The Palestine Chronology

A Hamas fighter dies in a tunnel collapse in s. Gaza. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Jabaliya r.c., injuring 1 fisherman. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian homes nr. Khan Yunis, injuring 1 youth. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot around 10 olive trees nr. Ramallah. Dozens of Palestinians confront 3 off-duty IDF soldiers and 1 armed Israeli settler in Qusra village nr. Nablus, preventing them from assaulting any residents. PASF troops intervene and escort the Israelis from the village. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s occupation, separation wall, and settlements in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, and Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah; there are no serious injuries. Palestinians and solidarity activists also set up a protest tent village nr. the Ma’ale Adumim settlement, which some Israeli lawmakers want to annex now that Donald Trump is the U.S. pres. The IDF violently dismantles and evacuates the village hours later. Late at night, IDF troops arrest 1 Palestinian and issue 1 arrest summons during raids nr. Hebron and Tubas, and patrol nr. Hebron and Salfit. (MNA,TOI, YA 1/20; PCHR 1/26)

Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th pres. of the U.S. Thousands gather outside the U.S. Capitol to protest or support Trump during his inaugural address, including a handful of Israeli settlers who flew to Washington for the occasion. (HA, JP, YA 1/20)

Massive fires continue to burn across Israel and the West Bank for a 4th consecutive day, including new outbreaks nr. Jerusalem, causing serious damage in both Palestinian and Jewish communities. They spread further among Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including Halamish, a settlement near Ramallah, and Ma’ale Adumim. After the fires reach Halamish, the IDF shuts down the entrances to 3 Palestinian villages in the area, including Dayr Nizam. Israeli forces arrest 16 Palestinians across Israel and the West Bank in connection with the fire, including 1 man affiliated with the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel. Residents of Haifa are allowed to return to their homes after evacuating the previous day. (JP, HA, MNA, NYT 11/25)

IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian at a checkpoint in Shu‘fat r.c. after he allegedly attempts to stab one of them. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s settlements, separation wall, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih), and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; there are no serious injuries. IDF troops also arrest 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid nr. Salfit, and patrol nr. Qalqilya and Hebron during the day. (JP, MNA, NYT 11/25; TOI 11/25; PCHR 12/1)

In the heaviest day of violence since the beginning of 7/2016, Israeli forces kill 2 Palestinians and 1 Jordanian in East Jerusalem and the Hebron area. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Jordanian youth outside the Old City of Jerusalem after he allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli soldier. An eyewitness reports that the youth did not attack anyone, and that he only yelled “Allahu akbar” when the Israeli forces asked him to lift his shirt. Israeli forces later find a knife on his body. IDF troops open fire on 2 Palestinians allegedly attempting a ramming attack outside Kiryat Arba settlement nr. Hebron, killing 1 and seriously injuring the other; 3 Israelis are injured in the alleged ramming. Separately, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian youth in c. Hebron after he allegedly stabs and injures an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint. Meanwhile, IDF troops shoot and seriously injure a Palestinian in c. Hebron after he allegedly stabs and injures an Israeli soldier. After the attacks, an officer with Israel’s COGAT says that the IDF will impose strict punishments on the attackers’ home villages, including Bani Na‘im. The IDF then shuts down a number of checkpoints in Hebron and the entrances to Bani Na‘im, declaring the village and c. Hebron closed military zones. Israeli troops conduct raids in Bani Na‘im late at night, issuing 2 Palestinians arrest summons. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, YA 9/16; HA 9/17; PCHR 9/22)

IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s occupation, separation wall, and settlements in 4 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, and Jalazun r.c.), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, and along Gaza’s border nr. al-Bureij r.c.; 4 Palestinians are injured. They also disperse Palestinian stone-throwers nr. Nablus, arresting 1; arrest 1 Palestinian and issue 2 arrest summons during raids and house searches nr. Bethlehem, Salfit, Hebron, and Ramallah; and patrol nr. Salfit, Nablus, Ramallah, and Hebron throughout the day. Unidentified assailants throw stones at an Israeli bus traveling between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim settlement, injuring the driver. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces search cars and detain a handful of Palestinians during patrols in Silwan, sparking clashes with stonethrowing residents of the area; 2 Palestinians are injured. A Palestinian man demolishes his own home in Jabal Mukabir to avoid paying for Israeli demolition crews. (MNA 9/16; PCHR 9/22)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of Khan Yunis open fire on agricultural land nr. the border fence, causing no damage or injuries. Later, Israeli soldiers e. of Rafah arrest 3 Palestinians as they attempt to cross the border into Israel. Meanwhile, Palestinians gather outside UNRWA’s office in Gaza City in a sit-in protest organized by Hamas against the agency’s 1/27 suspension of its cash assistance program. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum); 1 Palestinian in each Nabi Salih and Kafr Qaddum are moderately injured. The IDF also disperses stone-throwing Palestinian youth nr. Ramallah; conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Hebron; patrols nr. Hebron, Ramallah, and Tulkarm, as well as al-‘Arub r.c. (MNA 1/30; PCHR 2/5)

The Israeli govt. publishes tenders for the construction of a hotel and several offices in Ma’ale Adumim and 450 new homes in 4 other settlements in the West Bank. Also, the Jerusalem Building and Planning Comm. republishes a plan for 93 new housing units in s. Gilo in East Jerusalem. (HA, Peace Now 1/30)

Acting pres. of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Joachim Rücker receives a letter of complaint from Israel’s permanent rep. to the UN in Geneva Eviatar Manor, alerting him to the previously unreported fact that the head of the UNHRC’s 3-mbr. commission currently investigating possible war crimes committed during OPE, William Schabas, was paid $1,300 for a consulting job with the PLO in 2012. (HA 2/3)