The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler struck and killed 1 Palestinian woman with their car near al-Samu’; it was unclear if the settler had rammed the woman intentionally. Israeli settlers with military escort raided Kafr Haris and Sabastiyya, closing off areas of both towns for Palestinians. Israeli forces issued demolition orders against 64 Palestinian-owned structures in Ras al-Ahmar. Israeli forces also delivered demolition notices for 2 residential structures and 2 agricultural structures in al-Jiftlik. 19 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Ras Karkar, Dayr Jarir, Bayt Umar, Yatta, Tulkarm, Jenin, and Tubas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 car repair shop, 1 garage, 2 rooms in Issawiyya, and seized vending stalls near the Haram al-Sharif compound. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a house raid in Ras Khamis. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/7; PCHR, WAFA 4/8)

Hamas declared a total lockdown of Gaza to curb the COVID-19 virus, which has been spreading at unprecedented levels. The lockdown will last until the morning of 4/16. Only food vendors and pharmacies will be allowed to remain open. In the 24 hours before the announcement, 6 people had succumbed to the virus in Gaza and 38 percent of tests were positive. 150 people were receiving care for the illness at a hospital. (HA 4/7)

An Israeli planning commission approved 540 new settlement units in Har Homa in East Jerusalem between the city and Bethlehem. The Jerusalem District Planning Committee will need to give the final approval to 540 units on 4/21. The PA condemned the decision. (HA, WAFA 4/7; MEMO, TOI 4/8)

1 Palestinian prisoner in administrative detention suspended his 47-day-long hunger strike after being promised that Israel would set a date for his release. (WAFA 4/7)

Palestinian human rights activist Issa Amro was acquitted of all charges in a Palestinian court. He had been charged with insulting higher authorities, causing public strife, and disturbing public order after writing criticism about the PA. (Twitter 4/7; Twitter 4/8)

Right-wing Israeli politician and leader of HaTzionut HaDatit (Religious Zionist Party) Bezalel Smotrich wrote on Twitter, “I heard that after Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, may he live a long life, said that a true Muslim must know that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish People, Ahmad Tibi opened his mouth against him. So, Ahmad, a true Muslim must know that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people, and over time Arabs like you, who do not recognize that, will not remain here. Rabbi Shmuel and tens of thousands of his students, including us, will make sure that happens.” Smotrich’s comments about Palestinian-Israeli politician Ahmad Tibi drew condemnation from pro-Israel organizations in the U.S., including the Anti-Defamation League and AIPAC offshoot Democratic Majority for Israel. (HA, HA 4/7)

Jordanian king Abdullah II said that “the sedition has been buried,” in reference to the alleged plot against him from 4/3, where his half-brother Prince Hamzah bin Hussein was placed under house arrest for steering the plot. The Jordanian government has banned all national outlets from covering the issue. U.S. president Joe Biden assured Abdullah II of his support in a call. (AJ, AP, REU 4/6; AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU 4/7)

The U.S. announced that it will resume providing aid to the UNRWA, which has been cut since 2018. In its 1st aid package, the U.S. will provide $150 million to the UNRWA, $75 million in economic and development assistance to the West Bank and Gaza, and $10 million for “peacebuilding programs” through the USAID. The U.S. also sent $15 million in assistance to the West Bank and Gaza to help with their COVID-19 response in March. The Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Gilad Erdan condemned the U.S. decision to resume aid to UNRWA, saying that Palestinian refugees are not “real” refugees. (AJ, ALM, AX, HA, NYT, REU, USAID, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/7; GDN, WAFA, WAFA 4/8; WAFA 4/12)

The U.S. also said it was ready to lift “sanctions that are inconsistent with the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]” on Iran. The announcement came as indirect talks about the U.S. rejoining the Iran nuclear deal, brokered by the EU, were underway in Vienna. (HA 4/8)

Axios reported that the U.S. has asked Israel to provide the water to Jordan it requested last month, but that Israel is said to withholding due to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal feud with King Abdullah II, which has been growing in recent months and straining the 2 countries’ relationship. (AX 4/7)

Israeli forces arrested 18 Israeli settlers while evacuating temporary homes at an Israeli-deemed illegal settlement east of the Ofra settlement. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities issued 2 demolition orders for 2 buildings in Shu‘fat refugee camp. Israeli forces also demolished 2 Palestinian-owned homes in Silwan; at least 1 Palestinian was injured trying to protect his home. In Gaza, Israel reduced the fishing zone from 15 nautical miles to 6 in response to the rocket fired from Gaza on 4/29. Israeli authorities said that the rocket was launched by Islamic Jihad. Off the coast of Gaza City, a Palestinian fisherman was injured when he was hit by a rubber-coated bullet fired by Israeli naval forces. Israeli naval forces also removed and destroyed all fishing nets placed outside of the 6-nautical-mile fishing zone. In Israel, 2 Israelis were sentenced to 1 year in prison for assaults made on 4 Palestinian citizens of Israel in 2017 to deter them from dating Jewish women. (AJ, HA, HA, MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/30; HA, HA 5/1)

The EU called on Israel not to deport Human Rights Watch director for Israel and Palestine Omar Shakir, who was denied a petition at the Jerusalem district court to halt his pending deportation on 4/16. (HA 4/30)

The EU asked the PA to accept the reduced tax revenue Israel is offering until a solution to the PA’s financial crisis is found. The EU stressed that the request “does not constitute a legal or political endorsement of Israeli deductions.” (HA 4/30; HA 5/1)

The U.S. government is working to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organization, said the White House. According to New York Times reporting, U.S. president Donald Trump was urged by Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to make the designation while on an official visit to Washington on 4/9. (AJ, NYT 4/30)

In a joint statement by U.S. democrats in the House of Representatives, concern was expressed for the Israeli-planned demolition of Khan al-Ahmar and Susiya. The U.S. members of Congress signing the statement were Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), David Price (D-NC), John Yarmuth (D-KY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Lloyd Doggett (D-TX). (Schakowsky’s Office 4/30; WAFA 5/2)

Member of the House of Representatives Betty McCollum (D-MN) reintroduced her bill H.R.2407 “Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act.” The bill, if passed, would amend the Foreign Assistance Act, cutting assistance to foreign countries that uses “military detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill-treatment of children in violation of international humanitarian law,” and authorize $19 million annually to NGOs monitoring human rights abuses associated with Israel’s military detention of children. (Congress 4/30; McCollum’s Office, MDW 1/5)

The outgoing French ambassador to the U.S. Gérard Araud, who on 4/19 called Israel an apartheid state, will not be meeting Israeli officials when he visits Israel in early May, as Israel has barred its officials from meeting Araud. Additionally, Israel summoned France’s ambassador to Israel Hélène Le Gal to the Israeli foreign ministry for a reprimand for Araud’s statements. (HA 4/30)

The United Kingdom announced that it was contributing $11.7 million to help build a water desalination plant in Gaza. (WAFA 4/30)

The EU contributed $4.1 million to the PA’s private sector reconstruction agricultural program to help farmers in Gaza. In a separate announcement, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the EU was contributing with an additional $24.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. (MNA, WAFA, WAFA 4/30; MNA 5/1)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished a home in Kobar village of a Palestinian convicted of wounding 7 Israeli settlers, leading to the death of an unborn baby. Israeli forces also seized several thousands of dollars allegedly meant for terror activities in Hebron. In late-night raids, Israeli forces arrested 21 Palestinians in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah, and Qalqilya. The raid in Qalqilya led to clashes between Israeli soldiers and local residents seeking to block their passage. In Hebron, Israeli soldiers assaulted a Palestinian construction worker. In the West Bank village of Hizma, Israeli forces shot and injured a 13-year-old Palestinian using live ammunition during clashes when Israeli forces sealed off the entrance to the village. Israeli forces also demolished 3 agricultural structures and delivered dozens of demolition notices during their raid. Israeli forces also demolished a residential tent in Susiya near Hebron, displacing 10 Palestinians. Israeli authorities confiscated dozens of acres of Palestinian-owned agricultural land for a nature reserve south of Nablus. In East Jerusalem, the Israeli supreme court rejected Palestinian families’ appeal to protect 60 buildings in East Jerusalem from demolition. Some 500 families live in the 60 residential structures. (HA, WAFA, WAFA 4/16; HA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA 4/17)

The Jerusalem District Court denied a petition by Human Rights Watch director for Israel and Palestine Omar Shakir to reverse his pending deportation. Shakir is accused by Israel of supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Shakir’s lawyer said that they would appeal the decision. (HA, MDW 4/16; MNA 4/17)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Foreign Min. official David Kimche summons diplomats from UNIFIL, UN Sec. Council nations for explanation of recent anti-resistance campaign in S. Lebanon; accuses Pres. Gemayel of provoking violence [PI 3/6]. MK's Meir Cohen-Avidov, Yuval Ne'eman return from US with pledges of $70,000 for Keren Hebron fund, a taxdeductible US charity for families of Jewish underground defendants [JP 3/5]. Palestinian prisoners at Jnaid, Nafha prisons initiate hunger strike in solidarity with striking inmates at Ashkelon prison (begun 2/22) [FJ 3/8]. Clash between nationalists and Islamic fundamentalist factions injures 8 at Islamic U., Gaza; 20 arrested; studies suspended for one day [FJ 3/8]. Jewish underground defendant Dan Be'eri plea bargains with Jerusalem District Court to reduce number of charges against him in connection with plot to blow up al-Haram al-Sharif [JP 3/6]. Strike called by 52 Palestinian town councils ends after Interior Min. promises to cover their municipal debts totalling IS 1.4 billion [FJ 3/8].

Arab World: Thousands of Shi'ites march in Beirut protesting 3/4, IDF raid on Ma'rakah [WP 3/6].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Grenade thrown at IDF patrol in Sa'ir; IDF detain over 150, destroy property; 24-hr. curfew imposed. [MG, FJ, JP 3/7].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Some 500 Yesh Gvul-ers demonstrate in Tel Aviv on 2nd anniversary of invasion of Lebanon. Jerusalem district judge suspends 18-mo. sentence of Golan Heights settler for transporting explosives in Arab bus bombing attempt (4/26/84). IDF CoS Levy tells Tel Aviv press conference press exaggerates Arab military threat to Israel. Former Nablus hospital opens as new 1,000-inmate central prison. Technion U. Arab Student Com. appeals to Technion U. senate to reconsider discriminatory decision to grant 6-point bonus to applicants who served in IDF. Lydd military court sentences 3 Palestinian construction unionists to 9-18 mo. prison on charges of contact with PLO. Kfar Shibli village resident given 1-yr. prison term for slapping and insulting Jewish boy for trespassing; defendant appeals.

Other Countries: Referendum in Berkeley, CA to limit US aid to Israel commensurate with annual amount spent on Israeli settlements in occupied territories defeated 3-1. Int'l. Labor Org. (ILO) conf. in Geneva discusses status of Palestinian workers under occupation.

SOCIAL/POLITICAL: 

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Acting chrmn. of Israeli Cabinet Settlement Committee Yuval Ne'eman (Tehiya party), announces 2 new Jewish settlements in occupied Gaza. Jerusalem district attorney files charges against 6 Kiryat Arba settlers for rioting in Hebron market last July.

Other Countries: US House of Representatives Democrats agree on resolution for "(prompt and orderly withdrawal" of Marines from Lebanon.