging gunfire with Palestinians, causing no injuries. Late in the evening the IDF carries out 2 air strikes at armed Palestinians preparing to fire rockets fr. Gaza City into Israel, the 1st killing 1 Islamic Jihad mbr. and wounding 2 in al-Shuja’iyya, and the 2d seriously wounding an unidentified armed Palestinian in al-Zaytun neighborhood. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Jenin during the day; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Nablus and nearby Balata r.c., detaining around 12 PFLP mbrs. (including 1 senior mbr.) and 1 senior Hamas mbr. The IDF reports that 3 IDF soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of participating in “pricetag” attacks in the West Bank. Health officials in Gaza report that Gaza’s Central Drug Store is lacking 120 essential medicines and 140 essential medical supplies, including medicine for the anesthesia, cancer, hemophilia, and kidney dialysis (450 patients); the shortage is the result of poor coordination between the Min. of Health branches in Gaza and the West Bank (where no shortages are reported). (MNA 12/6; DUS, JP, Taiwan News, WT 12/7; PCHR, WP 12/8; OCHA 12/9; NYT 12/10; JPI 12/16; OCHA 12/23)

During the day, the IDF patrols in Nur al-Shams r.c. and 4 villages nr. Tulkarm, in Ramallah and 3 nearby villages, and in 2 villages nr. Jenin. Late at night, the IDF launches arrest raids targeting the PFLP in Balata r.c. nr. Nablus, arresting at least 3 PFLP mbrs.; conducts other arrest raids and house searches in Qalqilya, in Tulkarm town and r.c., and nr. Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces force a Palestinian to demolish his entire home and a 2d Palestinian to demolish a home addition or face fines and fees for having the IDF demolish them. (PCHR 12/8; OCHA 12/9)

Israel releases the hold on transferring VAT taxes to the PA “following the cessation of unilateral steps by the [PA],” but warns that it could be reimposed if unilateral steps resume. Anonymous Palestinian officials confirm (see WP 12/1) that they have no immediate plans to pursue membership in other UN bodies, though Abbas separately states that he remains committed to the Palestinian bid for full member-state status in the UN. (NYT, WP, WT 12/1)

Meanwhile, the IDF makes 2 predawn incursions into c. Gaza to patrol in al-Bureij r.c. and al-Maghazi r.c. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Jericho and 1 nearby village, as well as in 4 villages nr. Ramallah during the day. Late at night, the IDF stages synchronized late-night arrest raids in and around Jenin, arresting 10 Palestinian men ages 37–70, including PFLP Central Comm. mbr. Nasser ‘Aziz; conducts other late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Bethlehem, in Tubas, and nr. Nablus and Ramallah (including rearresting a Palestinian freed in the Shalit prisoner exchange). (NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 12/1; PCHR 12/8; OCHA 12/9)

Overnight, the IDF conducts arrest raids targeting the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in Jenin, Nablus, and Ramallah, arresting about 17. In the morning, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 each nr. Jenin (firing flash grenades to intimidate residents) and Jericho. Late in the evening, an IDF drone fires a missile at a training camp in s. Gaza, causing no reported injuries; the IDF makes a brief incursion into Rafah, sporadically firing on residential areas, causing no injuries; and Israeli naval vessels fire on a Palestinian fishing boat off the s. Gaza coast, forcing it to return to shore. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that since 11/16, the IDF has bulldozed 130 dunams (d.; 4 d. = 1 acre) of Palestinian agricultural land, uprooted 500 trees, and forced Palestinians to dismantle 9 greenhouses and 7,000 m of irrigation networks to allow the rerouting of the separation wall nr. Qalqilya. OCHA also reports that since 11/16, the IDF has bulldozed 18 d. in the Jericho area and 400 d. in the Salfit area that Israel has claimed as state land. (MNA, XIN 11/22; PCHR 11/24; OCHA 11/25)

In a rare interview with Israeli TV, Abbas states, “It was our mistake. . . . It was an Arab mistake as a whole” to reject the 1947 UN partition plan to divide historic Palestine into a Jewish and a Palestinian state. (NYT 10/29)

The IDF conducts daytime patrols in Tulkarm and 1 nearby village, Dura nr. Hebron (firing percussion grenades and unleashing attack dogs to chase off stone-throwing youths; 1 dog attacks a man outside his home, moderately injuring him), 2 villages nr. Jenin, and 1 nr. Ramallah; conducts late-night patrols in Beitunia nr. Ramallah. The weekly demonstrations by Palestinians and international activists in Bil‘in for a 4th week express solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, calling for the release of Fatah’s Barghouti and the PFLP’s Sa‘adat. In al-Nabi Salih and Ni‘lin, Palestinians and international activists rally in support of the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN. Demonstrations by Palestinians in Kafr Qaddum protest Israeli land seizures. In all 4 cases, IDF soldiers fire rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, injuring 1 Palestinian in Bil‘in. (PCHR 11/3; OCHA 11/4)

The IDF conducts morning patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 2 nr. Tulkarm, and late-night patrols in Birzeit nr. Ramallah. The weekly demonstrations by Palestinians and international activists in Bil‘in for a 3d week express solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, calling specifically for the release of Fatah’s Barghouti and the PFLP’s Sa‘adat. In Ni‘lin, Palestinians and international activists rally in support of the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN. Demonstrations in Kafr Qaddum protest Israeli land seizures. In all 3 cases, IDF soldiers beat and fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, but no significant injuries are reported; 1 Palestinian is arrested in Bil‘in. Jewish settlers fr. Esh Kodesh (armed with stones, sharp tools, sticks, and a machine gun) attack and drive off Palestinian farmers and international activists harvesting olives nearby, seriously beating 2 Palestinians (no shots are fired); the IDF intervenes, forcing everyone to leave the area. Jewish settlers escorted by IDF troops expel Palestinians harvesting olives nr. Kafr Qaddum, saying local Palestinians are barred fr. harvesting until they cease their weekly demonstrations against Israeli land seizures. (PCHR 10/27; OCHA 10/28)

Israel approves formal plans to build an entirely new 2,610-unit Jewish settlement, Givat Hamatos, in southern East Jerusalem with the aim of completely dividing Jerusalem from Bethlehem. The IDF conducts synchronized afternoon patrols in the same 2 villages northeast of Jenin they patrolled on 10/13, synchronized late-night patrols in 6 villages btwn. Jenin and Tulkarm, and separate late-night patrols in Jenin (shooting in the air to intimidate residents). The weekly demonstrations by Palestinians and international activists in Bil‘in express solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, calling for the release of Fatah’s Barghouti and the PFLP’s Sa‘adat. In Ni‘lin and al-Nabi Salih, Palestinians and international activists rally in support of the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN. In all 4 cases, IDF soldiers beat and fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, but no significant injuries are reported. Jewish settlers fr. Gil’ad settlement nr. Qalqilya escorted by IDF troops stop a Palestinian family fr. harvesting olives on their land, saying they had exceeded the time allocated by the IDF for the harvesting. (NYT 10/15; PCHR, WJW 10/20; OCHA 10/21; PCHR 10/27; WJW 11/6)

Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning and in 2 villages nr. Jenin and 1 nr. Qalqilya late at night; conducts afternoon arrest raids nr. Bethlehem. The weekly demonstrations by Palestinians and international activists in Bil‘in and Bayt Umar express solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails on a hunger strike for better conditions, in Bil‘in calling specifically for the release of Fatah’s Marwan Barghouti and the PFLP’s Ahmad Sa‘adat. In Ni‘lin and al-Nabi Salih, Palestinians and international activists rally in support of the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN. In all 4 cases, IDF soldiers beat and fire rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, injuring 1 British activist and arresting 1 Palestinian, both in Bayt Umar. (PCHR 10/13; OCHA 10/14)

Hamas officials say that all main Gaza factions have agreed to reimpose their cease-fire immediately, while Egyptian mediators work to secure the compliance of smaller factions. Islamic Jihad says it will observe the moratorium as long as Israel also ceases fire. Israel does not comment. Before the new cease-fire goes into effect, the PFLP and other unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Grad and 2 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Israel does not respond. Israeli DM Barak authorizes construction of a kindergarten in Hebron’s Beit Romano settlement, home to some of the most extremist Jewish settlers. Meanwhile, Jewish settlers uproot olive trees in Qasra village nr. Nablus; when local Palestinians try to drive them away, IDF troops intervene, firing tear gas and live ammunition at the Palestinians, seriously injuring 1. The IDF also patrols in Kafr al-Dik village nr. Salfit. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, al-Ma‘sara, and Ni‘lin, as well as at the Qalandia crossing into Jerusalem. IDF soldiers beat and fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, causing no serious injuries, and arrest 2 Palestinians. (AP, MNA, YA 8/26; MNA, WP 8/27; PCHR 9/8; OCHA 9/9)

In Egypt, 100s of protesters rally outside the Israeli emb. after Friday prayers demanding the expulsion of the amb. (WP 8/28)

In Washington, U.S. Secy. of State Clinton holds separate mtgs. with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators and French FM Alain Juppé to discuss a French proposal to revive peace talks. (AFP, REU 6/6)

In Gaza, 1 Palestinian is killed when a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border collapses. The IDF raids ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c. nr. Nablus to arrest Hamas-affiliated PC mbr. Ahmad al-Haj Ali; raids and searches the Hamas-affiliated Change and Reform party offices in Nablus, confiscating a computer and files; raids Anabta’s municipal electricity dept., arresting 1 employee; patrols during the day in 3 villages nr. Qalqilya and 1 nr. Jenin; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Jenin and nr. Tulkarm. Jewish settlers fr. Karme Tzur nr. Hebron set fire to 3 dunams (d.; 4 d. = 1 acre) of nearby Palestinian grape arbors and crops. A small group of Palestinian protesters attempts to approach the Golan border fence as part of the Naksa commemoration (see 6/5) but is halted by a Syrian army contingent. (NYT, WP 6/7; PCHR 6/9; OCHA 6/10)

In Syria’s Yarmuk r.c. near Damascus, 10,000s of angry Palestinian mourners at the funerals for some of those killed in the Naksa Day clashes on 6/5 attack the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine—General Command (PFLP-GC) headquarters and drive away Hamas leader Khalid Mishal and the PFLP-GC head Ahmad Jibril, who had come to express condolences, denouncing camp leaders for inciting the camp youths and putting them in harm’s way to be used as “cannon fodder” against Israel. PFLP-GC members open fire on protesters, sparking clashes that leave 14 dead and 43 injured. (MNA, WAFA 6/6; DailyKos.com, DS, Electronic Intifada, HA, Indymedia.com 6/7)

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon’s ‘Ayn al-Hilwa r.c. also demonstrate (6/6) against the killing of Naksa Day protesters on the Syrian border on 6/5, but it is unclear to what degree the protests are against Israel, Syria, or the Palestinian leadership. (WP 6/7)

The IDF conducts synchronized evening patrols in 2 village nr. Tulkarm, then returns late at night to conduct arrest raids, house search in and around Tulkarm. The IDF also makes a late-night incursion into al-Bireh, searching the home of and arresting senior PFLP mbr. Ahmad Sulayman Qatamesh. (PCHR 4/21, 4/28; OCHA 4/29)

Israel imposes a closure on the West Bank through 4/26 for the Passover holiday. Israeli police announced that after nearly 2 wks. in detention, 2 Palestinian teenagers fr. Awarta village have confessed to the 3/11 Itamar murders, adding that the teens had connections to the PFLP but it was unclear if the PFLP was involved in the attack. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at farmers working their land nr. the border fence, forcing them to leave; no injuries are reported. The Israeli teenager injured in the 4/7 missile strike on an Israeli school bus dies. In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at 10s of Palestinians demonstrating nr. Ramallah to mark Prisoners Day, injuring 1 Palestinian and arresting 1; patrols in 3 villages nr. Tulkarm, 2 nr. Qalqilya, and 1 nr. Jenin during the day; conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches nr. Nablus. Palestinian youths who have stayed in Ramallah’s Manara Square since 3/15 end their hunger strike for Palestinian reconciliation after being informed that the PA has released 11 Hamas political prisoners and issued an official order to “end media incitement” against Hamas. (NYT, WP 4/18; PCHR 4/21; OCHA 4/29)

The IDF continues heavy air strikes (including 1 missile dropped fr. a war plane and 13 missiles fired fr. helicopters and drones) and artillery attacks (more than a dozen) hitting at least 19 targets across Gaza, killing another 11 Palestinians (5 civilians and 6 militants), wounding 20 (19 civilians and 1 militant), and damaging a commercial building and several homes. Israeli DM Barak stresses that the assaults are in response to the bus attack on 4/7 and not the start of a major offensive. Palestinians fire another 24 mortars and 6 rockets, causing damage in 2 incidents but no injuries. Various factions claim responsibility for firing, including the AMB, DFLP, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and the PRCs. Israel’s new Iron Dome system intercepts 3 of the rockets. In addition, IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fired warning shots at Palestinian farmers nr. the border fence, forcing them to flee. Israeli naval vessels fired toward the Gaza City beach and at Palestinian fishermen off the coast w. of Nussayrat r.c., causing no injuries. With the past 24 hrs. marking the worst flare-up in crossborder violence since OCL, UN Secy.-Gen. Ban calls on both sides to observe a ceasefire immediately. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Jericho and 2 villages nr. Ramallah (firing rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at stone-throwing youths who confront them, causing no serious injuries); conducts morning arrest raids, house searches nr. Jericho. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih/Dayr Nizam. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, causing no serious injuries; 5 Palestinians are arrested. (IsRN, JP, MNA 4/8; JP, MNA, NYT, WP 4/9; IFM 4/10; PCHR 4/14; OCHA 4/15)

IDF troops make a brief incursion into c. Gaza e. of Gaza Valley village to level land and clear lines of sight. The PFLP claims its mbrs. directed cross-border fire at an IDF jeep on the Israeli side of the Gaza border fence e. of Gaza City; the IDF says it has no reports of an attack. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 6 residential shelters and 21 animal pens in Khirbat Tana nr. Nablus, displacing 52 Palestinians, including 30 children (see 12/6); fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at stone-throwing Palestinian youths nr. Nablus; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Jericho in the afternoon and nr. Hebron and Tubas late at night. (IDFS, MNA, PCHR 2/10, 2/17; OCHA 2/18)

Jordan’s new government, led by PM Bakhit, is sworn in. The cabinet includes 1 former Muslim Brotherhood mbr., a leading female activist, and mbrs. of the leftist unionists. (WT 2/10)

In retaliation for rocket fire on 1/31, the IDF makes an air strike on a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF arrests 3 Palestinian children (ages 13–16) for straying nr. the separation wall in Bil‘in; makes a late-night raid on a Palestinian home in al-Khadir nr. Bethlehem looking for a 12- yr.-old boy who threw stones at troops earlier in the day, assaulting a boy in the house and knocking him unconscious (he is taken by ambulance to a hospital for evaluation), roughly searching rooms, and allegedly stealing gold; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah. (AFP, YA 2/2; PCHR 2/3, 2/10; OCHA 2/11)

In Ramallah, the PA, which had banned anti-Mubarak protests in the West Bank, organizes 100s of Fatah mbrs. into proMubarak demonstrations, with the PAcontrolled media denouncing Egyptian opposition figure El-Baradei as a war criminal and CIA agent, calling him responsible for the war on Iraq. Later in the day, some 150 Palestinians in Ramallah organize a counterdemonstration in solidarity with the Egyptian people but are beaten and dispersed by PA riot police, who arrest 2 journalists and a human rights worker monitoring the rally. To date, the PFLP is the only Palestinian faction to come out in support of the Egyptian demonstrators. (JP 2/2; Human Rights Watch press release, NYT, WP, WT 2/3; NYT 2/4; WP 2/7) 

Yemen’s pres. Saleh pledges he will not run again when his term ends in 2013 or appoint his son to succeed him. In the past 10 days, he has also promised to lift the state of emergency imposed since 1992, raised the salaries of soldiers and civil servants, pledged to hire more college graduates, cut income taxes, imposed price controls, extended welfare payments to an additional 500,000 Yemenis, waived college tuition fees for students for the current year, and promised to reopen voter registration to enable some 1.5 m. Yemenis to register to vote. Today, Obama issues a statement welcoming Saleh’s reform steps. The opposition remains dubious, with many saying Saleh must step down immediately. Hereafter, protests shrink in size (from the 1,000s to the 100s) but increase in frequency, becoming near daily events in Sana’a and Aden through the end of the quarter. (NYT, WP 2/3; NYT 2/4)

Meeting in Sharm al-Shaykh, Israeli PM Netanyahu asks Egyptian pres. Mubarak to press the Palestinians to return to “direct, intensive, and serious negotiations,” but Mubarak replies that Israel must change its stance on settlement construction if it hopes to reach a final status accord with the Palestinians, blaming Israel for the latest impasse. Mubarak also cautions Israel against carrying out a major offensive against Gaza over escalating rocket and mortar fire in the past wk. (NYT, WP 1/7)

The PFLP fires 3 mortars fr. Gaza toward the IDF base at the fmr. Kissufim crossing into Gaza (closed in 8/2005); only 1 shell strikes inside Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF makes synchronized late-night air strikes on an IQB building in Gaza City and an open area e. of al-Shuka village in s. Gaza; no injuries are reported in either incident. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Tulkarm, 5 villages nr. Jenin, and 1 village nr. Jericho during the afternoon. (JP, MNA 1/6, JP, MNA, OCHA 1/7; PCHR 1/13; OCHA 1/14)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 mortar fr. Gaza into Israel during the day, causing no damage or injuries. The DFLP and PFLP claim responsibility for firing several mortars fr. Gaza into Israel late in the evening, but the IDF says it detected no launches during that period. Later in the evening, the IDF makes at least 2 air strikes on a Hamas building in n. Gaza and an alleged weapons factory in c. Gaza, wounding 2 Palestinians. In the West Bank, IDF troops fatally shoot a Palestinian man who approaches a checkpoint nr. Nablus carrying a glass bottle and fails to heed orders to halt, later admitting the man was not carrying anything that could harm soldiers. During the day, the IDF patrols in 4 villages nr. Qalqilya and 3 nr. Jenin; raids another village nr. Jenin late at night, searching a home and arresting 1 Palestinian. Jewish settlers fr. Revava settlement nr. Salfit attack Palestinian farmers working their land nearby; the IDF intervenes, detaining the farmers for 3 hrs. before releasing them. (MNA 1/2; JAZ, NYT 1/3; PCHR 1/6; OCHA 1/7; JPI 1/14)

The PFLP fires 4 mortars fr. Gaza at IDF targets just inside the Israeli border, only 1 of which lands inside Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Late at night, the IDF makes 2 air strikes on empty IQB buildings in Jabaliya r.c. (causing heavy damage and injuring a Palestinian in his home nearby) and Nussayrat r.c. (injuring 1 bystander and damaging 2 nearby homes). In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Salfit. A Palestinian woman fr. the village of Bil‘in dies from severe tear gas inhalation on 12/31. (MNA, NYT, WP 1/2; HA 1/5; PCHR 1/6; OCHA 1/7)

Argentina and Uruguay recognize Palestine as “a free and independent state” within the 1967 borders. The Israeli FMin. calls the moves “disappointing” and “regrettable.” (JAZ, YA 12/7)

To mark the anniversary of the founding of their movement, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) mbrs. fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF fires warning shots at an unidentified Palestinian nr. the Qarni crossing into Gaza, causing no reported injures; restricts animal fodder and wheat imports through the crossing for the rest of the week as punishment. The IDF makes an incursion into s. Gaza to level lands along the border fence e. of Khan Yunis, firing on surrounding areas, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 10 residential structures belonging to 15 Palestinian families (101 persons, including 42 children), a school, and 2 other small classroom structures, and at least 17 animal shelters in Khirbat Tana nr. Nablus. The IDF also conducts daytime patrols in 1 village nr. Qalqilya and 2 e. of Tulkarm; conducts late-night patrols in Bayt Liqya, firing live ammunition, tear gas, and stun grenades on stone-throwing youths who confront them, causing no injuries; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron. In Gaza, a Hamas-affiliated military court sentences 4 Palestinians to death (3 for a 2007 kidnapping and murder; 1 for collaborating with Israel). (JP, MNA 12/6; OCHA 12/8; PCHR 12/9; OCHA 12/10)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts daytime patrols in Azun nr. Qalqilya and Taybeh nr. Ramallah without incident. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, al-Ma‘sara, and Dayr Nizam/Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 10s suffer tear gas inhalation, 6 Palestinians (including 1 journalist) and 1 American activist are injured, and 4 Palestinian paramedics and 2 Israeli activists are arrested (all are released the same day). Senior Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) officials take part in the Bil‘in demonstration to commemorate the 9th anniversary of the assassination of PFLP Secy. Gen. Abu Ali Mustafa. Jewish settlers fr. Suissa settlement nr. Hebron stone and beat Palestinian shepherds grazing flocks nr. the settlement. (PCHR 9/2; OCHA 9/3)

U.S. special envoy Mitchell returns to the region for 3 days for another round of Israeli-Palestinian proximity talks. No details are released. (NYT, WP 7/1)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 mortar fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Later, mbrs. of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) fire several mortars fr. Gaza into Israel, targeting an IDF unit patrolling the border inside Israel, damaging a vehicle but causing no injuries; the unit shells the launch site, killing 1 PFLP mbr. On the n. Gaza border, IDF troops fire warning shots at Palestinian, international activists who stage a nonviolent march to the border fence n. of Bayt Lahiya to protest Israel’s imposition of a no-go zone, causing no injuries. Also in Gaza, Palestinians believed to be fr. an extremist Islamist group destroy a 2d UNRWA summer camp for children nr. Dayr al-Balah, tying up guards, setting a fire, destroying toys and an inflatable pool; another summer camp was destroyed on 5/23. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah. Inside Israel, Israeli police indict 7 Israeli Palestinians arrested in 4/2010 in and nr. Nazareth on charges of supporting al-Qa‘ida and plotting attacks on Jews and Christians; no details are released. (YA 6/28; NYT, WT 6/29; PCHR 7/1; OCHA, WJW 7/2)

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine fires a mortar fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, stun grenades, tear gas at Palestinian students protesting the fatal hit-andrun of a Palestinian by a settler on 4/1 (no injuries, 1 arrested); also fires rubber-coated steel bullets, stun grenades, tear gas at Palestinians fr. Iraq Burin staging a nonviolent protest against settlement expansion (10s suffer tear gas inhalation); conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in Hawara (see 4/2) and nr. Hebron. (Gulf Times, YA 4/4; PCHR 4/8; OCHA 4/15)

An IDF drone fires a missile at PFLP mbrs. nr. the Gaza border fence e. of Jabaliya, killing 2 PFLP mbrs., wounding a 3d. In the West Bank, the IDF removes an earthen barrier blocking the northern entrance to Halhul n. of Hebron that has been a major impediment to Palestinian movement along Route 60, the main road in the s. West Bank; demolishes 5 structures on a Palestinian farm nr. Bethlehem; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jerusalem, Ramallah. (OCHA, PCHR 1/6)

Overnight, the IDF carries out air strikes on smuggling tunnels on the Rafah border in retaliation for the PFLP’s 12/31 Grad strikes, lightly injuring 4 Palestinians. Later in the day, after the Popular Resistance Committees (PRCs) fire at least 2 mortars toward the Kerem Shalom crossing (the IDF records 2, while the PRCs claim 5; only 1 lands inside Israel, causing no damage or injuries), the IDF carries out air strikes on an open area e. of Jabaliya in n. Gaza and on a farm in al-Qarara in s. Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. Of note: Israel permanently closes the Nahal Oz crossing, meaning that with the exception of the grain belt operating at Qarni crossing, Kerem Shalom will be the sole transit point for goods coming in and out of Gaza; all fuel shipments will also henceforth go through Kerem Shalom. In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, stun grenades, tear gas at stone-throwing Palestinians and nonviolent international (and, in the case of Bil‘in, Israeli) activists taking part in protests against the separation wall in Bil‘in (injuring 1 Palestinian) and Ni‘lin (injuring 2 Palestinians); prevents Palestinian and international activists fr. planting trees on Palestinian land declared a closed military zone by the IDF, confiscating the trees; patrols in al-‘Arub r.c. in the evening, stopping and questioning a group of Palestinian children, arresting 3 teenagers; conducts synchronized late-night house searches in 3 villages southwest of Jenin, making no arrests; later makes a raid on a 4th village in the same area, also making no arrests. Jewish settlers fr. Yakir nr. Salfit stone a Palestinian car driving on the road to Qalqilya, injuring 2 Palestinians. (YA 1/1; HA 1/2; OCHA, PCHR 1/6)

Mbrs. of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) claim responsibility for firing 2 manufactured Grad rockets fr. Gaza into Israel; the missiles hit nr. Netivot, causing no damage or injuries. Egypt allows a token delegation of around 85 international activists to cross into Gaza to demonstrate with Gazans for an end to Israel’s siege, while in Cairo, Egyptian authorities disperse another 1,000 international activists calling on Egypt and Israel to open the Gaza border. Inside Israel, about 1,000 Israeli Palestinian and Jewish peace activists march to the Erez crossing in solidarity with the internationals in Egypt. Israeli police arrest a Jewish settler teenager connected to the outlawed right-wing group Kahane Chai suspected in the 12/11 arson of a mosque in Yasuf. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 2 animal shelters on a Palestinian farm located nr. an unauthorized Israeli settlement outpost northeast of Hebron, saying they had been erected illegally; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. Shavei Shomron and Einav settlements set up an outpost on a hill nr. Nablus overlooking the spot where a settler was ambushed and killed on 12/24. Jewish settlers at another settlement outpost northwest of Hebron raze 1,500 d. of surrounding Palestinian agricultural land, saying they plan to build a park and swimming pools. (JP 12/31; NYT, WP 1/1; HA 1/2; OCHA, PCHR 1/6; WJW 1/7)