The Palestine Chronology

Ecuador recognizes Palestine as a state based on 1967 borders. (YA 12/25)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket, 1 mortar fr. Gaza into Israel during the day, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF makes at least 5 air strikes on central and s. Gaza, hitting 3 smuggling tunnels and an IQB target, injuring 3 IQB mbrs. In the West Bank, the IDF sets up a checkpoint outside Nabi Salih village nr. Ramallah, searching Palestinian vehicles and firing tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets at stone-throwing Palestinian youths who confront them, moderately wounding 1 Palestinian teenager; conducts afternoon patrols in villages nr. Jenin, Tulkarm; conducts late-night patrols in Tulkarm and a village nr. Jenin. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some areas) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Dayr Nizam/Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 4 Palestinians and 1 Israeli journalist were injured, and 1 Palestinian and 3 Israelis are arrested. (JP 12/24; AP, AFP, JP 12/25; IDFS 12/26; PCHR 12/30; OCHA 12/31)

In retaliation for Israeli air strikes on 12/18, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) and the PRCs claim responsibility for firing 4–9 mortars fr. Gaza toward IDF targets just inside the Israeli border, with at least 4 landing inside Israel, causing no damage or injuries. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on Palestinian shepherds who stray nr. the border fence, wounding 1. In the West Bank, IDF troops raid and search homes in Bayt Umar, searching for Palestinians who threw stones at an IDF checkpoint into the village, arresting 1 Palestinian man; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron and nr. Nablus. Palestinians accompanied by Israeli and international activists hold a nonviolent demonstration against settlement expansion in Bayt Umar. IDF soldiers fire tear gas and stun grenades at the protesters (causing no injuries) and arrest 3 Israelis. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities force a Palestinian to demolish his own home or pay the government nearly $5,500 for doing the job; the owner had already been fined more than $26,000 for building without a permit. Inside Israel, Israeli police find the body of American tourist Kristine Luken stabbed to death in a nature area southwest of Jerusalem, inside Israel, nr. the West Bank border. The woman’s friend, American Kaye Susan Wilson, escaped, telling police that she and Luken were ambushed by 2 knife-wielding Arabs who bound and stabbed them. Police say they are classifying the attack as political but have not ruled out criminal motives. (JP 12/19; MNA, NYT, WP, WT 12/20; OCHA, PCHR 12/23)

In the West Bank, the IDF confiscates 50 d. of Palestinian land in Bayt Iksa, northwest of Jerusalem, for construction of a railway linking Jerusalem and Tel Aviv; closing the 50 d. area also cuts off Palestinian access to 2,000 d. of olive groves. The IDF also patrols in several villages nr. Qalqilya and Salfit; conducts house searches in Zabbuba village nr. Jenin, searching for Palestinian youths who threw stones at the separation wall nearby, making no arrests. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some areas) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Dayr Nizam/Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 5 Palestinians are injured, 1 German and 1 Israeli are arrested. Jewish settlers beat 2 Palestinian teenagers nr. Jenin; the IDF intervenes, ordering the settlers to leave and detaining the teenagers for questioning, releasing them later in the evening. (OCHA, PCHR 12/23)

Abbas convenes the PLO Exec. Comm. and Fatah Central Comm. to discuss Clinton’s 12/10 statements. The leadership says it opposes any negotiations with Israel, direct or indirect, in the absence of a settlement freeze and that any further talks would have to be based on clear, explicit terms of reference, namely a 2-state solution based on 1967 lines. (NYT 12/14)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials in the fmr. Jewish settlement sites, seriously wounding 1 Palestinian, who is evacuated to an Israeli hospital. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Qalqilya and 2 neighboring villages in the morning. (PCHR 12/16; OCHA 12/17)

In a major speech to the Saban Center in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Clinton says the admin. has concluded that talks on extending the Israeli settlement freeze would come to nothing and opted to revive shuttle missions between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, trying to get them to discuss all core issues simultaneously and offering U.S. bridging proposals when appropriate. She says U.S. special envoy George Mitchell will return to the region within days to begin work. (NYT 12/11; HA 12/14)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials, wounding 3 in 3 separate instances (1 in the demolished Erez industrial zone and 2 in the fmr. Jewish settlement sites). IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire on agricultural areas nr. Khuza‘a village, wounding a Palestinian teenager 800 m fr. the border. In Gaza City’s Shuja‘iya neighborhood, 2 Palestinian teenagers are killed when they accidentally trigger unexploded IDF UXO. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts early morning arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron; conducts patrols in al-Naqura village twice during the day (mid-morning and late at night) and in 5 villages nr. Qalqilya (late at night). Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some areas) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Bayt Umar, and Dayr Nizam/Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 2 Palestinians are injured and 1 Israeli, 1 American, and 1 German are arrested. (PCHR 12/16; OCHA 12/17)

The Mount Carmel forest fire (which started on 12/2) is put out, and Palestinian fire fighters return to the West Bank; the fire, which destroyed an estimated 40,000 d. of land and left 44 Israelis dead, is the largest in Israeli history. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts daytime patrols in 5 villages nr. Jenin and 4 villages nr. Tulkarm in the evening (firing stun grenades in 1 instance). Twice during the day, 50 Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim settlement nr. Qalqilya attempt to seize a plot of Palestinian agricultural land and drive off the owner, but the IDF intervenes and sends them away. (YA 12/5; PCHR 12/9; OCHA 12/10; JTA 12/14; WJW 12/15; YA 12/16; WP 12/27)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages southwest of Jenin in the morning. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih/Dayr Nizam, and al-Ma‘sara (nr. Bethlehem). IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, causing no serious injuries. (PCHR 12/2; OCHA 12/3)

In the West Bank, the IDF fires tear gas and stun grenades to disperse Palestinians and international activists demonstrating against Israeli land seizures nr. Bayt Umar nr. Hebron, injuring 2 Palestinians moderately (including an 8-yr.-old) and 6 lightly, and arresting 5 international activists and a 14-yr.-old Palestinian boy; conducts late-night patrols in Bayt Liqya nr. Ramallah (firing on stone-throwing youths who confront them, causing no injuries) and Jit nr. Qalqilya (without incident); conducts late-night house searches nr. Hebron, summoning 3 Palestinians for interrogation. (PCHR 11/25; OCHA 11/26)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the demolished industrial zone, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF enters Burin village nr. Salfit at midday, searching 2 homes and summoning 2 Palestinians for interrogation; fires tear gas and stun grenades to disperse Palestinians and international activists demonstrating against Israeli land seizures nr. Bayt Umar nr. Hebron and Iraq Burin village nr. Nablus, causing only light injuries; conducts late-night patrols without incident in a village nr. Qalqilya; conducts late-night house searches in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem and a village nr. Qalqilya, summoning 1 Palestinian for interrogation and arresting another. (OCHA 11/24; PCHR 11/25)

Pres. Obama, asked during his trip to Indonesia about his reaction to Israel’s 11/8 construction announcement, states sharply that “this kind of activity is never helpful when it comes to peace negotations. I’m concerned that we’re not seeing each side make the extra effort . . . to get a breakthrough. Each of these incremental steps can end up breaking trust.” Hours later, Netanyahu’s office responds saying “Jerusalem is not a settlement. It is the capital of the State of Israel. . . . Israel sees no link between the peace process and its development plans in Jerusalem.” (IFM, Israel Radio News [Internet], MNA, REU 11/9; NYT, WT 11/10)

Israeli tax authorities and border police seal the entrances to the Jerusalem suburb of Issawiyya, checking Palestinians leaving and entering the village and raiding businesses in search of Palestinian tax evaders. Border police fire rubber-coated steel bullets at stone-throwing Palestinian youths who confront them, injuring 19 Palestinian children (ages 10–15); 1 Israeli border policeman is also injured. Also in East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities raid, search 2 Palestinian homes in Silwan, arresting 2 Palestinians. Silwan residents report that in recent weeks, Israeli authorities have stepped up arrests of young Palestinian men in Issawiyya and Silwan, and that Jewish settlers and settlement guards in Silwan have been accosting local Palestinians more frequently, generating almost daily low-grade clashes. The IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Issawiyya later in the evening; and conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron and nearby al-‘Arub r.c., in al-Bireh (searching the home of Palestinian Council secy. Mahmud al-Ramahi, but making no arrests; Ramahi was one of the Hamas-affiliated elected PC mbrs. that Israel arrested after the 2006 capture of Shalit to pressure Hamas but he was recently released; 7 Hamas-affiliated PC mbrs. are still jailed by Israel), and nr. Tulkarm. Meanwhile, the IDF makes brief incursions into n. Gaza nr. Bayt Lahiya and c. Gaza e. of al-Maghazi r.c. to bulldoze Palestinian lands along the border fence to clear lines of sight. Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 mortars fr. Gaza toward Israel, 1 landing in Israel and 1 inside Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. OCHA (11/11) reports that in the previous wk., the IDF imposed at least 8 new barriers to Palestinian travel around Hebron. (YA 11/9; NYT 11/10; OCHA, PCHR 11/11)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols without incident in Jenin in the morning and in Azun late at night. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih/Dayr Nizam. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 10s suffer tear gas inhalation and 1 Israeli activist and 1 Palestinian photographer are slightly injured. (OCHA, PCHR 11/11)

Gaza municipal officials are forced to shut down 1 of 2 turbines at Gaza’s power plant; rolling blackouts spike from 4–6 hrs./day to 16 hrs./day. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the demolished industrial zone, wounding 1. In the West Bank, Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, al-Ma‘sara nr. Bethlehem, and Nabi Salih/Dayr Nizam. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters and occupy 1 Palestinian home in Nabi Salih as an observation post; 10s of demonstrators suffer tear gas inhalation, 2 Palestinians and 3 international activists are arrested (the internationals are quickly released), and a Palestinian home in Nabi Salih is set on fire by a tear gas canister. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim settlement nr. Qalqilya vandalize nearby Palestinian homes and a cemetery, spraying graffitti on buildings threatening Palestinians to leave the area or face attack and on gravestones saying: “Here lies the Palestinian state.” (PCHR 10/28; OCHA 10/29)

Israel announces plans to build 238 new settlement housing units in Pisgat Ze’ev and Ramot settlements in East Jerusalem. The PA and U.S. denounce the move as contrary to peace. Also in East Jerusalem, the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and water with a colored dye at Palestinians holding a sit-in in the al-Bustan area of Silwan after Friday prayers to protest Israel’s plans (announced in 3/2010) to demolish homes and businesses in the area to create the City of David, an archeological park to accommodate settlers; local Jewish settlers join in, stoning Palestinians and vandalizing Palestinian homes; 15 Palestinians are injured. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts synchronized daytime patrols in 2 villages and 1 open area nr. Jenin, making no arrests. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih/Dayr Nizam. IDF soldiers fire rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 10s suffer tear gas inhalation; 2 Israeli and 3 Palestinian activists are arrested (the Israelis are quickly released). Jewish settlers fr. Elon Moreh nr. Nablus fire on and chase off Palestinian farmers harvesting olives nr. the settlement, causing no reported injuries. Jewish settlers fr. Zohar settlement e. of Qalqilya set fire to Palestinian olive groves and prevent Palestinian fire engines fr. reaching the area, allowing 100 d. to burn. (NYT, WP 10/16; PCHR 10/21; OCHA 10/22)

Meeting in Libya, Arab League FMs strongly endorse the 10/2 Palestinian decision to halt direct talks with Israel until Israel halts settlement construction, pledging to meet again in 1 mo. to discuss alternatives and decide on next steps; a meeting is set for 11/9. (REU 10/8; MNA, NYT, UNSCO, WP 10/9; al-Ahram Weekly 10/8–14)

Overnight, in the West Bank, the IDF raids a Palestinian residential building in Hebron, killing 2 IQB mbrs. in an exchange of fire (with the IDF firing machine guns, medium-caliber bullets, and grenades) and then bulldozing the structure, also destroying an adjacent store, heavily damaging 4 houses and another store nearby, and arresting 12 Palestinians. The IQB mbrs. allegedly were behind the 8/31 shooting of 4 Jewish settlers nr. Hebron; Palestinians do not consider their deaths willful killings or assassinations. The IDF also patrols in 3 villages n. of Tulkarm late at night, making no arrests. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih/Dayr Nizam. IDF soldiers fire rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 10s suffer tear gas inhalation and a 13-yr.-old Palestinian is moderately wounded. In East Jerusalem, a Jewish settler deliberately attempts to run down a group of Palestinian stonethrowing children with his car in Silwan, injuring 2 (both age 10). Also in East Jerusalem, 2 settlement guards posted outside a Palestinian house previously seized by settlers beat a local Palestinian working on his home nearby; the IDF observes but does not intervene until the Palestinian begins to fight back, at which point they arrest him and order him to stay away from his home for 1 wk. (WP 10/9; PCHR 10/14; OCHA 10/15)

Israeli naval vessels intercept a catamaran of Jewish activists off the Gaza coast, escorting it to Ashdod port without incident (see 9/26). The IDF carries out air strikes on a group of armed Palestinians preparing to fire a rocket into Israel from an area nr. al-Bureij r.c. in c. Gaza (killing 3 Islamic Jihad mbrs.) and on the Nussayrat r.c. home of a Gaza Education Min. employee, causing heavy damage but no injuries. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials in the evacuated settlement sites near the border, wounding 1 deaf Palestinian. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols late at night, without incident in Qiffin village nr. Tulkarm; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. (CNN, JP, MNA, NYT 9/28; NYT, WT 9/29; PCHR 9/30; OCHA 10/1)

Israel seals the West Bank and Gaza crossings through 9/30 for Sukkoth holidays. A private Israeli security guard posted outside Beit Yonatan settlement building in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem (where some 400 settlers live among 30,000 Palestinians), fatally shoots a Palestinian, sparking massive street clashes across East Jerusalem between stone-throwing Palestinian youths and Israeli security forces who fire tear gas, stun grenades, and water cannons. The security guard, who is questioned and released by Israeli police, says he opened fire with his automatic weapon because he felt he was in mortal danger when local Palestinians blocked and stoned his car while he was patrolling around the building. Meanwhile, the IDF raids a Hebron school and detains 2 Palestinian teenagers for beating up a settler youth who harassed them, releasing them in the afternoon; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron; patrols late at night, without incident in villages west of Ramallah. Some 60 armed Jewish settlers storm a residential section of al-Mazra‘a village nr. Ramallah, occupy rooftops, and photograph the area before withdrawing without incident. (NYT, PCHR, WP 9/23; OCHA 9/24; PCHR 9/30; OCHA 10/1)

The IDF begins installing 12-m-high concrete barriers along a new segment of the separation wall northeast of Jerusalem that will separate Shu‘fat r.c., Anata village, and the neighborhoods of Ras alKhamis, Ras Shihada, and al-Salam from c. Jerusalem. In the West Bank, the IDF seals off the entrance of Issawiyya village leading to Jerusalem for the Yom Kippur holiday, sparking clashes with stone-throwing youths, injuring 7 Palestinians; conducts late-night patrols without incident in Dayr Ghassana village nr. Ramallah; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah, Salfit. The IDF also fires rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists conducting a nonviolent march from Bayt Umar village to Karme Tzur settlement outside Hebron to protest land confiscations and settlement expansion; 10s suffer tear gas inhalation; 2 Palestinians, 1 American, and 1 British activist are arrested; and 1 Palestinian activist, 1 Israeli activist, 1 Japanese activist, and a Swedish journalist are moderately injured. (PCHR 9/23; OCHA 9/24)

Clinton meets with Abbas in Ramallah, then stops in Amman to brief King Abdullah on the Sharm al-Shaykh talks. Clinton and Mubarak issue statements saying that they have jointly recommended a short 3 or 4 mo. extension to the settlement freeze during which Israel and the PA would focus on border issues in hopes of solving which settlements would stay and go under final status. Abbas states: “We all know there is no alternative to peace other than negotiating peace, so we have no alternative but to continue peace efforts.” (NYT, WP 9/17)

Mitchell goes to Damascus to brief Syrian pres. Bashar al-Asad on the peace talks, saying for the first time that the U.S. intends to push for renewed Israeli-Syrian peace talks parallel to Israeli-Palestinian talks. (Asia Times 9/16)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts synchronized late-night patrols in 2 villages e. of Qalqilya, making no arrests; similar late-night patrols without incident in villages nr. Salfit; late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, Tulkarm. (PCHR 9/23; OCHA 9/24)

Overnight, the IDF carries out 7 air strikes on Gaza (3 on Rafah tunnels and 4 on Hamas targets: 2 in Gaza City, 1 each on Bayt Hanun and Dayr al-Balah) and fires 6 tank shells across the border at Bayt Hanun in retaliation for recent Palestinian rocket and mortar fire, injuring 2 Hamas mbrs. In response, unidentified Palestinians fire another Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night patrols in villages nr. Qalqilya, Salfit, and Tulkarm, checking Palestinian IDs but making no arrests. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in and Ni‘lin. IDF soldiers fire rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 10s suffer tear gas inhalation, 1 Palestinian is moderately injured. (JP, YA 9/10; AFP 9/12; PCHR 9/16; OCHA 9/17)

In the West Bank, the IDF occupies 2 Palestinian homes nr. a settler-only bypass road in Hebron as observation posts; conducts evening and late-night patrols in villages nr. Nablus, Qalqilya, Salfit, and Tulkarm, making no arrests; conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Dayr Nizam/ Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 10s suffer tear gas inhalation and 1 Palestinian and 9 internationals are arrested. Jewish settlers gather at the evacuated Homesh settlement site nr. Nablus, stone passing Palestinian vehicles. (PCHR 9/8; OCHA 9/17)

On the eve of ceremonies reopening direct Israeli-Palestinian talks, U.S. Pres. Barack Obama holds separate meetings with Abbas, Netanyahu, Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak, and Jordan’s King Abdullah. In the evening, Obama hosts the leaders for a working dinner at the White House. (WP 9/1; NYT 9/2)

In the West Bank, the IDF continues to impose a curfew on Palestinian areas nr. the site of the 8/31 attack nr. Hebron and carries out house-to-house searches for the Hamas mbrs. involved, rounding up scores of Palestinians with suspected ties to the organization. In the evening, IQB gunmen shoot at another Jewish settler vehicle nr. Ramallah, in area C, wounding 2 settlers (1 seriously). The IDF also conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, and nr. Ramallah, Salfit, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers retaliating for the 8/31 Hamas attack stake out a 15-d. plot of Palestinian land (exact location not reported) for a new settlement outpost but leave the area by nightfall, stone Palestinian vehicles on the Nablus–Qalqilya road, and vandalize a Palestinian home and set fire to adjacent grass land in Hebron. Meanwhile, in Gaza, IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction material in the demolished Erez industrial zone, causing no injuries. The IDF also makes an incursion into the s. Gaza border areas e. of al-Shuka, accompanied by drones and helicopters, but withdraws 6 hrs. later without incident. (NYT, PCHR 9/2; PCHR 9/8; OCHA 9/17)

Hamas’s military wing, the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades (IQB), takes responsibility for shooting at a Jewish settler vehicle driving nr. Hebron (in area C, under full Israeli control, where the PASF is not allowed to operate), killing 4 Jewish settlers, including a pregnant woman, marking the deadliest West Bank attack on Israelis in more than 2 yrs. and the first staged by Hamas since before the 1/2006 elections. Both Abbas and Netanyahu say the attack should not derail peace talks. The YESHA settlement council vows to renew construction in West Bank settlements immediately, before the temporary freeze ends, to demonstrate Israelis’ “resolve against terrorism.” Following the attack and throughout the night, the IDF seals the entrances to Hebron, Halhul, and al-Fawar r.c. and imposes a curfew on nearby Bani Na‘im village, raiding and searching homes and detaining Palestinians with suspected connections to Hamas. Meanwhile, Jewish settlers implementing their “price-tag” doctrine to punish Palestinians for any state acts against settlers, beat Palestinian farmers working their land nr. Emanuel settlement nr. Salfit and stone Palestinian vehicles traveling on the Nablus–Qalqilya road (2 separate incidents) as well as on a road bypassing Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba in Hebron attempt to break into a nearby Palestinian home but are prevented by the IDF. Late at night, the IDF patrols 2 villages nr. Salfit; no incidents are reported. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that in the previous wk. 3 Palestinians were killed in 2 separate tunnel collapses on the Rafah border. (NYT, WP, WT 9/1; PCHR 9/2; OCHA 9/3)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts daytime patrols in Azun nr. Qalqilya and Taybeh nr. Ramallah without incident. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, al-Ma‘sara, and Dayr Nizam/Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 10s suffer tear gas inhalation, 6 Palestinians (including 1 journalist) and 1 American activist are injured, and 4 Palestinian paramedics and 2 Israeli activists are arrested (all are released the same day). Senior Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) officials take part in the Bil‘in demonstration to commemorate the 9th anniversary of the assassination of PFLP Secy. Gen. Abu Ali Mustafa. Jewish settlers fr. Suissa settlement nr. Hebron stone and beat Palestinian shepherds grazing flocks nr. the settlement. (PCHR 9/2; OCHA 9/3)

Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Dayr Nizam/al-Nabi Salih, al-Walaja, and outside Beit Romano settlement in Hebron. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, leaving scores suffering tear gas inhalation, injuring 1 Palestinian and 1 Israeli, and arresting 2 Palestinians, 4 Israelis, and 1 international activist (all released later in the day). Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba vandalize 3 Palestinian homes in Hebron. (PCHR 8/19; OCHA 8/20)

U.S. special envoy Mitchell ends a 2-day visit to the region aimed at securing Israeli and Palestinian agreement to resume direct peace talks by 9/1 based on a letter of assurances fr. the Quartet. After separate talks with Abbas in Ramallah and Netanyahu in Jerusalem he is unusually upbeat and says he is optimistic that direct talks will resume soon, but gives no details. He leaves Dep. Asst. Secy. of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Hale in the region to continue discussions and finalize details of a Quartet statement. (State Dept. daily press briefing, WT 8/11; see also WP 8/10)

The IDF announces that for the month of Ramadan (8/10–9/10) it is extending operating hours at some checkpoints along the separation wall in the Bethlehem, Jenin, and Ramallah to facilitate travel to Jerusalem; removing earthen mounds along 3 routes in Nablus, Ramallah, Hebron to improve traffic flow; and issuing an additional 200 visitor permits for nationals of select Arab countries to enter the West Bank. Israel has also, however, limited Palestinian access to Jerusalem during Ramadan to men over 50 and women over 45 years of age. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, nr. Ramallah. As a goodwill gesture to mark the start of Ramadan, Hamas authorities in Gaza release 100 Fatah-affiliated prisoners, while the PA in the West Bank releases 8 Hamas-affiliated prisoners (MNA 8/11; PCHR 8/12, 8/19; OCHA 8/20)

Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall and land confiscations in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Dayr Nizam/alNabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, leaving scores suffering tear gas inhalation, injuring 2 Palestinians, and arresting 1 Israeli activist. Some 20 Jewish settlers fr. Harsina nr. Hebron attack 3 Palestinian vehicles parked nearby with rocks and iron bars, heavily damaging them; the IDF intervenes when Palestinians emerge fr. their homes to challenge the settlers, beating the Palestinians back into their houses, arresting 2 and moderately injuring 1. (PCHR 8/12; OCHA 8/13)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night patrols in Jayyus without incident; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall and land confiscations in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and e. of Hebron. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, leaving scores suffering tear gas inhalation and arresting 6 Palestinians (including 2 journalists for foreign news agencies), 1 Israeli, and fmr. vice pres. of the EU Parliament Luisa Morgantini (she is quickly released). (PCHR 7/29; OCHA 7/30)

Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall and land confiscations in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Dayr Nizam/al-Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, leaving scores suffering tear gas inhalation, injuring 5 Palestinians (including 2 children ages 12 and 14), and arresting 1 international activist. (OCHA, PCHR 7/22)

Israel reports that a Libyan ship that had threatened to run the Gaza blockade (see 7/11) has diverted toward the Egyptian port of al-Arish, defusing a potential crisis; the Egyptian Red Crescent Society will take the goods to Gaza through the Rafah terminal. (Israel had been urging Egypt and Italy to intervene with Libya to encourage it to divert the boat.) Meanwhile, IDF troops on the c. Gaza border shell residential areas of Gaza Valley village after spotting “suspicious figures” in the area, hitting 1 home, killing 1 Palestinian woman and wounding 3 civilians in and around the house. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them back to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin, Salfit. Israeli authorities demolish 6 Palestinian homes in and around East Jerusalem (3 in Issawiyya, 1 in Bayt Hanina, 2 in Jabal Mukabir). (NYT, WP, WT 7/14; PCHR 7/15; OCHA 7/16)

Obama phones Abbas to urge him to agree to begin direct negotiations with Israel. Abbas reiterates demands for a comprehensive settlement freeze including East Jerusalem and assurances that all final status issues will be discussed. (White House press release 7/9; WJW 7/15)

In Gaza, unidentified assailants break into the Palestinian Liaison Office on the Gaza side of the Erez crossing, stealing copies of medical referral documents and communications equipment used to coordinate transit through the crossing with the Israeli Liaison Office on the Israeli side. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts synchronized evening patrols in 3 villages nr. Tulkarm, making no arrests; patrols in a 4th village nr. Tulkarm late at night, making no arrests. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall and land confiscations in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Dayr Nizam/al-Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, leaving 10s suffering tear gas inhalation, injuring 2 Palestinians, and arresting 1 Palestinian, 1 Israeli, 1 international activist. (PCHR 7/15; OCHA 7/16)