The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized Palestinian-owned property in al-Sawiya, slashing tires on 12 cars and writing racist graffiti on houses. Israeli forces delivered demolition orders for 1 park, 1 unpaved road, retaining walls, 1 playground, and 1 storage space in Haris; for several residential structures, 1 barn, and 1 water well south of Hebron; demolished and seized residential shacks and tents south of Hebron; and demolished and seized 1 greenhouse in Sawahara al-Sharqiyya. Thousands of Palestinians protested in Ramallah against Israel’s planned annexation of parts of the West Bank. 7 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around al-‘Izzariya, al-Khadir, Bayt Fajjar, and Qabatiya. In East Jerusalem, 21 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Tur, Wadi al-Juz, Silwan, Issawiyya, and the Old City; during a raid in al-Tur, Israeli forces seized 1 vehicle. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian agricultural lands east of al-Maghazi; no injuries were reported. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/8; PCHR 6/11)

PLO secretary general Saeb Erakat, in an op-ed in Haaretz, called on the international community to begin imposing sanctions on Israel to force Israel to back away from annexing parts of the West Bank. (HA 6/8)

In an interview with the New York Times, Hussein al-Sheikh, head of the PA’s general authority of civil affairs, said that if Israel moves ahead with annexing parts of the West Bank the financial repercussions for the PA would mean it would have to cut its $105 million a month in payments for salaries and medical expenses in Gaza. Al-Sheikh also said that the PA forces no longer would extradite Israelis arrested in PA controlled areas and that these would be tried in PA courts. (NYT 6/8)

An Israeli border police officer was convicted of assault and reckless use of a weapon after a court found that she had shot a Palestinian man using a rubber-coated bullet in the back “for fun.” (HA 6/8)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked 2 Palestinians in Hebron with pepper spray. Israeli settlers also uprooted some 400 olive tree saplings in al-Khadir during 2 separate raids. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian trying to enter Israel near Qalqilya; he was hit with 3 rubber-coated bullets. 6 Palestinians were arrested, including 3 during late-night raids in and around Qalqilya and Bayt Umar, and 3 were arrested during raids in and around ‘Azun and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces and Palestinians clashed during a raid in Issawiyya, leading to tear-gas related injuries. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian agricultural lands east of Khuza‘a, Bayt Hanun, al-Maghazi, and Abasan; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen on 2 separate occasions 3 nautical miles from Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA 4/12; WAFA 4/13; PCHR 4/16)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uprooted some 200 olive trees and 80 vine trees in al-Khadir. Israeli forces demolished 2 residential structures and 2 animal barns south of Hebron; and 1 house and 1 workshop in al-Walaja. 12 Palestinians were arrested in and around Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya, and Ramallah. 1 Fatah official from Jericho was placed in 6-month administrative detention without charges. During a raid in Jenin, Israeli forces and Palestinians clashed; 1 Palestinian was injured by a rubber-coated bullet. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian minor was arrested. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian agricultural lands east of Dayr al-Balah and al-Maghazi; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/27; PCHR 3/5)

In Syria, an Israeli drone strike killed 1 person near Quneitra. Syrian opposition media reported that the man was a Hezbollah operative, while Syrian state media said he was a local policeman. (HA 2/27)

Japan donated $22.4 million for various UNRWA projects throughout Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. (WAFA 2/28)

The IDF makes its largest daylight arrest raid in the West Bank in more than 2 yrs., sending troops, armored vehicles, bulldozers into Ramallah, with helicopter support, arresting 4 and sparking an exchange of gunfire that leaves 4 Palestinians dead (including at least 3 bystanders), more than 20 wounded (including a journalist); the main target, local AMB leader Rabi‘a Hamad, is wounded but escapes. In reaction Abbas issues a statement saying that the raid proves that “Israeli calls for peace and security are fake.” Haniyeh again cuts short his regional tour to return to Gaza to deal with factional violence. In accordance with new security arrangements agreed by Abbas, Israel, the U.S., and European Union (EU) on 1/3, Haniyeh is forced to undergo a stringent security check before being allowed back into Gaza. In addition, the IDF sends undercover units into al-Duha nr. Bethlehem in a vehicle with Palestinian license plates, where they shoot, wound, arrest a wanted Palestinian; conducts arrest raids, house searches in al-Khadir nr. Bethlehem. Meanwhile, IDF troops on the Gaza border fire on Palestinian farmers working their land nr. the border fence n. of Bayt Lahiya, wounding 4. Suspected Fatah mbrs. ambush an ESF convoy in Bayt Lahiya, killing 1 ESF mbr., wounding 2. Later in the evening, ESF mbrs. surround the Bayt Lahiya home of PSF Col. Muhammad Gharib, who was allegedly involved in the ambush, sparking an exchange of gunfire and RPGs that leaves Gharib, 4 of his guards dead, at least 36 Palestinians wounded (including 8 children). In al-Maghazi and Dayr al-Balah, 5 Palestinians are wounded in clashes btwn. Fatah, Hamas supporters. Hamas releases Fatah mbrs. kidnapped in Bayt Lahiya on 1/3 in a deal brokered by smaller factions. In Gaza City, a Hamas mbr. dies of injuries he received on 1/3 when a bomb he was handling exploded prematurely. In Jenin, unidentified assailants set fire to car of the PA Prison Affairs M. (HA, MM 1/4; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/5; NYT 1/6; HA 1/7; MM 1/8, 1/9; OCHA 1/10; PCHR 1/11; MM 1/12)