The Palestine Chronology

IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian in central Hebron after he stabs and lightly injures an Israeli soldier. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian at a checkpoint near Nablus when he is found to be in possession of a knife. They conduct overnight raids in Tulkarm, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries reported. They arrest 6 Palestinians on further raids in and around Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Hebron; and patrol near Nablus and Hebron. Israeli forces raze 14 dunams (approximately 3.4 acres) of Palestinian land outside Hebron, uprooting approximately 320 olive and almond trees and demolishing 3 water wells. They uproot an additional 60 olive and orange saplings from Palestinian land near Jericho. Israeli settlers puncture the tires of 7 Palestinian-owned vehicles and leave racist graffiti on nearby walls in Marda village near Salfit overnight. Along Gaza’s border overnight, IDF troops violently disperse dozens of Palestinians setting fire to tires, lighting fireworks, and otherwise continuing the Great March of Return near al-Bureij refugee camp; 4 Palestinians are injured. Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians gathering near Jabaliya refugee camp to continue the Great March of Return and to cheer on a number of Palestinian boats sailing in a symbolic challenge to the Israeli blockade. IDF troops stationed along the border fence and Israeli naval forces disperse the demonstrations; 46 Palestinians are injured (4 seriously). Israeli firefighters put out 3 fires in open areas near Ashqelon that were reportedly sparked by incendiary kites and balloons flown from Gaza. Off Gaza’s coast late at night, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries (2 fishermen are arrested). (HA, HA, JP, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/22; MNA 10/23; PCHR 10/25)

A senior IDF officer says that the IDF recently identified a new Hezbollah observation post built to look like an environmental NGO site along the Israel-Lebanon border. It is the 6th such site the IDF has identified this year. “Hezbollah is building military infrastructure along the border with its men moving there armed when they are watching the Israeli border,” the officer says. “This is military infrastructure in civilian guise.” A UNIFIL spokesperson responds, rejecting Israel’s claim that there are armed forces in border zone. “UNIFIL has not observed any unauthorized armed persons at the locations or found any basis to report a violation of [UNSC] Resolution 1701 but continues to monitor activities closely.”  (HA, JP, TOI 10/22)

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi says that Jordan has no plans to negotiate with Israel over the 2 pieces of land that were leased to Israel for 25 years in the context of the 1994 Jordan-Israel peace treaty (Jordan’s King Abdullah announced plans not to renew those leases on 10/21). “We are a country with international standing,” he says. “We acted by the letter of the law and we have the tools to protect our interests.” (HA, TOI 10/22)

Unidentified fighters launch a rocket from Gaza into Israel, which lands in an open area nr. Ashqelon, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF then launches 3 rounds of air strikes on open areas and Hamas posts nr. Bayt Lahiya, Gaza City, and Khan Yunis, injuring 3 Palestinians and causing extensive damage (1 chicken farm is completely destroyed in Gaza City, killing 1,000 chickens). IDF troops stationed along the border fence also open fire on Hamas posts nr. Bayt Hanun, causing bird hunters and farmers to flee the area. Earlier, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land along the border fence in s. Gaza. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders to a Palestinian road under construction nr. Tubas. They also confiscate 3 drills. IDF troops arrest 11 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Hebron, Jenin, Tulkarm, and Ramallah, and patrol during the day nr. Salfit, Qalqilya, and Ramallah. They also detain a Palestinian TV crew covering settlement growth nr. Nablus. Meanwhile, Palestinians living nr. Nablus discover that Israeli settlers have cut down 600 of their almond and olive trees. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/6; PCHR 2/9)

The Israeli Knesset passes, 60–52, the so-called regulations bill into law, retroactively authorizing settlements built “in good faith or at the state’s instruction” on privately owned Palestinian land. France, Jordan, Turkey, the EU, the UN, the Palestinians, and the UK all denounce the new law, but the U.S. does not offer a direct comment. Instead, a White House spokesperson says that the Trump admin. needs to “have a chance to fully consult with all parties on the way forward.” (AJ, EI, JP, NYT, TOI 2/6; HA, JP, TOI 2/7)

In Gaza, a Palestinian man is killed in a tunnel collapse nr. Rafah. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and critically injure a Palestinian youth by the separation wall nr. Jenin. The young man will succumb to his injuries late at night. They also conduct house searches and raids in Tulkarm, 1 village and al- ‘Azza r.c. nr. Bethlehem, and 1 village nr. Nablus, arresting 6 Palestinians; patrols in 5 villages nr. Jenin, al-‘Arub r.c. and 1 village nr. Hebron, and 1 village each nr. Ramallah, Qalqilya, and Tulkarm. Overnight, Israeli forces demolish 4 residential structures in the n. Jordan Valley and a home nr. Jenin; conduct a large drill nr. Tubas that leads to fire damage on 3,000–4,000 dunams of farmland. Israeli settlers chop down over 100 almond, grape, and olive trees outside Hebron. Unknown Palestinians throw Molotov cocktails at an Israeli settler’s car nr. Nablus, injuring 1 and causing damage. In East Jerusalem, hundreds of Palestinians gather in al-Tur for the funeral of the Palestinian youth killed by Israeli forces on 4/24, defying the Israeli attempt to restrict the funeral to 70 mourners. Minor clashes break out with Israeli forces, but there are no serious injuries. (The Israeli authorities withheld the teen’s body until early this morning and they required his family to pay approximately $5,000 to get it back.) Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 5 Palestinian women nr. Haram al-Sharif. (WAFA 4/26; JP, MNA, WAFA 4/27; HA, MNA, WAFA 4/28; PCHR 4/29)

The Israeli govt. invites tenders for the construction of 77 residences in Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem—36 in Neve Yaakov and 41 in Pisgat Ze’ev. (AFP, JTA, REU, WAFA 4/27)

UN Secy.-Gen. Ban publishes a summary of a report compiled by an official UN board of inquiry on OPE. The board found that the 7 documented attacks on UN schools during Israel’s assault on Gaza in 7–8/2014 led to 44 Palestinian deaths and 227 injuries. It also found that 3 UN facilities were used by Palestinian groups for weapons storage. (HA, MNA 4/27; EI 4/28)

Iranian FM Zarif meets with U.S. Secy. of State Kerry to continue their negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, on the sidelines of a UN nonproliferation conference in New York. (REU 4/27; AP 4/28)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces deliver stopwork notices to Palestinian homes and structures in 3 villages nr. Hebron. The IDF conducts raids and house searches in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, arresting 1 Palestinian; patrols in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Tulkarm. Israeli settlers destroy 1,200 almond and olive trees outside Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Wadi al-Juz, arresting 1 Palestinian. (MNA, WAFA 3/26; MNA 3/28; PCHR 4/2)

Reps. of the Joint List and Palestinian activists begin a 4-day protest march from unrecognized bedouin villages in the Negev to the Israeli president’s residence in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the Joint List requests 4 seats on the Knesset Finance Comm. in exchange for its allotted seats on the foreign affairs and defense comms., hoping to improve the position of Palestinian citizens of Israel. (HA 3/25; AFP, HA 3/26; HA 3/27)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry and U.S. Energy Secy. Moniz meet with Iranian FM Zarif and Iran’s atomic energy chief Salehi in Lausanne, Switzerland, for the 1st of 8 days of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program ahead of their 3/31 deadline for reaching a political accord. Afterward, Kerry calls Israeli PM Netanyahu to update him on the negotiations. (AP, HA, TOI 3/26; HA, REU 3/27)

In the n. Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian civilians on the shore nr. the border fence, wounding 1. Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. al-Sudaniyya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries or damage. In the West Bank, a Palestinian man dies from excessive tear gas inhalation. He was hospitalized after sustaining injuries in his own home while the IDF was raiding Abu Dis on 5/23. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Tulkarm, Tubas, and 1 village each nr. Hebron and Jenin at night; patrols in Hebron and 1 nearby village, and 1 village nr. Bethlehem in the afternoon, and in 2 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron at night. Jewish settlers cut down 30 almond and olive trees nr. Nablus. (MNA, WAFA 5/26; PCHR 5/29)

Jerusalem municipality approves 50 new housing units in 5 buildings in Har Homa, East Jerusalem. PA spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudayna says the decision is “immoral, illogical, and uncivilized.” (AFP, JP 5/26)

In Egypt, polls open on the 1st of 2 days scheduled for the presidential election. Former head of the Egyptian armed forces Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who resigned from the military in 3/2014, is widely expected to win a clear majority. (AJ 5/26)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinians collecting scrap metal close to the border fence nr. Bayt Hanun, wounding 1. Separately, IDF troops open fire on agricultural areas nr. Khan Yunis, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Dahaysha r.c. and 1 village nr. Bethlehem, and in 1 village each nr. Jenin and Qalqilya at night; patrols in 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Salfit in the morning, in 1 village each nr. Jenin, Ramallah, and Tulkarm in the afternoon, and in al-Fawar r.c. and 4 villages nr. Hebron, in 2 villages nr. Jenin, 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Ramallah, and in Qalqilya at night. Jewish settlers chop down around 70 almond and olive trees and grape vines nr. Hebron. (MNA, WAFA 5/11; PCHR 5/15)

The IDF declares the area around the Qunaytra crossing in the occupied Golan Heights a closed military zone, after intense fighting in the area between Syrian govt. and opposition forces. (HA, REU 5/11)

Gunmen shoot and kill 1 Egyptian soldier and injure another in al-Jura village nr. Shaykh Zuwayd in n. Sinai. (MNA 5/11)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces clash with residents in Nabi Salih village nr. Ramallah during a patrol, wounding 2 (1 with rubber-coated metal bullets, 1 struck by a tear gas canister). The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Qalqilya in the morning, and in al-‘Arub r.c. and 1 village nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, Jenin, and Jalazun r.c. n. Ramallah at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 3 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron at night. Jewish settlers uproot around 1,200 olive and almond tree seedlings in Sinjil village nr. Ramallah. Meanwhile, activists establish a new protest encampment, named “al-Awda,” in the Jordan Valley 2 days after activists set up something similar at ‘Ayn Hiljeh. (MNA 2/2; PCHR 2/6)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry and Israeli PM Netanyahu talk on the phone about the ongoing negotiations, especially in light of controversy surrounding Kerry’s reference to boycotts at the Munich Security Conference on 2/1. Still in Munich, Kerry meets with Israel’s Justice Minister Livni and Special Envoy Molcho to discuss his framework deal. Meanwhile, PA Pres. Abbas calls for a U.S.-led NATO presence in a future Palestinian state to secure the borders. (HA, NYT 2/2)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry holds a meeting with Iranian FM Zarif on the sidelines of the Munich conference, a rare face-to-face encounter that focuses on the ongoing nuclear talks. No details are released about the contents of the discussions. (AFP, AP 2/2)

Palestinian prisoner and administrative detainee Samer al-Issawi agrees to end his hunger strike—which has lasted for more than 8 months and inspired widespread Palestinian protest in solidarity—in exchange for an early release. At one such rally today, IDF soldiers clash with residents in Abu Dis, East Jerusalem, shooting and injuring 1. In the West Bank, Jewish settlers destroy hundreds of almond and olive trees in Bayt Dajan nr. Nablus, while in Dayr Jarir nr. Ramallah, settlers attack Palestinian property and set fire to 10 vehicles. The IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning, and in 1 village nr. Hebron, 2 villages nr. Jericho, 3 villages nr. Jenin, 1 village nr. Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Salfit and 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night. IDF soldiers conduct house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin and in 1 village nr. Jericho at night. The IDF conduct a ground incursion close to the border nr. Bayt Hanun and level land. (REU, WAFA 4/22; MNA 4/23; PCHR 4/25)

An Israeli delegation meets their Turkish counterparts in Ankara to discuss ways of improving bilateral relations, including the question of financial compensation by Israel to the families of Turkish activists killed on the Mavi Marmara in 2010. (JP 4/21)

Al-Ahram cites Palestinian government sources claiming that Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas has asked Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Turkey play a more prominent role in the drive for national reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. (HA 4/22)

U.S. Defense Secy. Chuck Hagel announces an arms deal with Israel at a press conference in Tel Aviv alongside Israeli DM Moshe Ya’alon. The sale includes V-22 Osprey helicopter-plane aircraft, refueling tankers, advanced radars for fighter jets, and advanced missiles that target air defenses. During their remarks, Ya’alon tacitly confirms that Israel was responsible for a 1/30 air strike on an army convoy in Syria, saying that Israel has already acted to stop weapons falling into Hizballah’s hands: ‘‘When they crossed this red line, we acted.’’ (AFP, JP 4/22)

As the quarter opens, Israel maintains a tight siege of Gaza aimed at unseating the governing Hamas authority, in control since 6/2007. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) enforce a 300-meter-deep no-go zone inside the full length of the Gaza border and limits the Palestinian fishing zone off Gaza to 500–1,000 m off the immediate Bayt Lahiya (northern) and Rafah (southern) coasts, and 3 nautical miles elsewhere—restrictions that placed 17% of Gaza’s total landmass, including 35% of its viable agricultural areas, and 85% of the maritime areas allocated under the Oslo accords off limits to Palestinians. In the West Bank, governed by the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA), Israel’s easing of restrictions on Palestinian movement between major population centers (which began in summer 2009) continues, and IDF operations are relatively low. Overnight, unidentified Palestinians fire a homemade Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing damage but no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts latenight patrols without incident in Imatim village nr. Qalqilya. Jewish settlers fr. Gil’ad settlement burn 42 Palestinian olive trees nr. Qalqilya. Jewish settlers fr. Bet Ayn nr. Hebron set fire to 20 dunams (d.; 4 d. = 1 acre) of Palestinian olive and almond groves. (JP 11/16; PCHR 11/25; OCHA 11/26)

Overnight in Gaza, the IDF sends troops, bulldozers into Shuka to raid and search homes, arresting 1 Palestinian and remanding him to Israel, bulldozing 31 d. of almond and olive trees before withdrawing in the morning. During the day, the IDF fires an artillery shell at a rocket-launching site outside Gaza City, killing 3 Hamas mbrs., wounding 2; sends tanks, bulldozers into Gaza to bulldoze 10 d. of olive trees nr. Rafah. Islamic Jihad mbrs. fire several mortars fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries; the IDF responds with artillery fire, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF makes an overnight raid into Dayr Abu Mash‘al nr. Ramallah, occupying a Palestinian home as a military outpost, firing on stone-throwing youths who confront them, wounding 1 Palestinian teenager; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin, Nablus, and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah. A Palestinian seriously injured in a smuggling tunnel collapse in Rafah on 6/2 dies. (OCHA, WP 6/11; PCHR 6/12)

The IDF makes a major pre-dawn incursion into Gaza City, sending in tanks and helicopters, clashing with local Palestinians, and conducting at least 4 air strikes, leaving at least 17 Palestinians dead (5 bystanders; 12 Hamas mbrs., including the son of senior Hamas mbr. Mahmud al-Zahar, whose oldest son was killed when the IDF attempted to assassinate him in 2003), around 55 wounded by the time troops withdraw in the evening. The IDF also sends troops into al-Qarara, firing on residential areas, wounding a 71-yr.-old Palestinian man, bulldozing 20 d. of agricultural land before withdrawing in the evening; fires a missile across the border at armed AMB mbrs. e. of Gaza City, wounding 4; sends armored vehicles, bulldozers back into the Erez industrial zone (see 1/14) under cover of heavy fire to continue land-leveling operations (no injuries are reported). In retaliation for the Gaza City incursion, Palestinians fire around 25 mortars and 25 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, hitting a house, moderately injuring 4 Israelis; Hamas claims responsibility for 17 of the mortars and 3 of the rockets, marking the 1st time since 6/07 that it has fired rockets. A Hamas gunman also fires across the border into Israel, killing an Ecuadorian laborer on an Israeli farm. In the West Bank, the IDF raids Qabatya nr. Jenin, fatally shoots local Islamic Jihad cmdr. Walid Obaydi in an apparent assassination, also wounding 2 other Palestinians (Obaydi has been on Israel’s most wanted list for 7 yrs.; the IDF attempted to assassinate him on 8/9/07 in Jenin r.c.); sends undercover units into Nablus to ambush and arrest a wanted PFLP mbr.; conducts separate late-night arrest raids, house searches in Nablus; bulldozes 40 d. of almond and olive trees, 6 wells nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. Beit Hadasah throw Molotov cocktails into a Palestinian home, causing damage; the IDF intervenes, detains 2 of the Palestinian homeowner’s sons for questioning. (NYT, OCHA, WP, WT 1/16; PCHR 1/17)

Israel begins to allow more than 6,000 Palestinians stranded on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border to enter Gaza through Erez via the al-Oja cargo crossing s. of Rafah and bus them to Erez; 1 ailing Palestinian stranded at the crossing dies. Nr. Khan Yunis, Islamic Jihad mbrs. exchange heavy fire with an IDF unit patrolling the border inside Israel, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF searches stores, conducts random ID checks in Hebron; patrols in Qalandia. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar set fire to 100 d. of Palestinian olive and almond groves nr. Nablus. (NYT 7/29; WT 7/31; OCHA 8/1; PCHR 8/2)

In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units into Jenin, where they ambush a car driven by AMB mbr. Ashraf Hanaysha, assassinating him, arresting 3 Palestinians traveling with him. In apparent retaliation, AMB gunmen injure 4 Jewish settlers fr. Mod’in Ilit nr. Ramallah in a drive-by shooting. The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin, Ramallah, and in ‘Aida r.c., ‘Arub r.c., ‘Askar r.c., Balata r.c., Nablus. Jewish settlers fr. Eli fire on Palestinian shepherds nearby to prevent them fr. grazing nr. the settlement. A Jewish settler fr. the Bethlehem area fires on a group of Palestinian children working in an almond grove, seriously injuring a 13-yr.-old boy with a gunshot to the head. Jewish settlers occupying a Palestinian building in Hebron since 3/19 harass local Palestinians. (MM 4/17; NYT, OCHA 4/18; PCHR 4/19)

The IDF fatally shoots a mentally handicapped girl who strays too close to a Jewish settlement in Gaza; fires on a group of Palestinian children who pass too near an IDF position outside Nisanit settlement, killing a 15-yr.-old Palestinian boy; shells residential areas of Khan Yunis; conducts house searches in Shaykh Ajlin nr. Gaza City. In Maghazi r.c., 3 Palestinians die when a rocket they are preparing explodes prematurely. Late in the evening, the IDF raids Tulkarm r.c., sparking an armed exchange with local AMB mbrs. that leaves 2 AMB mbrs. dead, 4 bystanders and 1 AMB mbr. wounded. A 14-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received in a 3/18 IDF raid nr. Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr. Ma’on burn 35 dunams of Palestinian crops and a tractor in Yatta; bar fire trucks fr. reaching the scene. Jewish settlers fr. Metaniel also burn 15 dunams of olive and almond groves in Sammu‘ village outside Hebron. (VOP 4/26 in WNC 4/28; MM, WT 4/27; PR 4/28; PCHR 4/29)