The Palestine Chronology

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis open fire on agricultural land nr. the border fence, causing no damage or injuries. Later, Israeli soldiers e. of Rafah arrest 3 Palestinians as they attempt to cross the border into Israel. Meanwhile, Palestinians gather outside UNRWA’s office in Gaza City in a sit-in protest organized by Hamas against the agency’s 1/27 suspension of its cash assistance program. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum); 1 Palestinian in each Nabi Salih and Kafr Qaddum are moderately injured. The IDF also disperses stone-throwing Palestinian youth nr. Ramallah; conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Hebron; patrols nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Tulkarm, as well as al-‘Arub r.c. (MNA 1/30; PCHR 2/5)

The Israeli govt. publishes tenders for the construction of a hotel and several offices in Ma’ale Adumim and 450 new homes in 4 other settlements in the West Bank. Also, the Jerusalem Building and Planning Comm. republishes a plan for 93 new housing units in s. Gilo in East Jerusalem. (HA, Peace Now 1/30)

Acting pres. of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Joachim Rücker receives a letter of complaint from Israel’s permanent rep. to the UN in Geneva Eviatar Manor, alerting him to the previously unreported fact that the head of the UNHRC’s 3-mbr. commission currently investigating possible war crimes committed during OPE, William Schabas, was paid $1,300 for a consulting job with the PLO in 2012. (HA 2/3)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Jabaliya open fire on a group of Palestinian youth nr. the border fence, injuring 1. Off the s. coast, Egyptian naval forces open fire on a Palestinian fishing boat, injuring 1 fisherman and arresting the other. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), injuring 4 Palestinians with rubber-coated metal bullets and gas canisters in Bil‘in. Israeli soldiers also violently disperse protests outside Ofer detention center and Silwad nr. Ramallah, injuring 4 Palestinians, as well as in Susiya village nr. Hebron, where they assault Mustafa Barghouti, secy.-gen. of the Palestinian National Initiative. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Ni‘lin; patrols nr. Hebron, Ramallah, Tulkarm, Jenin, and Jericho. An Israeli settler attempts to hit a Palestinian child with his car nr. Tulkarm. Separately, unknown assailants throw stones at Israeli settlers’ cars nr. the Ofra settlement, lightly injuring 2 women. In East Jerusalem, IDF troops clash with Palestinians in Wadi al-Juz, al-Tur, al-‘Izzariya, and Abu Tor, firing tear gas and stun grenades and detaining 5 Palestinian youths. The Israeli police arrest 3 Palestinian women as they exit Haram al-Sharif and ban 4 others from entering the area for 3 days, following their release from detention late on 1/22. (MNA, TOI 1/23; MNA, WAFA 1/24; PCHR 1/29)

In the Gaza Strip, Egyptian authorities keep the Rafah border crossing open for a 3d day. Meanwhile, unknown assailants blow up the car of a local Fatah leader using a flammable liquid. Off the coast nr. al-Sudaniyya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage. Meanwhile, IDF troops e. of Rafah open fire on agricultural land along the border fence, causing damage. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish several residential and storage structures owned by Palestinians nr. Jerusalem and deliver a stop-work order to a construction site nr. Hebron. The IDF patrols nr. Hebron and Jenin; raids 3 homes in Tulkarm overnight belonging to friends and family of the Palestinian man who stabbed 13 Jewish Israelis in Tel Aviv on 1/21, arresting 2. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct arrest raids in al-Tur. In West Jerusalem, around 10 Jewish Israelis attack a Palestinian Druze university student, severely injuring him, after they hear him speaking in Arabic. (MNA, WAFA 1/22; HA 1/23; PCHR 1/29)

PA PM Hamdallah meets with Swedish consul-gen. Ann-Sofie Nilsson in Ramallah. Hamdallah calls on the international community to pressure Israel into unfreezing the transfers of tax revenue to the PA, which have been held since 1/2. Meanwhile, reps. of the PA and Russia meet and sign 2 bilateral agreements, which will establish joint comms. to supervise economic cooperation between them. (MNA 1/22, 1/23)

In Israel, the major non-Zionist parties— Hadash, Balad, Ta’al, and Ra’am—announce that they have agreed to run on a joint list in the 3/17 election. Ayman Odeh, newly elected chair of Hadash, will lead the list. Earlier in the day, the Knesset House Comm. approved the request to split the Ra’am and Ta’al parties, which were joined at the United Arab List in the current Knesset under Ahmad Tibi’s leadership. (HA, TOI 1/22; +972, HA, NYT 1/23)

The State Dept. announces that neither Pres. Obama nor Secy. of State Kerry will meet with Israeli PM Netanyahu when he visits Washington to address a special session of Congress on 3/3. A State Dept. spokesperson cites “long-standing practice and principle” when explaining why the pres. would not meet with another head of state 2 weeks ahead of his or her national election. (HA, JP 1/22; JTA 2/1)

Sixty-three of the 751 mbrs. of the EU parliament send a letter to foreign affairs chief Mogherini asking her to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which has governed the trade relationship since 2000. The 63 MEPs cite serious violations of international law committed during OPE. (WAFA 1/27; EI 2/4)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Jabaliya r.c. open fire on a group of Palestinians, moderately injuring 1. Also, 100s of Palestinians pray outside the Rafah border crossing, protesting its closure since 12/23. Meanwhile, police officers dismantle a 1,000 kg piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance left in Gaza City after OPE. Late at night, unknown persons vandalize the French Cultural Center, leaving slogans criticizing French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo’s recent publication of a cartoon featuring a likeness of the Prophet Muhammad. Also, the Gaza power plant resumes operation of a 3d turbine (out of 4 total), following the receipt of aid from the Qatari govt. for additional fuel. Daily scheduled power outages in Gaza decrease from 18 to 12 hours. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), and nonweekly demonstrations in Surayf village nr. Hebron and outside Ofer detention center. In total, 10 Palestinians are seriously injured (2, Bil‘in; 7, Kafr Qaddum; 1, Surayf). Also, IDF troops conduct house searches and arrest raids nr. Ramallah, Qalqilya, and in al-‘Arub r.c.; patrol nr. Jenin; arrest a Palestinian man at a border crossing n. of Jenin. Separately, a Palestinian throws stones at Israeli settlers’ vehicles between Jerusalem and Ramallah, injuring 1. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian in al-‘Izzariya. Meanwhile, 100s of Palestinians gather at Haram al-Sharif after Friday prayers to protest the Charlie Hebdo cartoon. In s. Israel, Palestinian bedouin residents of Rahat observe a general strike called for by the Arab High Follow-Up Comm. in protest of the 1/14 killing of Sami al-Ajar by Israeli police. The comm. also called for a strike on 1/18. (MNA 1/16; AFP, TOI 1/17; +972 1/19; PCHR 1/22; OCHA 1/23)

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda opens a preliminary examination into the situation in Palestine to cover the time period since 6/13. Meanwhile, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women Rashida Manjoo cancels her fact-finding mission to the oPt because Israeli authorities refused to give her a visa. (MNA, TOI 1/16; EI, MNA, WAFA 1/17)

Speaking at a joint press conference, U.S. Pres. Obama affirms that he will veto any new sanctions legislation that the new Republicanled Congress may pass, and UK PM David Cameron criticizes the sanctions proposals. Meanwhile, U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with Iranian FM Zarif in Paris and discusses the negotiations over Iran’s disputed nuclear program, as U.S. and Iranian officials meet in Geneva for bilateral talks. Zarif also meets with French FM Fabius. (AFP, AP, MNA, TOI 1/16)

In the Gaza Strip, Egyptian troops open fire on Palestinian youth along the border e. of Rafah, killing 1 and arresting 3. In 2 separate incidents, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence (e. of Khan Yunis r.c. and e. of Jabaliya r.c.) open fire on stone-throwing Palestinians, moderately injuring 2. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers from the Adi Ad outpost throw stones outside Turmus ‘Ayya at 2 vehicles from the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem, causing light damage. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), where they arrest 1 Palestinian. In the evening, Israeli troops clash with stone-throwing Palestinians in a village nr. Ramallah, then impose a curfew on the village and arrest 1 resident. (AP, HA, MNA, TOI 1/2; IMEMC, MNA, YA 1/3; OCHA 1/15)

Senior Palestinian leaders meet in Ramallah and discuss resubmitting their res. to the UNSC since 5 new mbrs. joined the council on 1/1. PA Pres. Abbas meets with Jordanian officials about the timing of the resubmission. (TOI 1/3; DS 1/4)