The Palestine Chronology

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the demolished industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 2 tin houses and 4 sheep pens (killing 15 sheep) in Jiftlik village nr. Jericho; conducts late-night patrols in Jenin town and r.c.; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Umar and Safa nr. Hebron targeting organizers of weekly demonstrations against settlement expansion and land confiscation nr. Karme Tzur; conducts other late-night searches in Za‘tar village nr. Hebron, summoning 1 Palestinian for questioning. Jewish settlers move into a vacant building in al-Tur in East Jerusalem that they claimed to have purchased in 2005; the Palestinian family was evicted and building sealed in 2009 until the case could be decided by a court (ruling still pending). (PCHR 11/25; NYT 11/26; PCHR 12/2; OCHA 12/3)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the demolished industrial zone, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF enters Burin village nr. Salfit at midday, searching 2 homes and summoning 2 Palestinians for interrogation; fires tear gas and stun grenades to disperse Palestinians and international activists demonstrating against Israeli land seizures nr. Bayt Umar nr. Hebron and Iraq Burin village nr. Nablus, causing only light injuries; conducts late-night patrols without incident in a village nr. Qalqilya; conducts late-night house searches in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem and a village nr. Qalqilya, summoning 1 Palestinian for interrogation and arresting another. (OCHA 11/24; PCHR 11/25)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction material inside the demolished industrial zone, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts synchronized late-night incursions into Salfit and 2 nearby villages, searching several homes and summoning 4 Palestinians for interrogation. Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih/Dayr Nizam. IDF soldiers fire rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 2 Palestinians are lightly injured by tear gas canisters and 10s suffer tear gas inhalation. (OCHA 11/24; PCHR 11/25)

In Gaza, IDF helicopter gunships fire on Palestinians scavenging construction material fr. the destroyed Dahaniyya airport in s. Gaza, causing no injuries. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the industrial zone, wounding 1. IDF troops make a brief incursion into n. Gaza to level lands along the border fence n. of Bayt Hanun to clear lines of sight. In the West Bank, the IDF seals Issawiyya in an effort to contain ongoing stone-throwing clashes with local Palestinians angry over Israel’s recent Judaization efforts, tax raids, and increased arrests of local youths (see 11/9). After weeks of monitoring by the PA General Intelligence Service, PA police in Qalqilya arrest atheist blogger Walid Husayin for posting satirical rants against the Qur’an on Facebook, marking the first time the PA has arrested anyone for their religious views; the charges against him of heresy for “insulting the divine essence” can carry a sentence of life in prison. (AP, PCHR, WorldMag online 11/11; NYT 11/12, 11/16; OCHA 11/24; PCHR 11/25)

The Arab League postpones its planned 11/9 meeting until after the 11/16–20 Eid al-Adha holiday to give ongoing U.S.-Israeli talks a final chance to reach an arrangement that would allow continuation of Israeli-Palestinian direct talks. (MNA 11/7; Foreign Policy 11/9)

Netanyahu arrives in the U.S. on a 5-day visit to attend the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) general assembly in New Orleans and consult with U.S. officials (excluding Obama, who left on 11/5 for a 10-day trip to South East Asia). On the sidelines of the JFNA assembly today, he meets with VP Joe Biden for talks that focus primarily on Iran (WP 11/9; WJW 11/11)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the industrial zone, wounding 1. IDF troops make a brief incursion into c. Gaza to level lands along the border fence e. of Gaza Valley village. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts a rare daytime house search nr. Jenin; patrols without incident 2 villages nr. Jenin during the day; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Qalqilya (also detonating explosives in a store on the 1st floor of a Palestinian building, causing heavy damage), Ramallah. (OCHA, PCHR 11/11)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials from the ruins of Palestinian homes nr. the Erez industrial zone, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Jenin and nearby villages in the morning, making no arrests; patrols without incident in villages nr. Jericho, Ramallah, Tulkarm in the evening; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Nablus. OCHA reports (10/29) that in the previous week, 3 Palestinians were killed in tunnel-related accidents (2 electrocuted, 1 fell) and 3 were injured (electrocution, suffocation). (PCHR 10/28; OCHA 10/29)

Gaza municipal officials are forced to shut down 1 of 2 turbines at Gaza’s power plant; rolling blackouts spike from 4–6 hrs./day to 16 hrs./day. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the demolished industrial zone, wounding 1. In the West Bank, Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some locations) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, al-Ma‘sara nr. Bethlehem, and Nabi Salih/Dayr Nizam. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters and occupy 1 Palestinian home in Nabi Salih as an observation post; 10s of demonstrators suffer tear gas inhalation, 2 Palestinians and 3 international activists are arrested (the internationals are quickly released), and a Palestinian home in Nabi Salih is set on fire by a tear gas canister. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim settlement nr. Qalqilya vandalize nearby Palestinian homes and a cemetery, spraying graffitti on buildings threatening Palestinians to leave the area or face attack and on gravestones saying: “Here lies the Palestinian state.” (PCHR 10/28; OCHA 10/29)

The Israeli human rights group Peace Now estimates that Jewish settlers have started work on 600 settlement housing units in at least 36 settlements since the freeze ended on 9/26. At least half of the construction is to lay foundations for new houses—a priority for settlers in anticipation of reimposition of the temporary settlement freeze, which allowed construction to continue on units that already had their foundations poured. (NYT, WP 10/22)

Egypt allows an aid convoy of 140 vans to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing; the humanitarian goods were provided by London-based pro-Palestinian activists. Unidentified Palestinians fire a mortar fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the destroyed industrial zone, wounding 2. IDF troops also enter Gaza briefly to retrieve an unmanned Israeli drone that crashed nr. the northern border. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols without incident in villages nr. Jericho, Ramallah, Tulkarm; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. Palestinians report (PCHR 10/21) that in the previous week: (a) the IDF confiscated 130 d. of Palestinian agricultural land nr. Qalqilya for construction of a “security road” past Keddumim settlement, and (b) Jewish settlers seized and leveled 100 d. of Palestinian agricultural land located between the separation wall and the Green Line, accessible to the Palestinian owners only through a gate in the fence that the IDF opens only occasionally. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police raid and search a Palestinian clothing store. (AFP, JP, PCHR 10/21; NYT 10/22; PCHR 10/28; OCHA 10/29)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction material inside the demolished Erez industrial zone straddling the border, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Bayt Liqya late at night, without incident; conducts synchronized late-night arrest raids, house searches in 3 villages nr. Jenin. (PCHR 10/14; PCHR 10/21; OCHA 10/22)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire on Palestinians inside the Strip conducting a nonviolent protest march to the border to denounce Israel’s imposition of a no-go zone. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Tulkarm and neighboring Nur Shams r.c.; conducts late-night patrols in 7 villages e. of Qalqilya, making no arrests; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Jenin town and r.c.; conducts synchronized late-night incursions into 4 villages northwest of Salfit, searching a home and summoning 1 Palestinian for questioning in 1 case, patrolling without incident in 3 cases. Jewish settlers fr. Shvut Rachel nr. Ramallah seize and raze 15 d. of Palestinian agricultural land for expansion of the settlement. (JP, UPI, YA 9/13; JP, NYT 9/14; PCHR 9/16; OCHA 9/17)

On the eve of ceremonies reopening direct Israeli-Palestinian talks, U.S. Pres. Barack Obama holds separate meetings with Abbas, Netanyahu, Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak, and Jordan’s King Abdullah. In the evening, Obama hosts the leaders for a working dinner at the White House. (WP 9/1; NYT 9/2)

In the West Bank, the IDF continues to impose a curfew on Palestinian areas nr. the site of the 8/31 attack nr. Hebron and carries out house-to-house searches for the Hamas mbrs. involved, rounding up scores of Palestinians with suspected ties to the organization. In the evening, IQB gunmen shoot at another Jewish settler vehicle nr. Ramallah, in area C, wounding 2 settlers (1 seriously). The IDF also conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, and nr. Ramallah, Salfit, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers retaliating for the 8/31 Hamas attack stake out a 15-d. plot of Palestinian land (exact location not reported) for a new settlement outpost but leave the area by nightfall, stone Palestinian vehicles on the Nablus–Qalqilya road, and vandalize a Palestinian home and set fire to adjacent grass land in Hebron. Meanwhile, in Gaza, IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction material in the demolished Erez industrial zone, causing no injuries. The IDF also makes an incursion into the s. Gaza border areas e. of al-Shuka, accompanied by drones and helicopters, but withdraws 6 hrs. later without incident. (NYT, PCHR 9/2; PCHR 9/8; OCHA 9/17)

In the morning, members of the Palestinian Popular Resistance Comm. (PRCs), retaliating for the death of an Islamic Jihad mbr. on 8/16, fire 2 mortars across the s. Gaza border at IDF troops operating inside Israel, lightly injuring 2; the IDF returns fire but no injuries are reported. Late in the evening, the IDF responds with 6 air strikes targeting a deserted house near the c. Gaza border e. of Gaza Valley village (destroying it, a well, and damaging a nearby factory) and several smuggling tunnels on the Rafah border, causing no injuries. During the day, IDF troops make a brief incursion in to s. Gaza to level lands e. of Abassan to clear lines of sight; fire warning shots at Palestinians staging a nonviolent march to the Erez crossing to protest Israel’s imposition of a no-go zone along the border, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, Jewish settlers fr. Karnei Shomron settlement nr. Qalqilya stone passing Palestinian vehicles, causing no injuries. An Israeli court rules that Israel is responsible for the 1/2007 death of a 10-yr.-old Palestinian girl who was fatally shot by Israeli border police while observing a Palestinian demonstration from a distance; the border police alleged she was hit by a rock thrown by protesters, but the court finds that “there cannot be any dispute . . . that Abir was hit by a rubber bullet fired by border police, meaning the fire was conducted either due to negligence or violation of the rules of engagement.” (JP 8/17; AFP 8/18; PCHR 8/19; OCHA 8/20)

Lebanon passes a law granting the country’s approximately 400,000 Palestinian refugees the same rights to work as other foreigners and giving them access to social security benefits, easing decades of restrictions that had barred them from all but menial jobs. (NYT 8/18) 

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials in the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. Late at night, 2 IDF drones fire missiles at a group of armed Palestinians nr. the border e. of Abasan, killing 1 armed Palestinian, wounding 2. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Salfit before dawn, photographing a PASF building; conducts late-night patrols in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm, making no arrests; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Ramallah, nr. Jericho. (PCHR 8/5; OCHA 8/13)

An IDF officer, 3 Lebanese soldiers, and 1 Lebanese journalist are killed and 1 IDF platoon commander is critically wounded in a clash on the s. Lebanon border, marking the most serious confrontation since the 2006 Lebanon war. (IFM, JTA 8/3; IFM, NYT, WP 8/4; NYT 8/5; HA 8/9; JPI 8/13)

In continued retaliation for the 7/30 Grad strike, the IDF carries out a predawn air strike on c. Gaza assassinating senior Hamas military cmdr. and rocket maker Issa Batran, marking the 1st Israeli assassination in Gaza since Operation Cast Lead (OCL) ended in 1/09. (Israel attempted to assassinate Batran during OCL, making an air strike on his home, killing his wife and 5 of his children.) Later in the day, unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, damaging a vacant daycare facility. The IDF responds with 2 additional air strikes on a smuggling tunnel and an open area in s. Gaza. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials in the fmr. Jewish settlement sites and in the Erez industrial zone, wounding 3 Palestinians. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night house searches in and around Hebron, summoning several Palestinians for interrogation; fires tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists taking part in weekly nonviolent demonstrations against land confiscation and settlement expansion nr. Karme Tzur settlement nr. Hebron. (HA, IDF, YA 7/31; MEZ, NYT, WP 8/1; PCHR 8/5; OCHA 8/13)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the industrial zone, wounding a 14-yr.-old boy. In the West Bank, the IDF bulldozes several wells and confiscates irrigation equipment nr. Kiryat Arba and Harsina settlements in Hebron, calling the area a closed military zone; conducts latenight patrols in Birzeit, making no arrests; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Nablus. (PCHR 7/15; OCHA, PCHR 7/22)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. The IDF sends troops into the former settlement sites inside the n. Gaza border to patrol the area to keep scavengers away; troops fire on the area but no injuries are reported. IDF troops make a brief incursion into s. Gaza to level land along the border e. of al-Qarara to clear lines of sight, shooting and wounding a farmer working his land 700 m fr. the border. In the West Bank, the IDF sends troops into Bidya village nr. Salfit at midday to search several stores, making no arrests; makes an incursion in Hijja village nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon, patrolling streets and photographing homes before withdrawing without incident; patrols in Shaqba village nr. Ramallah in the evening, making no arrests; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya and nr. Ramallah, Salfit, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers escorted by IDF troops enter Awarta village nr. Nablus to hold religious ceremonies. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba nr. Hebron severely beat a 65-yr.-old Palestinian man. (PCHR 7/15; OCHA 7/16)

IDF Maj. Gen. (ret.) Giora Eiland, who headed the Israeli military’s internal inquiry into the 5/31 Gaza flotilla incident, releases brief excerpts of his classified 100-page final report to the IDF chief of staff concluding that overall the “the entire operation is estimable,” praising soldiers for their “professionalism, bravery, and resourcefulness.” While the report faults planning for the operation as inadequate (relying “excessively on a single course of action . . . while no alternative courses of action were prepared”), it deems the use of live fire on the passengers “justified.” (IFM 7/12; NYT, WP 7/13; JPI 7/23)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian teenager. In a similar incident on the n. Gaza border nr. the fmr. Israeli settlement sites, the IDF wounds 2 Palestinians (including a 14-yr.-old boy) scavenging for construction materials. In the West Bank, Palestinians and international activists hold nonviolent demonstrations against land confiscation and settlement expansion nr. Karme Tzur settlement nr. Hebron and in the Hebron market area; the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters (2 Palestinian are injured, 10s suffer tear gas inhalation). The IDF also conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. (PCHR 7/15; OCHA 7/16)

Obama phones Abbas to urge him to agree to begin direct negotiations with Israel. Abbas reiterates demands for a comprehensive settlement freeze including East Jerusalem and assurances that all final status issues will be discussed. (White House press release 7/9; WJW 7/15)

In Gaza, unidentified assailants break into the Palestinian Liaison Office on the Gaza side of the Erez crossing, stealing copies of medical referral documents and communications equipment used to coordinate transit through the crossing with the Israeli Liaison Office on the Israeli side. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts synchronized evening patrols in 3 villages nr. Tulkarm, making no arrests; patrols in a 4th village nr. Tulkarm late at night, making no arrests. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall and land confiscations in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Dayr Nizam/al-Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, leaving 10s suffering tear gas inhalation, injuring 2 Palestinians, and arresting 1 Palestinian, 1 Israeli, 1 international activist. (PCHR 7/15; OCHA 7/16)

Overnight, unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, heavily damaging a factory in Sederot, but causing no injuries; the IDF retaliates with air strikes on at least 1 smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border, 1 suspected weapons factory in al-Zaytun, causing no reported injuries. During the day, IDF troops reenter (see 6/29) the fmr. n. Gaza settlement sites n. of Bayt Lahiya, firing warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials and forcing them to flee, causing no injuries. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the industrial zone, causing no injuries. IDF senior officers take U.S. special envoy Mitchell to Kerem Shalom crossing to witness Israel’s easing of restrictions on imports to Gaza (up 30% since 6/20), including the transfer of the 1st load of goods fr. the FGM-IHH flotilla. Gaza’s electricity plant receives a shipment of industrial fuel allowing it to resume operations after a 4-day halt (the longest complete stoppage of the facility since the beginning of 2010). In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya and nr. Hebron. In Jerusalem, Israeli police arrest PC mbr. Abu Tir for being in the city illegally; he was ordered (see 5/21) to leave voluntarily or face expulsion to Gaza. Israeli sources reveal that Israel’s Jerusalem Planning Committee recently approved construction of 1,400 new hotel rooms in Jabal Mukabir in East Jerusalem. Israel begins barring all West Bank Palestinian-made products fr. entering East Jerusalem as of 7/1 on the grounds that they did not meet Israeli standards, though the move is widely seen as retaliation for the PA’s boycott on settlement-made good enacted in 4/2010. (IFM, JP, NYT, PCHR, WP, YA 7/1; PCHR 7/7; OCHA 7/9)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials in the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian teenager. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Azun village nr. Qalqilya and Bayda village nr. Salfit in the morning, without incident; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Dahaysha r.c. Israeli municipal officials in Jerusalem force a Palestinian family in the Old City to demolish their home or cover the cost of Israeli authorities demolishing it; the family had already paid $4,700 in fines for building the house without a permit. (PCHR 6/24; OCHA 6/25; PCHR 7/1; OCHA 7/2)

In 2 separate incidents (in the fmr. n. Gaza settlement sites and the Erez industrial zone), IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials nr. the border, wounding 2 Palestinians. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Nablus. (PCHR 6/24; OCHA 6/25)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials in the industrial zone, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Nablus, nr. Ramallah. In Jerusalem, the IDF demolishes 2 Palestinian stores and 1 other structure in Silwan, as well as a garage in al-Thawri neighborhood. (PCHR 6/17; OCHA 6/18; PCHR 6/24; OCHA 6/25)

In the West Bank, Palestinian gunmen open fire on an IDF border police vehicle nr. Hebron, killing 1 Israeli border police officer and wounding 3 in the first fatal shooting attack against Israelis in the West Bank in over 1 yr.; a claim of responsibility and threat of more attacks are issued by a group calling itself the Freedom Flotilla Martyrs. Also in the West Bank, the IDF conducts 3 separate synchronized late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem and neighboring Dahaysha r.c., al-Far‘a r.c. and Tammun village nr. Tubas, Jenin town and r.c. and 2 nearby villages; additional late-night arrest raids, house searches are carried out nr. Salfit, Tubas. In Gaza, unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. the s. Gaza border area into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF fires 5 artillery shells at the launch site, causing no damage or injuries. Separately, the IDF makes a brief incursion into s. Gaza to level land to clear lines of sight. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire on Palestinian scavenging for construction materials in the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians staging a nonviolent march to the border fence e. of Khan Yunis to protest Israel’s no-go zone; no injuries are reported. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. (NYT, YA 6/15; PCHR, WJW 6/17; OCHA 6/18)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials in the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. Late in the evening, unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. A Palestinian teenager is fatally electrocuted in a smuggling tunnel under the Rafah border. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. (WP 6/15; PCHR, WJW 6/17; OCHA 6/18)

In addition to the IDF internal investigation announced on 6/8, Israel names a government-appointed “independent public commission” with foreign participation to examine a narrow set of circumstances surrounding the Gaza flotilla incident. (IFM 6/13; JTA, NYT 6/14; NYT, WP 6/15)

Obama receives PA PM Mahmud Abbas in Washington for talks on bilateral relations and how best to proceed with peace talks in light of the flotilla incident. Obama, who has been in regular contact with Netanyahu since the flotilla attack, for the first time publicly proposes that Israel switch fr. a blanket ban on imports to Gaza with a list of exempted items permitted entry and instead allow all imports minus a list of banned items. (WP 6/9; NYT, WP, WT 6/10; WJW 6/17)

The PA says it has given Mitchell its baseline positions for direct talks with Israel and is prepared to begin direct negotiations once Israel does the same. Israel, however, says it will not lay out its negotiating position until direct talks begin “because that would be asking us to negotiate against ourselves.” (NYT 6/10)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials in the industrial zone, causing no injuries. IDF troops make a brief incursion into the s. Gaza border area to level land to clear lines of sight. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrests raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron (including surrounding and searching the home of one of the organizers of the local separation wall protests, questioning him for 3 hrs. but not arresting him), Jenin; breaks up Palestinians and Israeli activists holding a nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in al-Walaja nr. Bethlehem, arresting 1 Palestinian, 2 Israelis. (PCHR 6/10, 6/17; OCHA 6/18)

Overnight, the Israeli navy acting on “prior intelligence” fatally shoots 5 al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (AMB) mbrs. diving off the Gaza coast and the Palestinian fisherman manning their boat, wounding and capturing 2 other AMB divers. The AMB claims the men were unarmed and on a training mission; Israel claims they were en route to Israel to stage an attack. Later in the day, the IDF carries out an air strike on the n. Gaza border area, seriously wounding 1 Hamas mbr. preparing to launch a Qassam rocket. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials in the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, nr. Bethlehem and Jenin. (NYT, WP, WT 6/8; PCHR 6/10; OCHA 6/11; JPI 6/18)

As announced on 6/1, Egypt opens its side of the Rafah border in both directions to Palestinian medical cases, students, other humanitarian cases with proper travel documents, as well as to foreign passport holders; 1,000s of Gazans stream to the border crossing in hopes of reaching stores in Egyptian Rafah, but Hamas and Egyptian officials allow fewer than 500 out and fewer than 600 in the first day. (The crossing remains open continuously through the end of the quarter, but average daily numbers allowed to cross are slightly lower than these, with Egypt denying entry to a significant number of Palestinians approved for exit by Hamas.) Twice during the day, IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials inside the Erez industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts evening arrest raids in al-Ma‘sara. Jewish settlers set fire to crop land in 4 Palestinian village nr. Nablus, destroying 450 olive trees and 300 almond trees. (PCHR 6/3; OCHA 6/4)

The U.S. summons Israeli amb. Michael Oren and national security advisor Uzi Arad to a 4-hr. mtg. at the White House to discuss how to “contain fallout” fr. the flotilla raid and to find ways for Israel to ease the siege of Gaza without harming Israeli security. Separately, U.S. Secy. of State Hillary Clinton phones Israeli DM Ehud Barak to urge Israel to be very careful about what it says and does in the coming days to defuse the situation as quickly as possible. (WP 5/27; IFM 6/1; NYT, WJW, WP 7/2)

In light of the 5/31 flotilla incident, Egypt says it will open its border with Gaza indefinitely as of 6/2 for unlimited travel for humanitarian purposes, though import of goods will remain restricted per Israeli demands. Overnight, unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing damage but no injuries. In response, the IDF carries out 2 air strikes and fires 7 tank shells on the launch site nr. Abasan in s. Gaza, killing 2 armed Palestinians; then sends troops 400 m into Gaza to clear lines of sight in the area. Later in the day, Islamic Jihad mbrs. fire 2 Qassam rockets fr. n. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries; the IDF shells the launch site, killing 3 Islamic Jihad mbrs. Meanwhile, IDF troops on the s. Gaza border for unknown reasons fire into al-Shuka neighborhood in Rafah, wounding a 71 yr.-old-Palestinian woman inside her home. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials inside the Erez industrial zone, causing no reported injuries. The UN reports that in the previous wk., Hamas authorities in Gaza for unstated reasons shut down 6 Palestinian NGOs and confiscated some of their property; UN special coordinator for Middle East peace Robert Serry expresses concern over the impact on Palestinian civil society. The UN also reports that in the previous wk., 6 Palestinians were killed, 12 injured when a gas canister being smuggled through a tunnel on the Rafah border exploded; 1 Palestinian was killed and 2 were injured in a separate tunnel collapse. (JP 6/1; NYT 6/2; PCHR 6/3; OCHA 6/4)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border nr. the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials fr. destroyed buildings in the Erez industrial zone, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF enters Bayt Umar village nr. Hebron late in the evening, raiding and searching houses and randomly checking Palestinian IDs, firing rubber-coated steel bullets at stone-throwing Palestinians who confront them, injuring 4; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem, nr. Hebron. (OCHA, PCHR 5/27)

IDF troops on the Gaza border nr. the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials fr. destroyed buildings in the Erez industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. The IDF shoots and wounds a 2d Palestinian in a similar incident on the n. Gaza border nr. Bayt Lahiya. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Birzeit, nr. Bethlehem. (OCHA, PCHR 5/27)