The Palestine Chronology

Thousands of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border fence to continue the Great March of Return. Hamas reportedly orders the protesters to stay away from the fence so as not to provoke any escalation of violence. Nevertheless, IDF troops violently disperse the demonstrations near Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and Jabaliya refugee camp; 60 Palestinians are injured. Also along Gaza’s border fence, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Khan Yunis and open fire on Palestinian youths approaching the border fence near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians at a Friday protest against the Israeli occupation in 3 villages near Ramallah (Ras Karkar, al-Mughayyir, and Bil‘in) and Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya; 4 Palestinians are injured. They also arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in and around Bethlehem; and patrol near Nablus, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya. Israeli forces confiscate a bulldozer from a Palestinian construction site near Salfit. Israeli settlers puncture the tires of several Palestinian-owned vehicles and spray racist graffiti on nearby walls in al-Jaba‘ village near Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in al-Salam. (JP, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 11/30; JP 12/1; PCHR 12/6)

A Jordanian laborer assaults and moderately injures 2 Israelis in Eilat. The Israeli police say they suspect the attacker of having political motivations. The Jordanian was in Israel with a work visa. His first day of work in Israel was 11/29. (HA 11/30)

IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday protests against Israel’s occupation, settlements, and separation wall in 3 villages near Ramallah (Nabi Salih, Bil‘in, and Ni‘lin), Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya, and along Gaza’s border near Jabaliya refugee camp; 4 Palestinians are injured. Elsewhere in the West Bank, the IDF arrests a Palestinian in central Hebron, allegedly for carrying a knife, arrests 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid near Tulkarm, and patrols near Hebron, Nablus, and Salfit. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police violently disperse Palestinians protesting outside the Sheikh Jarrah home where a Palestinian family was evicted on 9/5; 3 Palestinians are arrested. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA, WAFA 9/8; PCHR 9/14)

The Egyptian authorities partially open the Rafah border crossing, allowing Muslims to return from their pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. (MEMO 9/8; OCHA 9/14)

Israeli forces arrest a mentally unstable Palestinian after he stabs and kills a UK woman on the Jerusalem Light Rail nr. the Old City. Elsewhere in Jerusalem, Israeli police arrest 4 Muslim worshippers when they attempt to stop Jewish settlers from praying at Haram alSharif. They arrest 10 more as they are exiting the sanctuary, and also arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Shu‘fat. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian at a checkpoint outside Nabi Salih after he is found to be carrying a knife. Meanwhile, they violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s occupation, separation wall, settlements, and withholding of Palestinian corpses in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Nabi Salih, Bil‘in, and Ni‘lin), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, and Bethlehem; 4 Palestinians are injured. They also establish a mobile checkpoint e. of Tubas, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 4 Palestinians are injured. The IDF patrols nr. Hebron during the day. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Jabaliya r.c., causing no injuries or damage. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers nr. Juhur al-Dik and again nr. Khan Yunis, causing no injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA 4/14; HA 4/15; PCHR 4/20)

The Israeli authorities open the Kerem Shalom border crossing to allow fuel to enter Gaza. They closed the crossing for Passover on 4/9, and are set to shut it down again from 4/15 through 4/17. (MNA 4/14)

The Gaza Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO) temporarily cuts off power throughout the region in protest of “unfair measures” imposed on the people of Gaza, including the reduction of former PA employees’ salaries. (MNA 4/14)

Across the oPt, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s occupation, separation wall, and settlements in 4 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Silwad, and Nabi Salih), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, and 2 areas along Gaza’s border; 7 Palestinians are injured and at least 4 are arrested. On Gaza’s border, an explosive device detonates under an armored Israeli bulldozer, causing damage but no injuries. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on 2 Palestinian fishing boats nr. Rafah, injuring 2 fishermen, arresting 4, and then confiscating the boats. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct house searches and raids nr. Hebron and Bethlehem, arresting 2 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 4; patrols in 3 villages nr. Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces disperse Palestinians conducting a sit-in in Silwan in protest of Israeli efforts to Judaize the city; 6 Palestinians are arrested and a tent is confiscated. Israeli police arrest a Palestinian for allegedly planning a stabbing attack outside the Old City, and temporarily detain a shaykh at Haram al-Sharif, accusing him of “incitement.” (JP, MNA, TOI, YA 4/8; PCHR 4/14)

A U.S. State Dept. spokesperson says that the Obama admin. has not decided whether or not to support the draft UNSC res. condemning Israel’s settlements that the Palestinians circulated earlier in the week (a U.S. veto would scuttle the effort). Separately, 394 mbrs., or 90%, of the House of Representatives sign onto a letter calling on U.S. pres. Obama to “oppose and, if need be, veto one-sided UNSC resolutions,” inter alia. (USSD 4/8; TOI 4/9; JP 4/10; JTA 4/15)

The Israeli crackdown on protests in East Jerusalem continues as the Israeli authorities restrict Palestinians’ access to Haram al-Sharif; only men over 40 and women are permitted to enter the sanctuary. Meanwhile, Israeli forces clash with Palestinian protesters across the city for the 2d day in a row (nr. the Old City and in Jabal Mukabir, Silwan, Issawiyya, Shu‘fat r.c., al-Tur, Abu Dis, al-‘Izzariya, and Wadi al-Juz); at least 4 Israeli police and 4 Palestinians are injured, and 11 Palestinians are arrested. Israeli forces also conduct raids and house searches in Silwan, Jabal Mukabir, Shaykh Jarrah, and the Old City, arresting 16 Palestinians and sparking minor clashes. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 9/18; PCHR 10/1)

As violence and tension spread from Jerusalem across the oPt, unknown persons launch a rocket from Gaza into Israel that lands in Sderot, damaging a bus. Iron Dome missile defense batteries intercept a 2d rocket fired toward Ashqelon. At night, IAF jets launch retaliatory air strikes on 3 Hamas military sites in n. Gaza, causing 2 minor injuries and serious damage. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage. Israeli forces e. of al-Bureij r.c. arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at Friday demonstrations against the Israeli occupation and recent restrictions at Haram al-Sharif in 7 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, outside Ofer Prison, Silwad, ‘Abwayn, and Jalazun r.c.), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, in and around Hebron, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and nr. Bethlehem; 8 Palestinians are injured and at least 13 Palestinians are detained. Israeli forces also patrol in 2 villages nr. Hebron and 1 nr. Jenin. Meanwhile, Palestinian police officers assault 2 young Palestinian protesters in Bethlehem (a video taken of the incident will proliferate on Palestinian media in the next few days). The PASF reportedly blocked a group of demonstrators from approaching an Israeli military post to protest the recent Israeli restrictions on access at Haram al-Sharif. (AJA, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 9/18; JP, MNA, YA 9/19; MNA 9/24; WAFA 9/27; PCHR 10/1)

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)

Off the coast of Gaza nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on 4 Palestinian fishing boats, seriously injuring 1 fisherman, arresting 2, and confiscating 2 boats. (The fisherman will die from his injuries on 3/7.) IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers approaching the border fence, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers clash with stone-throwing Palestinian activists nr. the rebuilt “Gate of Jerusalem” protest tent camp in Abu Dis; 7 Palestinians are lightly injured with rubber-coated metal bullets. IDF troops also violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 5 areas nr. Ramallah (Silwad, Bil‘in, Ni ‘lin, outside Ofer Prison, and Jalazun r.c.), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 7 Palestinians are moderately injured and 4 French activists are detained. Israeli soldiers open fire on a Palestinian vehicle at a checkpoint n. of Jenin, injuring 2 men; shoot and injure 5 stone-throwing Palestinian youth with live ammunition during clashes sparked when the soldiers patrol in Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah. The IDF conducts a house search nr. Ramallah; patrols in 4 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, 2 villages nr. Tulkarm, and 1 nr. Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian man rams his car into a group of Israeli police in Shaykh Jarrah, injuring 4 officers and 1 Israeli civilian. Israeli police shoot and critically injure the man, as he exits the car with a knife; they arrest him. The Israeli police summon the man’s father and brother for interrogation and increase security measures throughout the city. Israeli forces raid the man’s home in Ras al-Amud and homes in Silwan, sparking clashes; 2 Palestinians are injured and 2 are arrested. Hours after the attack, unknown assailants deface several gravestones at a Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 3/6; MNA, WAFA 3/7; PCHR 3/12; HA 3/16)