The Palestine Chronology

Hamas officials in Gaza say that since 5/30, Egypt has returned a high number of travelers to Gaza and imposed new limitations on the number of Palestinians allowed to enter and exit via the Rafah crossing, keeping the number to between 350 and 400/day entering Egypt (up only slightly from the average 300/day in recent mos.) and effectively undoing Egypt’s “permanent opening”. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night raids into Dayr al-Ghusun village to arrest Hamas-affiliate PC mbr. ‘Abd al-Rahman Zidan, into Balata r.c. to arrest Fatah PC mbr. Yasir al-Badrasawi, and into Nablus to arrest local Hamas leader Ghassan Thougan; conducts other late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem. More than 40,000 Israeli Jews march through East Jerusalem to mark Jerusalem Day, celebrating Israel’s seizure of the Arab part of the city during the 1967 war. (AFP 6/1; JP, REU 6/1; NYT, PCHR, WP 6/2; PCHR 6/9; OCHA 6/10)

In Gaza, IDF soldiers in the Erez industrial zone fire on Palestinians collecting scrap metal nr. the site, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids nr. Jenin, Qalqilya and in Aida r.c., Balata r.c., Nablus (detaining a PA General Intelligence officer). AFP photographer Razuri is released unharmed in Gaza City. Fatah gunmen release a video of Nablus dep. mayor Hambali, kidnapped on 1/6, threatening to expand attacks on Hamas if the ESF is not disbanded. (NYT, WP, WT 1/8; OCHA, WT 1/10; PCHR 1/11)

As Operation Starting All Over Again continues, IDF warplanes launch 12 more air strikes on Gaza, cutting electricity to 1,000s of Palestinian homes, causing serious damage but no injuries; continue conducting sonic booms over the Strip roughly every 20 mins. almost around the clock. The IDF also drops leaflets on Gaza warning of more air strikes until there is a “total cessation of terror attacks”; responds to Palestinians firing a rocket at Sederot (no damage or injuries) with artillery fire on the launch site in n. Gaza, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches and fires on residential areas in and around Balata r.c., Nablus; Palestinians set fire to 1 IDF vehicle in Nablus during the operation. The IDF also fires on stonethrowing Palestinians in Dura, wounding 8. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba rampage through Palestinian areas of Hebron, damaging 10s of houses, seriously injuring 1 Palestinian. Jewish settlers fr. Carmiel, rampage through Yatta village, damaging 10s of Palestinian homes and 1 car. In Ramallah, PA police break up a protest in front of the PA headquarters by Birzeit University students demanding the release of jailed student leader of the Islamic movement at Birzeit, Ala’ Barahma; several students are injured. (ABC News, YA 10/29; AFP, HA, IMEMC, WT, YA 10/30; IMEMC, OCHA 10/31; PCHR 11/10)

Palestinian gunmen fire on an IDF post in Hebron, wounding 2 soldiers; the IDF returns fire, killing a Palestinian bystander. The IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Balata r.c., fires on residential areas of Jenin r.c. and town. Jewish settlers fr. Avraham Avino rampage through Palestinian areas of Hebron, damaging Palestinian property, threatening residents. Jewish settlers fr. Beitar Ilit severely beat a 75-yr.-old Palestinian farmer working his land in Husan. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar attack, vandalize Palestinian homes in Ourif nr. Nablus; the IDF intervenes to fire tear gas at Palestinians who attempt to fend off the settlers. Hamas mbr. Hamad Adah dies of injuries received in the 7/15 IDF air strike on Gaza City that assassinated 4 other Hamas mbrs. (AFP, IMEMC, PRCS 7/22; OCHA 7/27; PCHR 7/28)

The IDF fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, wounding an 8-yr.-old Palestinian; demolishes 5 Palestinian homes outside Nablus that were built without permits; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron. IDF soldiers escorting Jewish settlers to Joseph’s Tomb nr. Balata r.c. exchange gunfire with local Palestinians, leaving 1 AMB mbr. dead, 1 AMB mbr. and 1 bystander wounded. In Gaza, 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs. attempt to infiltrate Morag settlement, 1 is fatally shot by the IDF, 1 is wounded. In Gaza, a Jewish settler injures 3 Palestinians in a hit-and-run incident outside of Kefar Darom, local Palestinians race to the scene and IDF soldiers, other Kefar Darom settlers race to the driver’s defense, sparking clashes that leave 9 Palestinians injured, 2 seriously. In a separate incident in Gaza, a Jewish settler fr. Gadid injures a 57-yr.-old Palestinian farmer in a hit-and-run incident outside Khan Yunis. (XIN 7/6; VOP 7/6 in WNC 7/7; AFP, IMEMC, PCHR, PRCS 7/7; VOI 7/7 in WNC 7/8; ISM 7/12; OCHA 7/13; PCHR 7/14)

Israel announces that the IDF will resume targeting Islamic Jihad mbrs. for assassination. The PA warns that the move could rupture the unofficial cease-fire, but Israel argues that the targeting would still be in line with truce provisions, which it claims allow Israel to defend itself against imminent attack if the PA security forces fail to do so; the PA rejects this. Later, the IDF fires missiles at a group of Islamic Jihad mbrs. in Bayt Lahiya in an apparent assassination attempt. The IDF also conducts major arrest raids, house searches in Balata r.c. and Nablus, clashing with local gunmen, leaving no reported casualties; conducts other arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, nr. Jenin; demolishes 10 Palestinian homes in Jiftlik nr. Jericho; bulldozes 5 d. of land in, fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis; conducts patrols in Kafr Dik nr. Nablus, Tamun nr. Jenin. A Palestinian grabs the gun of an Israeli security guard at the Barkan industrial zone nr. Ariel settlement, shoots and wounds the guard, flees. Palestinian gunmen fire on an IDF outpost nr. Gush Katif, causing damage but no injuries. Palestinian gunmen fire on a building in Balata r.c. where Qurai‘ is giving a speech, detonate a roadside bomb as he and his convoy leave the area; no injuries are reported in either incident, no group claims responsibility. (AFP, HA, WP, WT, XIN 6/22; PCHR 6/23; VOP 6/23 in WNC 6/24; OCHA, PR 6/29; PHRC 6/30)

Sharon orders the IDF to intensify operations against Palestinian militants and to act “without restrictions, I emphasize, without restrictions” to halt “terrorism,” stating that Abbas is “not lifting a finger” to stop attacks on Israelis. The IDF withdraws fr. Gaza City (having bulldozed a total of 80 d., wounding at least 13 Palestinians since 1/15) but continues targeted operations in the outskirts of the city; shells Khan Yunis, damaging 1 Palestinian home, then firing on the family when they emerge to check the damage, killing a Palestinian mother and son, wounding the father, saying soldiers fired on suspicious “figures gathering information about IDF troops” in the area; separately fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, hitting Nasser Hospital; fires on residential areas of Balata r.c., Rafah; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Abasan nr. Khan Yunis, Hebron, Husan, Ithna, Saida. Hamas fires 3 mortars at an IDF post in Gaza, 1 Qassam rocket at Gadid settlement, causing no damage or injuries. Palestinian gunmen fire on an IDF patrol in Jenin, wounding 4 soldiers. (AFP, HA, JAZ, VOI, VOP, YA 1/16, MENA 1/17 in WNC 1/20; NYT, WP, WT 1/17; JTA 1/18; HA, OCHA 1/19; PR 1/20; PCHR 1/27)