The Palestine Chronology

An Israeli drone bombs a site east of Bayt Hanun in Gaza in the evening, moderately injuring 1 Palestinian. An IDF spokesperson says that the strike targeted a group of Palestinians who were throwing firebombs across the border fence into Israel earlier in the day. Separately, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian at a Great March of Return tent camp near Gaza City. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot or otherwise destroy approximately 370 grape vines and 30 olive trees outside al-Khadir village near Bethlehem, 50 olive tree saplings outside Tell village near Nablus, 22 olive trees from a grove near Qalqilya, and 100 olive trees outside al-Mughayyir near Ramallah. Separately, an Israeli settler driver runs over 2 Palestinians near Qalqilya, injuring both. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 16 Palestinians during late-night raids near Ramallah, Tulkarm, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Hebron; and patrol near Hebron, Salfit, Qalqilya, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers uproot dozens of Palestinian trees in Silwan. Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in Abu Dis. (HA, MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/14; MNA, MNA, MNA 10/15; PCHR 10/18)

Amid escalating violence along Gaza’s border fence, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that if the attacks from Gaza don’t stop, Israel will offer a “different” response. “Hamas apparently didn’t get the message,” he says, referring to the last round of Israeli air strikes in Gaza. “If they don’t stop the attacks against us, they will be stopped in a different way and it will be painful—very painful.” Later, Israel’s security cabinet reportedly decides to wait and see if Hamas will heed Netanyahu’s warning before ordering a broader assault on Gaza. (HA, JP, TOI, TOI, YA 10/14; MNA 10/15)

The Israeli cabinet approves NIS 22 million (approximately $6.1 million) to expand the Israeli settlements in Hebron. The plan calls for the construction of 31 housing units, 2 new kindergartens, a daycare center, and a public park on the site of a former IDF post. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI 10/14)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops detect and dismantle an explosive device lashed to a balloon in an open area near the border fence. Separately, 2 Palestinians cut through the border fence near Jabaliya refugee camp, throw an incendiary device at an IDF post, and return to Gaza. The attack causes no reported damage. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a water pipeline in Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is lightly injured. IDF troops conduct raids in al-Walaja near Bethlehem, sparking minor clashes; there are no reported injuries. They arrest 12 Palestinians during further raids in and around Hebron, Bethlehem, and Tulkarm; and patrol near Nablus, Bethlehem, Tulkarm, Salfit, and Qalqilya. Israeli settlers harass Palestinian farmers working near Nablus; there are no reported injuries. A settler assaults a Palestinian in Hebron’s Old City, breaking he man’s jaw. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 4 Palestinians during late-night raids in al-Ram, sparking clashes; there are no reported injuries. They arrest 1 more Palestinian during a raid in Silwan. (MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/13; MNA 10/14; PCHR 10/18) 

Israeli defense minister Avigdor Lieberman says that he will not allow any more Qatari-funded fuel transfers to Gaza until all violence along Gaza’s border is “entirely” over. “As long as the violent protests continue on the Gaza border, including the launching of incendiary balloons and kites and the burning of tires near Israeli towns, the fuel and gas for the Gaza Strip will not be renewed.” Lieberman ordered the transfers to stop on 10/12. Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh says that the protests and other resistance activities along Gaza’s border will continue until the “siege on Jerusalem, [Haram al-Sharif] and all the lands of Palestine is lifted.” (TOI 10/13)

After a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet, an Egypt- and UN-backed cease-fire between Israel and Hamas goes into effect. It is reportedly based on the principles of the cease-fire deal that halted Operation Protective Edge, Israel’s 2014 assault on Gaza, and it provides for a cessation of all hostilities. The Israeli cabinet reportedly approved the agreement in principle on 8/12 and only met today to review the details one last time. Earlier, Israeli DM Lieberman announced the reopening of the Kerem Shalom border crossing (effectively lifting the last of the restrictions the Israeli authorities imposed on 7/9) and the expansion of the fishing zone off Gaza’s coast to nine nautical miles, up from as few as three at the peak of the Israeli crackdown. “The opening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, after four days of quiet, is intended to indicate to the population in Gaza that maintaining quiet is first and foremost an interest for Gaza’s residents,” he says. (EI, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 8/15; AHR, MNA, TOI 8/16)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya and Dayr al-Balah, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian farmer outside Salfit, preventing him from working his land. They also break into a Palestinian home in central Hebron and violently attack 2 Palestinian minors; there are no reported injuries. IDF troops conduct raids in central Hebron, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian minors; 1 Palestinian is injured. They arrest 5 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during further raids near Jericho, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Qalqilya; and patrol in and around Hebron and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian residential building under construction in Issawiyya. They also detain 9 Palestinian women at Haram al-Sharif for undisclosed reasons (8 are released later in the day and banned from the sanctuary for 15 days); and arrest 4 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids in Silwan, Ras al-Amud, Sur Bahir, and the Old City. (MNA, WAFA 8/15; MNA, PCHR 8/16; PCHR 8/30)

The Palestinian Central Council convenes in Ramallah for its 29th regular meeting. The PLO body discusses a variety of issues related to statehood, including the stalled national reconciliation process, and plans to meet again on 8/16. In a speech kicking off the meetings, PA president Abbas says that Hamas is not serious about reconciliation. “Hamas principally does not have intentions to achieve reconciliation,” he says. Abbas also criticizes the Trump administration’s peace efforts and reiterates that he wants to unify the West Bank and Gaza with “one government, one law, and one legitimate force without militias.” (TOI, WAFA 8/15)

The Israel Land Authority (ILA) publishes tenders for the construction of 602 new housing units in the Ramat Shlomo settlement of East Jerusalem. The 603 units are part of a larger development plan that dates back to 2010. The ILA separately reaches a $380 million agreement with the Jerusalem Municipality for a series of development projects across the city, including 20,000 new housing units. The Jerusalem City Council is expected to approve the plan next week. (HA, YA 8/15)

Along Gaza’s border fence, Israeli firefighters put out 2 fires allegedly sparked by incendiary kite or balloon attacks emanating from Gaza. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Khan Yunis and later near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian and international activists gathering in Bani Na‘im near Hebron to protest recent Israeli takeovers of land in the area; there are no serious injuries. They arrest 2 Palestinians and 6 international activists at a similar demonstration in Hebron, arrest 1 Palestinian during raids near Salfit and Hebron, and patrol near Qalqilya and Nablus. Israeli settlers cut down approximately 250 grapevines in Palestinian farmland outside al-Khadir village near Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault and arrest 2 Palestinians during a raid in the Old City, and arrest 6 more Palestinians during late-night raids in Silwan. (TOI, WAFA 7/7; MNA 7/8; PCHR 7/12)

An Israeli settler shoots and fatally injures a Palestinian after he allegedly attempts to stab another settler with a screwdriver at a gas station outside the Mishor Adumim settlement near Jerusalem (the Palestinian will succumb to his injuries on 4/9). Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces block Palestinian farmers from working their lands near Tulkarm, without offering any justification. They also arrest 8 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Nablus; and patrol near Salfit and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces evict 3 Palestinian families from their homes in Silwan, implementing a recent court ruling that an Israeli settler group owns the buildings. They also arrest 3 Palestinians during late-night raids in Jabal Mukabir, Anata refugee camp, and Abu Dis. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops shoot and injure 2 Palestinians amid clashes near Khan Yunis and open fire on agricultural lands near Dayr al-Balah, causing no damage or injuries. Later, Israeli tanks fire shells at 3 Palestinians who snuck through the border fence near Gaza City. The 3 turn back, unhurt. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/8; HA 4/9)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained in a violent confrontation with IDF troops at a checkpoint near Tulkarm on 4/2. (WAFA 4/8)

At a meeting of the Fatah Central Committee, PA president Abbas lays out conditions for Palestinian engagement with the U.S. peace initiative. “We will not listen to anything that comes [from the Trump administration], regardless of what it is, unless the 2-state solution [is endorsed] and East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine is recognized,” he says. (JP, TOI 4/8)

Following the burning of hundreds of tires along Gaza’s border on 4/6, a PA official says that the Israeli authorities have suspended all tire imports into Gaza. (JP 4/8)

Israeli DM Lieberman condemns the calls for an independent, transparent investigation into the killings along Gaza’s border over the past 2 weeks. “The demand to investigate the shooting [. . .] is hypocrisy,” he says. Separately, Israeli officials say that the IDF will react with force, including air strikes on Hamas military targets, if Palestinians continue attempting to damage the border fence during the ongoing Great March of Return. (HA, JP 4/8)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops shoot and fatally injure a Palestinian farmer working near Khan Yunis (he dies later in the day). The IDF later claims that soldiers feared the man was preparing to cross the border fence. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya and Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops patrol in Fahma village near Jenin, sparking minor clashes; there are no serious injuries. They also arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Salfit, Ramallah, Tulkarm, and Hebron; and patrol in and around Qalqilya and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in Silwan. (HA, MNA, WAFA 3/3; PCHR 3/8)

Unidentified individuals fire a rocket from Gaza toward Israel. It lands in an open area, causing no damage or injuries. Late at night, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducts air strikes on 10 Hamas sites across Gaza, including a tunnel leading into Israeli territory. Earlier in the day, senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar says that Hamas does not want “to expend its energy on this escalation,” and that efforts are underway to “avert a new war.” (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 2/19; PCHR 2/22)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers traveling to the Kiryat Arba settlement outside Hebron assault and injure their Palestinian bus driver when he attempts to explain to them that inclement weather is preventing him from driving any faster. IDF troops arrest 14 Palestinians during late-night raids near Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, Qalqilya, and Salfit; and patrol near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian family demolishes their own home in Silwan to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. Israeli forces arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids in Silwan and al-Ram. (WAFA 2/18; YA 2/19; PCHR 2/22)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a car repair shop near Hebron and an old structure near Salfit, and deny Palestinian farmers access to their lands near Bethlehem. IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids near Tulkarm, Hebron, and Ramallah; and patrol near Qalqilya, Tulkarm, and Salfit. Palestinians throw stones at 2 IDF soldiers who drove into Jenin, causing minor injuries. PA Security Forces assist the IDF in extracting the soldiers from the city. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers slash the tires of several Palestinian cars in Silwan and leave price-tag graffiti nearby. Israeli forces arrest 9 Palestinians during late-night raids in Qalandia refugee camp, Issawiyya, Silwan, and Abu Dis. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, YA 2/12; PCHR 2/15)

IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian youth at a bus stop outside the Kiryat Arba settlement near Hebron, allegedly after he attempts to stab a settler. They leave the injured youth lying on the ground without receiving treatment before arresting him and taking him to a hospital in Israel. In a video released later, the youth can be heard pleading for water and explaining that he was attempting to commit suicide. Israeli forces demolish 8 homes and 6 retaining walls in Steih Dyouk village near Jericho. They also arrest a Palestinian living outside Yatta near Hebron before demolishing his home. The IDF arrests 7 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids in and around Nablus, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Salfit, and patrols near Jenin and Hebron. Israeli settlers uproot 27 olive trees on Palestinian land outside Burin village near Nablus. Meanwhile, PASF troops conduct a raid in Yatta overnight, sparking a brief firefight with the wanted Palestinians and their affiliates; 1 Palestinian is killed and another is seriously injured. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a building in Silwan and a 2-story apartment building in Ras al-Amud, and arrest 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in Qalandia refugee camp. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 9/13; PCHR 9/14; PCHR 9/21; EI 9/22)

The Egyptian authorities partially open the Rafah border crossing for a 3d day in a row, allowing Muslim worshippers to return from their pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. (OCHA 9/29)

The UN’s World Tourism Organization announces that the Palestinian bid for membership has been postponed until the body’s next meeting in 2019. The PA reportedly decided to suspend its bid following heavy U.S. pressure, according to a senior Israeli official. (HA, TOI 9/13)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 11 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during raids in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Salfit, and Qalqilya; and patrol nr. Hebron and Nablus during the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault and arrest 9 Muslim worshippers at Haram al-Sharif; arrest 11 Palestinians during raids in the Old City, Wadi al-Juz, and Silwan. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian attempting to cross into Israel nr. Jabaliya r.c. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 8/6; MNA 8/7; PCHR 8/10)

Tensions remain high in East Jerusalem after the widespread and deadly clashes on 7/21; 1 Palestinian is killed and 14 are injured in clashes in al-‘Izzariya, Wadi al-Juz, Issawiyya and al-Tur. Clashes also break out outside Haram al-Sharif throughout the day, but there are no serious injuries. Meanwhile, Palestinians across the city largely observe a commercial strike to commemorate the 3 Palestinians killed on 7/21. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 16 Palestinians during raids in Silwan, al-Tur, and the Old City. In the West Bank, a Palestinian youth is killed when he accidentally triggers a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance nr. Tubas. IDF troops conduct raids in Kobar, the Ramallaharea village of the Palestinian who allegedly stabbed 4 Israeli settlers at the Halamish settlement on 7/21, threatening punitive demolition of his home and sparking minor clashes (there are no serious injuries). Hundreds of settlers from Halamish set up a new outpost nr. their settlement to protest the 7/21 attack. Settlers protest and throw stones at Palestinian vehicles across the West Bank in response to the attack, damaging several cars and causing no serious injuries. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 25 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Bethlehem, Jenin, Salfit, Tubas, Qalqilya, and Nablus; and patrol throughout the day nr. Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. al-Bureij r.c. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 7/22; MNA 7/23; PCHR 7/27)

COGAT Mordechai says that Israel is “willing to examine alternatives to the metal detectors” installed at Haram al-Sharif “as long as the solution of alternative[s] ensures the prevention of the next attack.” (YA 7/22)

Sweden, France, and Egypt call for the UN Security Council (UNSC) to hold an emergency meeting to address the escalating tensions at Haram al-Sharif. UN diplomats say they will discuss the situation on 7/24. The Middle East Quartet releases a statement of concern about the “escalating tensions and violent clashes.” (WAFA 7/22; TOI 7/23)

Dozens of Muslim worshippers gather in the streets outside Haram al-Sharif for predawn prayers and to protest the new Israeli security measures at the sanctuary. They refuse to pass through the new metal detectors installed on 7/16, honoring the Islamic Waqf’s 7/16 call for a boycott. Later, Israeli forces violently disperse Muslims gathering outside the sanctuary for evening prayers, lightly injuring at least 15, including Palestinian National Initiative chair Mustafa Barghouti. Elsewhere in East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home in al-Za’ayem. They also conduct a raid in Silwan, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 1 Palestinian is injured. Late at night, Israeli forces raid al-Makassed Islamic Charitable Society Hospital, attempting to arrest the Palestinian injured in Silwan earlier in the day. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians and issue 3 arrest summons during late-night raids nr. Tubas, Hebron, Nablus, and Salfit; and patrol nr. Hebron during the day. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 7/17; MNA, WAFA, YA 7/18; PCHR 7/20)

The Israeli authorities seize 70 dunams (approx. 17 acres) of Palestinian land nr. Bethlehem for “military purposes,” according to a local anti-settlement activist. (WAFA 7/17; MNA 7/18)

Israel’s Knesset passes the 1st reading of a bill that would add the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, which oversees efforts to counter the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, on the list of bodies exempt from Israel’s Freedom of Information Law that permits citizens to obtain information from the govt. Should the bill pass, the ministry’s ability to keep its anti-BDS activities and methods secret from the public would be ensured. (KNE, MNA 7/18; MDW 7/19)

Israeli police shoot and kill an Israeli settler after he allegedly attempts to stab 1 of them on the East Jerusalem side of the Hizma checkpoint. They reportedly mistook the settler for a Palestinian. Israeli forces later find the settler’s suicide note, showing that he intentionally attacked them with the goal of being killed. Elsewhere in East Jerusalem, approx. 90 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning, marking Israel’s Independence Day. Israeli forces arrest 13 Palestinians during late-night raids in Sur al-Bahir, Silwan, and al-Tur. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers destroy a Palestinian well in al-Khadir nr. Bethlehem. Israeli forces level Palestinian land nr. Salfit to clear the area for settlers from nearby Ariel. IDF troops establish a checkpoint nr. Nablus, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. They also arrest 3 Palestinians during a raid nr. Bethlehem and patrol nr. Qalqilya. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya on 2 separate occasions, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces open fire on Palestinian farmers and shepherds working nr. al-Bureij r.c., causing no injuries; and conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Khan Yunis late at night. In Israel, thousands of Palestinians participate in the “March of Return” at the site of the depopulated al-Kabri village in the Galilee to highlight the rights of Palestinian refugees and commemorate the Nakba. (HA, WAFA 5/2; MNA 5/3; PCHR 5/4)

A former Palestinian prisoner dies of kidney failure at a hospital nr. Ramallah. He developed kidney issues as a result of medical negligence while he was in Israeli prison, according to the head of the PA’s prisoners’ affairs comm., Issa Qaraqe. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 5/2)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops and tanks open fire on a Hamas military site nr. al-Bureij r.c., causing no reported damage or injuries. The IDF says that the attack was ordered in response to shots fired at IDF patrols in the area earlier in the day. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian youth after she allegedly attempts to stab them nr. Qalqilya. They also arrest 4 Palestinians and issue 3 arrest summons during raids nr. Bethlehem, Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron, and patrol nr. Salfit, Ramallah, and Hebron. Armed gunmen shoot and injure an Israeli settler nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian car dealership in Sheikh Jarrah and arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Silwan. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 12/19; MNA 12/20; PCHR 12/22)

The Israeli NGO Yesh Din files a motion with the Custodian of Absentee Property stating that the current relocation plan for the Amona settlement outpost, which the outpost’s residents approved on 12/18, is illegal because a section of the proposed relocation site, dubbed Plot 38, is privately owned by Palestinians. (MNA 12/19; HA, JP, MNA 12/20)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for passage in both directions for the 3d of 3 planned days. (MNA 12/19)

A Hamas fighter dies in a tunnel accident nr. Khan Yunis. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on a Palestinian fishing boat nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries. They also arrest 2 of the fishermen and confiscate their boat. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, and Jenin, and patrol during the day nr. Salfit, Hebron, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians and issue 4 arrest summons during raids in Issawiyya, Sur al-Bahir, Shu‘fat r. c., Issawiyya, and Silwan. (MNA, MNA, WAFA 12/4; PCHR 12/8)

Israeli PM Netanyahu and DM Lieberman permit the transfer of 5 armored vehicles from Jordan to the PA because of the deteriorating security situation in the oPt, particularly in Nablus, according to an Israeli spokesperson. The PA has been requesting approval for such transfers for at least 4 years. (MNA, TOI 12/7)

After mos. of negotiations and intracoalition struggle, Netanyahu resolves several conflicts over the illegal Amona settlement outpost. First, he secures Atty. Gen. Avichai Mandelblit’s approval for the govt.’s plan to relocate the 40-odd families from Amona to a nearby plot of “abandoned” land. Second, he announces plans to petition the High Court of Justice for a 30-day delay of its evacuation and demolition order to give his govt. time to prepare temporary alternate housing for Amona’s residents. Third, he brokers a deal with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Education Minister Naftali Bennett on the so-called regulations bill, which Bennett is backing in order to retroactively authorize the illegal West Bank settlement outposts, including Amona. Netanyahu and Kahlon agree to reverse their positions and support the bill as long as Clause 7, the provision that specifically addresses Amona, is removed. (HA, JP, TOI, YA 12/4; HA, JP, YA 12/5)

Across Israel, Palestinian citizens gather to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the killing of 13 Palestinians by Israeli forces in 10/2000. Around 2,000 people, including several Joint List MKs, march through Sakhnin to mark the occasion. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 5 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during raids and house searches nr. Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Salfit; and patrol during the day nr. Nablus and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 18 Palestinians during late-night raids in the Old City, al-Tur, and Silwan. (HA, MNA, WAFA 10/1; PCHR 10/6)

The Israeli authorities announce that the IDF will be imposing a general closure of the West Bank and a temporary moratorium on passage to and from Gaza between midnight on 10/2 and midnight on 10/4 during the upcoming Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Only medical and humanitarian exceptions will be allowed. (HA, JP, MNA 10/2)

The Israeli NGO Peace Now reports that the Israeli Civil Admin. has advanced plans to build a new settlement outpost nr. Nablus, likely with the intention of housing the 40-odd families from the condemned Amona outpost. The plan for the new settlement includes 98 housing units, with an option to increase the number of units to 300. Peace Now also reports that plans for a new industrial zone nr. Ramallah were also advanced. (JP, MNA, PCN 10/2)

An Israeli settler on a motorcycle runs over and seriously injures an elderly Palestinian outside Duma village nr. Nablus; he dies later in the day. It is unclear if the collision is an accident or an intentional ramming attack. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in al-Am‘ari r.c. nr. Ramallah overnight, arresting 1 Palestinian and sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents; 4 Palestinians are injured. IDF troops arrest 4 more Palestinians during late-night raids and house searches in Jenin and around Bethlehem. Israeli forces uproot around 500 olive trees outside a village nr. Salfit. Overnight, unidentified suspects throw Molotov cocktails at a structure in an Israeli settlement nr. Nablus, causing damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police escort around 100 Jewish settlers and 13 Israeli archaeologists on a tour of Haram al-Sharif, and bar Palestinian maintenance workers from entering the sanctuary. They arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Ras al-Amud, the Old City, and Silwan. In Gaza, 8 Palestinians are injured when a tunnel collapses in e. Gaza City. In Israel, dozens of Palestinian protesters gather outside the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashqelon in solidarity with hunger-striking prisoner Bilal Kayed. A counter-protest by right-wing Israeli activists sparks minor clashes; 13 Palestinians and Israelis are arrested, and there are no serious injuries. (JP, MNA, WAFA 8/10; PCHR 8/11; PCHR 8/18)

The Israeli police announce a NIS 1 b. (approx. $260 m.) plan to increase their presence in Palestinian areas of East Jerusalem by adding 1,200 officers and 5 new outposts in Ras al-Amud, Jabal Mukabir, Silwan, Issawiyya, and Sur al-Bahir. The outposts will be headquartered in buildings that already offer civic services, such as national insurance and post, reportedly to stop them from becoming sources of tension, as police outposts in East Jerusalem have been in the past. (HA, JP 8/10)

In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct late-night house searches and raids nr. Hebron, Tulkarm, Ramallah, and Bethlehem, arresting 7 Palestinians, confiscating some personal property, and violently dispersing stone-throwers nr. Tulkarm (there are no injuries). They also patrol during the day nr. Hebron, Salfit, and Jenin. Israeli forces demolish a 4-km water pipeline under construction nr. Tubas overnight and 2 homes in the Jordan Valley during the day. A Palestinian demolishes 2 of his own animal shelters nr. Nablus to avoid paying for an Israeli demolition crew. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces issue an arrest summons to a Palestinian and arrest a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) leader during raids in Silwan, and order the closure of a Palestinian education organization, the Sa’ed Institution for Educational Consultations, in the Old City, claiming that it supports terrorism against Israelis. A Palestinian demolishes his own home in Ras al-Amud to avoid paying NIS 60,000 (approx. $16,000) for an Israeli demolition crew. (MNA, WAFA 8/8; PCHR 8/11; +972 8/13)

Israel’s army radio reports that the Israeli govt., in response to a Palestinian petition to the Supreme Court, has stated that it no longer opposes the Israel Electric Corporation’s (IEC) punitive cuts of electricity to areas of the West Bank. The IEC punitively cut power to major West Bank cities intermittently over the summer in response to unpaid Palestinian debts (see JPS 45 [4]). (TOI 8/8)

Hundreds of Israeli settlers visit Joseph’s Tomb nr. Nablus overnight, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and Palestinian youths; 2 Palestinians are injured. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 11 Palestinians during late-night house searches and raids in and around Hebron, Jenin, Tubas, Nablus, Qalqilya, Tulkarm, and Ramallah, sparking clashes nr. Tubas (2 Palestinians are lightly injured). They also patrol in and around Salfit and Hebron; assault and arrest a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Jenin (they also confiscate his tractor). In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault a guard at Haram al-Sharif and shut down repair work on a broken pipe at the sanctuary on the grounds that the proper permits were not secured beforehand. They also arrest 8 Palestinians during late-night raids in Silwan and al-Tur. A Palestinian demolishes his own home in Silwan to avoid paying for an Israeli demolition crew. (MNA, WAFA 8/2; PCHR 8/4)

Israel’s Knesset passes, 32–16, into law the so-called Youth Bill, which allows people under the age of 14 to be convicted of serious crimes, including murder, attempted murder, and manslaughter. (KNE, MNA, WAFA 8/3)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on 4 Palestinian fishing boats nr. Gaza City; they arrest 10 fishermen and confiscate 2 of their boats. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Rafah. In the West Bank, PA Security Forces (PASF) clash with unidentified gunmen in Kafr ‘Aqab village and Qalandia r.c. nr. Jerusalem, injuring 1 Palestinian youth in the crossfire. Meanwhile, Israeli forces close the entrances to Yatta with dirt mounds and rocks, further cracking down on the Hebron-area village in the wake of the 6/8 attack in Tel Aviv. IDF troops conduct late-night raids and house searches in Yatta, and in and around Jericho, and Salfit, arresting 8 Palestinians; and patrol nr. Hebron, Nablus, and Jenin throughout the day. (MNA, WAFA 6/15; PCHR 6/16; PHCR 6/23)

Fatah and Hamas officials resume Palestinian national reconciliation talks in Doha. This is the 3d round of talks in the latest push for reconciliation. The talks are set to continue through 6/18. (MNA 6/15; IMEMC 6/17)

The Jerusalem Municipality permits the construction of a 4-story residential building for Israeli settlers in Silwan. The municipality also pledges to “continue to build in all neighborhoods of the city.” (HA, JP, MNA, TOI 6/15)

Israel’s Knesset passes, 57–16, a so-called anti-terrorism law granting the state broad new powers to prosecute suspected “terrorism” cases. The Joint List decries the new law as “draconian,” echoing the views of Palestinian citizens of Israel and opponents of the right-wing govt. (HA, JP, MNA, YA 6/15)

A Gazan farmer is injured when he accidentally detonates a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance nr. Dayr al-Balah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth allegedly planning to carry out a stabbing attack in Shu‘fat. They also arrest 6 Palestinians during raids in Silwan, Jabal Mukabir, al-Tur, and Issawiyya. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols nr. Ramallah, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Salfit. (MNA, WAFA 5/19; PCHR 5/27)

A day after offering him the defense portfolio, Israeli PM Netanyahu agrees to Yisrael Beytenu chair Lieberman’s main demand for bringing his party into the ruling coalition: support for new legislation lowering the bar for death penalty sentences for Palestinians found guilty of serious crimes in military courts, meaning it would only affect Palestinians living in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). (HA, JP, TOI 5/19)

U.S. secy. of state Kerry confirms that he plans to attend the upcoming Paris peace summit, which the French have now rescheduled for 6/3 to accommodate his schedule. Russian FM Sergey Lavrov is also set to attend. (HA, JP 5/19)

At midnight, the Israeli authorities lift the Purim-related closure of the West Bank. Meanwhile, IDF troops conduct late-night raids in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem and Qalqilya, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians in both locales; 4 Palestinians are injured and 2 are arrested. They also raid the Hebron-area home of a Palestinian killed in Hebron on 3/24; 2 Palestinians are arrested. The IDF conducts further raids and house searches in Hebron and nr. Tulkarm and Bethlehem, arresting 5 Palestinians, violently disperses Palestinians demonstrating in Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, causing no injuries; and patrols nr. Salfit, Tulkarm, and Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers and shepherds working nr. Gaza City, causing no injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Silwan and Hizma. (MNA 3/26; MNA, WAFA 3/27; PCHR 3/31)

Fatah and Hamas officials meet in Doha for the 1st of 2 days of Palestinian national reconciliation talks. (MNA 3/27)

The IDF maintains, for a 2d day, the closure of Qabatiya where the 3 Palestinians suspected of perpetrating the 2/3 shooting in the Old City were from. In the village, an Israeli armored vehicle rams and seriously injures a Palestinian youth, and 3 other Palestinians are injured in intermittent clashes. (HA, MNA, WAFA 2/4; PCHR 2/11)

In Ramla, Israel, 2 Palestinian youths are detained after allegedly stabbing and lightly injuring an Israeli security guard at a bus station. In Silwan, unidentified assailants throw Molotov cocktails at an Israeli bus, causing substantial damage and no injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinian youths gathering in Jabal Mukabir, East Jerusalem, to call for the return of the bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces (there are no serious injuries).Israeli forces also demolish a building in al-‘Izzariya; conduct a raid in Abu Dis, sparking clashes with stone-throwers (there are no serious injuries); arrest 3 Palestinians on further raids in Silwan, Qalandia r.c., and Biddu. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 5 homes and 4 other Palestinian structures in the Jordan Valley, as well as 3 agricultural structures in a village nr. Ramallah overnight. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians protesting and throwing stones nr. Qalqilya; 1 Palestinian is injured. The IDF conducts raids and house searches in 1 village each nr. Salfit, Nablus, and 3 villages nr. Ramallah, arresting 6 Palestinians and issuing 1 family a notice to vacate their home; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 7 nr. Hebron. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 2/4; MNA 2/5; PCHR 2/11)

Palestinian hunger striker al-Qiq rejects an Israeli High Court of Justice decision to suspend his administrative detention until his health improves. Al-Qiq argued that the ruling upheld his administrative detention in a different form. (MNA 2/4)

Israeli PM Netanyahu files an ethics complaint against 3 MKs from the Joint List for their 2/2 visit to the East Jerusalem families of Palestinians who have allegedly committed serious crimes or attacks in recent mos. (HA, JP, YA 2/4; JP, TOI 2/5)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian nr. Jabaliya r.c. Elsewhere, Israeli forces conduct limited incursions to level land nr. Khan Yunis and Bayt Hanun. In the West Bank, IDF troops patrol in Thinaba village nr. Tulkarm late at night, sparking a brief exchange of fire with armed Palestinians; 1 Israeli soldier is injured. After the incident, the IDF declares the village a closed military zone and arrests 8 Palestinians during raids. Israeli forces seal off the entrance of a village nr. Bethlehem with earth mounds; demolish 2 residential structures and 2 bathrooms nr. Jericho. IDF troops conduct further late-night raids and house searches in 4 villages and alFawar r.c. nr. Hebron, as well as 1 village nr. Salfit, arresting 7 Palestinians; patrol in 4 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, Qalqilya and 1 village nearby, and 1 village nr. Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home under construction in Silwan late at night. Pursuant to the IDF’s 1/18 announcement, Palestinian workers are barred from entering Israeli settlements (the IDF also announces that the restriction will continue on 1/20). (TOI, WAFA 1/19; MNA, TOI, WAFA 1/20; PCHR 1/21)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 5 bedouin Palestinian residential structures in the E1 area nr. Jerusalem, displacing 26 bedouins; begin leveling land s. of Bethlehem in preparation for the construction of a military tower. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem, Tulkarm r.c., and 1 village each nr. Salfit and Ramallah, arresting 10 Palestinians; patrols in 4 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police raid the International Comm. of the Red Cross office overnight, arresting 6 Palestinian activists who have been staging a sit-in in protest of the Israeli orders to deport 2 of them. Israeli forces demolish 2 Palestinian homes in Silwan; arrest a Palestinian at Haram al-Sharif; arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids in Jabal Mukabir and al-‘Izzariya. In Israel, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian bedouin mosque in a so-called unrecognized village in the Negev. (HA, MNA 1/6; PCHR, WAFA 1/7; HA, MNA 1/8; PCHR 1/14)

The Israeli press reports that DM Moshe Ya’alon has approved, in recent weeks, the Gush Etzion settlement’s request to incorporate a nearby property into its municipality. (HA, JP, TOI 1/6)

Amid the ongoing wave of violence, the Israeli authorities proceed with demolition-related activities today. Israeli forces enter Qalandia r.c. and punitively demolish the residence of the Palestinian accused of shooting and killing an Israeli settler on 6/19, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 2 Palestinians are killed and 3 are injured. They also take photographs and measurements of the Hebron-area homes of 2 Palestinians who were accused of recent attacks on Israelis. (MNA, WAFA 11/15; HA 11/16; PCHR 11/19)

Elsewhere in the oPt, an IDF vehicle runs over a Palestinian child in a village nr. Jerusalem, causing moderate injuries. The IDF clashes with and violently disperses Palestinians protesting outside a settlement nr. Ramallah and w. of Qalqilya (3 Palestinians are injured). IDF troops force a Palestinian family off their agricultural land nr. Hebron for the 2d time in 2 days; patrol in Salfit and 2 areas nr. Hebron; conduct late-night house searches and raids in Hebron and 3 nearby villages, ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus, Jenin and 1 village nearby, confiscating files and materials from an orphanage nr. Hebron for unreported reasons, and arresting 10 Palestinians. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on land e. of Jabaliya r.c., causing no damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 10 Palestinians on raids in the Old City, Silwan, and Issawiyya. (MNA, WAFA 11/15; HA, MNA, NYT 11/16; PCHR 11/19)

In East Jerusalem, an Israeli settler assaults a Palestinian child in Silwan, sparking clashes between settlers and stone-throwing Palestinians, injuring 13 Palestinians and 4 Israeli police. Off Gaza’s n. coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage. Late at night, Israeli forces stationed e. of Gaza City open fire on and arrest 2 Palestinians approaching the border fence. In the West Bank, IDF troops search the Nablus home of the city’s PA police chief, evicting his wife and children. Forces conduct further raids and house searches in Nablus, and nr. Salfit and Bethlehem, arresting 2 Palestinians and issuing an arrest summons to a 3d; patrol in villages nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, and Salfit. They also violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at Friday demonstrations against the recent restrictions on access at Haram al-Sharif in 4 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, and Silwad) and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, injuring 6 Palestinians. (MNA 9/11; MNA, WAFA 9/12; HA 9/13; PCHR 9/17)

A 3d mbr. of the Dawabsha family succumbs to injuries sustained in the Israeli settlers’ arson attack on her Duma home on 7/31 (her husband and 18-mo.-old child were also killed), sparking Palestinian demonstrations across East Jerusalem. Israeli forces violently disperse them in Silwan, al-Tur, and Wadi al-Juz, injuring 2 Palestinians. Meanwhile in the West Bank, Israeli forces assault 3 Palestinians outside a settlement nr. Hebron, moderately injuring them. IDF troops conduct late-night house searches and raids in al-Fawar r.c. and nr. Hebron and Jenin, arresting 3 Palestinians; patrol nr. Salfit, Qalqilya, and Hebron. On Gaza’s border e. of Jabaliya r.c., Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel for work. Meanwhile, the Egyptian authorities partially open the Rafah border crossing, allowing a number of Gazans to cross through for Hajj (they will open the crossing again on 9/8 and 9/9). (AFP, HA, MNA, NYT 9/7; HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 9/8; PCHR 9/10; OCHA 9/11)

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Dayr al-Balah and Jabaliya fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers and agricultural areas nr. the border fence, causing damage. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and raids in and around Qalqilya, 2 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 village nr. Jenin, and Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrols in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Salfit. IDF troops arrest 3 Palestinians at a checkpoint nr. Jerusalem and 2 more at an entrance to the Gush Etzion settlement bloc. Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders to Palestinians in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Tubas; demolish a well, a wall, and 10 olive trees in a village nr. Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian woman as she is exiting Haram al-Sharif and 6 youth playing in the sanctuary. They also conduct house searches and raids in al-Jdayra, arresting 4 youth and sparking light clashes; arrest 2 Palestinian youths in Bayt Hanina. Israeli authorities issue demolition orders for 5 Palestinian-owned buildings in Silwan. (MNA, WAFA 3/23; MNA 3/24; PCHR 3/26)

Swiss amb. to the PA Paul Garnier visits Gaza to discuss a possible long-term cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. UN Special Coordinator Serry conducted similar meetings in Gaza on 3/2. (MNA 3/23; ALM 4/14)

Fearing that the continued tax revenue freeze could spark an uprising in the West Bank, Senior IDF officers say that the IDF has issued 10,000 permits for Palestinian laborers in the West Bank and has directed its troops to engage in clashes with Palestinian protesters less frequently. (TOI 3/23; YA 3/24)

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough clarifies the Obama admin.’s response to Israeli PM Netanyahu’s campaign rhetoric and subsequent attempts to defend himself from international criticism in a speech at the annual J Street conference. “After the election,” McDonough says, “the PM said that he had not changed his position, but for many in Israel and in the international community, such contradictory comments call into question his commitment to a 2-state solution, as did his suggestion that the construction of settlements has a strategic purpose of dividing Palestinian communities and his claim that conditions in the larger Middle East must be more stable before a Palestinian state can be established.” (YA 3/23; HA, TOI 3/24)

In Geneva, the UNHRC holds its scheduled debate on Israeli violations of Palestinian rights in the oPt. Israel is absent, pursuant to its longtime boycott of the council, but so is the U.S. Israel’s FM denies a Reuters report claiming that the U.S. absence stems from the Obama admin.’s recently announced reassessment of its policy on defending Israel in international institutions. Later, U.S. amb to the UNHRC Keith Harper confirms that the U.S. has joined the Israeli boycott due to the UNHRC’s focus on Israel. (JP, REU, TOI 3/23; JP 3/24)

Israeli forces conduct a series of military exercises along the Gaza border fence. IDF troops e. of Jabaliya and Khan Yunis open fire on agricultural lands nr. the border fence, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and raids in 1 village and ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c. nr. Nablus, ‘Ayn al-Sultan r.c. nr. Jericho, 1 village each nr. Qalqilya, Salfit, and Ramallah, as well as in Bethlehem, arresting 6 Palestinians; patrols in 1 village nr. Qalqilya, 3 each nr. Hebron and Ramallah, and 2 nr. Tulkarm. Israeli settlers throw stones at 2 Palestinian girls nr. Hebron, injuring 1. In East Jerusalem, around 130 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif, and Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians in the sanctuary. An unknown Palestinian assailant assaults a Jewish Israeli in the Old City, lightly injuring him. Israeli forces deliver demolition notices to several homes in Silwan; raid homes in Jabal Mukabir and Issawiyya, arresting 2 Palestinians. Separately, dozens of Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists gather in the Old City to protest Israeli evictions of Palestinians in the area. (MNA 3/20; AFP, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/22; AFP, WAFA 3/23; PCHR 3/26)