The Palestine Chronology

For unclear reasons, IDF soldiers at the Erez crossing fire on 700 Palestinians returning from the Hajj in coordination with Israel and the PA, killing 1 Palestinian woman, wounding at least 1. Meanwhile, Palestinian pilgrims who left Gaza under a deal brokered by Hamas (see 12/5) begin to return via Egypt, where Egypt, under pressure fr. Israel, bars their passage through the Rafah crossing, saying they must go via the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing; the pilgrims refuse, believing they would be arrested for their Hamas connections. Meanwhile, the IDF fires on Hamas mbrs. laying a roadside bomb nr. the s. Gaza border fence, killing 1 Hamas mbr., wounding a bystander. The Israeli navy fires on Palestinian fishing boats off the Rafah coast, forcing them to return to shore. Hamas mbrs. fire 3 mortars fr. Rafah toward the IDF post at Kerem Shalom; the IDF responds with heavy gunfire; no injuries are reported. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Tulkarm; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron (including arresting a 10-yr.-old boy, heavily damaging 1 home), nr. Jenin. Jewish settlers throw stones, bottles at Palestinian cars traveling a main road linking Hebron and Bethlehem, damaging 1 car; the IDF observes but does not intervene. Hamas-affiliated police raid an area of Bayt Hanun to arrest a wanted Fatah mbr., fire in the air to disperse angry residents who confront them, wounding 2 (see 12/28). A similar confrontation takes place in Khan Yunis, with heavy fire but no injuries reported. Suspected Fatah mbrs. fire on a police patrol in Rafah, causing no injuries. (NYT 12/31; OCHA 1/2; PCHR 1/3)

Israel allows 27 Gazans to enter Egypt through the Rafah crossing for the Hajj. IDF troops on the Gaza border fatally shoot a Palestinian farmer plowing a field nr. the border fence nr. Khuza in s. Gaza. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Qalqilya. Jewish settlers accompanied by IDF soldiers set up tents, raise an Israeli flag on a plot of Palestinian land along Road 60 northeast of Hebron; Israeli police remove them. In Gaza City, unidentified assailants detonate a bomb outside the former PA National Security Forces headquarters, now controlled by Hamas, causing damage but no injuries. Armed PRC mbrs. raid, vandalize, steal equipment fr. a Fatah office in al-Bureij r.c. Armed PRC mbrs. whose salaries have been cut off by Abbas’s government raid a youth center in al-Maghazi r.c., fire in the air, demand reinstatement of their salaries; Hamas-affiliated police convince them to leave. (OCHA 12/12; PCHR 12/13)

IDF troops on the Gaza border shell Hamas mbrs. preparing to fire a mortar into Israel, killing 2, wounding at least 2. In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units into Bethlehem, where they are confronted by PA security officers who do not realize their identity, sparking an exchange of fire that kills 1 PA security officer. Egypt allows 2,000 Gazans to enter Egypt through the Rafah crossing for the Hajj in a deal arranged by Hamas and coordinated with Saudi Arabia, angering the PA, Israel, and the U.S. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin and in Abu Dis outside Jerusalem, Qalqilya. (NYT, PCHR 12/6; NYT 12/11; OCHA 12/12; PCHR 12/13)

Israel allows a technical team fr. Siemens to enter Gaza with a shipment of spare parts and tools to perform maintenance on Gaza’s power plant, expected to take about 3 wks. to complete. IDF troops on the Gaza border inside Israel fatally shoot a Palestinian who strays nr. the border fence nr. Nussayrat r.c.; sends tanks into Gaza nr. the Rafah crossing to bulldoze an ESF post. Palestinians fire a rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bil‘in. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba steal at least 2 tons of grapes fr. a Palestinian farmer, attack and vandalize his home. Suspected Fatah mbrs. detonate a roadside bomb nr. an ESF patrol in Gaza, wounding 3 ESF mbrs. Unidentified assailants toss an explosive device at the Fatah al-Yasir offices in Khan Yunis, injuring 2 bystanders. Gaza municipal employees begin an openended strike to protest nonpayment of their salaries. (NYT 10/5; OCHA 10/9, 10/10; PCHR 10/11)

The IDF allows departures through Rafah crossing for the 1st time since 1/8, causing a near riot among the 10,000–12,000 Palestinians gathered in the exit area, forcing the EU monitors to close the crossing late in the morning. Palestinians later fire on Rafah crossing in an attempt to force it to reopen, wounding 1 Palestinian bystander. Palestinians also fire 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in ‘Azun, clashing with stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops; conduct arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, nr. Qalqilya, and in Hebron, Tulkarm town and r.c. Israeli authorities begin excavation work 50 yds. fr. the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount with the stated purpose of replacing a centuries-old walkway damaged in a snowstorm in 2004, denies archeological digging is underway though it admits that, by law, any artifacts must be salvaged before work can begin; Waqf officials protest the work; Hamas organizes peaceful demonstrations in Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City, Jabaliya r.c., Khan Yunis, Nussayrat r.c., Rafah against the construction. In Gaza City, Dahlan’s bodyguards kill 1 ESF mbr., wound 3 in a drive-by shooting. In Khan Yunis, ESF mbrs. release Dahlan’s nephew, kidnapped on 2/3, after severely beating him. ESF, Fatah mbrs. exchange fire in Khan Yunis, wounding 1 bystander. ESF mbrs. break into a Force 17 base in Bayt Hanun, temporarily detain 4 Force 17 mbrs. In Gaza City, 2,000 PA employees rally to call for a halt to intraPalestinian violence. (IFM, MM, NYT, OCHA 2/7; MM, PCHR 2/8; PLONAD 2/9)