The Palestine Chronology

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on small groups of Palestinians approaching the border fence near Bayt Lahiya and alBureij refugee camp, injuring 2 minors. Separately, Palestinians fly incendiary kites across the border fence into Israel, where they land and set fire to Israeli farmlands, causing damage. Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land along the border fence near al-Bureij refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya. (They arrest 19 Palestinians in the neighborhood within this week.) They also demolish a commercial facility and a gas station in Issawiyya. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 16 Palestinians during raids near Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya, and Salfit; and patrol near Hebron. (WAFA, YA 5/8; HA 5/9; PCHR 5/10)

U.S. president Trump announces his decision to pull the U.S. out of the 7/14/15 Iran nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), calling it “disastrous.” Trump reportedly plans to reimpose all sanctions waived in the context of the deal, and to impose new ones. (ALM, BBC, HA, JP, NYT 5/8)

Hours after Trump’s announcement, the IAF conducts air strikes on a military base near Damascus used by Iranian forces, killing at least 15 people, including 8 Iranian soldiers, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The IDF also goes on high alert and instructs local authorities in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to prepare bomb shelters in case of an Iranian attack from Syria. (HA, JP, YA 5/9)

More than 10,000 Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border to continue the Great March of Return for the 3d consecutive Friday. A number of protesters throw explosives and Molotov cocktails toward the border fence. IDF troops violently disperse the demonstrations near Gaza City, Khan Yunis, Rafah, Bayt Hanun, and Jabaliya refugee camp; 1 Palestinian is killed and at least 200 are injured. The protester killed today brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 30. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp and late at night near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Friday protests near Ramallah, Nablus, al-Bireh, Qalqilya, and Hebron; at least 12 Palestinians are injured. They also issue an arrest summons during a raid near Bethlehem, and patrol near Qalqilya and Hebron. Israeli settlers break into a mosque near Nablus overnight and set fire to the interior, causing moderate damage. A separate group of settlers damages 7 Palestinian olive trees near Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians during a raid in the Old City. (EI, HA, JP, MNA, NYT, PNN, WAFA, YA 4/13; MNA 4/ 14; PCHR 4/19)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing in both directions for the 2d of 3 planned days. (OCHA 4/27)

Israeli DM Lieberman says that the decreasing attendance at the Friday protests along Gaza’s border over the past 2 weeks show that Israel’s “determination” has had an effect. “Each week there are fewer rioters on our border with Gaza. Our determination is well understood on the other side,” he says. (TOI 4/13)

U.S., UK, and French forces conduct air strikes on Syrian government research, storage, and military targets near Homs and in Damascus, fulfilling U.S. president Trump’s pledge to retaliate for an alleged chemical weapons attack in Damascus on 4/7. (AP, BBC, NYT 4/13)

An Israeli security guard shoots and kills a Palestinian minor after he stabs and lightly injures another guard at the entrance to Karme Tzur settlement near Hebron. After the incident, IDF troops raid the alleged attacker’s home in Halhul village, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents; there are no serious injuries. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops clash with Palestinians in Jericho; 21 Palestinians are injured. They also arrest 9 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Jenin, Nablus, and Ramallah; and patrol near Hebron and Nablus. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Salfit, lightly injuring 1 driver and damaging 1 car. In East Jerusalem, Palestinian minors throw stones at a fence surrounding an Israeli settlement near Kafr ‘Aqab, sparking minor clashes with Israeli forces; 1 Palestinian is injured. Israeli forces also demolish a Palestinian home in Silwan. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/7; MNA, PCHR, WAFA 2/8; PCHR 2/15)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing in both directions for the first of 3 days. (WAFA 2/7; OCHA 2/15)

The IAF conducts air strikes on a military “research center” near Damascus, according to the Syrian army. Israeli forces have reportedly targeted the site 3 times in the past 3 months. (DPA, HA, REU 2/7)

IDF troops surround the Jenin refugee camp home of a Palestinian allegedly involved in the killing of an Israeli settler on 1/9, sparking a firefight; the suspect’s cousin is killed and 2 Israeli soldiers are injured (after initial reports that the suspect was killed during the firefight, his family later says that he escaped unharmed). Two other Palestinians suspected of participating in the 1/9 killing are arrested. The incident sparks broader clashes in Jenin refugee camp; 4 Palestinians are injured. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 10 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Qalqilya, and Ramallah; and patrol near Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Khan Yunis. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home in Bayt Hanina. A number of Israeli settlers tour Haram al-Sharif. (MNA, WAFA 1/17; HA, JP, MNA, PCHR, TOI, WAFA 1/18; PCHR 1/25)

UNRWA announces an international funding campaign to raise enough money to make up for the shortfall created when the U.S. announced on 1/16 that it was withholding $65 million in aid indefinitely. (AFP, TOI, WAFA 1/17; AP 1/18; EI 1/19)

Early in the morning, the IAF conducts air strikes on a military airport near Damascus, allegedly targeting a Hezbollah arms depot, according to local reports. Neither the Syrian government nor the IDF comment on the attack. (HA, TOI 1/17)

Unidentified persons shoot and kill an Israeli settler driving near Nablus. After the shooting, the IDF imposes a partial lockdown on the Nablus region, setting up mobile checkpoints and conducting raids in nearby villages. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles in the area, lightly injuring 4 Palestinians. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians gathering in al-Bireh and along Gaza’s border near Khan Yunis to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; 1 Palestinian is injured. Two more Palestinians are injured in unrelated clashes in Tuqu‘ near Bethlehem. IDF troops also arrest 3 Palestinians during raids near Hebron and Jenin, and patrol near Tulkarm and Hebron throughout the day. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, injuring 1 Palestinian (6 fishermen are arrested and 2 boats are confiscated). Along Gaza’s border, the IAF sprays herbicides on Palestinian farmlands near Khan Yunis and Dayr al-Balah, and Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian near Rafah. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/9; EI, HA, MNA 1/10; PCHR 1/11)

Israeli forces conduct air strikes and fire ground-to-ground missiles at a Syrian army depot near Damascus overnight, according to the Syrian army. Syrian defense systems prevent a number of additional strikes, but the attack still causes moderate damage. (HA, TOI 1/9)