The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, the IDF expels 35 Palestinian Bedouin families from their homes in the n. Jordan Valley. The IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in al-‘Arub. r.c. nr. Hebron in the afternoon. Jewish settlers destroy around 100 olive trees in Wadi Yanun nr. Nablus. Separately,settlers assault a Palestinian in the village of Turmus ‘Ayya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish 3 Palestinian homes in Bayt Hanina, Sur alBahir, and Jabal Mukabir, and compel another man to demolish his own home, leaving 28 homeless. Clashes erupt in Jabal Mukabir, leaving 15 Palestinians injured and 7 arrested. (MNA, WAFA 2/5; PCHR 2/6)

The Jerusalem municipality approves plans for 558 new housing units in East Jerusalem settlements Har Homa, Neve Ya’acov and Pisgat Ze’ev. The U.S. State Dept. condemns the decision, with spokesperson Jen Psaki telling the daily press briefing that they oppose “any unilateral actions” that prejudice the creation of “a positive atmosphere for the negotiations.” (JP, REU 2/5)

U.S. Under Secy. of State Wendy Sherman tells the Senate Foreign Relations Cmte. that the Obama administration is warning businesses heading to Iran that “Tehran is not open for business” because the “sanctions relief is quite temporary, quite limited, and quite targeted.” Meanwhile, a French business delegation with 116 mbrs. visits Tehran. (AFP 2/5)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Hebron and 1 village nearby at night. (PCHR 8/15)

Israel gives final approval to 1,086 settlement homes in the West Bank, including 920 new units, and 166 being given retroactive legalization, spread over 7 settlements. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat writes to U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry and complains that settlement construction is making it unlikely that renewed talks can be fruitful, but does not threaten to pull out of the negotiations. U.S. State Dept. spokesperson Jen Psaki tells a press briefing in Washington that the Obama administration is making its concerns known to Israeli PM Netanyahu. (AFP, HA, JTA, REU 8/8)