The Palestine Chronology

Along Gaza’s border, unidentified persons detonate 2 IEDs targeting an IDF patrol near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. Soon thereafter, the IAF bombs Hamas sites near Gaza City and Jabaliya refugee camp, injuring 1 Palestinian and causing moderate damage. An IDF spokesperson later alleges that the 2 devices were planted amid a recent border protest. (HA, JP, WAFA, YA 3/15; PCHR 3/22)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids near Ramallah, Hebron, and Jenin; and patrol near Tulkarm and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces clash with Palestinians in al-‘Izzariya; 9 Palestinians are injured. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya and Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (WAFA 3/15; PCHR 3/22)

At a fundraising conference in Rome, officials from 90 different countries collectively pledge $100 m. for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to address the budget shortfall caused by U.S. president Trump’s decision to cut U.S. aid to the agency in 1/2018 (see JPS 47 [3]). (JP, TOI, WAFA 3/15)

Hundreds of Palestinians gather in Jabaliya refugee camp to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the recent U.S. decision to cut aid to UNRWA. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct a raid in Burqa village near Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 1 Palestinian is injured. Another Palestinian is injured in clashes sparked by an IDF raid in Bayt ‘Aynun near Hebron. IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during raids near Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Ramallah. Israeli forces demolish 3 residential shacks and a barn near Nablus and a home in Jiftlik village near Jericho; and patrol near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians during a raid in Qatanna. In the Negev, Israeli forces demolish the Palestinian Bedouin village al-Araqib for the 124th time since 2010. (WAFA, 1/24; MNA, PCHR, WAFA 1/25; PCHR 2/1)

Jawwal and Wataniya, the only 2 telecoms with more than 3 million customers each in the West Bank and Gaza, launch 3G network technology in the West Bank. (JP, REU, WAFA 1/24)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Hizma village late at night in response to reports of stones being thrown at an Israeli bus earlier in the day. The raids spark minor clashes, leading to no major injuries or arrests. Four Palestinians are arrested on further raids in the Old City. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians during raids in and around Jenin, and patrol near Ramallah, Salfit, and Hebron. (WAFA 1/19; PCHR 1/25)

The U.S. State Dept. announces that the Trump administration will not be providing the $45 million in food aid to Palestinians that it pledged in 12/2017 in response to an UNRWA emergency appeal. Instead, the aid will be frozen indefinitely. The announcement comes 2 days after the State Dept. announced that the Trump administration would be withholding $65 million in aid for UNRWA. (JP, REU, WAFA, YA 1/18; TOI, WAFA 1/19)

IDF troops surround the Jenin refugee camp home of a Palestinian allegedly involved in the killing of an Israeli settler on 1/9, sparking a firefight; the suspect’s cousin is killed and 2 Israeli soldiers are injured (after initial reports that the suspect was killed during the firefight, his family later says that he escaped unharmed). Two other Palestinians suspected of participating in the 1/9 killing are arrested. The incident sparks broader clashes in Jenin refugee camp; 4 Palestinians are injured. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 10 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Qalqilya, and Ramallah; and patrol near Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Khan Yunis. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home in Bayt Hanina. A number of Israeli settlers tour Haram al-Sharif. (MNA, WAFA 1/17; HA, JP, MNA, PCHR, TOI, WAFA 1/18; PCHR 1/25)

UNRWA announces an international funding campaign to raise enough money to make up for the shortfall created when the U.S. announced on 1/16 that it was withholding $65 million in aid indefinitely. (AFP, TOI, WAFA 1/17; AP 1/18; EI 1/19)

Early in the morning, the IAF conducts air strikes on a military airport near Damascus, allegedly targeting a Hezbollah arms depot, according to local reports. Neither the Syrian government nor the IDF comment on the attack. (HA, TOI 1/17)

Approximately 1,000 Israeli settlers visit Joseph’s Tomb near Nablus overnight, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and Palestinians from nearby Balata refugee camp; 1 Palestinian is injured and another is arrested. The IDF later says that a cell-phone bomb was planted at Joseph’s Tomb prior to the activists’ visit, but that Israeli soldiers detonated it safely, causing no injuries. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 12 Palestinians during late-night raids near Bethlehem, Ramallah, Hebron, and Nablus; and patrol near Hebron. Israeli settlers vandalize several Palestinian vehicles in Bayt Iksa village near Jerusalem, and enter ‘Azun village near Qalqilya, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and stone-throwing residents (28 Palestinians are injured). In East Jerusalem, Israeli police prevent Islamic Waqf staff from doing routine maintenance at Haram al-Sharif. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/16; JP 1/17)

The U.S. State Dept. announces that the Trump administration has decided to withhold $65 million from a $125 million transfer of aid to UNRWA. “There is a need to undertake a fundamental reexamination of UNRWA, both in the way it operates and the way it is funded,” a spokesperson says, explaining that the $65 million may be transferred after “future consideration” from the Trump administration. (JP, NYT, TOI 1/16; EI, HA, YA 1/17)

The Israeli authorities re-open the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Gaza, having closed it on 1/14 following Israeli air strikes in Gaza on 1/13. (MNA, WAFA, YA 1/16)

For the 5th consecutive Friday, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at protests against U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya, Bil‘in near Ramallah, and along Gaza’s border near Jabaliya refugee camp; 1 Palestinian is injured. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 1 Palestinian and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids near Hebron, and patrol near Hebron and Qalqilya. (MNA, WAFA 1/5; PCHR 1/11)

Axios reports that the U.S. has frozen $125 million in aid to UNRWA, following U.S. pres. Trump’s threats to condition support for the agency on Palestinians’ participation in his peace initiative. The sum comprises one third of annual U.S. support for the agency, and it was set to be delivered on 1/1. A State Dept. official later denies the story. “Just because they were expecting the money on the 1st, and they did not get it at that time, does not mean it was suspended or canceled. Deliberations are ongoing, and we have until mid-January to make a final decision.” (AX, FP, TOI 1/5; JP, REU, TOI 1/6)

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)

Approximately 1,000 UNRWA employees go on strike in Gaza City to protest the agency’s failure to fill vacant positions and to pay full salaries to many employees. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian from Bethlehem as he is attempting to cross into Israel for work. They also arrest 5 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Nablus and nr. Ramallah; and patrol nr. Qalqilya and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Silwan. In Israel, a mosque in Lydda is fined around NIS 726 (approx. $200) in accordance with Israel’s “pollution and nuisance” law for using loudspeakers to broadcast the call to prayer at night. (MNA, WAFA 11/21; MNA 11/22; PCHR 11/24)

The Israel Land Authority announces that the bedouin village Umm al-Hiran will be demolished on 11/22. The village’s residents are to be evacuated and relocated to a nearby municipality to make way for the construction of a new Jewish settlement called Hiran. (EI 11/23)

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)

After 2 weeks of increasing tension and clashes in East Jerusalem over access at Haram al-Sharif, Israeli authorities ban male and female volunteer guards— murabitun and murabitat—from the sanctuary on the grounds that they disturb and intimidate Jewish visitors. Around 50 Palestinian women gather outside Haram al-Sharif in the morning to protest the Israeli restrictions on their access. Late at night, suspected right-wing Jewish activists spray racist graffiti on walls in the Old City and Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians on raids in al-Tur and Jabal Mukabir. In the West Bank, unknown assailants shoot and lightly injure an Israeli settler driving nr. Nablus. Later, Israeli settlers set fire to dozens of olive trees outside a nearby Palestinian village and Israeli forces block the entrances to the village and order a curfew. Separately, Israeli forces raze agricultural land and seize an irrigation network nr. Hebron. IDF troops conduct late-night house searches and raids nr. Jericho, Jenin, Tulkarm, and Bethlehem, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrol in al-‘Arub r.c and nr. Hebron. The Israeli authorities reopen a road nr. Ramallah that has been closed for 15 years (it was initially reported reopened on 5/25, but Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories [COGAT] delayed the opening to perform unspecified maintenance). Off Gaza’s coast nr. Rafah, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. Later, Israeli forces e. of Khan Yunis arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel. (HA, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA 9/9; PCHR, WAFA 9/10; PCHR 9/17; OCHA 9/18)

PNC pres. Zanoun announces that the PNC convention scheduled for 9/14–15 has been postponed in response to various Palestinian political groups’ requests for a delay and calls for a boycott. He says that a comm. comprising himself, the PLO Exec. Comm., and the heads of the various factions will meet to prepare to convene the PNC within 3 mos. (JP, MNA, WAFA 9/9)

UNRWA commissioner-gen. Pierre Krähenbühl reaches an agreement with the UNRWA employees union in Gaza to end the recent protests over reductions in agency services. The union went on strike for a week on 8/24, then agreed to return to work on 8/31 in exchange for a tentative agreement to limit class sizes. (MNA 9/9)

Amid ongoing tensions in East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 6 Palestinian guards and 3 Palestinian worshippers at Haram al-Sharif. Israeli forces block off all entrances to al-Tur, following clashes in the area with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; arrest 5 Palestinians on raids in the Old City and Shu‘fat r.c. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces open fire on Palestinian farmers e. of Khan Yunis, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 23 structures in a bedouin village n. of Jerusalem. They also surround the home of a local leader in Jenin r.c.; conduct wide-ranging raids in the area and demolish parts of the home when the man does not give himself up, sparking an hours-long firefight with armed residents (1 Israeli soldier and 5 Palestinians are injured, 2 Palestinians are arrested). Meanwhile, Israeli authorities deliver a stop-work order to a school under construction in a village nr. Hebron. IDF troops search homes nr. Hebron, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; there are no injuries. They also patrol nr. Ramallah, Hebron, and Jericho; conduct late-night house searches and raids nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, and Nablus, arresting 8 Palestinians. (AP, MNA, NYT, WAFA 8/31; HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 9/1; MNA 9/2; PCHR 9/3)

After a week of protests obstructed the start of the 2015–16 school year, UNRWA schools in Gaza open regularly following an agreement between the union of UNRWA staff, parents, and reps. of various Palestinian factions. Negotiations will continue on unresolved issues until a final agreement is reached on 9/9. (MNA, WAFA 8/31)

Israeli forces demolish a 3-story building in Wadi al-Juz, making it the 19th Palestinian home demolished in East Jerusalem this year. Nearby, Israeli forces arrest 4 Palestinians on late-night raids in Issawiyya and Bayt Hanina. In the West Bank, Palestinian and international activists protest the expansion of the separation wall in Bayt Jala nr. Bethlehem (construction began on 8/17); IDF troops violently disperse protesters, arresting 1 Palestinian. Israeli forces demolish an agricultural structure in a village nr. Ramallah; patrol in al-‘Arub r.c. as well as nr. Hebron and Nablus. They also conduct latenight raids in Aida r.c. and 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Hebron, arresting 3 Palestinians. In Gaza, Israeli forces conduct 2 limited incursions across the border fence late at night to level land nr. Bayt Hanun. (MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 8/19; MNA, PCHR 8/20; PCHR 8/27)

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announces that, due to a recent string of donations, its budget shortfall has been alleviated sufficiently to allow the 2015–16 school year to proceed on time in its 685 schools across the Middle East. (AFP, MNA 8/19; WAFA 8/20)

In the Sinai Peninsula, unidentified assailants kidnap 4 mbrs. of Hamas traveling nr. Shaykh Zuwayd to Cairo by bus, which departed from the Rafah border crossing earlier in the day. Egyptian security sources suspect that the kidnappers are affiliated with the Sinai Province of the Islamic State. (MNA, REU 8/20)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian man after he allegedly participates in a group stabbing of an Israeli settler nr. Ramallah. The Israeli settler is moderately injured. On a series of raids of Israeli settlement outposts nr. Nablus, Israeli forces arrest as many as 9 Israeli settlers suspected of recent attacks and perpetrating the 7/31 arson attack in Duma, nr. Nablus, that led to the death of 3 Palestinians; 2 of the suspects are placed in administrative detention; they also deliver stop-work orders to 2 EU-funded water tanks under construction nr. Hebron. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Hebron and 1 nearby village, Jenin, and Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem, arresting 6 Palestinians and issuing an arrest summons to 1; patrols during the day in al-Fawar r.c. and 2 villages nr. Hebron, 4 villages nr. Jenin, and 1 nr. Qalqilya. Israeli forces demolish 3 dirt roads and 3 olive trees nr. Qalqilya and a livestock building in a village nr. Salfit; deliver a notice to a water tank operator in a village nr. Hebron, requiring him to halt operations. A Palestinian child is seriously injured when he accidentally triggers a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian agricultural land nr. Nablus, burning hundreds of acres. Off the coast of Gaza nr. Dayr al-Balah, Israeli naval forces fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries, then arrest 2 fishermen. Outside UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City, hundreds of Palestinians gather to protest the agency’s proposed cuts in services for the 3d Sunday in a row. In East Jerusalem, around 30 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 8/9; YA 8/10; HA 8/12; PCHR 8/13)

After around 32 Palestinian prisoners join the mass open-ended hunger strike in Israel’s Nafha and Ramon Prisons, bringing the number of total participants to 180, the prisoners decide to end their strike, which began on 8/5. The Israel Prison Service (IPS) says no deal was made, but Palestinian Prisoners Society chair Qadura Fares says that IPS agreed to several concessions on terms of cell searches and other issues. Meanwhile, Israeli doctors at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba say they will refuse to force-feed hungerstriking Palestinian prisoner Allan. (MNA, TOI 8/9; HA, MNA, TOI 8/10)

In Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians gather outside the UNRWA office in Gaza City to protest the agency’s reduction of services. Off the n. coast, Israeli naval forces fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct late-night raids and searches in 1 village each nr. Nablus, Ramallah, and Salfit, confiscating property and arresting 2 Palestinians; patrol during the day in 1 village nr. Ramallah, 3 nr. Hebron, and Tulkarm. Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians allegedly selling fireworks in a village nr. Qalqilya claiming that they were to be used in attacks on IDF troops. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinians nr. Nablus, then Israeli forces intervene and arrest 1 Palestinian.

In East Jerusalem, stone-throwing Palestinian worshippers who spent the night in al-Aqsa Mosque clash with Israeli police at Haram al-Sharif; 10 Palestinians are injured and 6 are arrested. The Palestinians spent the night in the sanctuary in order to circumvent Israeli restrictions on their access today, a Jewish holiday. Later, around 850 Jewish visitors tour the sanctuary under an Israeli police escort. Clashes continue later in the day when as many as 150 Israeli special forces escort 70 right-wing Jewish activists on a tour of the sanctuary; 19 guards from the Islamic Waqf, 2 Palestinian journalists, and 4 Israeli police officers are injured, and 5 Palestinians are detained. Separately, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians on raids in Silwan. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, YA 7/26; MNA 7/27; PCHR 7/30)

Israel’s High Court of Justice orders an immediate halt to the construction of 296 settler residences in the Beit El settlement and upholds its order for the demolition of 2 residential buildings in Beit El by the end of 7/2015. Meanwhile, Haaretz reports on an internal IDF document apparently showing that Palestinian residents of Susiya village nr. Hebron have legitimate ownership claims to their village’s land, which supports their efforts to stop the planned evacuation and demolition of their village. (HA, JP, MDW, TOI, WAFA 7/26; YA 7/27)

Late at night in Gaza, an armed group fires a rocket into s. Israel nr. Ashqelon, causing no damage. The IAF then launches air strikes on 2 “terrorist infrastructure” targets in c. and n. Gaza, according to the IDF; 1 Palestinian woman is lightly injured. Earlier in the day, Dutch FM Bert Koenders visits Gaza to inaugurate a new Dutch scanning machine donated to Israel for use at the Kerem Shalom border crossing. He says the scanner will allow for an increase in the amount of materials that can be shipped into Gaza for reconstruction purposes. Koenders also tours several UNRWA sites throughout Gaza. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian woman after she stabs and lightly injures an Israeli soldier in n. Ramallah. Later, they raid her home nr. Ramallah. The IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 nr. Ramallah during the day. Along the Syria-Israel border, IDF troops raid the al-Shahar r.c., which houses internally displaced Syrians in the UN-administered buffer zone. They evacuate the camp and demolish several tents. (HA, MNA 7/15; HA, MNA, TOI, YA 7/16; AP 7/17; EI 7/20; PCHR 7/30)

U.S. national security advisor Susan Rice says that the U.S. is looking forward to discussing with Israel possible ways of increasing Israeli security, following the P5+1’s deal with Iran on 7/14. (JP, JTA, REU 7/16)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces uproot olive trees and demolish a car wash on about 20 dunams (around 5 acres) of Palestinian land nr. Bethlehem; confiscate grocery stalls along bypass road Route 60. IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in Jenin, Qalqilya, and 1 village nearby, and 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Bethlehem, arresting 8 Palestinians and assaulting 1; patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho and 1 nr. Hebron. In n. Israel, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home in Kafr Kanna claiming that it was built without a permit. Palestinians in the village recently rebuilt the home after Israeli forces demolished it in 4/2015. (HA, MNA, REU, WAFA 6/15; PCHR 6/18)

Hebron mayor Dawud al-Zaatari announces that Israel’s Coordinator for Govt. Activities in the Territories (COGAT) office has approved the reopening of around 70 Palestinian shops in c. Hebron on 6/19. The IDF closed over 500 Palestinian shops in Hebron at the beginning of the 2d intifada in 2000. Meanwhile, the Knesset votes to extend for another year a law that allows the govt. to withhold citizenship or residency from Palestinians from the oPt who are married to Palestinian citizens of Israel (PCI). Originally passed in 2003, its authority has been extended every year since. (AFP 6/15; HA 6/17)

UNRWA comm.-gen. Pierre Krähenbühl reiterates that the agency is operating with a $101 m. deficit for core programs, and says that it might be forced to suspend all activities by 9/2015 unless donors give more money. UNRWA’s operating costs run at around $35 m. per mo. (MNA, UNRWA 6/15)

Cypriot pres. Nicos Anastasiades and Israeli PM Netanyahu meet in Israel and discuss the possibility of Netanyahu addressing the EU at an upcoming meeting in Brussels. The news of Anastasiades’s proposal to invite Netanyahu to Brussels will break on 6/29. (HA 6/19)

An Israeli delegation headed by National Security Adviser Yossi Cohen arrives in Washington, for talks with U.S. officials on the P5+1’s ongoing negotiations with Iran ahead of the 6/30 final agreement deadline. According to the Israeli official who announced the trip on 6/11, it is part of the effort to improve U.S.-Israeli communication surrounding the deal. (HA 6/11; JP 6/16)

In the West Bank, a Palestinian man from al-Fara‘a r.c. nr. Tubas succumbs to injuries sustained during an IDF raid of his home in 2008. Israeli forces demolish 5 residences and a sheep barn in a village nr. Hebron; continue leveling land in a village nr. Bethlehem to eventually expand a nearby Israeli industrial zone. IDF troops clash with residents of a village n. of Jerusalem and 1 nr. Ramallah, injuring 9 with rubber-coated metal bullets and arresting 4; violently disperse Palestinian students demonstrating outside Ofer Prison in Ramallah, injuring 7 with rubber-coated metal bullets and arresting 1; 2 Israeli soldiers are lightly injured in the ensuing clashes. The IDF also conducts house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Jenin, Hebron, and Qalqilya, as well as in Nablus, arresting 4 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 1; patrols in and around Tulkarm, and 1 village nr. Jenin; arrests 2 Palestinians while they are working in an Israeli settlement nr. Bethlehem. Israeli settlers erect 8 mobile homes on Palestinian land s. of Nablus, establishing a settlement outpost; throw stones at a Palestinian’s car nr. Nablus, causing minor damage. Nr. Nablus, armed Palestinians set fire to tires e. of Balata r.c. in protest of the recent PASF crackdown in the area. IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers working nr. the border fence, causing no injuries. Israeli forces also conduct a limited incursion e. of Dayr al-Balah to level land. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces level land in a closed military zone nr. Qalandia, sparking clashes with residents; 9 Palestinians are injured with live ammunition and dozens are lightly injured with rubber-coated metal bullets. Israeli forces also level land on the e. outskirts of Issawiyya, clearing the area for construction of an Israeli national park; demolish temporary bedouin shelters that were funded by the EU. (MNA 3/9; AFP, HA, MNA, WAFA 3/10; AFP, MNA, WAFA 3/11; PCHR 3/12)

A group of Palestinians in Israeli prisons cancels its plans, announced on 3/9, to begin a series of demonstrations on 3/10 in protest of the poor conditions. According to Al Jazeera, the move comes after the group makes a preliminary deal with the Israel Prison Service (IPS), allowing for more frequent family visits, but an IPS official will refute the report on 3/11. (AJ 3/10; JP 3/11; PNN 3/12)

In the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, an IDF officeris lightly injured from gunfire emanating from Syria nr. Qunaytra. Meanwhile, senior United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) official Pierre Krähenbühl accompanies a convoy of aid into Yarmouk r.c. in Syria, the 1st shipment of assistance to the camp’s 18,000 occupants in 3 mos. (HA, JP, TOI, YA 3/10; MNA 3/11)

In Gaza, the chair of Qatar’s Comm. to Rebuild Gaza, Mohammed al-Emadi announces a series of new projects to build 1,000 housing units in Gaza, and that the 1st shipment of materials—4 truckloads of cement—arrived from Israel today. They will be funded through disbursals of the $1 b. Qatar pledged at the 10/12/2014 Gaza reconstruction conference in Cairo. (AFP, NYT 3/10; MEMO, REU 3/11; IMEMC 3/12; YA 3/13)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of al-Maghazi open fire on a Palestinian tending to lemon trees nr. the border fence, causing a moderate injury and then arresting him. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 5 Palestinians at a checkpoint nr. Jenin; assault a Palestinian university student nearby, causing moderate injuries. They also assault a group of Palestinians peacefully protesting outside an Israeli settlement nr. Bethlehem. IDF troops open fire on a Palestinian nr. Bethlehem after he drives his car toward them. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Bethlehem, Salfit, Hebron, and Tulkarm; patrols in al-Fawar r.c., as well as nr. Hebron and Qalqilya. Palestinians throw stones at IDF troops patrolling nr. Ramallah, injuring 1. In East Jerusalem, unknown assailants throw bottles at Israeli settlers’ buildings in Shaykh Jarrah and Ras al-Amud, causing damage but no injuries. Later, unknown assailants burn 6 Palestinianowned cars in Silwan and Abu Tor. Israeli forces conduct arrest raids and house searches in Ras al-Amud. In West Jerusalem, dozens of Palestinians from al-Tur, East Jerusalem, gather outside the municipal govt. offices to protest the increased arrests of Palestinian children. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/8; HA, WAFA 2/9; PCHR 2/12)

UNRWA’s office in Gaza announces that over the next week it will distribute $1.1 m. in cash payments to around 800 families whose homes were partially or completely destroyed during OPE. On 1/27, the office suspended its cash assistance program, which served these same families. Meanwhile, the PA Finance Ministry announces that, for the 2d mo. in a row, PA employees whose monthly wage is NIS 2,000 (around $520) or more will receive only 60% of their salary, and those with lower wages will receive their entire salary. (MNA, WAFA 2/8)

On the sidelines of the security conference in Munich, U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with reps. of the 3 other mbrs. of the Middle East Quartet. In a statement, they call for a resumption of peace negotiations and for all parties to avoid actions that may “prejudice final status issues.” (REU, TOI, YA 2/8)

Also at the Munich conference, Kerry and Iranian FM Zarif discuss the negotiations over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. Both Kerry and Zarif affirm that they do not want to extend the negotiations again. Zarif also meets with FMs of the rest of the P5+1. (AFP, HA, REU, TOI 2/8; ALM 2/12)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis open fire on agricultural land nr. the border fence, causing no damage or injuries. Later, Israeli soldiers e. of Rafah arrest 3 Palestinians as they attempt to cross the border into Israel. Meanwhile, Palestinians gather outside UNRWA’s office in Gaza City in a sit-in protest organized by Hamas against the agency’s 1/27 suspension of its cash assistance program. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum); 1 Palestinian in each Nabi Salih and Kafr Qaddum are moderately injured. The IDF also disperses stone-throwing Palestinian youth nr. Ramallah; conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Hebron; patrols nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Tulkarm, as well as al-‘Arub r.c. (MNA 1/30; PCHR 2/5)

The Israeli govt. publishes tenders for the construction of a hotel and several offices in Ma’ale Adumim and 450 new homes in 4 other settlements in the West Bank. Also, the Jerusalem Building and Planning Comm. republishes a plan for 93 new housing units in s. Gilo in East Jerusalem. (HA, Peace Now 1/30)

Acting pres. of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Joachim Rücker receives a letter of complaint from Israel’s permanent rep. to the UN in Geneva Eviatar Manor, alerting him to the previously unreported fact that the head of the UNHRC’s 3-mbr. commission currently investigating possible war crimes committed during OPE, William Schabas, was paid $1,300 for a consulting job with the PLO in 2012. (HA 2/3)

In the Gaza Strip, unknown assailants throw a grenade into the home of Fatah Asst. Dep. of the Palestinian Civil Affairs Ministry Nasser al-Sarraj. The grenade does not explode and no one is injured. In 2 separate incidents off the coast nr. Gaza City and Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage to 1 boat. IDF troops e. of Rafah detain 2 armed Palestinians as they attempt to cross the border fence into Israel. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a water distribution network that services the n. Jordan Valley, as well as a house and a barn nr. Hebron. Sparked by an IDF raid in c. Bayt Umar nr. Hebron, Palestinian residents clash with the Israeli troops, lightly injuring 1 soldier. Nearby, IDF troops shoot tear gas canisters at Palestinian youth as they leave an UNRWA school. The IDF also conducts arrest raids and house searches nr. Hebron and Ramallah; patrols nr. Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, an Israeli settler attempts to kidnap a Palestinian child in Jabal Mukabir. The IDF conducts arrest raids and house searches in al-Tur, Ras al-Amud, and Ras Khamis. (MNA, WAFA 1/29; JTA 1/30; PCHR 2/5)

UN Special Coordinator Serry’s office (UNSCO) releases a statement announcing that the UN is going to review its operations in Gaza after the violent, Hamas-organized protest outside its headquarters on 1/28. The statement also blames Hamas for not adequately providing security for the protest. The UNSCO has been principally in charge of facilitating the UNadministered reconstruction procedure and mediating between the Israeli authorities, Hamas, and Palestinians in need of support after OPE. (HA 1/30)

The Israel Electric Corporation announces that it will begin intermittently cutting power to the West Bank at the end of the mo. due to the PA’s outstanding debts, which total around NIS 1.8 m. (around $458 m.). (MEMO, YA 1/29) 

Yisrael Beytenu delivers a petition to the Central Elections Comm. (CEC) calling for the disqualification of MK Haneen Zoabi from the 3/17 elections on the basis of her support for boycott and armed resistance against Israel. (HA, JP 1/29)

The U.S. Senate Banking Comm. votes, 18–4, to pass the Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2015, which Sens. Menendez (D-NJ) and Kirk (R-IL) introduced on 1/27. A White House spokesperson consequently reaffirms Pres. Obama’s pledge to veto the bill. (AFP, REU 1/28; AP, YA 1/29)

Seventy-five U.S. sens. sign on to a letter, initiated by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), to U.S. Secy. of State Kerry calling for a suspension of aid to the PA while the Obama admin. reviews the Palestinians’ accession to the ICC. (JTA 1/30)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis open fire on Palestinian farmers nr. the border fence, causing damage. Meanwhile, unknown assailants set fire to the Dept. of Prisoners Affairs building in Jabaliya r.c., causing moderate damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians protesting the closure of the entrance to their village nr. Ramallah. In the ensuing clashes, 3 Palestinians are injured with rubber-coated metal bullets. The IDF conducts house searches, arrest raids, and patrols nr. Jenin and Hebron. They also arrest 3 Palestinians at a checkpoint nr. Jenin. Israeli authorities deliver demolition notices to a village nr. Hebron for 2 animal barns and a residential building. Dozens of Palestinian youth throw stones at an IDF watchtower s. of Bethlehem, sparking clashes in which 1 Palestinian is moderately injured and detained. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct house searches and arrests in the Old City. (MNA, WAFA 1/27; PCHR 1/29)

UNRWA suspends the operation of its cash assistance program in Gaza, which provides aid for the 96,000 refugee families whose homes were partially or completely destroyed during OPE. Director of Operations Robert Turner says that the agency has received only $135 m. of the $720 m. pledged by international donors. (+972, AFP, REU 1/27)

From Syria, 4 rockets are fired into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and 2 land nr. the Hermon ski resort, causing no injuries. The IDF responds by firing 20 artillery shells into Syria. Meanwhile, Iran sends a message to the U.S. govt. saying that Israel should expect retaliation for its 1/18 attack that killed 6 Hizballah fighters and 6 mbrs. of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. (AFP, HA, JP 1/27; AFP 1/28)

In the U.S. Senate, Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) introduce the Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2015 after weeks of deliberation and debate. It would increase congressional oversight on the P5+1’s negotiations with Iran and reinstate sanctions should the negotiations fail to culminate in a final agreement. Earlier in the day, Menendez and 9 other Democratic supporters of the bill send a letter to the White House saying that they will not push for a vote until after the end of 3/2015, the deadline that the P5+1 and Iranian negotiators have set to reach a political accord. (POL, REU 1/27; TOI 1/28)

In the Gaza Strip, Palestinians fire a rocket into s. Israel in the Eshkol region. Israel holds Hamas responsible and the IDF launches a latenight air strike at a Hamas military training site nr. Khan Yunis, causing damage to the site and a nearby UNRWA school. It is the 1st Israeli bombing in Gaza since the 8/26 cease-fire ended OPE. In the West Bank, Palestinians gather in Turmus ‘Ayya, Silwad, and Ofer detention center to protest the death of a senior PA official on 12/10, sparking clashes with IDF troops in which 9 Palestinians are injured with rubbercoated metal bullets and 2 are detained. In Silwad, Israeli soldiers deliberately fire at electricity transformers, causing a power outage. Also, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), Bethlehem, and Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), shooting 1 in Bil‘in with a rubber-coated metal bullet and 1 in Ni‘lin. The IDF conducts an arrest raid nr. Qalqilya; patrols nr. Ramallah, Hebron, Jericho, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya. Meanwhile, dozens gather in Balata r.c. to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the PFLP. In East Jerusalem, nearly 60,000 Palestinians pray at Haram al-Sharif, then march through the streets of the Old City in protest of Israeli policies regarding the site. Later, Israeli forces conduct house searches and arrest raids in the Old City, al-Wad, Silwan, and al-Bustan. Clashes break out between Israeli police and stone-throwing Palestinians late at night in Wadi al-Juz, Anata, and Silwan. Police injure 3 Palestinians with rubber-coated metal bullets and arrest 5. (AP, HA, MNA, 12/19; AFP, HA, MNA, WAFA 12/20; PCHR 12/25)

U.S. Pres. Obama signs into law the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act, which includes increased intelligence and military cooperation and new congressional oversight procedures. (TOI 12/20; IHY, JP, JTA 12/21)

The UNGApasses 2 nonbinding res. regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict and Palestinian affairs: the 1st calls on Israel to pay Lebanon $856.4 m. in damages related to an oil spill Israeli forces caused during the 2006 war; the 2d recognizes Palestinian sovereignty over the natural resources in the oPt. (AFP, WAFA 12/20)

A leaked report from the IAEA concludes that Iran is upholding commitments made to the P5+1 related to its disputed nuclear program. (JP, REU 12/18)

In the Gaza Strip, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) declares a state of emergency after heavy rains and flooding exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation. Egyptian authorities open the Rafah crossing for the 2d day in a row, but at limited capacity. Separately, unknown assailants fire shots in the direction of Israeli forces positioned along the border with e. Gaza, and IDF troops respond by firing a tank shell, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the Judea Military Court finds a Palestinian man guilty of planning to assassinate Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman during OPE. Nr. Qalqilya, Israeli settlers attempt to kidnap a Palestinian youth, but his family intervenes. Nearby, Israeli settlers attack a Palestinian-owned car shop and injure the owner. IDF troops violently disperse a protest in Dayr ‘Ammar nr. Ramallah and injure 1 Palestinian with rubber-coated metal bullets. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Tulkarm, Hebron, and Nablus; patrols nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli soldiers beat and arrest a Palestinian youth nr. the Old City. (AKH, IMEMC, MNA, YA 11/27; HA, MNA 11/28; PCHR 12/4; OCHA 12/5)

Israel’s High Court of Justice decides to freeze the 11/20 demolition orders on the homes of the 2 Palestinian men who attacked a West Jerusalem synagogue on 11/18. (MNA 11/27)

Following Hamas official Abu Marzuq’s comments about the UN’s Gaza reconstruction plan on 11/26, another senior Hamas official says that the UN has amended its plan based on consultations with Hamas. (MNA 11/27)

The IDF continues its assault on the Gaza Strip, killing 61 Palestinians. Local officials say targets struck include 5 mosques and a soccer stadium, in addition to other Palestinian infrastructure and multiple tunnels. Prolonged Israeli shelling of Khan Yunis kills at least 6 and wounds more than 20. Also, the IDF strikes a UNRWA-run school in c. Gaza. Palestinian fighters kill 2 Israeli soldiers overnight and fire approximately 67 rockets and mortar shells into Israel, with 18 projectiles intercepted by Iron Dome batteries. In the West Bank, an Israeli citizen shoots and kills a Palestinian man between al-Ram and Hizma checkpoint n. of Jerusalem, reportedly after the Palestinian man threw stones at the Israeli’s car. IDF troops shoot and injure 5 Palestinians in ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus, during clashes in an arrest raid. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Nablus and 2 villages nr. Ramallah at night. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces clash with Palestinians in at-Tur, Shu‘fat r.c., and Issawiyya, causing no serious injuries. (AFP, AP, JP, MNA, REU, YA 7/22; PCHR 7/23)

After 1 rocket lands nr. Ben Gurion Airport, the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) bans flights to and from Israel for at least 24 hours, and the European Aviation Safety Agency advises all carriers to avoid Tel Aviv “until further notice.” Israel’s Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, in a statement, says “there is no need for U.S. carriers to suspend flights and reward terrorism.” U.S. Secy. of State Kerry and PM Netanyahu later discuss the FAA ban on a phone call. (AFP, AP, JP, MNA, REU, YA 7/22)

At a monthly meeting of the EU Council, the 28 EU FMs issue a statement that “strongly condemns the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and militant groups in the Gaza Strip” and also “condemns calls on the civilian population of Gaza to provide themselves as human shields.” Meanwhile, Secy. of State Kerry meets with Egypt’s Pres. al-Sisi in Cairo to discuss Gaza, and afterward, affirms that “there is a framework available to end the violence, and that framework was the Egyptian initiative.” Senior Fatah official al-Ahmad flies in to Cairo to also meet with Kerry. In Israel, UN Secy.-Gen. Ban meets with PM Netanyahu and at a Tel Aviv press conference, Ban condemns the rocket attacks, while the Israeli leader accuses Hamas of committing a “double war crime” of targeting Israeli civilians while using Palestinian civilians as human shields. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU, YA 7/22)

During the day, the IDF launches multiple strikes on targets across the Gaza Strip, killing 21 Palestinians, except during a 5-hour humanitarian cease-fire. After the humanitarian pause, Palestinian groups resume rocket fire into Israel, launching 105 projectiles, 20 of which are intercepted by Iron Dome batteries. One Israeli soldier nr. the border is wounded by a mortar shell just before the end of the pause. Meanwhile, 13 armed Palestinians enter Israel through a tunnel, but their attack is halted by IDF troops. Reports differ on whether or not 1 Palestinian is killed during the attack. Palestinians also launch a drone into s. Israel, which IDF troops shoot down nr. Ashqelon. UNRWA announces that 20 rockets were discovered in an unused school in Gaza, and condemns those responsible for a “flagrant breach” of international law. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU 7/17; AJ, PCHR 7/18)

At approximately 10:30 P.M., the IDF launches a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, beginning with heavy artillery shelling of Bayt Hanun and Bayt Lahiya in the n. and incursions nr. the border fence to expand the buffer zone. IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner says the invasion has 2 objectives: “to strike Hamas . . . so they do not have the motivation to continue” and “to strike the terrorist infrastructure, the rockets, the tunnels.” During the invasion, 1 Israeli soldier is killed by friendly fire. Israeli media report that the ground invasion is initiated largely in response to the tunnel attack early in the day. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU 7/17; AJ, PCHR 7/18)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot a Palestinian farmer nr. Nablus, shoot and injure 1 resident during clashes in al-Fara’a r.c. nr. Tubas, and shoot and injure 2 residents during clashes nr. Ramallah. IDF troops also shoot and injure 7 Palestinians during a demonstration at Qalandia checkpoint. The IDF conducts house searches, arrest raids in 1 village nr. Qalqilya at night; patrols in 3 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron and 1 village nr. Salfit in the afternoon. Meanwhile, armed Palestinians open fire on IDF troops at a checkpoint nr. Ramallah, causing no injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces raid Haram al-Sharif and assault worshippers protesting a visit by rightwing Jewish activists. Israeli forces also detain approximately 36 Palestinians. Meanwhile, police charge 3 Jewish Israelis with the murder of Abu Khdeir. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU 7/17; AJ, PCHR 7/18)

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Serry requests a 5-hour humanitarian cease-fire and it is observed. An unnamed Israeli defense official tells the media that the cease-fire is for Palestinians in Gaza to see the damage wrought by Israel thus far. (AFP, AP, HA, REU 7/17)

Hours before the ground invasion starts, the U.S. Senate agrees to a nonbinding res. condemning the rocket fire against Israel and reiterating Israel’s right to defend itself. The res. has 78 cosponsors and the support of many U.S.-based, pro-Israel groups, including AIPAC. (AFP, AP, JP 7/17; AJ 7/18)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries or damage. Meanwhile, 2 mbrs. of Islamic Jihad’s armed wing, Saraya al-Quds Brigades, die in an accidental explosion nr. Khan Yunis. In the West Bank, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian children gathered on agricultural lands nr. the UNRWA school for boys in al-Jalazun and close to Beit El settlement, wounding 1 seriously. Separately, at al-Fawar junction nr. Hebron, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian protesters who are demonstrating in solidarity with prisoners, causing no injuries. The IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah in the afternoon, and in 3 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron, and 1 village and ‘Ayn al-Sultan r.c. nr. Jericho at night. (MNA, WAFA 5/24; PCHR 5/29)

Pope Francis arrives in Amman at the beginning of a 3-day trip to the region that will also take him to Israel and the oPt. (REU 5/24)

In the Gaza Strip, 1 Palestinian dies and 2 are injured in an explosion nr. al-Bureij r.c., while 1 other Palestinian dies in another explosion in the same camp, a mbr. of Hamas’s Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades. Both are suspected to be “work accidents.” Israeli forces open fire on Palestinian protesters close to the border fence nr. al-Shuhada’ cemetery in the n. Gaza Strip, wounding 5. In the West Bank, the IDF evicts Palestinian activists at the ‘Ayn Hiljeh protest camp in the Jordan Valley, lightly wounding 35. Subsequently, activists establish a new protest village in al-Joula in the n. Jordan Valley. The IDF clashes with protesters in Jalazun r.c. and in Silwad nr. Ramallah, with 12 wounded by live ammunition in the former, and 10 wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets in the latter. The IDF patrols in Nablus and 1 nearby village, 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 village each nr. Jenin and Nablus at night. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), and 1 village nr. Bethlehem (al-Ma‘sara). There are no serious injuries, except in Kafr Qaddum (2 struck by tear gas canisters and 2 with rubber-coated metal bullets) and Nabi Salih (3 struck by tear gas canisters and 1 with a rubbercoated metal bullet). In East Jerusalem, clashes between worshippers and Israeli forces at Haram al-Sharif leave 18 injured. (AFP, HA, MNA 2/7; PCHR 2/13)

UNRWA workers end a 2-mo. strike that began 12/3 over low pay and working conditions, news announced by UNRWA chief Filippo Grandi. (AFP 2/7)

Australia’s Woodside Petroleum Ltd. takes a 25% stake in Israel’s large Leviathan gas field in the e. Mediterranean, as Israel takes a step toward becoming a natural gas exporter. (REU 2/7)

In the West Bank, IDF troops clash with residents in Aida r.c. nr. Bethlehem, causing no serious injuries. At night, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Hebron and 4 nearby villages, 1 village each nr. Jenin and Ramallah, and in Nablus; patrols in 6 villages nr. Nablus and 2 villages each nr. Hebron and Ramallah. (PCHR 1/16)

PA security forces clash with residents outside Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah, leaving more than 100 demonstrators and 40 police officers wounded. The confrontations begin when police try to reopen roads blocked as part of protests against the UNRWA employees’ strike that began 12/3. (HA, REU 1/12)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with Arab League foreign ministers in Paris to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Those attending include PA FM Riad al-Maliki, along with the foreign ministers of Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, and Morocco. (JP, ToI 1/12)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval vessels attack Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Ramallah and Jenin at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Salfit in the morning, in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm, in Salfit and 1 nearby village, and in Hebron in the afternoon, and in 1 village and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron and in Tulkarm at night. (PCHR 1/9)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry visits Jordan and Saudi Arabia before returning to Jerusalem, in a day of whistle-stop diplomacy focused on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. In Amman, Kerry meets with Jordan’s King Abdallah II and FM Nasser Judeh, and then with King Abdallah in the Saudi monarch’s desert residence. Following 3 days of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, an anonymous Palestinian official says that Kerry demanded Abbas recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland, in exchange for Israel’s acceptance of its pre-1967 borders as the basis for talks. Meanwhile, Israeli FM Lieberman tells a meeting of Israeli diplomats that he supports a comprehensive agreement with the Palestinians in the context of U.S.-led negotiations, but also says that he would only accept an agreement including the exchange of land and population, a reference to his longstanding proposal to move a number of Palestinian citizens into a putative Palestinian state. (See document C2 in JPS 171 for extended excerpts of Lieberman’s remarks.) Separately, Israel’s ministerial cmte. on legislation rejects 2 bills proposed by the Labor Party that would have facilitated a two-state solution by placing restrictions on settlement construction and preventing unilateral annexation. (AFP, AP, HA, JP 1/5)

UNRWA workers in the Gaza Strip go on strike over pay and employment conditions, joining West Bank-based UNRWA employees, who went on strike on 12/3. (MNA 1/5)

The Israeli PM’s Office passes responsibility for creating and implementing govt. development plans for the Bedouin communities in the Negev to the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry. Until now, the legislative measure set to codify the Prawer Plan was being overseen by former minister Benny Begin. (ToI 1/3; ToI 1/5)

In the West Bank, IDF troops clash with residents in a village nr. Qalqilya during a raid, with 1 Palestinian wounded by a tear gas canister striking him on the hand. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning, and in 1 village and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron at night; patrols in Tulkarm and 1 village each nr. Jenin and Ramallah in the morning, in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Jenin in the afternoon, and in 2 villages each nr. Hebron and Jenin, and 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. IDF troops also demolish water wells and tents in 3 locations across the n. Jordan Valley. (MNA 12/3; PCHR 12/5)

A group of French experts rules out polonium poisoning as the cause of death for the late Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat, differing from the conclusions reached by Swiss scientists last mo. (See document A2 in JPS 170 for extended excerpts of the Swiss team’s report.) (AFP 12/3)

Andreas Reinicke, EU special rep. for the Middle East peace process, tells journalists at the European External Action Service in Brussels that at least half the EU’s mbr. states currently support labelling products manufactured in Israeli settlements. (ToI 12/3)

Palestinian UNRWA workers in the West Bank go on strike, protesting low salaries and the agency’s decision to not renew the contracts of 55 workers. (MEMO 12/3)

In a televised interview, Hizballah leader Shaykh Hasan Nasrallah accuses Saudi Arabia of being behind the suicide bombing attacks that targeted the Iranian Embassy in Beirut on 11/19. He dismisses claims that differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran are sectarian, saying that they are based on Riyadh’s desire to be the dominant regional influence. (AP, DS, REU 12/3)

Israel officially acknowledges for the 1st time that it is providing humanitarian aid along the border fence for victims of Syria’s civil war, an announcement made by DM Ya’alon during a visit to the occupied Golan Heights. (AP 12/3)