The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, IDF troops open fire with live ammunition on a group of young Palestinians throwing Molotov cocktails at Israeli settlers’ cars nr. Nablus, killing 1 and lightly injuring another. Later, Israeli settlers gather between Nablus and Ramallah to throw rocks at Palestinians’ cars. Also, IDF troops deploy heavily in the area, arresting 1 Palestinian at a mobile checkpoint and a relative of the deceased Palestinian on a raid in Burin village. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Hebron and nr. Salfit; patrols nr. Ramallah, Jericho, Qalqilya, and Jenin. Israeli settlers cut down a number of olive and almond trees outside Yatta nr. Hebron. PA security forces conduct house searches and raids in Nablus and nearby Balata r.c. In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis open fire on agricultural land nr. the border fence, causing damage. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police arrest 1 Palestinian youth for allegedly shooting fireworks at them while they patrol in al-Tur and, later, 2 other Palestinians on arrest raids in the neighborhood. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/31; PCHR 2/5)

A Hamas delegation meets with senior Hizballah officials in Beirut to discuss the recent tension on the Lebanon-Israel border and possible avenues for cooperation. (JP 2/1)

Egypt’s Court of Urgent Matters designates Hamas’s armed wing, Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, as a terrorist organization. The court’s ruling cites the armed wing’s role in the 10/24 attack on Egyptian security forces in Sinai that was claimed by the group now known as the Sinai Province of the Islamic State. (AHR, MEE, REU, TOI 1/31)

In the Gaza Strip, civil employees in the ministries of public works, labor, justice, and women’s affairs go on strike in protest of the fact that they haven’t been paid a full salary since 6/2. In the West Bank, IDF troops assault Palestinian workers during a raid on a bakery in c. Nablus, injuring 3. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Tulkarm, Hebron, Nablus, and Ramallah; patrols in 1 village and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers destroy 12 olive trees and saplings in a village nr. Nablus and leave racist price-tag graffiti. In s. Israel, Israeli police violently disperse around 10,000 Palestinians protesting after a funeral held in Rahat for Sami al-Ajar, the Palestinian bedouin killed by police on 1/14, killing another Palestinian bedouin with tear gas, injuring over 40, and detaining 5 for throwing stones. The Arab High Follow-Up Comm. calls for an extension of the general strike in Rahat began after al-Ajar’s killing, and for a general strike in all Palestinian areas of Israel on 1/20. (MNA 1/17, 1/18; +972, JP, MNA, WAFA 1/19; MNA, OCHA 1/23)

Following Canadian FM John Baird’s meeting with PA FM al-Maliki in Ramallah, dozens of Palestinians throw shoes and eggs at Baird’s vehicle, protesting Canada’s recent proIsrael positions. (MNA, WAFA 1/18)

The PA unity govt. announces that it will pay its civil servants 60% of their salaries for 12/2014 by the end of the week. The funds were reportedly collected through loans from banks, aid from Arab countries, and existing domestic resources. Around 200 PA employees loyal to Mohammad Dahlan will not receive paychecks. (MNA, WAFA 1/18; NYT 1/20; TOI 1/25)

In Syria, an Israeli helicopter fires 2 missiles at a 3-car convoy nr. Qunaytra in the Golan Heights, killing 6 Hizballah fighters and 6 mbrs. of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. (AFP 1/18; JP, MNA 1/19; JP 1/20; YA 1/31)

Dep. ministers from Iran and the P5+1 meet in Geneva for negotiations over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. Earlier in the day, reps. of China and Iran conduct bilateral meetings. (ALM 1/18; AP 1/21)