The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up caravans on Palestinian land near Mukhmas. Israeli forces demolished 1 Palestinian school in Jubbet ad-Dik; the EU delegation to the Palestinians called the demolition appalling. Israeli forces also demolished 1 guest house in Jiftlik and 2 houses under construction in al-‘Awja. 8 Palestinians were arrested, including 3 minors, during late-night raids in Ras Karkar, Jalazun refugee camp, Bayt Jala, Beit Sahour, al-‘Awja, and Masafer Yatta. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. (AN, F24, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/7; HA, WAFA 5/8; PCHR 5/11; UNOCHA 5/19)

Israeli forces partially lifted the siege on Jericho after 16 days, easing restrictions on entry and exiting the city, but maintaining the barriers and checkpoints that have been erected. (QDS 5/7)

The Israel Land Authority issued tenders for 1,248 housing units in the Beitar Ilit, Efrat, Kiryat Arba, Ma’ale Ephraim, and Karnei Shomron settlements in the West Bank and in the Gilo settlement in East Jerusalem. (REU 5/7; QDS, WAFA 5/8)

The Supreme Court of Israel denied a petition to immediately expel Palestinians living in Khan al-Ahmar. The judges said in the ruling that they accepted the government’s argument that the Palestinians cannot be expelled “for current reasons related to the security of a country and its foreign relations.” The petition was submitted by the settler organization Regavim. (HA 5/7; AA, HA 5/8)

The Israeli government allocated $8.8 million to develop an archaeological site in Sebastia. The government wrote in the proposal for the development of the site that it is doing so to prevent the PA from restoring the site. (TOI 5/7; PCN 5/8)

The World Food Programme announced that it will suspend food aid to 200,000 Palestinians, about 60% of current recipients in Palestine, from June due to severe shortage in funds. The organization said that it will have to suspend all its programs in the West Bank and Gaza by August if it does not receive new funding. (HA, REU 5/7; PCHR 5/8; AJ 5/28; HA 5/31)

Israel released Jordanian lawmaker Imad al-Adwan who was arrested on 4/23 at the Allenby Bridge, accused of smuggling weapons and gold. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 5/7)

U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan met with Saudi crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman in Riyadh, discussing normalization with Israel and peace in Yemen. Sullivan also met with the national security advisors of India and the UAE to discuss infrastructure plans in the Middle East. (AX 5/6; REU 5/7; AJ, AP, AX 5/8; HA 5/9)

The Arab League voted to readmit Syria to the organization during a closed meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo. Syria’s membership was suspended in 2011. (AJ, HA, MEE, NYT, REU 5/7)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assaulted Palestinians in Fasayil, injuring 1. Israeli forces raided Nablus and took measurements for a punitive demolition of a home belonging to the family of a Palestinian killed during an Israeli raid on Jenin on 3/7. Israeli forces also issued 15 stop-work orders for structures in al-Jiftlik and demolition orders for 4 homes and 1 agricultural structure in Idhna. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raided Qaddura refugee camp, firing tear gas near the Palestine Medical Complex, leading to tear-gas related injuries among patients. 26 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Khirbet Abu Falah, Qaddura refugee camp, Eizariya, ‘Anata, ad-Doha, al-Walaja, Bethlehem, Beit Umar, Dura, Fawwar refugee camp, Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, Ein as-Sultan, Nablus, ‘Askar refugee camp, and Ya’bad. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/22; PCHR 3/23; UNOCHA 3/31)

The Israeli Land Authority published tenders for construction of 940 settlement units in the West Bank settlements Efrat and Beitar Illit and 89 settlement units in the Gilo settlement in East Jerusalem. (AP, PCN, WAFA 3/24; WAFA 3/25; MEMO 3/26; WAFA 3/27)

In Syria, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes on Aleppo International Airport for the second time this month, causing damage. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, REU 3/22)

Haaretz reported that the Israeli military had conducted a psychological warfare operation against Israelis during the 2021 Operation Guardian of the Wall to garner support among the Israeli public for the Israeli military’s attacks on Gaza. The military used the social media platforms Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to upload propaganda from fake profiles. The campaign was launched 2 days into Israel assault on Gaza, as Israeli military personnel feared they were losing public support. (AP, HA 3/22) 

The Jordanian parliament voted to recommend expelling the Israeli ambassador to the country in protest over Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich’s comments on 3/19 in Paris that the Palestinian people do not exist while standing in front of a map depicting Greater Israel, including all of Palestinian and Jordan. (AX, WAFA 3/20; AJ, WAFA 3/22)

PA pres. Mahmud Abbas addresses the UNGA in New York, announcing as expected that his government will seek non-member observer state status for Palestine (see Doc. B4 in JPS 166). Abbas also refers to current Israeli policies as ‘‘ethnic cleansing,’’ singling out settlement construction and home demolition for particular criticism. Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) criticize the speech for not offering anything new, but Fatah praises it as ‘‘historic.’’ Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu also addresses the assembly, notably literally drawing a ‘‘red line’’ on a cartoon of a bomb to illustrate his claim that Iran would be capable of making a nuclear weapon within a year. In contrast, U.S. officials play down the notion that Iran is on the brink of achieving a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Iran is making progress in building a research reactor capable of potential weapon material, and Israeli media describe the Netanyahu government as urging the EU to impose further sanctions on Iran in light of the economic damage achieved by sanctions to date. (AP, HA, MNA, REU, ToI 9/27)

Israel approves a proposal to allow 5,000 additional entry permits for Palestinian construction and agricultural workers, bringing the total number of work permits issued by Israel to West Bank Palestinians to over 45,000. Israel also allows, for the 1st time since 2007, 3 truckloads of furniture to be exported from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank, destined for PA-run schools. This marks the 3d time in 2012 that Israel permitted the passage of goods from Gaza to the West Bank. Meanwhile Egypt informed Palestinian officials of their intention to ease travel through the Rafah crossing over coming days. (JP, MNA 9/27)

In the West Bank, Jewish settlers fr. Beitar Ilit settlement nr. Bethlehem dump sewage water on agriculture lands in the Fukin valley. Jewish settlers fr. Brakha settlement nr. Burin village s. of Nablus cut down over 60 olive trees. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Jericho, 2 villages nr. Ramallah, and 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning; patrols in 1 village nr. Qalqilya and 1 village nr. Ramallah in the afternoon; patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 village nr. Tulkarm (firing sound bombs), and 1 village nr. Hebron at night; conducts a house raid and summons in Qalqilya in the morning and house raids in 1 village nr. Hebron at night (beating 2 residents, arresting another 2, and firing tear-gas canisters at homes) at night. (PCHR 10/4)

U.S. and Lebanese government officials allege that Hizballah has sent military advisers to help the Asad government in Syria. UNRWA estimates that the total number of refugees fleeing Syria will reach 700,000 by the end of 2012. (REU, WP 9/27)

The last U.S. combat troops pull out of Iraq 2 wks. ahead of Obama’s 12/31/11 target date; 1,000s of U.S. diplomats and contractors remain in the country, as well as 150 U.S. soldiers tasked to train Iraqi security forces. (National Public Radio, REU 12/18; NYT 12/19)

Israel frees 550 Palestinian prisoners in the 2d stage of the swap that freed IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit in 10/2011; 41 are released to Gaza, more than 500 to the West Bank, a few to East Jerusalem and Jordan. Under the terms of the deal, Israel picked which prisoners to free and picked mostly Fatahaffiliated West Bankers as a gesture to Abbas; none are mbrs. of Hamas or Islamic Jihad or were involved in killing or wounding anyone; Palestinians complain that “many of those being released were due to get out within months anyway. . . . If Israel had wanted to make a real good-will gesture, the list would have been totally different.” (NYT, WP 12/19)

Stone-throwing Palestinian youths clash with IDF at the Beitunia checkpoint where some of the Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel are released, leaving 10s of Palestinians and 1 IDF soldier injured. Elsewhere in the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Jenin in the morning and in 3 villages nr. Jenin, Qalqilya, and Salfit in the evening (firing tear gas at stone-throwing youths in Jenin); makes a brief incursion into Qalqilya where they set up 2 checkpoints, detain 2 PA security forces officers for several hours, and summon 1 Palestinian for questioning. Jewish settlers block a Palestinian road nr. Moshe Zouhar settlement outpost nr. Qalqilya. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the Gaza City shore, detaining 1 boat and questioning 4 Palestinians (3 are released, 1 is sent to Israel for an unrelated medical issue). Gaza’s Interior Min. drops requirements for Gazans to register in advance of leaving Gaza through the Rafah crossing. The Israeli Housing Min. published tenders for construction of 1,028 Jewish settlement units in East Jerusalem (500 in Har Homa, 348 in Beitar Ilit, and 180 in Givat Ze’ev). The Gaza Central Drug Store receives an urgent shipment of medicine and supplies fr. the West Bank, enough to replenish its stores for several weeks (see 12/6/12). (HA 12/18; NYT, WP 12/19; PCHR 12/22; OCHA 12/23)

IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz announces that in light of the dramatically increasing number of covert foreign operations Israel has undertaken in the past year, the Israeli DMin. has formed a new operational branch called the Depth Corps specifically to handle special operations “deep in enemy territory.” The new branch (separate fr. the existing Northern, Southern, and Central Commands) will be headed by former special operations commander Maj. Gen. Shai Avital and will pull and coordinate resources fr. the military’s various elite commando units on an ad hoc basis, depending on the mission. While Israel does not confirm or deny covert operations abroad, media reports over the past year have indicated that Israel has carried out operations in Sudan (targeting arms traffic to Hizballah and Hamas), Iran, Lebanon, and Syria. According to HA, since most recent covert ops have targeted Iran, IDF insiders often refer to the Depth Corps as “Iran Command.” (AFP, IHY 12/16; HA 12/18; JPI 2/10)

In Gaza, the IDF makes an air strike on an empty car in Jabaliya r.c. owned by a member of Hamas’s Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades (IQB) in an apparent assassination attempt, destroying the car, damaging surrounding homes, causing no reported injuries; sends tanks, troops into areas southeast of Gaza City to bulldozes 200 d. of olive groves. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border shell an alleged rocket-launching site w. of Bayt Lahiya in n. Gaza, injuring 2 Palestinian children (ages 4, 17) and damaging a house. IDF troops on the s. Gaza border direct heavy machine gun fire towards residential areas of Abasan, wounding 1 Palestinian inside his home. The Israeli navy fires on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, causing no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF raids, searches a store in Yatta nr. Hebron, arresting the owner and confiscating a computer; chases and detains 17 Palestinian children who throw stones at an IDF post outside al-Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, questioning and releasing 12, arresting 5; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin. The IDF also demolishes a Palestinian home in East Jerusalem, displacing a family of 7. Jewish settlers fr. Itamar nr. Nablus seize an area of Palestinian land and begin leveling work for construction of a new settler-only bypass road. Jewish settlers angry over the removal of an IDF roadblock nr. Hebron demonstrate, block Palestinian traffic. Israel’s Housing min. issues tenders for construction of 286 new settlement housing units in Beitar Ilit nr. Bethlehem. A Palestinian teenager injured during the IDF’s 4/11/08 raid on al-Bureij r.c. dies (see Chronology in JPS 148). (PCHR 5/22; OCHA 5/28; PCHR 5/29)

Israeli police hold a press conference to announce serious new corruption and financial impropriety allegations against Israeli PM Ehud Olmert (see Quarterly Update for details). (NYT, WP, WT 5/22; NYT 5/23; MM 6/12; NYT, OCHA, WP, WT 5/28)

Israel, Syria, Turkey announce that Israel and Syria have been holding “serious and continuous” indirect peace talks through Turkish mediators since 2/07; high-level Israeli and Syrian negotiating teams are in Istanbul taking part in a preliminary round of indirect negotiations. (IFM 5/21; NYT, WP, WT 5/22; NYT 5/23; MM 6/12)

Lebanese political figures holding national unity talks in Doha formally announce that they have reached a comprehensive agmt. ending their 18-mo. political standoff and paving the way for Gen. Michel Suleiman’s election as pres, including agmts. on redistricting Beirut, an electoral law, and allotment of cabinet seats that will give Hizballah veto power over major decisions. (MM, NYT, WP 5/21; MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/22)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue unabated, leaving 4 Palestinians dead, more than 60 injured, mostly in Gaza. The IDF bars an ambulance fr. taking a seriously wounded Palestinian into Jordan for treatment. Jewish settlers fr. Beitar Ilit assault Palestinians harvesting their olive grove; the IDF intervenes, forcing the Palestinians to leave. (ADM, LAW 10/21; NYT, WP, WT 10/22; JT 11/9 in WNC 11/13)

In Cairo, Arab League opens a 2-day emergency session on the recent Israeli-Palestinian violence, the peace process. (WT 10/21; NYT, WP, WT 10/22; MM 10/23; MENA 10/24 in WNC 10/25; MEI 10/27; MM 11/7)

1,000s of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Syria stage demonstrations calling on Arab leaders to sever all ties with Israel. Demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people are held in Italy, Kenya, the UK, Yemen. In the U.S., rallies are held in Austin, Miami Beach, San Francisco. Israeli Jews, Arabs fr. the mixed community of Neve Shalom host a peace rally in Haifa, but barely 1,000 Israelis attend. (UPI 10/21; WP 10/22; WJW 11/9)

PM Netanyahu's security cabinet holds session to discuss the "growing Palestinization and religious radicalization among Israeli Arabs." (MA 7/7 in WNC 7/13)

Israeli pres. Weizman, PM Netanyahu meet for 1st time in over a mo., agree to halt their public debate over the peace process. (MM 7/1; CSM, MM, WP 7/2; JP 7/11) (see 6/30)

Israeli air force (IAF) cmdr. Eytan Ben-Eliyahu says that most of the present aircraft fleet is outdated, the IAF needs 100 modern fighter jets. (YA 7/1 in WNC 7/6) (see 6/28)

1st civil guard is formed in the Jewish settlement of Beitar Ilit. Other guard centers are being set up in Kiryat Arba, Ma'ale Adumim, Givat Ze'ev settlements. Units are planned in Efrat, Har Hadar, Oranit settlements. (PR 7/10) (see 6/11)

Syrian FMin. Undersecy. Adnan Umran arrives in Turkey for 2-day visit to discuss normalizing diplomatic relations. (WT 7/1; Anatolia 7/1 in WNC 7/2; Anatolia 7/1, 7/2 in WNC 7/6; WT 7/3; Milliyet 7/4 in WNC 7/7; MEI 7/31)

In Cairo, Egypt, Iran discuss enhancing media cooperation. (IRNA 7/1 in WNC 7/6)

Group representing 800 U.S. finance officials threatens to boycott Swiss banks unless they settle Holocaust era claims. U.S. administration opposes the threat of sanctions, which could disrupt U.S.-Swiss relations, trigger free trade dispute. (WT 7/3)

Israel reinforces troops in s. Lebanon, sending in more than 20 vehicles, including Merkava tanks, 175-mm. guns, surveillance cameras. (RL 7/1 in WNC 7/2)