The Palestine Chronology

Israeli forces maintain the closure of Hizma for a 3d day, following clashes in the village on 1/18. Israeli soldiers conduct raids in the village in the evening, sparking clashes with stonethrowing residents; there are no serious injuries. Elsewhere in East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning. Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian guard at the sanctuary and 2 Palestinians during late-night raids in Issawiyya and Silwan. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 8 Palestinians during late-night raids near Ramallah, Tulkarm, Jenin, Bethlehem and in Salfit; and patrol near Hebron and Qalqilya. In 3 separate incidents off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya and Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (WAFA 1/21; MNA 1/22; PCHR 1/25)

In Amman, Jordan’s King Abdullah tells U.S. VP Pence that the only resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will come through a 2-state solution and insists that East Jerusalem must be the capital of a future Palestinian state. “We hope that the U.S. will reach out and find the right way to move forward in these challenging circumstances,” he adds. Pence then visits a U.S. military base near the JordanSyria border before flying to Israel in the evening. (HA, JP, NYT, REU, YA 1/21)

Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians gathering in Kafr Qaddum village near Qalqilya and in central Jerusalem to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; 8 Palestinians are injured. An IDF raid in Jaba‘ near Jenin sparks further clashes; there are no serious injuries. Israeli forces maintain the closure of Hizma for a 2d day, following clashes in the village on 1/18. IDF troops arrest 10 Palestinians and issue 5 arrest summons during late-night raids in and around Hebron and Bethlehem, and patrol near Qalqilya and Hebron. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (WAFA 1/20; WAFA 1/21; PCHR 1/25)

A Palestinian prisoner incarcerated at Israel’s Ramla Prison succumbs to complications related to cancer. The Israeli authorities reportedly refused repeated calls for him to be released on humanitarian grounds. (MNA 1/20; PCHR 1/25)

In Cairo, U.S. VP Pence says that the Trump administration remains committed to restarting the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. After meeting with Egyptian pres. al-Sisi, Pence says he “heard out” al-Sisi’s concerns about U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. (HA, REU 1/20)