The Palestine Chronology

In the Gaza Strip, a mbr. of Hamas’s armed wing, IQB, dies of injuries sustained in Gaza City on 7/29/2014, during OPE. Also, a 3-story building in Dayr al-Balah collapses after being damaged during OPE last year. Meanwhile, Egyptian security forces shoot and injure a Palestinian exiting a tunnel on the Egyptian side of the border nr. Rafah. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a synagogue in a settlement outpost nr. Hebron early in the morning. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in Nablus, a nearby village, and Balata r.c., arresting 31 Palestinians, most affiliated with Hamas. They also arrest a Palestinian on a raid in al-Fara‘a r.c. nr. Jenin and patrol in 3 villages each nr. Hebron and Tulkarm, and 1 nr. Jenin. Nr. East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a mobile home in Bayt Hanina. In Israel, an Israeli man assaults a Palestinian worker from Jenin in a shop in Umm al-Fahm. Israeli forces demolish 3 structures in an unrecognized bedouin village in the Negev. (JP, MNA, WAFA 4/14; HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/15; HA, PCHR 4/16)

Israel’s COGAT Mordechai announces that starting today, Palestinian vehicles from the West Bank will be allowed to enter Jerusalem. In the 1st of 2 planned stages, over 100 Palestinian doctors are allowed to enter. Unrestricted travel for Palestinian businessmen and women will follow in the next phase. Palestinian cars have been banned from Jerusalem since the onset of the 2d intifada in 2000. (JP, MNA 4/14; HA 4/15)

In Syria, Palestinian residents of Yarmouk r.c. report that ISIS has begun retreating from previously held positions in the camp. Meanwhile, UNRWA sets up a distribution mission in a village nr. the camp to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees fleeing Yarmouk. (AFP, WAFA 4/14)

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Comm. unanimously approves, 19–0, an amended version of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which would give Congress an opportunity to approve or disapprove of any agreement made between the P5+1 and Iran and increase congressional oversight on verification of the deal. The bill is now available for a vote on the Senate floor. (AP, HA, NYT, POL, REU 4/14; AP, HA, MDW, TOI 4/15)

On 2 occasions off the coast of Gaza nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Bayt Jala village nr. Bethlehem, disrupting Palm Sunday celebrations. The IDF also conducts raids and house searches in 3 villages nr. Nablus, 1 village nr. Ramallah, and Jenin, arresting 18 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Jenin and Ramallah, and 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Jericho. Israeli forces deliver a demolition notice to a warehouse nr. Jenin. An Israeli settler rams a herd of Palestinian-owned sheep with his car nr. Qalqilya, injuring 29 of them. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault a group of Muslim worshippers at Haram alSharif, then they detain 3. Israeli forces also demolish part of a Palestinian’s home in the Old City; conduct house searches and raids in Ras al-Amud, Shu‘fat, and the Old City, arresting 9 Palestinians. (MNA, WAFA 3/29; PCHR 4/2)

On the 2d day of the Arab League’s 26th annual summit, the collected ministers agree to form a special comm. to organize the creation of a detailed timetable for the end of Israel’s occupation. (AFP, YA 3/29; JP 4/7)

Reps. of the Joint List and Palestinian activists conclude their 4-day march from unrecognized villages in the Negev to Pres. Rivlin’s residence in Jerusalem. Although he had earlier agreed to greet them, he is in Singapore for a state funeral. The coalition’s chair, Ayman Odeh, delivers a report on Palestinian bedouin communities in the Negev to Rivlin’s wife instead. (HA, WAFA 3/29; AFP, HA, WAFA 3/30)

EU amb. to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen says that the EU is not currently reassessing its policies regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite the recent reports that it is considering new sanctions on Israel’s settlements as an incentive for a new round of peace negotiations. He adds that the EU supports in principle a UNSC res. calling for a timetable on the Israeli occupation. (TOI 3/30)

Chinese FM Wang Yi, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, and UK Foreign Secy. Hammond join the 4th consecutive day of negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland. (AFP, ALM, AP, REU 3/29; HA 3/30; NYT 3/31)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces deliver stopwork notices to Palestinian homes and structures in 3 villages nr. Hebron. The IDF conducts raids and house searches in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, arresting 1 Palestinian; patrols in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Tulkarm. Israeli settlers destroy 1,200 almond and olive trees outside Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Wadi al-Juz, arresting 1 Palestinian. (MNA, WAFA 3/26; MNA 3/28; PCHR 4/2)

Reps. of the Joint List and Palestinian activists begin a 4-day protest march from unrecognized bedouin villages in the Negev to the Israeli president’s residence in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the Joint List requests 4 seats on the Knesset Finance Comm. in exchange for its allotted seats on the foreign affairs and defense comms., hoping to improve the position of Palestinian citizens of Israel. (HA 3/25; AFP, HA 3/26; HA 3/27)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry and U.S. Energy Secy. Moniz meet with Iranian FM Zarif and Iran’s atomic energy chief Salehi in Lausanne, Switzerland, for the 1st of 8 days of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program ahead of their 3/31 deadline for reaching a political accord. Afterward, Kerry calls Israeli PM Netanyahu to update him on the negotiations. (AP, HA, TOI 3/26; HA, REU 3/27)

In Gaza, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion nr. Rafah to level land. Off the coast nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage to 2 boats. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot 65 olive trees outside Turmus ‘Ayya village nr. Ramallah; perform religious rites at a site nr. Nablus, sparking clashes with local Palestinians; enter Isaac’s Hall in al-Ibrahimi Mosque in c. Hebron. After suspected Palestinian assailants set fire to an Israeli settler’s trailer nr. Nablus, the IDF imposes a curfew on a nearby Palestinian village and conducts raids and house searches in the area, sparking light clashes with residents. The IDF also conducts house searches in and around Hebron and Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Qalqilya and Jenin. IDF troops set up roadblocks and raid a school in a village nr. Jenin, sparking clashes with residents. Israeli forces destroy 300 olive trees and demolish 600 m of walls nr. Nablus; confiscate 2 water tanks nr. Tubas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Anabta village and in al-Tur, assaulting 1 Palestinian and arresting 2; arrest 4 Palestinian women at an entrance to Haram al-Sharif. In s. Israel, Israeli forces demolish several Palestinian bedouins’ homes in 3 villages in the Negev, and they surround a home in a 4th village, preparing to demolish it. (AFP, MNA, WAFA 3/19; AFP, MNA 3/20; PCHR 3/26)

In an interview with NBC, Israeli PM Netanyahu rolls back his 3/16 assertion that he will block the creation of a Palestinian state if chosen for a 3d consecutive term as PM. Later, U.S. Pres. Obama calls Netanyahu to officially congratulate him for his 3/17 victory, but also to discuss his controversial comments. Obama reportedly says that the U.S. will be reassessing its positions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in light of the PM’s new position. (AFP, HA, JP, NBC, REU, TOI 3/19; AFP, TOI, YA 3/20)

On the 4th day of bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Wall Street Journal reports that the P5+1 is refusing to compromise on its demand for staggered sanctions relief. (AP, JP, WSJ 3/19; AFP 3/20)

In the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Comm., chair Corker (R-TN) and ranking mbr. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) agree to delay a comm. vote on the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 until after the P5+1 and Iran’s deadline for reaching a political accord at the end of 3/2015. They schedule a vote for 4/14

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian at a junction between Bethlehem and Hebron, later alleging that the man was attempting to steal a car. The IDF raids the home of 2 PA security officers nr. Nablus, and Palestinian officials call it a provocative step. On a late-night arrest raid in Jenin r.c., Israeli soldiers shoot and injure a Palestinian man with rubber-coated metal bullets and arrest 4 others, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents and arresting 1 more. Hours after unknown assailants shoot at an Israeli military vehicle nr. Abud village n. of Ramallah, Israeli forces conduct house-to-house raids in the village, fire stun grenades and flares, and shut down a road leading to a nearby monastery. The IDF also conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Salfit and Hebron; demolishes 1 Palestinian home and 2 animal shelters in a village nr. Ramallah; arrests a Palestinian outside the Gush Etzion settlement nr. Bethlehem. Separately, an Israeli settler runs over with his car 2 sheep belonging to a Palestinian nr. Nablus. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli authorities reopen the Erez border crossing, having closed it on 1/8. IDF troops e. of Rafah open fire on agricultural land nr. the border fence, causing damage. Dozens of employees of the Hamas-run govt. protest outside the PA unity govt.’s headquarters in Gaza City, calling for their full salaries to be paid for the 1st time since 6/2. In East Jerusalem, unknown Israelis vandalize 11 Palestinian-owned vehicles in Bayt Safafa, puncturing tires and leaving racist pricetag graffiti. Israeli forces conduct a house search in al-‘Izzariya, arresting 2 Palestinians. In s. Israel, an Israeli police officer shoots and kills a 22-year-old Palestinian with live ammunition during an arrest raid in Rahat in the Negev, sparking clashes between the police and local Palestinians. Separately, Israeli forces demolish several steel structures in the nearby Palestinian bedouin village al-‘Araqib. This is the 80th time Israeli authorities have ordered demolitions in the village since 2010, when it was 1st targeted. (JP, MEE, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA 1/14; MNA, PCHR, WAFA 1/15; EI 1/16; PCHR 1/22; OCHA 1/23)

Hamas reactivates Gaza’s separate Palestinian Legislative Council and convenes a session of the body, a move that contravenes the national reconciliation deal that was announced on 4/23. No other parties attend the session. The decision comes after 2 weeks of increased tension between Hamas and the PA unity govt. (AFP, MNA, NYT 1/14; MNA 1/15)

PA Pres. Abbas meets with Egyptian pres. al-Sisi in Cairo to discuss Abbas’s proposed resubmission of the draft UNSC res. and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. (MNA, REU, WAFA 1/14)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with Iranian FM Zarif in Geneva to discuss the negotiations over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. Kerry says he is hoping to “accelerate the process to make greater progress,” but he will not participate in the coming 3 days of bilateral talks or the broader talks between reps. of Iran and the full P5+1 on 1/18. (ALM 1/17)

In the Sinai Peninsula, the Sinai Province of the Islamic State kills 3 bedouins suspected of collaborating with Israel. (MNA 1/15)