The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked 2 Palestinian vehicles traveling near a checkpoint in Tayasir, causing damage to both. Israeli settlers also assaulted 1 Palestinian man near Bayt Dajan, causing the man to be hospitalized. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, injuring 1 with a rubber-coated bullet, 4 with tear gas canisters, and 50 with tear gas. 4 Palestinians were arrested, including 2 during late-night raids in Bayt Jala and Yatta, and 2 in the vicinity of Beit Fajjar. In Israel, Israeli prison forces raided a section of the Ktzi’ot prison, assaulting Palestinian prisoners. (WAFA, WAFA 8/8; MEE, WAFA, WAFA 8/9; PCHR 8/12)

Peace Now reported that the Israeli government is moving ahead with a plan to create a new settlement with 9,000 housing units at the Atarot airport between Jerusalem and Ramallah. The plans are set to be discussed on 12/6/2021. Peace Now called on the government to shelve the plans for the new settlement immediately. (TOI 8/2; PCN 8/8; AJ 8/17)

Israeli national security officials met with Egyptian security officials in Cairo to discuss the details for a long-term ceasefire with Hamas. (MEMO 8/9)

According to Haaretz, IDF chief of staff Aviv Kochavi met with IDF central command officials, asking them to take steps to reduce lethal shootings of Palestinians in the West Bank as the death toll of Palestinians in the West Bank since May had risen to 40 on 8/6. Haaretz called on Chief of Staff Kochavi in an editorial to dismiss head of IDF central command Tomer Yadai in response to the many killings. (HA, HA 8/10)

Bahrain’s undersecretary for political affairs Shaykh Abdullah bin Ahmed al-Khalifa met with Israel’s president Isaac Herzog and foreign minister Yair Lapid in Jerusalem, where he announced plans to start direct flights between the 2 countries. Foreign Minister Lapid also said he would be visiting Bahrain soon. The 2 countries formalized a normalization deal in September 2020. (HA 8/8; ALM 8/10)

A Saudi Arabian court handed sentences of up to 22 to years in prison to a large number of Palestinian and Jordanian residents of the country who were charged with being linked to unnamed terrorist organizations. A total of 69 Palestinians and Jordanians received either prison sentences or were acquitted. It was unclear how many of the 69 were acquitted; all were detained in March 2018. Among the Palestinians to receive prison sentences was Hamas representative to Saudi Arabia Mohammed al-Khodari, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Hamas condemned the rulings, calling the sentences “harsh and undeserved.” (AJ, MEMO, MEMO 8/9; ALM, MEMO 8/12)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raided Awarta; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces razed 4 dunums (1 acre) of farmland in Bayt Jala. 7 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Ramallah, Kafr Haris, Qabatiya, and al-Khadir. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians during a raid in Kafr ‘Aqab, injuring 11 Palestinians using rubber-coated bullets and 31 suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also seized 3 residential caravans and demolished 2 stores in Kafr ‘Aqab. 3 Palestinian minors were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled land east of Jabaliya and east of al-Bureij refugee camp. Israeli forces also opened fire at agricultural lands east of Khuza‘a; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/16; WAFA 3/17; PCHR 3/18)

Delegations from various Palestinian factions continued talks about national unity and upcoming elections in Cairo. (WAFA, WAFA 3/16)

The Syrian military said it had intercepted Israeli-fired missiles near Damascus. (HA 3/16; ALM 3/17)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uprooted some 60 olive saplings in Jalud. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinian vehicles traveling on the Nablus-Qalqilya road, leading to 1 injury and damage. Israeli forces shot and injured 7 Palestinians trying to enter Israel for work through the separation barrier near Far‘un. Israeli forces also seized heavy machinery used to rehabilitate a road in Kardala. 10 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Bayt Umar, Sabastiyya, Qabatiya, Jalazun refugee camp, and Nahalin. In East Jerusalem, 6 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Issawiyya. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen 3 nautical miles west of al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian farmers east of Khan Yunis and Dayr al-Balah; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/11; PCHR 1/14)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Israeli defense ministry and the civil administration’s higher planning committee will approve 800 new settlement units in the Itamar, Beit El, Shavei Shomron, Oranit, Givat Ze’ev, Tal Menashe, and Nofei Nehemia settlements and settlement outposts. Prime Minister Netanyahu also said on Facebook that “[w]e’re here [in the West Bank] to stay. We’re continuing to build the Land of Israel.” Leader of the Israeli opposition Yair Lapid of the Yesh Atid party called the announcement of the new settlement units “irresponsible,” citing the U.S. presidential transition on 1/20. France’s foreign ministry, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the PA denounced the settlement expansion. Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz also approved a small number Palestinian construction projects in al-Walaja, Hizma, Bethlehem, and Bayt Jala. All the projects need secondary approval. (ABC, AJ, AP, HA, REU, TOI, TOI, WAFA 1/11; REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/12)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and a member of the PLO executive committee condemned the UAE for allowing Israeli settler products to be imported to its market after the 1st shipment of Israeli settler goods arrived in the UAE. (WAFA 1/11; REU 1/14)

The PA health ministry said it had approved the Russian-made COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V for emergency use. (WAFA 1/11)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas issued 3 presidential decrees, 2 of which critiques say serves to bolster the power of the PA presidency ahead of potential elections later this year. 1 decree allows the PA president to select judges instead of approving judges, who would be selected based on seniority. The decree also allows the president to force Palestinian judges to retire 5 years before the set retirement age of 70. A 2d decree establishes administrative courts, which can hear petitions against officials and institutions, previously a duty of the High Court of Justice. The president of the administrative court is appointed by the PA president. (HA 1/28)

An Israeli court in Lod ruled that screening or distributing the movie Jenin Jenin from 2002 by Mohammad Bakri should be banned and copies of the movie destroyed. Bakri was also ruled to pay $55,000 to an Israeli soldier who appears in archival footage used for the movie and $16,000 for the cost of the trial. The Israeli judge said that Bakri did not do enough research to label the movie a documentary. The PA ministry of culture condemned the ruling. (HA 1/11; AJ, TOI, WAFA 1/12; WAFA 1/13)

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that he regretted forming a coalition with Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying that Netanyahu “cheated me and cheated you [the Israeli public].” He then called on all opposition leaders, including the Joint Arab List’s Ayman Odeh, to join him in sending “Bibi [Netanyahu] home” in the upcoming election. (HA 1/11)

The foreign ministers of Germany, France, Jordan, and Egypt met in Cairo to discuss reviving peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The quartet expressed willingness to work closely with the U.S. to map steps toward peace. In a statement, the 4 called for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. According to the Jerusalem Post, the 4 countries had tried to invite the Israeli and PA foreign ministers to the meeting, but both were unable or unwilling to travel for the meeting. (HA, WAFA 1/11; JP 1/12)

U.S. billionaire and mega-donor to Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, and Israeli settlements Sheldon Adelson died. Adelson had recently flown the convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to Israel from the U.S. so he could immigrate after being released from parole, and he bought the U.S. ambassador’s house in Tel Aviv from the U.S. state department earlier in 2020. Adelson was known to have had a large influence on U.S. president Donald Trump’s aggressively pro-Israel policies during his presidency. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU 1/12)