The Palestine Chronology

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on agricultural lands nr. Khan Yunis. In the West Bank, the IDF blocks off roads leading to Bayt Rima and Dayr Abu Mash‘al villages nr. Ramallah, which are nr. the site of the alleged settler-involved shooting on 12/14. IDF troops arrest Palestinians during latenight raids nr. Hebron and Salfit, and patrol nr. Nablus and Hebron during the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Hizma overnight, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents; several Palestinians are injured. Later in the day, Israeli forces block Hizma’s main entrance (it will remain blocked through at least 12/18). (MNA, WAFA 12/15; MNA 12/18; PCHR 12/22)

The UNRWA employees’ union in Gaza announces that it will escalate its protests against the agency in response to its failure to fill teaching job vacancies this year. UNRWA claims that negotiations are still ongoing, but the union says that they failed to reach an agreement and that the agency decided to end negotiations. (MNA 12/16)

In Tunisia, a Hamas-affiliated flight engineer specializing in drone technology is shot and killed in his car in the city of Sfax. The Tunisian press will report that Israel’s Mossad is responsible. (YA 12/16)

An Islamic Jihad fighter in Gaza succumbs to injuries sustained while fighting the IDF in 2006. Meanwhile, dozens of Gazans gather in front of UNRWA’s offices in Rafah to protest a perceived lack of support. In s. Israel, Israeli police raid a slaughterhouse in a village nr. Beersheba, arresting more than 100 Palestinians from the West Bank working without proper permits. In the West Bank, Israeli forces deliver a stop-work order to a workshop under construction nr. Hebron. IDF troops conduct late-night house searches and raids in and around Ramallah, Qalqilya, Hebron, Nablus, and Jenin, arresting 19 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 2; patrol nr. Hebron, Salfit, and Ramallah. (MNA, WAFA 3/28; PCHR 3/31)

Israeli PM Netanyahu instructs Defense Minister (DM) Moshe Ya’alon to stop returning to the PA or their families bodies of Palestinians killed after committing serious crimes against Israelis. Sources in Netanyahu’s office refuse to comment on his motivation. (ALM, JP 3/28; HA, TOI 3/29)

A senior Fatah official reported on the Hamas and Fatah national reconciliation efforts following 2 days of talks in Doha on 3/26–27. He says they agreed to form a national unity govt. comprising Hamas, Fatah, and other factions, and to hold legislative and presidential elections within 6 mos. In addition, they agreed that a new unity govt. would work according to the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) guidelines (i.e., pursuing a 2-state solution by way of negotiations). Other reports say that the talks produced only 1 agreement: to not discuss the talks with the media. (TOI 3/28; JP 3/29)