The Palestine Chronology

In Gaza, 4 Palestinians are killed and over 30 are injured when a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance is accidentally detonated in Rafah (a 5th Palestinian will succumb to her injuries on 8/16). In the West Bank, a Palestinian driver rams 3 Israeli settlers hitchhiking between Nablus and Ramallah, injuring 2 seriously. IDF troops open fire on the driver, critically injuring him. IDF troops then raid the driver’s home in a village n. of Jerusalem, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 3 Palestinians are injured. IDF troops also conduct late-night raids and house searches in 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Hebron, issuing arrest summons to 4 Palestinians; patrol during the day in 2 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, and 1 village each nr. Jericho and Ramallah. Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian tire repair store and another structure nr. Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth accused of stonethrowing and confiscate a Palestinian’s donkey in al-Tur, after Israeli settlers in the area reportedly complain that the donkey is a nuisance. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA, YA 8/6; MNA 8/7; PCHR 8/13)

Hamas and PFLP officials meet in Gaza and condemn the PA’s 7/31 appointment of 5 new ministers. (MNA 8/7) The Israeli govt. approves its budget for 2015–16, including a NIS 340 m. ($90 m.) special grant to develop infrastructure in Israel’s West Bank settlements. The grant was included in the budget in obligation of Likud’s coalition agreement with the Jewish Home Party. (HA, JP 8/6) 

In the Gaza Strip, Palestinians fire 1 rocket into s. Israel, causing no damage or injuries. An IDF spokesperson says more than 100 projectiles have hit Israel from Gaza this year. IDF troops conduct a limited incursion to level land close to the border fence nr. Khan Yunis. Off the coast nr. Rafah, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 6 villages nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Bethlehem, and Nablus and Balata r.c. at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Hebron in the morning, and in 2 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 village and ‘Ayn al-Sultan r.c. nr. Jericho, and 1 village nr. Hebron at night. Jewish settlers uproot 50 olive tree saplings nr. Bethlehem, while separately, settlers also stone Palestinian vehicles nr. Hebron. (AFP, MNA, WAFA 5/1; PCHR 5/8)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry tells reporters on a trip to Ethiopia that he intends to “pause” and “take a hard look” at the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, given the current impasse. He says he is “convinced that, as each [side] sort of works through the reasons that things began to become more difficult in the final hours, there may be quiet ways within which to begin to work on next steps.” He also claims that genuine “progress” was made during the previous 9 mos. (HA, REU 5/1)

Israeli PM Netanyahu says he intends to seek a new Basic Law anchoring Israel’s status as “the nation-state of the Jewish people.” Livni, leader of the Hatnua party and Israeli chief negotiator, criticizes the move, but the Jewish Home party, another coalition-mbr., welcomes it. (HA, REU 5/1)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry welcomes the Arab League’s expression of support for reviving peace talks made the previous day, describing it as a ‘‘very big step forward.’’ An Israeli official welcomes the development, but says that the framework will not be a starting point for talks. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni says that the Arab League proposal represents encouragement for the Palestinians that they have regional support for a negotiated agreement. PLO Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat says that the Arab League’s support for land swaps is nothing new. Meanwhile, Israel’s Construction and Housing Minister Uri Ariel says that his party, Bayit Yehudi, will not back a 2013 budget that does not include full funding for West Bank settlement construction projects. (NYT 4/29; MNA, JP 4/30)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF makes an air strike nr. Rafah assassinating Hitham al-Mishal, whom Israel accuses of being a Salafist militant responsible for arms manufacturing. In response, Hamas urges Egypt to ensure that Israel stays committed to the truce deal signed at the end of Operation Pillar of Defense in 11/2012 (see QU 167). Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen twice, once off the central Gaza coast nr. Dayr al-Balah and once off the south Gaza coast nr. Rafah, in the latter case causing damage and 1 injury. IDF forces also make a brief incursion into central Gaza nr. Juhr al-Dikto level land and clear lines of sight along the border fence. In the West Bank, a Palestinian fatally stabs a Jewish settler from Yitzhar at a Tapuach junction bus stop. In retaliation, Jewish settlers riot and attack Palestinians across the West Bank, including blocking roads and throwing stones at passing vehicles. Overall, the Palestinian civil defense report 57 fires across the West Bank caused by settlers, with damage to hundreds of olive and almond trees. In the most serious incident, Jewish settlers from Yitzhar settlement attack a mosque in Urif village and try to set it on fire; and stone a bus carrying Palestinian schoolchildren, injuring 2. The attack on Urif sparks clashes between IDF forces and Palestinians, leaving 4 Palestinians injured. Meanwhile, the IDF patrols in Hebron and 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; conducts house searches and arrest raids in Tulkarm in the afternoon, and in Bethlehem and Tulkarm at night. (HA, MNA 4/30; MNA 5/1; PCHR 5/2)

UNRWA estimates that 235,000 Palestinian refugees have been displaced inside Syria during the ongoing civil war. (AP, WAFA 4/30)