The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, a Palestinian succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces on 11/9 in Jenin refugee camp. Israeli settlers assaulted Palestinian herders and stole some of their sheep in Tuqu’. Israeli settlers also raided Kisan, stealing solar panels and a generator. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers raided Shaab al-Butum in the Masafer Yatta area, demolishing a residential structure and vandalizing solar panels, water tanks, and 70 olive tree saplings. Israeli settlers also attacked 2 Palestinians and 2 foreign journalists during a raid in Manizil and al-Rakiz in the Masafer Yatta, causing bruises. Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man during a raid near al-Arroub refugee camp. Israeli forces also shot and injured a Palestinian during a raid in Arrabah. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished a 4-story building under construction in al-Za’im. Nearly 50 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Deir al-Ghusun, Ramallah, Deir Ibzi, Bethlehem, and Qaryut. In Gaza, Israeli forces sealed off the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahiya; Israeli shelling of the hospital killed 12 people. 100 patients were later evacuated from the hospital. The Israeli seige of al-Shifa Hospital continued for the fifth day. Israeli forces also attacked a Doctors Without Borders clinic in Gaza City, destroying 4 of its vehicles that were clearly marked with the organization’s logo. Israeli airstrikes targeted Nuseirat refugee camp, killing 20, Rafah killing 15, and Khan Yunis killing a family of 5. The number of fatalities was likely much higher since the Gaza Ministry of Health was unable to communicate with hospitals and civil defense members in northern Gaza. The Israeli military said it attacked 250 sites in Gaza. 2 Israeli soldiers were killed. In Tayibe, Israeli police arrested a 14-year-old Palestinian citizen of Israel for allegedly posting support for Hamas on social media. In Lebanon, Israel attacked several areas, including the home of Amal party official Kabalan Kabalan; no injuries were reported. Israel said Hezbollah launched 25 rockets and 3 drones at Israel, hitting military sites; no injuries were reported. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, CNN, HA, HA, NYT, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/20; AJ, HA, HA 11/21)

The Gaza Ministry of Health was not able to fully update the casualty figures due to a collapse in services and communications at hospitals in northern Gaza, leaving the casualty numbers at around 13,000 Palestinians killed, including 5,500 children and 3,500 women, and around 32,000 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. At least 3,250 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 208 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 52 children. More than 2,885 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,431 have been injured since 10/7. 71 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.61 million Palestinians, around 70% 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 Israel blockade. As of 11/6, at least 40,000 housing units had been destroyed and 220,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 45% of all housing units. Some 25,000 people fled northern Gaza to the south. The UN said that since shelters are completely full newly arrived displaced people were sleeping on the streets. 51 aid trucks entered Gaza, including trucks carrying material to build 2 field hospitals run by the UAE and Jordan. 2 trucks carrying 17,000 gallons of fuel entered Gaza. 180 doctors and nurses entered Gaza. 571 foreign nationals and 67 injured Palestinians were evacuated from Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Jordanian crown prince Hussein arrived in Egypt to oversee the establishment of the Jordanian field hospital, which will be set up in Khan Yunis. The Committee to Protect Journalists said 50 journalists have been killed since 10/7, including 45 Palestinians and 1 Lebanese. (AJ, AP, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 11/20; HA, UNOCHA 11/21)

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak told CNN that the tunnels system Israel is claiming that Hamas uses under al-Shifa Hospital was built by Israel “five or four decades ago …. to enable more space for the operation of the hospital within the very limited size of the compound.” (CNN 11/20)

A witness said that the Palestinian man who died at the Ketziot Prison in the Naqab on 11/18, Thaer Samih Abu Assab, was beaten to death by Israeli forces after they raided his cell and assaulted 10 prisoners. (AJ 11/20)

Israeli forces reportedly arrested Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha on 11/18 while he was fleeing from northern Gaza to Rafah to get to the U.S. where his son has citizenship. (HA 11/21)

Israel indicted 2 Israelis on charges of terrorism for throwing Molotov cocktails at a court, a post office, banks, and Palestinian homes in Sheikh Jarrah. (HA 11/20)

The Israeli military said there have been several incidents of friendly fire in Gaza, saying Israeli soldiers had been killed as a result. There were more than 10,000 Israeli soldiers in Gaza. Israel’s military also said it had transferred 300 Palestinians from Gaza to Israel. (AP, HA 11/20)

Foreign ministers from the PA, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and Indonesia and a representative from the OIC met with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Beijing, calling for a ceasefire. (AJ, AJ, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA 11/20)

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh met with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) president Mirjana Spoljaric in Qatar, who demanded that Hamas release all captives immediately and that the ICRC be allowed to visit the captives. The Hamas information ministry called on Egypt to open the Rafah crossing permanently, saying it fears epidemics and famine will hit Gaza due to the lack of food and basic medical services. A Hamas military spokesperson said the Qassam Brigades had destroyed 60 military vehicles in the past 3 days and that Israeli forces had killed their own soldiers after thinking they were captured by Hamas militants. (AJ, AP, HA 11/20)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Latvian president Edgars Rinkević in Ramallah, discussing the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. (WAFA 11/20)

Israeli interior minister Moshe Arbel demanded that the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) build an aid program for Israelis evacuated from the area around Gaza and near the Blue Line, during a meeting with UNHCR representative in Israel Matthias Larota. The Knesset Ethics Committee banned Likud MK Nissim Vaturi from speaking at the next 10 Knesset sessions after he accused 2 Palestinian, MKs Aida Touma-Sliman and Iman Khatib-Yassin, of supporting Hamas. (HA 11/20)

Israel recalled its ambassador to South Africa. South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel weeks ago and referred the situation in Gaza to the ICC on 10/7. The South African parliament is also scheduled to vote on 11/21 to close the Israeli embassy and cut all ties with Israel until a ceasefire is implemented. (AJ, HA 11/20; AJ, HA 11/21)

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he will not allow the issue of Israeli nuclear weapons to be dropped from the international agenda and said the “shame of the Holocaust has literally taken European leaders hostage,” referring to their support for Israel. (HA 11/20)

White House senior adviser for energy and investment Amos Hochstein met with Israeli officials, discussing the situation at the Blue Line and the development of the Gaza Marine gas field off the coast of Gaza, which he said would benefit the Palestinian economy. Hochstein arrived in Israel after meetings with Lebanese officials. (AJ, AX, HA, REU 11/20)

Amnesty International said Israel had committed war crimes by attacking a church in Gaza City on 10/19 and a residential building in Nuseirat refugee camp on 10/20, which killed 46 civilians, including 20 children. Amnesty said it had visited the sites, interviewed witnesses and survivors, and analyzed satellite imagery to reach its conclusion. (HA, WAFA 11/20)

13 U.S. senators urged President Joe Biden to work with Israel to increase aid to Gaza, including by reopening the Karem Abu Salem (Karem Shalom) crossing and to protect Palestinian civilians. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) called for a ceasefire, the second U.S. senator to do so after Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). 41 members of the House have called for a ceasefire. (AJ, HA 11/20)

Qatar said the revenue from the Asia Cup 2023 soccer tournament held in the country will go to Palestinian relief efforts. The Australian soccer team, which is playing against the Palestinian soccer team in a World Cup qualifying game in Kuwait on 11/21, said its players and soccer association will donate a 5-figure sum to Palestinians in Gaza. (AJ, WAFA 11/20)

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort toured Sabastia, closing parts of the town off to Palestinians. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians with live ammunition during a raid in Jenin. Israeli forces also demolished 2 agricultural structures in Duma and confiscated a tractor in al-‘Awja. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Abu Dis, Aida refugee camp, Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus, Deir Istiya, and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers marched near the Damascus Gate plaza, chanting anti-Palestinian slogans, and attacked a grocery store. Israeli forces demolished 1 commercial structure in Isawiya. Israeli forces also violently dispersed activists in Sheikh Jarrah, assaulting some before closing off the neighborhood. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/17; MEMO 2/18; PCHR 2/24; UNOCHA 2/28)

The Shin Bet sent messages to Palestinians from Umm al-Fahm warning them not to travel to Sheikh Jarrah on 2/18 for a solidarity gathering in the neighborhood. (MEE 2/18)

In Israel, Israel said it had shot down a drone that crossed from Lebanon into Israel. (AP, HA 2/17)

In Syria, Israeli forces launched surface-to-surface missiles from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights at Syria south of Damascus, causing damage. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, TOI 2/17)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in Ramallah. (TOI, WAFA 2/17; HA 2/22)

İbrahim Kalın, senior advisor to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Turkish deputy foreign minister Sedat Önal met with Israeli president Isaac Herzog in Israel, ahead of a planned meeting between President Herzog and President Erdoğan in Turkey, which is said to be scheduled for 9 March. (HA 2/17)

In a letter to the UN commission of inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by Israel during the May 2021 attack on Gaza, Israel’s foreign ministry said it would not cooperate with the commission and accused its 3 members of holding anti-Israel positions. (AP, AX, HA, JP, MEE, TOI 2/17)

Australian home affairs minister Karen Andrews said she is working to place Hamas in its entirety on the Australian list of terrorist organizations. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEE, REU 2/17)

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination set up an ad hoc conciliation commission to investigate the State of Palestine’s accusation against Israeli racial discrimination against Palestinians. (MDW 2/10; UN 2/17; WAFA 2/18)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized some 100 olive trees east of Bethlehem. Israeli forces delivered demolition orders against 2 Palestinian-owned homes in al-Twana. 26 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jericho, Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, Ein as-Sultan, Jiftlik, Jalazun refugee camp, Qatanna, Beit ‘Anan, Deir Sammit, Qarawat Bani Hassan, and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Jabel Mukaber. Israeli forces also delivered a notice to a family in Isawiya ordering them to demolish an extension to their house under construction. (MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/31; MEMO 2/1; PCHR 2/3)

An Israeli court ordered the Salem family in Sheikh Jarrah to leave their home between 1 March and 1 April. The eviction will displace 10 Palestinians, including 4 children. (WAFA 1/31; MEMO 2/1)

The Israeli military said it had sent its findings relating to the death of an 80-year-old Palestinian American man who died while being detained by Israeli forces on 1/12 to the U.S. A statement said that the military’s investigation had found wrongdoing, moral failure, and failure of judgement in relation to the death. The commander of the Netzeh Israel unit was rebuked, and 2 company and platoon commanders were dismissed, but no one was held directly responsible for the killing of the Palestinian man. U.S. state department spokesperson Ned Price said on 2/1 that the U.S. “expects a thorough criminal investigation and full accountability in this case.” PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh called the military investigation a “sham” and pointed out that Israel only conducted the investigation due to the man’s American citizenship. (HA 1/31; AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEMO, NYT, TOI 2/1; HA, HA, WAFA 2/2)

An Israeli military court convicted 1 member of Hamas for attempted manslaughter in relation to the killing of 1 Israeli soldier in on 8/7/2019. The Palestinian man was not at the scene of the murder. (HA 2/1)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken in a phone call. According to a state department readout of the conversation, the 2 spoke about “the importance of strengthening the U.S. relationship with the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people, as well as the need to improve quality of life for Palestinians in tangible ways . . . [and] challenges facing the Palestinian Authority and the need for reform.” Secretary Blinken also spoke with Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid. (REU, WAFA 1/31; HA, JP, MEMO, WAFA 2/1)

Israel’s defense minister Benny Gantz defended his meeting with PA president Mahmoud Abbas during a session at the Knesset, saying that it is in Israel’s interest to strengthen the PA. Gantz further stated, “[w]hether we like it or not, the Palestinian Authority is the legitimate and recognized leadership of our neighbors and has been for years.” (HA 1/31; MEMO 2/1)

Lebanon said it had arrested 35 people claiming to be Israeli spies working to infiltrate Palestinian organizations in Lebanon, Hezbollah, and the Lebanese intelligence agency. 15 had since been released, as Lebanon found that they were not spies working for Israel, and Lebanese intelligence confirmed that at least 12 were connected to Israel. (HA, MEMO 1/31)

Israeli forces fired several missiles at Damascus. Syrian air defense intercepted the missiles; however, material damage occurred during the interceptions. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEMO, TOI 1/31)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized some 70 olive trees in Khillat al-Dabe in Masafer Yatta. The Hebron Rehabilitation Committee said Israeli forces prevented its workers from renovating 12 Palestinian-owned homes in the al-Jabari area of Hebron. 12 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Bethlehem, Tuqu‘, Beit Fajjar, Beit Sahour, al-Am‘ari refugee camp, Beita, Bayt Dajan, and Rujeib. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian minor, facing eviction by Israeli settlers, allegedly stabbed an Israeli settler in her neighborhood in Sheikh Jarrah; the settler was lightly injured. The Palestinian girl was found in a nearby school 1 hour later and was arrested by Israeli forces; she denied involvement. Israeli forces also arrested 3 other people at the school and raided the girl’s home, arresting her mother. Israeli settlers toured Sheikh Jarrah, chanting “death to Arabs.” Israeli forces later closed off Sheikh Jarrah, preventing activists and journalists from entering the neighborhood. 5 Palestinians were arrested in Isawiya. In Israel, Israeli right-wing activists vandalized a mosque in Umm al-Fahm by spraying racist graffiti and drawing the Star of David on it. (AJ, HA, MEMO, MEMO, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/8; ALM, HA 12/9; HA 12/10; PCHR 12/16)

The Israeli Jerusalem municipality advanced early-stage plans for a new Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem near Bayt Safafa, to be called Givat Shaked. The plans for the new settlement include 473 settler units, 2 schools, and synagogues. The settlement was 1st proposed by former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, but shelved after international outrage, including from the U.S. (HA, MEE 12/6; MEMO 12/7; TOI 12/8)

Members of the Hamas political bureau visited Moscow for meetings with Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov. (MEMO 12/8)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Tunisian president Kais Saied in Tunis. (WAFA 12/7; WAFA, WAFA 12/8)

Jordan rescinded its submission to the Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, and apologized after pressure from Palestinians who called the film Amira offensive. The film depicts a Palestinian girl who is ostracized from her community after she discovers that she was conceived by sperm from an Israeli prison guard and not the Palestinian prisoners she thought was her father. The PA and Hamas were among those lobbying against the movie. (HA, MEE, MEMO 12/9)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz claimed, in response to a formal query by members of the Meretz party, that the 6 rights organizations he had declared terrorist organizations on 10/22 had PFLP members who did not work for them on their payroll. He also claimed that PFLP members controlled the organizations. (HA 12/8)

Lebanon’s labor minister Mustafa Bayram said Lebanon would ease restrictions on what professions Palestinian refugees in the country are allowed to work. Labor Minister Bayram’s office quickly sought to clarify that the changes would be within the confines of the current Lebanese legislation. The legislation does not allow much leeway for substantial changes to the rules banning Palestinians from certain jobs. Bayram, who is from the Amal party, was quickly shunned by Lebanese politicians from other parties, who said he does not have the authority to make any changes on the issue. Gebran Bassil of the Free Patriotic Movement called the comments “‘naturalization in disguise’ of the Palestinians . . . there shouldn’t be any stealing of jobs from Lebanese under the current circumstances.” Bayram eventually completely retracted his initial statement, saying that there will be no changes. (AA, JP 12/9; HA 12/13)