The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and seriously injure a Palestinian man at a checkpoint near Tulkarm. (The man will succumb to his injuries on 4/8.) They also clash with stone-throwing Palestinians in Hebron and Nabi Salih near Ramallah; 4 Palestinians are injured. The IDF arrests 10 Palestinians during late-night raids near Ramallah, Salfit, Jenin, and in Tubas; and patrols in Hebron and near Nablus and Salfit. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops arrest 3 unarmed Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel, and violently disperse dozens of Palestinians participating in the Great March of Return for a 4th day in a row near Jabaliya refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, Khan Yunis, Rafah, and Gaza City; 8 Palestinians are injured. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 5 Palestinians during late-night raids in Issawiyya and the Old City. (HA, TOI, WAFA 4/2; PCHR 4/5)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when the IDF violently dispersed peaceful protesters along Gaza’s border on 3/30, bringing the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 16. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 4/2)

Israeli forces punitively seal the entrances to Dayr Nizam village near Ramallah following repeated incidents of Palestinian youths throwing stones at Israeli settler vehicles in the area. Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a water pipeline serving Palestinian communities near Tubas. IDF troops arrest 13 Palestinians during late-night raids near Tulkarm, Hebron, Jenin, and Ramallah; arrest 3 Palestinian youths accused of stone-throwing in central Hebron, and patrol in and around Hebron and Tulkarm. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles driving outside Huwwara near Nablus, injuring 2 Palestinians. Settlers also attack Palestinian farmers working in the area, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian demolishes his own shop in Silwan to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. Israeli forces arrest 6 Palestinians during raids in Silwan and Anata refugee camp. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian agricultural lands near Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA, WAFA 11/13; MNA 11/14; PCHR 11/16)

Following weeks of tension in the wake of the 10/30 tunnel demolition (see Update), the IDF raises its alert level across Israel, triggering several precautionary measures in case PIJ retaliates. The Egyptian government is reportedly pressuring PIJ not to escalate the situation. (HA 11/13; YA 11/14)

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)

IDF troops clash with stone-throwing Palestinian youths at a checkpoint outside Ramallah; 2 Palestinians are lightly injured. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian allegedly planning a stabbing attack at Huwwara checkpoint nr. Nablus, arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Jenin, Hebron, Tubas, Ramallah, and Nablus; and patrol during the day in and around Qalqilya and Hebron. Israeli forces demolish a residential structure nr. Jericho. Palestinian youths throw stones at an IDF vehicle that reportedly entered Sa‘ir village nr. Hebron by accident. PASF and IDF troops then enter the village to escort the vehicle out. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 4 Islamic Waqf guards at Haram al-Sharif after they prevent an Israeli archaeologist from removing several stones from the sanctuary. The Israeli police escort the archaeologist and his colleagues out of the sanctuary and arrest 6 more guards during late-night raids across the city. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/27; HA, MNA 3/28; PCHR 3/30)

After closing it on 3/26, the Hamas-run Ministry of Interior in Gaza conditionally re-opens the Erez border crossing this morning. Medical patients, families visiting prisoners in Israel, women of all ages, and men between the ages of 15 and 45 are allowed to exit Gaza, and all are able to enter, as long as they possess the appropriate permissions. Meanwhile, Hamas’s Atty. Gen. Ismail Jaber issues a gag order on the publication of any information relating to the investigation into the killing of senior military cmdr. Fuqaha on 3/24. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI 3/27)

Israeli PM Netanyahu has decided to reassess his ban on Israeli MKs and ministers visiting Haram al-Sharif, according to reports in the Israeli press today. Any change in the current policy would come after a 3-mo. assessment period. Netanyahu instituted the ban in 10/2015 during the habba, the surge of Palestinian resistance, random attacks, and protests that began in Jerusalem in 9/2015. (JP, TOI 3/27; MNA 3/29)

IDF troops clash with stone-throwing Palestinians in Tuqu‘ nr. Bethlehem; 1 Palestinian is killed and at least 6 are injured. Palestinian witnesses say that IDF soldiers dragged the injured Palestinian away from the clashes unnecessarily, exacerbating his injuries. Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces begin uprooting 2,000 olive trees nr. Qalqilya to clear space for a settler bypass road in the area. Dozens of Palestinians and Israeli activists protest the project, and IDF troops arrest 3 people. IDF troops conduct raids in Bayt Umar village nr. Hebron, arresting 1 Palestinian, setting fire to a home, and sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; there are no serious injuries. They arrest 4 Palestinians on further raids nr. Jenin, and patrol nr. Salfit and Hebron. Israeli forces confiscate 2 tractors nr. Tubas. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya and later nr. Jabaliya r.c.; 5 fishermen are arrested. (IMEMC, MNA, WAFA 1/16; PCHR 1/19)

The UK blocks the EU Foreign Affairs Council from adopting the 1/15 Paris peace conference’s joint declaration, according to European and Israeli diplomats. The UK also refused to sign the statement on 1/15. Hungary and Lithuania also reportedly have reservations about endorsing the statement. (HA 1/16)

IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian nr. Ramallah after he and other youths throw stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli settlers in the area, lightly injuring 3 settlers (4 of the other Palestinian youths are injured). Some witnesses say there was no stone throwing and that the youths were just walking home. The PA describes the killing as “extrajudicial.” Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces carry out the punitive demolition of the Qalqilya-area home of a Palestinian who was killed on 3/8 after he attacked a group of Israelis and U.S. tourists (see JPS 45 [4]). They also deliver stop-work orders to several Palestinian homes under construction nr. Bethlehem. IDF troops arrest 16 Palestinians and destroy part of a home during late-night raids and house searches in and around Hebron, Ramallah, Qalqilya, Nablus, Bethlehem, Tubas, and Tulkarm. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Sur al-Bahir, Issawiyya, and Abu Dis. (BBC, HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 6/21; PCHR 6/23)

The PA cabinet decides to hold municipal elections on 10/8, though it is unclear whether this round of elections will include both Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas boycotted the last round of municipal elections in 2012, so no ballots were cast in Gaza (see JPS 42 [2]). (MNA 6/21)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian at a checkpoint in Hebron after she allegedly draws a knife on them. Israeli forces raid a home in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem, demolishing its doors and sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 1 Palestinian is assaulted and arrested. Meanwhile, IDF troops clash with and violently disperse Palestinians throwing stones and protesting the recent Israeli crackdown on the oPt w. of Tulkarm, in 1 village nr. Qalqilya and 2 nr. Ramallah; 4 Palestinians are injured. The IDF also conducts late-night house searches and raids in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 1 each nr. Bethlehem and Nablus, in and around Tulkarm, and in Tubas, arresting 10 Palestinians; patrols in 6 villages and al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron and 1 village nr. Qalqilya. Late at night, Israeli settlers leave price-tag graffiti on a Palestinian home and throw smoke grenades through its windows nr. Ramallah, causing no injuries. On Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion e. of Khuza‘a to level land along the barrier fence. Twice off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces open fire on and detain a number of Palestinian fishing boats, arresting 4 Palestinians and confiscating 2 boats. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police arrest a Palestinian youth in the Old City after she is found to be carrying a knife; arrest and bar from Jerusalem for 5 mos. a Palestinian, on a raid in the Old City. (JP, MNA, TOI 12/21; HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 12/22; PCHR 12/31)

Israel’s COGAT announces the partial lifting of a series of movement restrictions on Palestinian Christians around the Christmas holidays. (HA, MNA 12/21; TOI 12/22)

The IDF sends 3 tanks, 2 bulldozers into Gaza nr. Bureij r.c. to level land. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols, fires on residential areas of Nablus; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron and nr. Jenin (firing on residential areas, partially demolishing a Palestinian home); fires on stone-throwing Palestinians nr. Hebron and Tubas, injuring 6. Jewish settlers fr. Ma’on beat a Palestinian farmer, occupy a 16 d. plot of Palestinian land nr. the settlement and set up tents to enlarge the unauthorized settlement outpost, Havat Maon; Palestinian owners of the land complain to the IDF and Israeli police, which refuse to intervene. In Hebron, AMB mbrs.temporarily occupy the local Education Min. offices to protest the PA’s choice of a new director (the previous director was arrested by the IDF a week ago). (OCHA 4/18; PCHR 4/19)

The IDF fires missiles at a car driving in Gaza’s Bureij r.c., assassinating Islamic Jihad mbrs. Ashraf Shalluf and Munir Sukkar, also killing 3 bystanders (ages 11, 14, and 17), wounding 12 bystanders; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, Tulkarm and in ‘Aqqaba, nearby Tubas (firing on residential areas and stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops), Nablus (firing on stone-throwing youths, wounding 1 bystander). In central Gaza, 2 Palestinians are killed when explosives they are handling detonate prematurely. Outside the Gaza PC building, where the new PC is holding its 1st session, 15 Fatah gunmen fire in the air, demanding Fatah PC mbrs. not take part in a Hamas-led government, threatening to kill any Fatah PC mbr. who agrees to join. (AFP, AP 3/6; HA, IMEMC, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 3/7; PCHR 3/9)

As PA-Israeli talks on an IDF redeployment fr. n. Gaza continue, the IDF demolishes 13 Palestinian homes in Bayt Hanun, bulldozes 54 dunams of land in Bayt Hanun and Jabaliya r.c.; fires on residential areas of Balata r.c., Bayt Hanun; fires on stone-throwing Palestinians in Tubas, Palestinians waiting to cross a checkpoint nr. Khan Yunis. A Palestinian teenager fatally shoots an Israeli telephone worker in Baqa‘ al-Gharbiyya, inside Israel, and is captured; AMB takes responsibility. Later, in the same area, Israeli police fatally shoot 2 Palestinians, arrest 2 others allegedly carrying explosives. A Palestinian gunman shoots, wounds a Jewish settler driving nr. Bethlehem. Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets at Sederot, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF attempts to evacuate settlers fr. 2 unauthorized outposts for the 4th time in 24 hrs. (HA, MM 6/26; NYT, WP 6/27; NYT, WP 7/1; PCHR 7/3)