The Palestine Chronology

For the 3d day in a row, Israeli forces conduct widespread raids across East Jerusalem, arresting at least 20 Palestinians ahead of the Passover holiday and threatening demolitions in Silwan. Additional Israeli police are deployed in the city. Israeli authorities suspend Gazans’ weekly visit to Jerusalem, and completely close down crossings in the West Bank and Gaza, with exceptions for humanitarian and medical cases (the closure began at midnight on 4/21 and will last through midnight on 4/23, unless the IDF decides the security situation requires its continuation). At Haram al-Sharif, 29 Palestinians are barred from the sanctuary and 10 right-wing Jewish activists are detained as they carry baby goats to the sanctuary for Passover sacrifices (Jewish religious rites are prohibited at Haram al-Sharif). IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s occupation, settlements, and separation wall in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Silwad, Nabi Salih, Jalazun r.c., and outside Ofer Prison), 1 village nr. Qalqilya, and 2 areas along Gaza’s border; 6 Palestinians are injured. The IDF also patrols during the day in 4 villages nr. Qalqilya and 2 nr. Ramallah. (JP, MNA 4/22; MNA 4/23; HA 4/24; PCHR 4/28)

In a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York, PA pres. Abbas encourages gathered world leaders to support the French peace initiative, saying, “We are deliberating with international parties and relevant Arab ministerial committee to examine the content and timing for proposing a [UNSC] res. against settlement activity.” The Palestinian leadership had planned to have their antisettlement res. introduced in the UNSC during Abbas’s trip to New York; press reports say that they have decided to postpone the initiative at France’s request to give breathing room to the French peace initiative. (HA, MNA 4/22; JP 4/23)

An explosive device detonates on a bus in s. Jerusalem, injuring at least 20 Israelis (2 seriously). A Palestinian injured in the blast will succumb to his wounds on 4/20. Israeli officials treat it as a terrorist attack, and the Israeli police and security services begin investigations. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinian youths after they allegedly assault an Israeli youth in the Old City; arrest 7 Palestinian youths and confiscate some property during raids in Shu‘fat r.c., Qalandia r.c., Ras al-Amud, and the Old City; and shoot tear gas canisters at Palestinian schoolchildren in Ras al-Amud, causing no serious injuries. Israeli forces also raid and search a newspaper company’s offices. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot tear gas canisters at a school nr. Hebron, causing minor injuries; conduct raids and house searches nr. Bethlehem, Ramallah, Qalqilya, and in and around Hebron, arresting 10 Palestinians, issuing arrest summons to 4, and confiscating some property; patrol nr. Ramallah and Jericho. Along Gaza’s border, Egyptian forces flood and partially destroy a smuggling tunnel leading into the n. Sinai Peninsula. A military court in Gaza sentences 5 Palestinians to death on charges related to collaborating with Israel. A Palestinian woman is injured when she accidentally detonates a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance in Gaza City. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/18; JP, MNA, TOI 4/19; HA, MNA 4/20; PCHR 4/21)

The IDF lifts a gag order on the news that it discovered a tunnel leading from s. Gaza into Israel earlier this week (they will demolish it on 4/19). Hamas’s military wing says “this tunnel is just a drop in the ocean of what the resistance has prepared for the defense of its people and the liberation of holy places, land, and prisoners.” (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 4/18; JP 4/19)

Citing Palestinian complaints and reservations, Jordan’s PM Abdullah Ensour says that Jordan has decided to halt the process of installing cameras at Haram al-Sharif following mos. of stalled negotiations with Israeli officials. (JP, MNA, TOI, YA 4/18; HA 4/19, 4/27)

Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Khan Yunis. Early in the morning in the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 3 Palestinian homes under construction in a village nr. Bethlehem and a playground in a village nr. Nablus. They also reopen a road e. of Hebron that they closed on 3/14, following a formal request from the PA. IDF troops patrol in a village nr. Ramallah, sparking clashes with stonethrowing Palestinians; 2 Palestinians are arrested and there are no serious injuries. They conduct further raids and house searches nr. Nablus, Jericho, and in Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrol nr. Qalqilya, Jericho, Ramallah, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Municipality prepares to demolish a Palestinian home in Wadi al-Juz, but Israeli PM Netanyahu’s office intervenes, canceling the demolition to avoid increasing tensions in the city ahead of Passover. Meanwhile, the extreme messianic group Temple Institute says that it conducted a secret Jewish wedding at Haram al-Sharif, violating the ban on Jewish religious ceremonies at the sanctuary. (MNA, WAFA 4/12; MNA, TOI, YA 4/13; PCHR 4/14)

COGAT announces that the Israeli govt. has given approval, in principle, to a Palestinian request to build a power plant nr. Jenin. (YA, 4/12; MNA, YA 4/13)

A U.S. State Dept. spokesperson says that the U.S. opposes a UNSC res. censuring Israel’s settlements, such as the one the Palestinian leadership is currently circulating. He adds, “I can firmly shut the door,” ending all speculation about U.S. support for the effort. (USSD 4/12; JP 4/13)

For the 2d day in a row, the IEC cuts off power to a major West Bank city, this time affecting parts of Hebron from 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. It is the 3d time the IEC has implemented its plan to intermittently and punitively disrupt power supplies to areas of the West Bank in response to unpaid debts. (HA, JP, MNA 4/5)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working nr. Rafah, causing no injuries. Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nearby. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a slaughterhouse, a balcony, and a water well in a village nr. Bethlehem and force a number of Palestinian shops to close in a village nr. Nablus, arresting 2 Palestinians who allegedly threw stones at them. IDF troops also conduct latenight raids and house searches in Nablus and nr. Hebron arresting 9 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 2; take measurements and photographs of a home nr. Hebron, threatening punitive demolition; and patrol nr. Qalqilya, Jenin, and Hebron. Israeli settlers enter a village nr. Nablus late at night, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is injured. Meanwhile, Palestinian youths throw Molotov cocktails at Israeli forces on a patrol nr. Ramallah; there are no serious injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raid al-Quds University in Abu Dis, destroying and confiscating property, and issue an arrest summons for a Palestinian journalist during a raid in al-Thawri. Israeli police arrest 2 right-wing Jewish activists attempting to sneak into Haram al-Sharif disguised as Muslims. (MNA, WAFA 4/5; MNA 4/6; PCHR 4/7)

The day after Israeli PM Netanyahu invited him to Jerusalem for a face-to-face meeting, PA pres. Abbas says that he is prepared to work with Israel to stop and monitor “mutual incitement,” calling for the reinstatement of the joint Palestinian-Israeli-U.S. comm. for monitoring incitement, which was established as part of the Wye River Memorandum in 1998 and met regularly until 9/2000. (JP 4/5; TOI 4/6)

On 2 occasions off the coast of Gaza nr. Jabaliya, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Bayt Jala village nr. Bethlehem, disrupting Palm Sunday celebrations. The IDF also conducts raids and house searches in 3 villages nr. Nablus, 1 village nr. Ramallah, and Jenin, arresting 18 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Jenin and Ramallah, and 1 village each nr. Qalqilya and Jericho. Israeli forces deliver a demolition notice to a warehouse nr. Jenin. An Israeli settler rams a herd of Palestinian-owned sheep with his car nr. Qalqilya, injuring 29 of them. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault a group of Muslim worshippers at Haram alSharif, then they detain 3. Israeli forces also demolish part of a Palestinian’s home in the Old City; conduct house searches and raids in Ras al-Amud, Shu‘fat, and the Old City, arresting 9 Palestinians. (MNA, WAFA 3/29; PCHR 4/2)

On the 2d day of the Arab League’s 26th annual summit, the collected ministers agree to form a special comm. to organize the creation of a detailed timetable for the end of Israel’s occupation. (AFP, YA 3/29; JP 4/7)

Reps. of the Joint List and Palestinian activists conclude their 4-day march from unrecognized villages in the Negev to Pres. Rivlin’s residence in Jerusalem. Although he had earlier agreed to greet them, he is in Singapore for a state funeral. The coalition’s chair, Ayman Odeh, delivers a report on Palestinian bedouin communities in the Negev to Rivlin’s wife instead. (HA, WAFA 3/29; AFP, HA, WAFA 3/30)

EU amb. to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen says that the EU is not currently reassessing its policies regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite the recent reports that it is considering new sanctions on Israel’s settlements as an incentive for a new round of peace negotiations. He adds that the EU supports in principle a UNSC res. calling for a timetable on the Israeli occupation. (TOI 3/30)

Chinese FM Wang Yi, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, and UK Foreign Secy. Hammond join the 4th consecutive day of negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland. (AFP, ALM, AP, REU 3/29; HA 3/30; NYT 3/31)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue at a high level, leaving 2 Palestinians dead. In Jinin, senior Islamic Jihad mbr. Iyad Hardan, wanted by Israel, is assassinated when a bomb planted in a public phone he frequently uses explodes. In response to Palestinian mortar fire nr. Nahal Oz crossing and nr. Netiv Haasara kibbutz inside the Green Line that causes no damage, the IDF fires rockets at PSF posts and a power station in Gaza, wounding at least 5 Palestinians, destroying 4 buildings, damaging 10 homes, causing blackouts. The IDF also bulldozes 100 dunams of Palestinian land in Shaykh Ajlin; begins work on a new settler bypass road linking Beit El settlement with Jerusalem; raids Burqa village, arrests 2 Palestinians. Sharon announces plans to build another 708 housing units in the Jewish settlements of Ma'ale Adumim, Alfe Menashe; the State Dept. criticizes the move as "provocative." Reportedly to ease tensions over the Erez shooting on 4/4, Israel reopens the Rafah border with Egypt, says it will allow 3,000 Palestinian workers into Israel. (LAW 4/5; AFP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 4/6; MENA, al-Quds 4/6, ITAR-TASS 4/7 in WNC 4/9; MM 4/9; AYM 4/9 in WNC 4/11; al-Quds 4/11 in WNC 4/12; LAW, WJW 4/12; MA 4/17 in WNC 4/18; MEI 4/20)

Sharon orders the Israeli security services to find ways to let Jews visit the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. (MENA 4/10 in WNC 4/11; WT 4/11)

In Washington, Bush receives 2 letters signed by 87 Senators, 209 House mbrs. calling on him to reconsider U.S. ties with the PLO. (REU, WP 4/6; al-Quds 4/8, HJ, MENA 4/9 in WNC 4/10; MM 4/9; SA 4/13 in WNC 4/16; HA 4/16; MM 4/18; JP 4/20)