In the West Bank, Israeli forces installed an iron gate at the northern entrance to Halhul. Israeli forces also razed an agricultural road in Khirbat al-Makhul near Ya’bad and placed dirt mounts...
Israel announces that the military has completed the main section of the 142-mi. Israel-Egypt border fence, a task that took 21=2 yrs. at a cost of around $377 m. PM Netanyahu, visiting the fence...
Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. In a predawn strike, IDF bulldozers move into Brazil camp in PA-controlled Rafah under cover of tank, machine gun fire to demolish 20 Palestinian...
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In the West Bank, Israeli forces installed an iron gate at the northern entrance to Halhul. Israeli forces also razed an agricultural road in Khirbat al-Makhul near Ya’bad and placed dirt mounts on it, making it impassable. Elsewhere, Israeli forces took measurements for punitive demolitions of 2 homes in Hebron belonging to the family of 2 Palestinians who are accused of killing an Israeli settler on 8/21. 21 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Tulkarm, Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian farmers east of Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/23; PCHR 8/24; UNOCHA 9/11)
Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told Israeli Channel 12 News’ Mohammad Magadli during a panel discussion that “my right, the right of my wife and my children to move around Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] is more important than freedom of movement for the Arabs [Palestinians]. The right to life comes before freedom of movement. Sorry, Mohammad, but that is the reality.” Ben-Gvir also said that he “is handing out arms to anyone who can defend themselves,” referring to settlers. The U.S. State Department later condemned Ben-Gvir’s remarks on Palestinians’ freedom of movement, calling them racist. (HA, MEE 8/23; AJ, HA, HA, HA, MEE 8/24; ALM, HA, MEE, QDS, WAFA, WAFA 8/25; HA 8/27)
United Arab List chairperson Mansour Abbas and Blue and White party chairperson Benny Gantz visited Tira, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire National Security Minister Ben-Gvir over the Israeli police’s inaction in solving crimes in Palestinian communities in Israel. (HA, WAFA 8/24)
Israel said it would increase its natural gas extraction from the Tamar offshore gas field in order to increase exports to Egypt by 38.7 billion cubic meters over the next 11 years. Israeli energy minister Israel Katz said the deal would strengthen diplomatic ties with Egypt. (REU 8/23; ALM 8/24)
Israel announces that the military has completed the main section of the 142-mi. Israel-Egypt border fence, a task that took 21=2 yrs. at a cost of around $377 m. PM Netanyahu, visiting the fence, says that ‘‘tens of thousands’’ of African migrants (‘‘infiltrators’’) will soon be forcibly repatriated. (ToI, AP 1/2)
U.S. State Dept. spokesperson Victoria Nuland says that the Obama admin. is urging Israeli and Palestinian leaders to resume direct talks in 2013 and halt ‘‘counter-productive unilateral actions.’’ (AFP 1/2)
Israeli newspaper Ha’Aretz reports that Israeli authorities have begun barring foreign nationals living and working in the West Bank from entering East Jerusalem and Israel by stamping their passports with ‘‘Judea and Samaria only.’’ Some of these people are Palestinians born in the West Bank, but whose residency status was rescinded by Israel pre1994 due to a prolonged stay abroad. (HA 2/1)
The IDF orders dozens of Palestinians in the Jordan Valley to leave their homes for the duration of military exercises. Bedouin communities say that these temporary evacuation orders have increased in frequency and that they are being pressured to permanently leave the area. (AP 1/2)
Elsewhere in the West Bank, Jewish settlers enter Jalud village nr. Nablus and clash with residents, injuring 4 Palestinians (including 1 child). Settlers also vandalize a mosque nr. Efrat settlement s. of Bethlehem. The IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. (AP 1/2; PCHR, PNN 1/3)
Following protests on 1/1, the PA announces that it will cancel outstanding electricity bill debts for every West Bank resident. Those being investigated for electricity theft will not be included in the deal. (MNA 1/2)
Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. In a predawn strike, IDF bulldozers move into Brazil camp in PA-controlled Rafah under cover of tank, machine gun fire to demolish 20 Palestinian homes, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding at least 14, leaving 150 homeless. Israel claims the aim of the 4-hr. assault was to halt sniper fire fr. the area. (AP, BBC, NYT, REU 5/2; BDL, NYT, WP, WT 5/3; al-Quds 5/3 in WNC 5/4; LAW, MM 5/4; MEI 5/18)
In Washington, Israeli FM Peres discusses with Secy. of State Powell Israel's position on the Jordanian-Egyptian initiative, urges the U.S. to help arrange a cease-fire. Powell, echoing Israel's positions, says the U.S. it supports the Arab proposal as the "beginning of a dialogue. But, of course, that dialogue cannot get underway until violence is brought down" significantly; he does not mention the Israeli attack on Brazil hrs. earlier. The State Dept., however, denounces the Brazil attack as "undermin[ing] the efforts to defuse the situation." (MENA 5/2 in WNC 5/3; WP, WT 5/3; MM 5/4)
At a mtg. of his inner cabinet held in the Jewish settlement of Ofra, Sharon says that he cannot foresee Israel ever ceding sovereignty over the Jordan Valley "from the Jordanian border in the east to the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria and the Allon Road in the west." (JP [Internet] 5/3; WJW 5/10)
