The Palestine Chronology

Israeli forces punitively demolish a Palestinian home in Kafr ‘Aqab, n. of Jerusalem, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents of the area; 1 Palestinian is killed and several are injured. The owner of the home was killed on 10/9 after participating in the drive-by shooting of a crowd of Israelis. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops conduct arrest raids in Balata r.c. nr. Nablus late at night, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Israeli soldier and 1 Palestinian are injured. They also arrest 2 Palestinians during raids nr. Nablus and Salfit, assault and seriously injure a Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Nablus, and patrol during the day nr. Hebron and Salfit. An Israeli settler driver attempts to ram 2 Palestinian youths nr. Hebron, causing no injuries. In Israel, Israeli forces demolish the bedouin village al-‘Araqib in the Negev for the 107th time since 2010. (IMEMC, MNA 12/22; PCHR 12/29)

Following high-level contacts between the Israeli and Egyptian govts. and massive Israeli pressure against the draft UNSC res. Egypt circulated on 12/21, 2 Western diplomats say that the vote set for today has been postponed indefinitely. Later, 4 mbrs. of the UNSC—New Zealand, Venezuela, Malaysia, and Senegal—give Egypt an ultimatum. They tell Cairo that, if it does not call a vote by 12/23, they reserved the right to table the draft themselves. (EI, HA, JP, NBC, REU, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/22; HA, JP, MNA 12/23)

France’s FM Jean-Marc Ayrault announces that the peace conference initially set for 12/21 is now scheduled for 1/15/2017, adding that the summit will present conclusions to Israeli PM Netanyahu and PA pres. Abbas in a mediated meeting in the hopes of relaunching peace negotiations. (MNA, TOI 12/23)

After the residents of the illegal Amona settlement outpost formally pledge to evacuate their homes peacefully, Israel’s High Court of Justice agrees to the govt.’s request for a 45-day postponement of its order for the outpost to be evacuated and demolished by 12/25. (HA, JP, TOI, YA 12/22; MNA 12/24)

In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Qusra village nr. Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 4 Palestinians are injured. Israeli forces reseal the entrance to a junction nr. Hebron 1 day after reopening it. An Israeli military bus driver rams and injures 2 Palestinian youths nr. Hebron, according to Palestinian witnesses of the incident. Late at night, 2 Israeli soldiers mistakenly drive into Tulkarm using the GPS navigation app Waze. Residents throw stones at the 2 soldiers, lightly injuring both. The IDF and PASF coordinate their exit from the city. IDF troops arrest 3 Palestinians for throwing stones and paint cans at an Israeli settler bus in al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron. (MNA, YA 9/12; MNA 9/13; PCHR 9/22)

In a joint press conference with Luxembourg’s PM Xavier Bettel, Israeli PM Netanyahu says that the proposed meeting between himself and PA pres. Abbas, which was 1st planned for Cairo and then Moscow in recent weeks, may now happen in Luxembourg: “[Bettel] has invited me to Luxembourg, and he said the Palestinians might also come there; therefore, it’s either Moscow or Luxembourg.” (JP 9/12)

Palestinian fighters in Gaza launch a rocket into Israel, which lands in Sderot, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF then launches dozens of air strikes on “key Hamas strategic assets,” according to IDF sources on 8/23. The IDF also targets Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other factions’ sites in and around Bayt Hanun, injuring at least 7 Palestinians (3 of whom are Hamas mbrs.). Also, an Israeli tank fires 6 shells at a Gazan water storage facility along the border nearby, causing damage. Initial reports say that the PFLP’s armed wing is responsible for the rocket launch; later, a Salafi group affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claims responsibility. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries; 2 fishermen are arrested. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in and around Hebron, as well as in Bethlehem and nr. Salfit, arresting 8 Palestinians; and patrol nr. Nablus, Salfit, Ramallah, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces issue arrest summons for 6 Palestinians during raids in Jabal Mukabir. (AP, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 8/21; HA 8/22; TOI 8/24; PCHR 8/25)

An Israeli delegation meets with their Egyptian diplomatic counterparts in Cairo to discuss Pres. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s efforts to revive the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. After the meetings, al-Sisi says he recently spoke with Russian pres. Vladimir Putin about hosting a round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in Moscow, and indicated that Putin would be willing to do so. (TOI 8/21; JP, TOI 8/22)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during raids nr. Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, and Qalqilya; and patrol nr. Hebron and Nablus. Israeli settlers set fire to and destroy 15 olive trees nr. Nablus, and throw stones at Palestinian vehicles nr. Salfit, damaging 1. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians and issue arrest summons to 5 during raids in Kafr ‘Aqab, the Old City, and Silwan. Meanwhile, a Palestinian man demolishes his own home in Silwan to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. (PLONAD 5/28; PCHR 6/2; OCHA 6/9)

PA pres. Abbas meets with Egyptian pres. al-Sisi in Cairo to discuss the Egyptian effort to restart direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks alongside the French effort to host a multilateral peace conference in Paris, scheduled for 6/3. Meanwhile, the Arab League meets in Cairo and endorses the French peace initiative. (AP, JP, MNA, TOI 5/28; JP, TOI 5/29)

Uncoordinated stabbing and alleged stabbing attacks continue in the West Bank and Jerusalem, resulting in the deaths of 3 Palestinians. Two Palestinians open fire on an Israeli bus in Ramot, causing no damage. Israeli police then chase the shooters into the Old City, where they shoot and kill the 2 men after they allegedly attempt to ram their car into a Jewish Israeli pedestrian, causing no serious injuries. A 3d Palestinian is critically injured in the crossfire. The IDF maintains, for a 2d day, the closure of 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Salfit. On the outskirts of the village nr. Salfit, Israeli soldiers open fire on 2 Palestinian youths as they approach an IDF checkpoint, killing 1 and critically injuring the other. An IDF spokesperson says that one of the youths was armed with a knife and intended to attack the soldiers. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 3/9; PCHR 3/10)

Elsewhere in the oPt, Hamas announces that 1 of its fighters died earlier in the day during unspecified training exercises. IDF troops raid a village nr. Jenin, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. They conduct further raids in and around Nablus, Qalqilya, Bethlehem, and Hebron, arresting 18 Palestinians. An Israeli settler stabs and injures a Palestinian nr. Nablus. Late at night, Israeli settlers spray price-tag graffiti on the walls of a Palestinian home in a village nr. Bethlehem. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/9; MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/10; PCHR 3/17)

In response to the string of attacks on 3/8 and after conferring with senior security officials, Israeli PM Netanyahu announces that Israel will complete the construction of the separation wall in the s. Hebron Hills. He also states that his govt. proposes new legislation to deter and punish Palestinians who enter Israel illegally, close Palestinian media outlets responsible for alleged incitement, and deny work permits to the families of Palestinians who commit serious crimes against Israelis. Israeli police immediately arrest 10s of Palestinians in raids across Israel, targeting those who entered the country without proper permits. (HA, JP, TOI 3/9)

The Israeli authorities inform 5 Palestinian food companies that their goods will no longer be permitted to pass through the Beitunia crossing for sale in Jerusalem. Israel last barred West Bank food products from entering East Jerusalem for a brief period in 2010. (TOI 3/13)

In Cairo, French FM Jean-Marc Ayrault says that France will not recognize the State of Palestine if the planned French peace initiative fails, effectively retracting his predecessor’s 1/29 pledge. “There is never anything automatic,” he says, adding that “France will present its initiative to its partners. It will be the first step, there is no prerequisite.” (TOI 3/9; JTA 3/10)