The Palestine Chronology

In a bid to secure the backing of rightwing coalition partners for a package of U.S. guarantees for a short extension of the settlement freeze, Netanyahu proposes legislation that would require those becoming Israeli citizens to pledge a loyalty oath to “the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state,” as opposed to simply “the State of Israel” as it is now worded. (NYT 10/7, 10/8; WP 10/11)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF retaliates with a late-night air strike on an IQB training site in the Shaykh Ridwan area of Gaza City, destroying a building, damaging 30 surrounding buildings and 3 cars, and injuring 6 Palestinian civilians. In the West Bank, the IDF makes a brief incursion into Tulkarm early in the morning to photograph the entrances of a police station, the local PASF and PA General Intelligence headquarters, and a PASF medical services building, withdrawing without incident; blocks Palestinians from joining a solidarity rally with Jewish settlers outside Bayt Fajjar village (site of a mosque arson on 10/4), sparking clashes between stonethrowing Palestinian youths and soldiers (no serious injuries reported); patrols late at night, without incident in 2 villages n. of Jenin; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’a r.c. and Zawata village, both nr. Nablus. The Israeli daily Ha’Aretz reports that nearly 350 housing units are currently under construction in West Bank settlements, including 56 in Keddumim nr. Qalqilya, 54 in Ariel n. of Salfit, 56 in Karme Tzur; 24 within Ma’ate Binyamin regional council area (nr. Jerusalem and Ramallah), 34 in Kiryat Arba, and 1 each in Barqan, Dolev, Kefar Adumim, Kochav HaShachar, Oranit, Revava, Sha’are Tikva, Tekoa, and Yakir. (HA, JP 10/6; NYT, PCHR, REU, YA 10/7; PCHR 10/14; OCHA 10/15)

In Gaza, the IDF bulldozes 24 d. of olive groves and a small Gaza police outpost nr. al-Maghazi r.c. Egyptian border police discover, demolish a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in Anata nr. Jerusalem; occupies a Palestinian home nr. Jenin as a military outpost; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Tulkarm and in al-Bireh (raiding and searching the municipal building, rounding up 2 municipal employees fr. their homes and bringing them to the offices to log onto password-protected computers), Ramallah (raiding the chamber of commerce offices), Jericho. The Israeli Housing Min. presents Olmert with a proposal for construction of 1,900 new Jewish settler housing units across the West Bank in 2008: 682 units in Beitar Ilit nr. Bethlehem, 510 units in Givat Ze’ev n. of Jerusalem, 302 units in Ma’ale Adumim e. of Jerusalem, 160 units in Binyamin settlement n. of Jerusalem, 158 units in Efrat nr. Bethlehem, and 48 units each in Ariel nr. Salfit and Kiryat Arba in Hebron. Palestinians throw stones at Jewish settler vehicles nr. Nablus; the settlers respond by shooting, killing 3 Palestinian sheep nearby. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim nr. Qalqilya stone Palestinian vehicles driving nearby, causing no reported injuries. PA security forces impose a night curfew on Kafr Thuluth nr. Qalqilya to prevent clashes btwn. feuding families (the curfew is still in place as of 4/8). (PCHR 4/3; OCHA, PCHR 4/9)

Israel approves construction of 117 new housing units in Ariel settlement in contravention of the road map. The IDF patrols in, fires on residential areas of Tulkarm r.c.; fires on stone-throwing Palestinians youths at a flying checkpoint outside Jenin, wounding 1, arresting 1; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron and in villages around Nablus, Tulkarm. An explosion destroys the Gaza City home of a Hamas mbr., killing 4 Palestinians, wounding more than 12; neighbors say the blast was apparently caused by explosives kept in the home that detonated accidentally. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba throw stones, bottles at Palestinian homes, injuring a 3-yr.- old and a 12-yr.-old Palestinian child. For a 2d day, 10s of unemployed Palestinians demonstrate outside a Khan Yunis municipal building demanding jobs and better living conditions, scuffling with and pelting PA riot police with stones, leaving 7 officers, 3 demonstrators injured. (AP 9/5; NYT, REU 9/6; WP 9/7; PCHR 9/8)

10s of PA security forces deploy in Taybeh after 100s of armed men tied to 1 Muslim family fr. Dayr Jarir burn 13 homes of an extended Christian family there. The disputes stemmed fr. an affair btwn. a Muslim woman and a Christian man and the honor killing of the woman involved. Christians in Taybeh, however, fear an undercurrent of anti-Christian sentiment is to blame and could result in wider clashes. (AP 9/5; BBC 9/14)

The IDF fires missiles at Tal al-Za‘atar in n. Gaza, allegedly targeting Islamic Jihad mbrs. attempting to fire a rocket, but no injuries are reported; shells Jabaliya r.c., hitting a home, wounding 2 Palestinians; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Jenin, Ramallah; patrols in Nablus; captures 4 unarmed Palestinians attempting to sneak across the Israeli border fence in central Gaza to find work; detains a Palestinian in Ariel settlement who apparently was living there secretly with his Jewish settler girlfriend (a fmr. IDF intelligence officer). Palestinian gunmen fire on an IDF outpost nr. Mevo Dotan settlement nr. Jenin; the IDF returns fire, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding and arresting 2. Palestinians also fire an antitank missile at an IDF patrol nr. Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. In Hebron, 10s of Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba (some reports say Avraham Avino) attack and threaten 10s of Palestinians, vandalize and attempt to break into Palestinian homes, seriously injuring a 12-yr.-old Palestinian girl. Some 50 Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai attack a Palestinian home where a number of international peace activists are visiting; the IDF observes but does not intervene. (IMEMC, PRCS 5/28; YA 5/29; OCHA 6/1; PCHR 6/2)

IDF kills 2 Palestinians, 25 and 16, in Hebron after army jeep stoned. 4 other Palestinians wounded in separate clashes in o.t. IDF soldier, police officer wounded in Gaza by Palestinian gunman. (MM, WP, WT 3/8)

Hamas threatens suicide attacks on settlements of Qiryat Arba, Gush Qatif, Qadumin, Taqua, and Ariel (total population 24,000) if not evacuated by 3/15. Israeli Housing Min. reports 10 families have left QiIyat Arba. (NYT, WP, WT 3/8)

7 SLA mbrs. killed in 3 Hizballah bomb explosions in southern Lebanon. At least 2 SLA officers, 4 soldiers wounded. 2 other Lebanese kidnapped, killed by Hizballah. (NYT, WP, WT 3/8)

PLO Chmn. Arafat meets Israeli PM Rabin's advisers Jacques Neriah and Amos Gilad in Cairo to discuss resumption of peace talks, 1st such mtg. since Hebron massacre. (NYT, WP, WT 3/8)

57-mbr. Israeli-Arab delegation led by MK 'Abd al-Wahhab Darawsha arrives in Damascus in 1st visit by Israeli elected official. Group travels on Egyptian documents obtained in Cairo. Delegation met by Damascus Mayor Maj. Gen. Walid Hammamiya and PSF head Khalid al-Fahum. (MM 3/7)

SociaUEconomic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 3,000 demonstrate in Nazareth in solidarity with Palestinians in occupied territories [FJ 2/22].

Arab World: Fateh Deputy-in-command Khalil al-Wazir denies PLO has given "mandate to anyone" to speak on its behalf [WP 2/16]. UNIFIL cmdr. Gen. Callaghan strongly protests IDF's 2/14 confrontation with French UN troops at Burj Rahhal, S. Lebanon [DT 2/16].

Other Countries: Gush Emunim movement, Israel Aliyah Center begin immigration drive in 5 US cities offering American Jews memberships inW. Bank settlements of Ariel, Elon Moreh, Kedumim and Kiryat Arba for $1,000 [JW 2/15].

Military Action

Arab World: IDF liaison office building fired upon, SLA patrol attacked in Nabatiya, S. Lebanon; no injuries [JTA 2/15].