21 / 15199 Results
  • December 5, 2017

    In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up a mobile home on Palestinian land east of Nablus. IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Tubas, and Bethlehem; and...

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  • November 23, 2017

    In the West Bank, Israeli forces confiscate a Palestinian garbage truck serving communities south of Nablus. Palestinian youths throw stones at IDF troops at a mobile checkpoint near Hebron,...

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  • November 20, 2017

    In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Nablus, and Hebron; and patrol near Jenin, Nablus, Salfit, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem,...

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  • November 12, 2017

    In the West Bank, Israeli forces deliver stopwork orders to 2 Palestinian homes under construction in al-Walaja near Bethlehem. IDF troops arrest 8 Palestinians during late-night raids near...

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  • November 7, 2017

    In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 3 Palestinian residential buildings in Jiftlik near Jericho and an agricultural building under construction near Nablus. IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians...

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  • November 6, 2017

    In the West Bank, Israeli settlers destroy several water pipes used by Palestinians in the northern Jordan Valley. IDF troops arrest 14 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Ramallah...

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  • October 18, 2017

    IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian youth at the Gush Etzion junction near Hebron, allegedly after he attempts to carry out a stabbing attack. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops conduct...

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  • September 19, 2017

    The Gaza-based Ministry of Health announces that a Hamas fighter died this morning during a “training accident” in southern Gaza. (MNA, TOI 9/19)

    The Israeli authorities shut down the...

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  • August 15, 2017

    Late at night, Israeli forces carry out the punitive demolition of the Kobar home of the Palestinian who killed 3 settlers at the nearby Halamish settlement on 7/21. The demolition sparks clashes...

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  • August 10, 2017

    Israeli forces impose an overnight curfew and punitively demolish 2 homes and seal a 3d in Dayr Abu Mash‘al nr. Ramallah. (The homes belong to the families of the Palestinians allegedly...

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  • August 9, 2017

    IDF troops conduct raids in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem overnight, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 2 Palestinians and 1 Israeli soldier are injured. An IDF raid in Kobar nr....

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  • August 2, 2017

    In c. Israel, Israeli police arrest a West Bank Palestinian after he allegedly stabs and seriously injures an Israeli in Yavne. The IDF then raids the alleged attacker’s Yatta home and imposes a...

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  • July 4, 2017

    In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians at a checkpoint nr. Bethlehem, accusing them of planning a large-scale attack in Jerusalem. They also arrest 11 Palestinians during late-night...

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  • June 10, 2017

    IDF troops arrest 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in Hebron and patrol nr. Qalqilya and Nablus during the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers enter Silwan en masse after an Israeli...

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  • April 4, 2017

    In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish 3 apartment buildings, an agricultural shed, and 5 retaining walls in al-Za’ayem village on the outskirts of the city. They also arrest 7 Palestinians...

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  • March 14, 2017

    In the West Bank, IDF troops patrol nr. Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 1 Palestinian is injured. They conduct further patrols nr. Hebron and Ramallah; and arrest...

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  • March 11, 2017

    In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Birzeit nr. Ramallah, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. They also arrest a Palestinian in c. Hebron...

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  • February 22, 2017

    In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 10 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Jenin; and patrol nr. Hebron and Jenin. They also terminate the work permits of 15...

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  • February 8, 2017

    Sinai Province of the Islamic State (SPIS) fighters launch rockets into Israel from n. Sinai late at night. Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense batteries intercept 3 of them; others land in open...

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  • February 7, 2017

    Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya and later nr. Khan Yunis. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on agricultural lands nr. Bayt...

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  • January 4, 2017

    Israeli naval forces confront Palestinian fishing boats off Gaza’s coast nr. Jabaliya r.c. in 2 separate incidents. One boat capsizes in the 2d incident and a fisherman goes missing. In East...

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In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up a mobile home on Palestinian land east of Nablus. IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Tubas, and Bethlehem; and patrol near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish the foundation of a building under construction in Shu‘fat refugee camp. They also arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in Bayt Hanina and al-Tur. (WAFA 12/5; PCHR 12/7)

After days of speculation and rumors, U.S. pres. Trump calls PA pres. Abbas to tell him that he plans to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and to invite the Palestinian leader for a meeting at the White House before the end of the month. According to a PA spokesperson, Abbas warns Trump of the “dangerous repercussions.” Trump also calls Israeli PM Netanyahu, Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz, Jordanian king Abdullah, Russian pres. Vladimir Putin, and Egyptian pres. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to inform them of his decision. (AP, HA, MNA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/5)

In response to Pres. Trump’s plan to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to move the U.S. embassy there, several Palestinian factions and Islamist groups jointly declare 3 “days of rage” to begin on 12/6. Later, the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem issues a travel warning calling on U.S. citizens to avoid the West Bank and the Old City of Jerusalem. (HA, TOI 12/5)

Lebanese PM Saad Hariri formally rescinds his resignation, which threw Lebanon and much of the Middle East into turmoil when he announced it on Saudi television on 11/4 (see JPS 47 [2]). (AA, REU, TOI 12/5)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces confiscate a Palestinian garbage truck serving communities south of Nablus. Palestinian youths throw stones at IDF troops at a mobile checkpoint near Hebron, sparking minor clashes; there are no serious injuries. IDF troops issue 2 arrest summons to Palestinians during late-night raids near Hebron and Ramallah, and patrol near Hebron, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a home in Bayt Hanina, and arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in Silwan. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA 11/23; PCHR 11/30)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Nablus, and Hebron; and patrol near Jenin, Nablus, Salfit, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 13 Palestinians and assault 1 during late-night raids in Silwan, Bayt Hanina, Ras al-Amud, Issawiyya, Hizma, and the Old City. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Gaza City and open fire on Palestinian agricultural areas near al-Bureij refugee camp, causing no damage. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA 11/20; PCHR 11/23)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for the 3d and final consecutive day, allowing passage in both directions. (MNA 11/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces deliver stopwork orders to 2 Palestinian homes under construction in al-Walaja near Bethlehem. IDF troops arrest 8 Palestinians during late-night raids near Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, and Salfit, and patrol in and around Hebron and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians during a raid in Bayt Hanina. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (WAFA 11/12; PCHR 11/16)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 3 Palestinian residential buildings in Jiftlik near Jericho and an agricultural building under construction near Nablus. IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Hebron, and Bethlehem, and patrol near Qalqilya and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Palestinian students from the Bayt Hanina school the IDF shut down on 11/6 gather outside the school for a sit-in protest with their parents. Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians and issue a number of arrest summons during raids in Silwan and the Old City. (WAFA 11/7; PCHR 11/9)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers destroy several water pipes used by Palestinians in the northern Jordan Valley. IDF troops arrest 14 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Qalqilya, Jenin, Nablus, Bethlehem, and Tubas, and patrol near Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raid a Palestinian school in Bayt Hanina, detaining 4 teachers before ordering the school to shut down. The students are told to look for another school to attend this year. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya on 3 separate occasions. They arrest 2 fishermen and confiscate their boat; there are no serious injuries. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on farmlands near Gaza City and late at night near al-Maghazi refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (WAFA 11/6; PCHR 11/9)

IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian youth at the Gush Etzion junction near Hebron, allegedly after he attempts to carry out a stabbing attack. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Bayt Umar near Hebron, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents; there are no serious injuries. They arrest 6 Palestinians and confiscate 1 car during further raids in and around Ramallah, Jenin, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian building in Bayt Hanina. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 10/18; PCHR 10/19)

The Israeli authorities expand the fishing zone off Gaza’s southern coast from 6 to 9 naut. mi. The expansion is set to last 6 weeks, and it is intended to “improve the economy in the Gaza Strip,” according to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories on 10/15. (HA 10/18; AJ 10/20)

The Higher Planning Commission of Israel’s Civil Administration meets for a 2d day and advances plans for approximately 1,300 housing units in Israel’s West Bank settlements, including 459 in Ma’ale Adumim. Today’s approvals bring the week’s total to approximately 2,600 new units. (MNA, TOI 10/18)

The Gaza-based Ministry of Health announces that a Hamas fighter died this morning during a “training accident” in southern Gaza. (MNA, TOI 9/19)

The Israeli authorities shut down the border crossings into the West Bank and Gaza at midnight ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year (they are set to reopen at midnight on 9/23, “depending on a situational assessment,” according to the IDF). Israeli forces level 2 dunams (approximately 0.5 acres) of Palestinian land near Tulkarm, destroying about 50 fig and lemon trees. They also arrest 13 Palestinians and issue 2 arrest summons during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah, and Bethlehem, and patrol near Jenin and Hebron throughout the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian car wash in Bayt Hanina and arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in Sur Bahir. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 9/19; MNA 9/20; PCHR 9/21; PCHR 9/28)

Addressing the UNGA in New York, U.S. pres. Trump threatens North Korea and criticizes the 7/14/2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He does not mention the Palestinians or the peace process. Later, Israeli PM Netanyahu takes the podium and echoes Trump’s comments on Iran, criticizing the “sunset” clause in the JCPOA, and calling on the international community to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. In his speech to the UNGA, Egyptian pres. al-Sisi calls on the people of Israel to “stand behind your political leadership and support [the peace process]” and on the Palestinian people to “unite behind” the common goal of peace. (HA, TOI 9/19; MNA, REU, WAFA, YA 9/20)

IDF troops shoot down an allegedly Iranianmade, Hezbollah-operated drone as it flies into the demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights. The drone falls inside Syrian-controlled territory. (HA, TOI, YA 9/19)

Late at night, Israeli forces carry out the punitive demolition of the Kobar home of the Palestinian who killed 3 settlers at the nearby Halamish settlement on 7/21. The demolition sparks clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians in the area; 12 Palestinians are injured. Separately, IDF troops arrest 5 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during raids nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Bethlehem; and patrol nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a 2-story building in Issawiyya, a makeshift home in Silwan, a car wash in Bayt Hanina, and a commercial structure in Jabal Mukabir. They also arrest 5 Palestinians during raids in al-Tur and Abu Dis. In Israel, the police arrest Shaykh Raed Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement’s outlawed Northern Branch, on charges related to incitement. (MNA, WAFA, YA 8/15; HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 8/16; PCHR 8/17)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for a 2d day in a row, allowing only Gazans embarking on the pilgrimage to Mecca to pass. (TOI, WAFA 8/15; OCHA 8/17)

Israeli forces impose an overnight curfew and punitively demolish 2 homes and seal a 3d in Dayr Abu Mash‘al nr. Ramallah. (The homes belong to the families of the Palestinians allegedly responsible for the deadly 6/16 attack in East Jerusalem.) Clashes break out despite the curfew; 3 Palestinians are injured. Meanwhile, Israeli forces also carry out the punitive demolition of a home in Silwad nr. Ramallah, which belongs to the family of the man allegedly responsible for the car ramming attack nr. Ramallah on 4/6. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops interrogate several PA employees during a raid on a govt. office in Hebron. Another IDF raid in Bayt Rima nr. Ramallah sparks clashes with Palestinian youths; 5 Palestinians are injured. IDF troops also patrol nr. Hebron and Qalqilya during the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police arrest 5 Palestinians in al-‘Izzariya allegedly on their way to carry out an attack on Israelis; and arrest 3 more Palestinians during late-night raids in Shu‘fat r.c. and Qatanna. Undercover Israeli police assault and arrest a number of Palestinian youths in Bayt Hanina. (HA, MNA, TOI 8/10; MNA 8/11; PCHR 8/17)

IDF troops conduct raids in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem overnight, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 2 Palestinians and 1 Israeli soldier are injured. An IDF raid in Kobar nr. Ramallah sparks further clashes; 15 Palestinians are injured and 5 are arrested. IDF troops arrest a Palestinian in c. Hebron found to be carrying a knife, arrest 2 more Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Hebron, and patrol nr. Hebron and Jenin during the day. Israeli settlers set fire to 2 Palestinian vehicles and leave price-tag graffiti in Umm Safa nr. Ramallah overnight. Hundreds of Israeli settlers march through Hebron to the Abu Rajab building in which settler families have been squatting since 7/25. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a residential structure and a surrounding fence in Bayt Hanina, and arrest 6 Palestinians during raids in Shu‘fat r.c., al-Tur, and the Old City. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 8/9; PCHR 8/10; PCHR 8/17)

In c. Israel, Israeli police arrest a West Bank Palestinian after he allegedly stabs and seriously injures an Israeli in Yavne. The IDF then raids the alleged attacker’s Yatta home and imposes a lockdown on the village, blocking all entrances and exits. Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces raid a civil investigations office in c. Hebron, confiscating equipment and detaining the 30-odd employees. The office reportedly opened following a recent agreement between local Palestinian and Israeli authorities. IDF troops arrest a Palestinian allegedly armed with a knife at the Gush Etzion junction; arrest 8 more Palestinians, and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Tubas. During raids in Wadi al-Juz, Ras al-Amud, Bayt Hanina, and al-Tur in East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 15 Palestinians in connection with the violence at the sanctuary (48 Palestinians are still reportedly being held in connection with the clashes). They also ban an Islamic Waqf employee from Haram al-Sharif. Palestinian youths throw stones at an Israeli police officer outside Damascus Gate, lightly injuring him. Meanwhile, approximately 1,000 Jewish settlers tour the sanctuary. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 8/2; HA, MNA, PCHR, TOI 8/3; PCHR 8/10)

The Israeli press reports that the IDF has completed construction of a 26-mile segment of the separation wall nr. Hebron, which they had resumed in 2/2017 after Palestinians from nearby Yatta village carried out a deadly shooting in 6/2016 in Tel Aviv. (MNA 8/3)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians at a checkpoint nr. Bethlehem, accusing them of planning a large-scale attack in Jerusalem. They also arrest 11 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Qalqilya, Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus, and Ramallah; and patrol nr. Nablus and Hebron. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian in c. Hebron, then Israeli soldiers arrest him. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish 3 Palestinian homes in Bayt Hanina. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, MNA, WAFA 7/4; MNA 7/5; PCHR 7/6)

In its latest effort to pressure Hamas into giving up control of the region, the PA sends 6,145 of its employees in Gaza into early retirement. A PA spokesperson says that the move and any “previous procedures and any possible future procedures in this regard” are only temporary, and that the PA cabinet has agreed to roll back all of them if Hamas “retracted” its moves against the PA. (MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 7/4)

The PA cabinet approves the formation of the National Team for the Demarcation of Palestine’s Maritime Border to work with neighboring countries to clarify Palestine’s maritime borders. In 2015, Palestine became a mbr. of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. (WAFA 7/4)

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage Comm. passes a Palestinian-backed res. retaining the Old City of Jerusalem on the comm.’s List of World Heritage in Danger and condemning “the failure of the Israeli occupying authorities to cease the persistent excavations, tunneling, works, projects, and other illegal practices in East Jerusalem, particularly in and around the Old City of Jerusalem”. Ten countries vote in favor, 3 oppose, and 8 abstain. (JP, TOI, YA 7/4; WAFA 7/5)

IDF troops arrest 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in Hebron and patrol nr. Qalqilya and Nablus during the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers enter Silwan en masse after an Israeli settler vehicle is found burned in the neighborhood overnight, leading to minor clashes between the Israeli forces escorting them and Palestinian residents of the neighborhood (there are no serious injuries). Separately, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian student during a raid in Bayt Hanina late at night. (PCHR 6/16) COGAT confirms that, beginning today and ending on 9/10, the Allenby Bridge border crossing between Jordan and the West Bank will be open 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. (MNA 6/10)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish 3 apartment buildings, an agricultural shed, and 5 retaining walls in al-Za’ayem village on the outskirts of the city. They also arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in Silwan, Sheikh Jarrah, Qalandia r.c., and al-Tur. A Palestinian demolishes his own home in Bayt Hanina to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. In the West Bank, Israeli forces confiscate a Palestinian mobile home nr. Nablus. IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Bethlehem and Jenin, and patrol nr. Hebron during the day. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian homes and agricultural land nr. Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. Israeli drones spray pesticides on Palestinian lands nearby. (MNA, WAFA 4/4; HA 4/5; PCHR 4/6)

A Hamas spokesperson calls on alleged Palestinian collaborators with Israel to give up information relating to the 3/24 killing of senior Hamas military cmdr. Fuqaha. Hamas is giving alleged collaborators a week, starting today, to come forward in exchange for “full legal and physical protections, as well as a discreet undertaking of the matter.” The spokesperson calls it a “week of repentance.” (JP, MNA 4/4)

In the West Bank, IDF troops patrol nr. Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 1 Palestinian is injured. They conduct further patrols nr. Hebron and Ramallah; and arrest 9 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Palestinian schools go on strike to protest the closure of al-Nukhba School on 2/23 and the Jerusalem Municipality’s 12/2016 decision to align its vacation calendar with the Israeli school calendar. Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home under construction in Issawiyya as well as 2 rooms in a Palestinian home in Silwan; arrest 7 Palestinians during raids in Hizma and Issawiyya; and shut down a dept. of the Arab Studies Society in Bayt Hanina because of alleged affiliation with the PA (it will be reopened on 3/16). Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In West Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians protesting Israeli demolitions of Palestinian property outside the finance ministry’s headquarters; there are no serious injuries. In s. Israel, the Israel Land Authority (ILA) demolishes crops in a Bedouin-owned field nr. Beersheba. (HA, MNA, PLONAD, TOI, WAFA 3/14; PCHR 3/16; MNA 3/17)

The Israeli Knesset approves amendments to the Basic Law barring politicians from running for office if they are known to “support terrorism,” if they do not recognize Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, or if they incite racism or support armed resistance against Israel. In response, Joint List MK Ahmad Tibi says “there is a tendency in recent Knessets in which MKs from the right wing compete with themselves over which bill they can present to exclude authentic representatives of the Arab population.” (KNE, WAFA 3/15)

PA pres. Abbas meets with U.S. special representative for international negotiations Greenblatt in Ramallah. Abbas tells him that “under [U.S.] pres. Trump’s leadership a historic peace deal is possible,” according to a U.S. statement. Meanwhile, Israeli PM Netanyahu comments on his 3/13 meeting with Greenblatt, saying that “we’re in a process, but it’s a process of mutual dialogue, authentic and honest in the positive sense.” The process is “not yet visible to the media,” he adds. (MNA, NYT, HA, TOI 3/14)

In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Birzeit nr. Ramallah, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. They also arrest a Palestinian in c. Hebron when he is found to be carrying a knife. The IDF arrests 3 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Nablus and Ramallah; and patrols during the day nr. Qalqilya, Hebron, and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Bayt Hanina, arresting a Palestinian novelist whose new book they allege to have incited violence. They release her later in the day after she pays NIS 10,000 (approx. $2,700) in bail. A Palestinian family demolishes its own home outside the Old City to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. In Israel, around 3,000 Palestinian citizens march through Kabul village in the Galilee to protest the so-called muezzin bill, which passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset on 3/8. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/11; MNA 3/12; PCHR 3/16)

An IDF spokesperson announces a 24-hour extension to the Purim closure of crossings in and out of the West Bank and Gaza. Only humanitarian, medical, and exceptional cases will be allowed to cross between Gaza and the West Bank until 3/13. (HA, JP, MNA 3/11)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 10 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Jenin; and patrol nr. Hebron and Jenin. They also terminate the work permits of 15 Palestinians in Bayt Umar nr. Hebron in response to reports of stone throwing in recent days. The IDF threatens to revoke more permits if the unrest continues. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home in Bayt Hanina overnight after preventing the family from removing their possessions. (JP, MNA, WAFA 2/22; PCHR 2/23; PCHR 3/2)

Sinai Province of the Islamic State (SPIS) fighters launch rockets into Israel from n. Sinai late at night. Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense batteries intercept 3 of them; others land in open areas nr. Eilat. No Israelis are injured. SPIS last launched rockets into Israel in 7/2015 (see JPS 45 [1]). Later, 2 Palestinians are killed and at least 5 are injured in an air strike targeting the smuggling tunnel they are working in nr. Rafah. The IDF denies carrying out the strike. Palestinian eyewitnesses say they saw an Israeli aircraft launch it, and Palestinian security sources say it was a retaliation for the rocket barrage. (HA, JP 2/8; HA, MNA, WAFA 2/9)

An Israeli settler driver rams an elderly Palestinian nr. Bethlehem, causing fatal injuries. The Palestinian dies later in the day. Israeli settlers raze a swath of Palestinianowned land nr. Nablus overnight. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 5 Palestinians during raids nr. Hebron and Ramallah, and patrol nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a 2d Palestinian building in Bayt Hanina in as many days. They also assault and arrest 4 Palestinian youths in Silwan. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. the Erez border crossing. IDF troops also open fire on Palestinian agricultural lands nr. Rafah and Bayt Hanun, causing no serious damage or injuries. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Jabaliya r.c., causing no damage or injuries. In Israel, Israeli forces demolish the bedouin village of al-‘Araqib in the Negev for the 109th time since 2010. (MNA, WAFA 2/8; PCHR 2/9; PCHR 2/16)

In Washington, PA intelligence chief Majid Faraj leads a Palestinian delegation in their first face-to-face talks with Trump admin. officials. According to a Palestinian source, they discuss diplomatic issues, particularly Trump’s pledge to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. (AP 2/9; HA, TOI 2/10)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya and later nr. Khan Yunis. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on agricultural lands nr. Bayt Hanun and Dayr al-Balah. There are no injuries reported in any of these incidents. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 5 Palestinian agricultural structures in Kardala village in the Jordan Valley. IDF troops raid a community center in Aida r.c. nr. Bethlehem, confiscating computers and security footage. They also arrest 2 Palestinians during raids nr. Ramallah and Tulkarm, and patrol nr. Qalqilya, Nablus, Ramallah, and Hebron. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian photojournalist with rocks nr. Ramallah. They also damage his car. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian building in Bayt Hanina. (MNA, WAFA 2/7; PCHR 2/9)

Israeli naval forces confront Palestinian fishing boats off Gaza’s coast nr. Jabaliya r.c. in 2 separate incidents. One boat capsizes in the 2d incident and a fisherman goes missing. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish 2 homes each in Shu‘fat and Bayt Hanina. Later, Israeli forces return to Shu‘fat to inspect a number of shops, sparking clashes with stone-throwing youths; there are no serious injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces raze a small swath of Palestinian land nr. Salfit and destroy a number of water wells nr. Bethlehem. They also deliver 19 stop-work orders to Palestinian houses and buildings under construction nr. Salfit. The IDF arrests 4 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Hebron and in Tubas, and patrols nr. Salfit and Hebron during the day. (MNA, WAFA 1/4; MNA, PCHR, WAFA 1/5; PCHR 1/12)

An Israeli military court in Tel Aviv convicts IDF soldier Elor Azaria of manslaughter in connection with his killing of a prone and defenseless Palestinian in c. Hebron on 3/24/2016. He will be sentenced in late 2/2017. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA, YA 1/4)