The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces raided Zeita, leading to the evacuation of students from an elementary school. Israeli forces also summoned the father and brother of 1 of the Palestinian prisoners who escaped from an Israeli prison (see below). 10 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around al-Am‘ari refugee camp, Surda, Ramallah, Jalazun refugee camp, Fahma, and Jaba‘. (WAFA 9/6; MEMO 9/7; PCHR 9/9)

6 Palestinian prisoners, including the former al-Aqsa Martyr Brigade leader Zakaria Zubeidi, escaped Gilboa prison in Northern Israel near the West Bank, using a tunnel dug over a period of at least 10 months. All other prisoners in the Gilboa Prison were relocated to other prisons as Israeli authorities investigated the flaws in the prison structure that facilitated the escape. The Israeli prison service also restricted yard exercise time from 4 hours to 1 hour a day as a collective punishment. (AJ, AP, AX, FOX, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, JP, LAT, MEE, MEE, MEE, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, NYT, TOI, TOI, WAFA 9/6; AJ, HA, MEMO, MEMO, MEMO, WAFA 9/7; AX, MEMO, MEMO 9/8; ALM, AP, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEMO 9/9; HA 9/10; HA, HA 9/12; HA 9/14)

All crossings between the West Bank and Gaza to Israel were closed for the Israeli Rosh Hashanah holiday from 4 P.M. 9/6 to midnight between 9/8 and 9/9. Israel also prevented Palestinians from praying at al-Ibrahimi Mosque during the period. (HA 9/5; WAFA 9/7)

The Popular Resistance Committees in Gaza said in a press statement that it had suspended the Gaza fence protests until the middle of September to allow Egyptian and Qatari mediators to facilitate an end to the Israeli siege of Gaza. (ALM 9/10)

Qatar’s ambassador to Gaza Mohammed al-Emadi said Qatar, the UN, the PA, and Israel had agreed to a deal that would allow Qatari aid to enter Gaza. Israel did not comment on the announcement and it was unclear when the deal would be implemented. (AJ, HA, MEMO, REU 9/6)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke to Israel’s president Isaac Herzog and defense minister Benny Gantz, congratulating them on the Jewish new year. (WAFA 9/6; JP, MEMO 9/7)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian succumbed to injuries inflicted by Israeli forces on 8/3 in Jenin. Israeli forces demolished 1 poultry farm in al-Walaja, 1 rainwater collection well in Khallet al-Dabe’, 1 car wash in al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya, and 1 agricultural structure in al-Fakhit. Israeli forces also handed an evacuation order to Palestinians near Tuqu’ for their livestock, forcing them to remove their livestock and dismantle their agricultural structures within 14 days. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting Israeli construction at al-Ibrahimi Mosque, leading to tear-gas related injuries; 3 were arrested. 9 other Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Jaba‘, Huwwara, and Yatta. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces summoned 2 Palestinian activists for questioning after they protested the arrest of a local activist in Sheikh Jarrah on 8/10. In Israel, Israeli authorities said they shot down a drone entering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Lebanon, claiming the drone was operated by Hezbollah. Israel also said it had shot down a drone flying from Gaza into Israel, claiming it was operated by Hamas. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/11; HA, PCHR, REU 8/12; HA, MEMO 8/13)

The Israeli government gave its initial approval for the construction of more than 2,000 new settlement units in the West Bank and 863 housing units for Palestinian villages in Area C, including 150 units in Ma‘asara, 270 in Bir al-Basha, 223 in al-Masqufa, 160 in Khirbet ‘Aaba, and 50 in Khirbet Zakariya. Of the advanced settlement expansion plans, 908 are expected to get final approval next week, including 58 in Beit El, 285 in Har Brakha, and 105 in Alon Shvut. An Israeli official told Haaretz that the move was a “calculated risk” made by the government vis-à-vis the U.S. Biden administration. The Meretz party wrote a letter to Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz, calling the decision to expand Israeli settlements “a dangerous move.” The U.S. later criticized Israel’s decision to expand Israeli settlements, on 8/13, saying that settlement activity is an obstacle to a 2-state solution. (AA, AX, HA, REU 8/11; MEMO, WAFA, WAFA 8/12; HA, MEMO 8/13; JP 8/16)

IDF chief of staff Aviv Kochavi said the Israeli army will take harsher measures against Israeli soldiers who do not follow regulations, in response to the killing of 40 Palestinians by Israeli forces in the West Bank since May. The statement came after Chief of Staff Kochavi met with senior staff of the Israeli central command on 8/8 and urged them to take steps to reduce lethal shootings. Kochavi said the military will back soldiers who make mistakes in their judgements in relation to lethal shootings, but not if the soldiers act reckless. (HA 8/12)

Israel’s police commissioner Kobi Shabtai inaugurated a new police department focused on combatting crime in Palestinian Israeli communities, which seeks to increase the number of Palestinian Israeli police officers by 300%. 69 Palestinian citizens of Israel have been killed in Israel since 2021 and only 23% of the cases have been solved, whereas 71% of the cases involving Jewish Israelis have been solved by Israeli police. (HA 8/12)

Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid visited Morocco to meet with his Moroccan counterpart and open the new Israeli mission to Morocco as part of the 2 countries’ normalization deal. The 2 foreign ministers signed cooperation agreements related to air travel, culture, sports, and youth. Foreign Minister Lapid said the 2 countries would open mutual embassies within 2 months. The leader of the PJD party in Morocco condemned the decision to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel. Part of the 2 countries’ normalization deal was for the U.S. to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara during the Trump administration, a controversial recognition that the Biden administration has not reversed. (MEMO 8/10; AJ, AJ, AX, HA, MEMO, REU 8/11; AJ, ALM, AX, HA, HA, MEMO, REU 8/12; ALM 8/13; MEE 8/16)

U.S. CIA director William J. Burns met with Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennet and other Israeli officials during a trip to Israel. Director Burns is expected to meet with PA president Mahmoud Abbas and other senior PA officials on 8/12. Axios reported that Director Burns voiced concern to Prime Minister Bennett about Chinese investment in Israel. (AX 8/9; HA, MEMO 8/10; ALM, HA, MEMO, MEMO, REU 8/11; AX, HA, HA 8/12; AX 8/18; MEE, MEMO, TOI 8/19)

The private equity firm KKR announced that it will be funding a server farm in Israel to be completed in the 2d quarter of 2023. The server farm will be located underground in Petah Tikva. (HA 8/11)

Palestinian Israeli NGO Combatants for Peace asked the ICC to open an investigation into potential war crimes committed by Israel in demolishing the bedouin village Khirbet Humsa on 7/7. (HA 8/11; MEMO 8/13)

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said its investigation into the events of the Israeli assault on Gaza in May, dubbed Operation Guardians of the Wall, had showed that Hamas’s rockets fired at Israel “violated the laws of war and amount to war crimes.” HRW also said that Hamas’s rockets had killed 12 civilians in Israel and a misfired rocket had killed 7 Palestinians in Gaza. HRW released its investigation into Israeli actions during the assault on 7/27, finding that Israel had also committed war crimes. (HA, HRW 8/12; ALM 8/23)

France donated $575,000 to the UN World Food Programme for its programming in Gaza. (WAFA 8/11)

In the West Bank, Israeli undercover forces shot and killed 3 Palestinians, including 2 PA security officers, and injured 2 others, including 1 PA officer near the PA intelligence headquarters in Jenin. Israel said that its anti-terror unit was in Jenin to arrest 2 Islamic Jihad members when they shot the 4 Palestinians; the PA presidency condemned the killing of the 3 Palestinians and the PA prime minister called the Israeli actions an act of state terrorism. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters during a raid in al-Fawar refugee camp, causing tear-gas related injuries. 8 Palestinians were arrested, including 4 during late-night raids and around Bethlehem, Jaba‘, Silwad, and Izzariya; 4 were arrested at checkpoints near Jenin and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting a visit to the Old City by Itamar Ben-Gvir from the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party at the Damascus Gate plaza, using stun grenades; 30 Palestinians were arrested. Ben-Gvir was banned by Israeli police from marching through the Old City on 6/9. Palestinians also protested against evictions of Palestinians from Batn al-Hawa, outside of an Israeli court holding a hearing on the matter (see below); 3 were arrested. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 1 shed and razed land in Issawiyya. 1 was arrested during a house raid in Batn al-Hawa. (AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, BBC, HA, HA, JP, JP, MEE, MEMO, PCHR, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/10; MEMO 6/11; PCHR 6/17)

An Israeli court delayed a hearing on an eviction case against 2 Palestinian families in Batn al-Hawa. The hearing was postponed to 8/7. (AJ 6/10)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz approved the construction of an elevator at al-Ibrahimi Mosque, which is also a shine for Jewish people, allowing Israeli settlers with walking disabilities to enter the mosque. The approval violates the 1997 Hebron protocol signed by the PA and Israel. (ALM 6/23)

A video from 3/24/2019 surfaced showing Israeli prison guards at the Ketzion Prison in the Negev abusing 55 shackled Palestinian prisoners. The video shows that the prisoners were piled on top of each other and beaten with batons and kicked by the prison guards, even as they lie still on the concrete ground. (HA, MEE, WAFA 6/10; HA 6/11)

Former Mossad director Yossi Cohen implied in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 that Israel was behind attacks on Iran’s nuclear facility Natanz and on Iranian scientists. (AP, TOI 6/11)

In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth, former secretary of state Mike Pompeo said that the sale of U.S. F-35s to the UAE was “crucial” to a normalization deal between the UAE and Israel. (HA, TOI 6/10)

China donated $1 million to the PA for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines. (WAFA 6/10)

In the West Bank, al-Ibrahimi Mosque was closed to Muslim worshipers due to Israeli restrictions during the Jewish Sukkot holidays. Israeli settlers with military escort toured Solomon’s Pool south of Bethlehem, closing the area for Palestinians. Elsewhere, near Nablus, Israeli settlers and military escort toured Joseph’s Tomb, leading to confrontations with Palestinians; 51 Palestinians were injured including 3 by live ammunition, 14 by rubber-coated bullets and others suffered tear-gas related injuries. 1 Palestinian was shot after allegedly ramming his car into an undercover Israeli officer’s car in al-Am‘ari refugee camp. Israeli forces violently dispersed a protest in Turmus ‘Ayya, injuring 2 with rubber-coated bullets and others with tear gas. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians trying to enter Israel for work near Jenin. 9 Palestinians were arrested, including 8 during raids in al-Am‘ari refugee camp, Jaba, ‘Azun, Anabta, and Bayt Awa; the Palestinian accused of ramming his car into the undercover Israeli officer’s car was also arrested. In East Jerusalem, hundreds of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians and Palestinian-owned property in Issawiyya; Israeli forces arrested 7 of the perpetrators. Some 400 Israeli settlers also toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire and used water hoses on Palestinian fishermen 3 nautical miles northwest of Gaza City, causing damage but no injuries were reported. (WAFA 10/15; HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/17; PCHR 10/24)

The PA blocked access to some 50 websites to crack down on opposition voices and critique of PA president Mahmoud Abbas. (HA 10/22; MDW 10/23)

In Lebanon, thousands of protesters demonstrated against the Lebanese government’s plans to raise a new tax for WhatsApp calls and for the country’s economic crisis. (AJ, AJ 10/18)

The U.S. and Turkey agreed to a 5-day ceasefire in northern Syria to allow Kurdish fighters to leave the area. (HA 10/17)

In the West Bank, al-Ibrahimi Mosque was closed to Muslim worshipers due to Israeli restriction during the Jewish Sukkot holidays. Israeli settlers vandalized 6 Palestinian-owned cars in Dayr ‘Ammar. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in Burin and al-Jaba‘. During the attack in Burin, 1 pro-Palestinian Israeli activist suffered broken bones and a settler set fire to some trees. 15 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Abu Dis, Ramallah, Hebron, and Qalqilya. During a raid near Tulkarm, Israeli forces seized 10,000 NIS ($2,800) in cash. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian trying to enter Israel southwest of Jenin. In East Jerusalem, for the 2d day in a row, a natural spring was opened for Jewish visitors only; Israeli forces guarded the spring and closed a road leading to nearby Palestinian towns. 7 Palestinians were arrested, including 6 during raids in Issawiyya; 1 preacher of the al-Aqsa Mosque was arrested in the Old City. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions to level land northeast of Jabalia. In Israel, Israeli forces attacked bedouins in southern Israel. (WAFA 10/15; HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, +972, WAFA 10/16; PCHR 10/17; HA 10/23)