The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, 4 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Tulkarm and Bethlehem. In Bayt Umar, Israeli forces injured 1 Palestinian firing live ammunition at his abdomen. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces detained 4 Palestinian journalists from Palestine TV. They were all released later in the same day. The Israeli police spokesperson said that the 4 were arrested because of network ties to the PA which Israel does not allow to operate in East Jerusalem. In Gaza, 46 Palestinians were injured during the 83d weekly Great March of Return protest, including 4 by live ammunition. Separately, 1 Palestinian truck driver was hit by Israeli live ammunition when Israeli forces opened fire on his truck east of Jabaliya. (AJ, HA, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA 12/6; PCHR 12/12)

Israel launched a rocket to test a rocket propulsion system. The Israeli defense ministry did not provide any further details. (HA 12/6)

The U.S. house of representatives passed a resolution H.R. 326 opposing Israeli annexation of the West Bank. The resolution passed 226-188 with 4 Democrats voting against and 5 Republicans voting in favor. 1 of the Democrats voting against the resolution, Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who was a cosponsor of the original resolution, explained on Twitter that she opposed the resolution because the word “occupation” was removed and it was amended to include an “ironclad” commitment to Israeli military aid. (HA, JVP, Twitter 12/6)

In the West Bank, 10 Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces shooting rubber-coated bullets during the weekly anti-settlement protests in Kafr Qaddum. At the weekly protest in Bil‘in, dozens suffered from tear gas inhalation. At a similar demonstration in ‘Azmut east of Nablus, a number of Palestinians were injured by rubber-coated bullets fired at protesters; others suffered from tear gas inhalation. In East Jerusalem, clashes erupted between Palestinians protesting the killing of a 20-year-old Palestinian man on 6/27 in Issawiyya. Around 90 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli forces firing rubber-coated bullets and 19 were arrested. Israel had earlier in the day refused to hand the deceased Palestinian’s body over to his family. In Gaza, after shutting down the fuel supply on 6/25, Israel and Hamas reached an understanding, leading to Israel allowing delivery of fuel to Gaza’s power plant, expanding the fishing zone to 15 miles, and returning some confiscated fishing boats. Despite the reached understanding, 49 Palestinians were wounded during the Great March of Return protest, including 19 shot by live ammunition. According to Israeli officials, 14 fires broke out in Israel due to incendiary balloons fired from Gaza. (HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/28; HA 6/29)

The PA arrested a Palestinian man from Hebron who participated in the U.S.-led Peace to Prosperity Bahrain workshop. (AJ, HA 6/29)

Islamic Relief USA donated $2.67 million to the UNRWA. (WAFA 6/28)

In the West Bank, 2 apartments in Hebron belonging to the family of a Palestinian convicted for the murder of an Israeli in February were demolished by Israeli forces. In Salfit, Israeli forces raided and took measurements for demolition of a home belonging to the family of a Palestinian alleged to have attacked Israeli settlers in the settlement of Ariel on 3/17. The alleged perpetrator was killed by Israeli forces on 3/20. Israeli forces also violently dispersed the weekly anti-settlement protests in Kafr Qaddum using live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, and tear gas, injuring 6. One French activist was arrested during the protest. In East Jerusalem, a soccer tournament in Bayt Safafa was shut down by Israeli police, claiming that it was organized by the PA. In Gaza, Israeli forces attacked 2 Hamas posts east of al-Bureij refugee camp after shots allegedly were fired at Israeli soldiers near the Gaza fence, causing damage, but no injuries were reported. Israeli forces also fired live ammunition, tear gas, and rubber-coated bullets at protesters partaking in the weekly Great March of Return protests, injuring at least 46 Palestinians. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen; no injuries were reported. According to Israeli sources, an incendiary balloon was found on a beach near Ashqelon in Israel. Israeli authorities announced that it would institute a week-long closure between 4/19 and 4/27 of entry points to Israel from Gaza and the West Bank for the celebration of Passover. (HA, HA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/19; HA, MNA, WAFA 4/20)

In an interview with the Atlantic, the outgoing French ambassador to the U.S. Gérard Araud, in discussing the Trump administration’s “peace plan,” called Israel an apartheid state. He said, “They [Israel] have the West Bank, but at the same time they don’t have to make the painful decision about the Palestinians, really making them really, totally stateless or making them citizens of Israel. They won’t make them citizens of Israel. So they will have to make it official, which is we know the situation, which is an apartheid. There will be officially an apartheid state. . . . They are in fact already.” Araud also recounted a conversation between French president Emmanuel Macron and U.S. president Donald Trump, in which Trump said “I have given everything to the Israelis; the Israelis will have to give me something.” (AM 4/19; HA 4/24)

The U.S. envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt rebuffed in a tweet speculations that part of the Trump administration’s “peace plan” includes transferring parts of Egypt’s Sinai to the Gaza Strip. (HA 4/19)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmlands near Rafah and Khan Yunis, causing no damage. They also arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel near Jabaliya refugee camp. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries (1 fisherman is arrested and his boat is confiscated). In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raze a swath of Palestinian land to set up an illegal settlement outpost near Nablus. Also near Nablus, settlers also uproot 33 olive trees from a Palestinian grove and throw stones at Palestinian vehicles, causing no reported damage or injuries. Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian barn and uproot a number of nearby trees outside al-‘Arub refugee camp near Hebron. They also deliver stop-work orders to a Palestinian home under construction near Hebron. IDF troops arrest 10 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Qalqilya, Ramallah, Salfit, Jenin, and Nablus; and patrol near Nablus and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, dozens of right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning. Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during raids in the Old City. (MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/10; MNA, MNA, WAFA 3/11; PCHR 3/14)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas appoints senior Fatah official Mohammed Shtayyeh prime minister, replacing outgoing prime minister Rami Hamdallah. Abbas calls on Shtayyeh to form a new government that can work toward reuniting Gaza and the West Bank and prepare for a new round of elections. Meanwhile, PA finance minister Shukri Bishara announces that the PA will only be paying 50% of its civil servants’ salaries for 2/2019 due to budget constraints stemming from Israel’s decision to withhold a fraction of the tax revenues transferred monthly to the PA. (AP, HA, MNA, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, YA 3/10; MNA 3/11)

A Palestinian minor succumbs to injuries sustained when IDF troops violently dispersed Palestinian demonstrations along Gaza’s border fence on 2/22. This brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 208. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/11; EI 3/13)

Hours after the Israeli Air Force bombed several Hamas sites across Gaza, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Hamas should not expect Israel to abstain from a full-scale assault on Gaza because there is an Israeli election coming up on 4/9. “I suggest to Hamas—don’t count on it,” he adds. “We will do everything necessary to restore security and quiet to the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip and to the south in general.” (TOI 3/10)

In response to an Israeli television personality saying that Israel is a country for all its citizens, Israeli prime minister Netanyahu says that Israel is a state for Jews alone. “Israel is not a state of all its citizens. According to the Nation-State Law that we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish People—and them alone.” (HA 3/11)

Japan announces a $7 million contribution to UNRWA to support Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and Syria. (MNA, WAFA 3/10)

Along Gaza’s border, an Israeli drone bombs a Palestinian motorcycle near Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF does not comment on the strike. In the evening, hundreds of Palestinians gather along the border fence near Rafah to set tires on fire, throw stones, and otherwise continue the Great March of Return. IDF troops violently disperse the demonstrations, injuring 5 protesters. In 2 separate incidents off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers puncture the tires of 10 Palestinian vehicles and leave racist graffiti on nearby walls in Ras Karkar near Ramallah. Settlers also assault 2 Palestinian shepherds near Hebron and throw stones at a Palestinian school in nearby Urif village, causing no damage or injuries. Israeli forces fire tear gas at Palestinian students at a school in central Hebron; no serious injuries are reported. It’s unclear why the IDF attacked the school. They also deliver stop-work orders to a Palestinian home under construction in western Hebron; confiscate heavy equipment from a construction site in southern Hebron; and uproot approximately 300 olive tree seedlings from a Palestinian grove north of the city. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 3 Palestinians during late-night raids near Jenin, Hebron, and Salfit; and patrol in and around Tulkarm, Hebron, and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, dozens of Palestinians gather outside Haram al-Sharif to protest the recent Israeli incursions at the sanctuary; 4 are arrested when Israeli forces disperse the protests. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 60 Palestinians across the city ahead of planned protests at Haram al-Sharif on 2/22. (MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/21; HA, JP, MNA, MNA 2/22; PCHR 2/28)

PA minister of finance Shukri Bishara says that the PA intends to pay all its employees on time in the coming months, but that some of the higher salaries might be reduced due to the 2/17 Israeli decision to make deductions from the monthly transfers of tax revenues to the PA. “We are coming on difficult days in the coming weeks, and we will handle the issue of salaries as wisely and fairly as possible,” he says. Meanwhile, senior Fatah official Mahmoud al-Aloul says that a committee has been formed to put together a list of Israeli products to ban from Palestinian markets in response to the Israeli deductions in tax revenue transfers. (TOI, TOI, WAFA 2/21)

Hosen L’Yisrael Party chair Benny Gantz and Yesh Atid Party chair Yair Lapid announce that they have agreed to run on a joint ticket ahead of the Israeli election on 4/9. Under their agreement, Gantz would serve as prime minister for two and a half years, then Lapid would take over the top job. Gantz is widely seen as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s top challenger in the election, and this agreement is expected to strengthen his chances of becoming the next prime minister. (HA, JP, JP, YA 2/21)

Hundreds of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border fence near Gaza City to continue the Great March of Return in the evening. IDF troops violently disperse them, injuring at least 5. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Gaza City and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 5 Palestinians during late-night raids near Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus, and Jenin; and patrol near Tulkarm and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Palestinian activists gather at Haram al-Sharif to protest the Israeli police’s sealing of al-Rahma Gate into the sanctuary on 2/17. After several protesters damage the locks in an effort to break through the gate, the Israeli police assault them, arrest 7, and seal all entrances to the sanctuary. Separately, Israeli forces raid a mosque in Issawiyya, assault a number of worshippers inside, and take down a Palestinian flag from the wall. They also arrest 4 Palestinians during late-night raids in Silwan and Issawiyya. (MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 2/18; MNA, MNA 2/19; PCHR 2/21)

In a statement, PA president Mahmoud Abbas condemns the Israeli decision to seal an entrance to Haram al-Sharif on 2/17. A Jordanian spokesperson also condemns the move “in the strongest possible terms.” Meanwhile, Haaretz reports that Jordan has expanded the Islamic Waqf’s council to 18 seats, from 11, to include several PA and Palestinian religious leaders. The newly expanded council reportedly met for the first time on 2/14.  (HA, WAFA, WAFA 2/18)

Unidentified Palestinians launch an incendiary balloon from Gaza into southern Israel, where it lands in an open area, causing no damage or injuries. Later, hundreds of Palestinians gather along the border fence near Jabaliya refugee camp to continue the Great March of Return. IDF troops violently disperse them, injuring 3 protesters (1 Israeli soldier is reportedly injured when a Palestinian throws an explosive across the border fence). Israeli artillery then shell 2 Hamas observation posts in the area, causing damage. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Khan Yunis, Jabaliya refugee camp, and Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian shepherd and steal 2 of his sheep in the northern Jordan Valley. Settlers also assault a Palestinian vegetable vendor in Jenin, causing minor injuries. IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Tubas, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Jenin; and patrol near Qalqilya and Hebron. One raid in Tulkarm sparks minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian minors; there are no reported injuries or arrests. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police seal al-Rahma Gate leading into Haram al-Sharif. The move reportedly comes in response to certain Palestinian officials praying at the gate last week. (MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 2/17; HA, JP, MNA, MNA, TOI 2/18; PCHR 2/21)

Implementing legislation passed in 7/2018, Israel’s security cabinet approves a deduction to the monthly transfers of tax revenues to the PA equal to that which the PA distributes in stipends to Palestinians imprisoned in connection with serious crimes against Israelis and the families of Palestinians killed in connection with such crimes. The cuts are expected to total NIS 502,697,000 (approximately $138 million) over a 12-month period. In response, a PA spokesperson calls the Israeli decision “arbitrary” and says that it will be “given a priority” in the Palestinian leadership’s discussions in the coming days. (HA, MNA, TOI, TOI, WAFA, YA 2/17)

Hamas security forces forcibly prevent PA security forces from staffing the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom border crossing, according to the PA (Hamas claims that the PA troops left of their own free will). A senior Hamas official says that Hamas is carrying out “necessary security measures.” Sources in Gaza say that Hamas suspects the PA security forces are allowing Israel to transfer espionage equipment into Gaza. Hamas is reportedly demanding that PA staffers in Gaza submit to questioning and background checks. (HA, TOI 2/17)

Dozens of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border near Jabaliya refugee camp to continue the Great March of Return and to launch fireworks at IDF troops on the other side of the border fence, causing no damage or injuries. Amid the demonstrations, unidentified Palestinians attempt to fire a mortar into southern Israel. It lands short of the border fence, causing no damage or injuries. Also along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian shepherds working near Gaza City, causing no damage or injuries. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces arrest a Palestinian attempting to swim from Gaza to Israel. They also open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers break into a Palestinian high school in Urif village near Nablus, sparking minor clashes; several Palestinian minors are lightly injured. Separately, settlers smash the windshields of a number of Palestinian vehicles in Huwwara village near Nablus; assault a Palestinian journalist and a Palestinian activist in central Hebron (no serious injuries are reported). IDF troops arrest 17 Palestinians during late-night raids near Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Ramallah; and patrol near Tulkarm and Hebron. (HA, MNA, TOI, TOI, WAFA, YA 2/10; JP, MNA, MNA 2/11; PCHR 2/14)

PA minister for civilian affairs Hussein al-Sheikh says that the Trump administration has asked U.S. and international banks to stop working with the PA in an effort to pressure the Palestinian leadership into accepting their long-awaited Palestinian-Israeli peace plan. “Major international financial institutions and parties have begun to accede to an American request to impose a tight financial siege on the [PA],” he says. “The sanctions began with preventing the transfer of an Iraqi grant worth $10 million, which was handed over to the Arab League recently. The League has not been able to transfer it because all banks have refused to accept it for transfer to the [PA’s] finance ministry or the national fund.” (AFP, TOI 2/11)

Haaretz reports that Israeli government officials have informed the Jerusalem District Court of their intention to invoke a legal justification approved by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in 12/2018 to retroactively authorize several settlement housing units build on Palestinian land near the Ariel settlement. Mandelblit’s justification allowed for such retroactive authorizations if the initial allocation of Palestinian land was done in “good faith.” (HA 2/10)

U.S. representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), one of the first members of the U.S. Congress to openly support the BDS movement, sends a tweet in response to a story about Israeli influence in U.S. politics: “It’s all about the Benjamins baby.” Her tweet draws criticism and allegations of anti-Semitism from many Democrats and Republicans. (NYT, WP 2/11)

Approximately 1,000 Palestinians gather along Gaza’s northern shore to continue the Great March of Return and to cheer on 20 Palestinian boats sailing in a symbolic challenge to the Israeli blockade. IDF troops and Israeli naval forces violently disperse the demonstrations; 23 Palestinians are injured (1 critically). The Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza states that the critically injured Palestinian was a farmer working in the area, and not a protester. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers chase a number of Palestinian shepherds off their land near Jericho. IDF troops arrest 11 Palestinians during late-night raids near Jenin, Hebron, Ramallah, and Nablus; and patrol near Hebron and Bethlehem. Israeli forces dismantle and confiscate 2 makeshift Palestinian residential structures near Bethlehem. (WAFA 1/29; PCHR 1/31)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when IDF troops opened fire on protesters along Gaza’s border fence on 1/25. This brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 200. (MNA, WAFA 1/29; PCHR 1/31)

PA prime minister Rami Hamdallah submits on behalf of his government his resignation to PA president Mahmoud Abbas. “[Hamdallah and his government] will continue to serve our people wherever they are and shoulder all its responsibilities until a new government is formed,” according to a PA statement. Abbas later accepts Hamdallah’s resignation, requesting that he continue to serve until a new government is formed. It’s unclear when that will be. (JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 1/29; MNA 1/30)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for passage in both directions for the first of 2 planned days. They have largely kept the crossing closed since 1/5. (ALM 1/31)

One day after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention not to renew the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH)’s mandate, PLO secretary-general Saeb Erakat calls on the UN to deploy a permanent international force in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UN should “guarantee the safety and protection of the people of Palestine” until “the end of Israel’s belligerent occupation,” he says. Separately, Norway’s Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide says that Netanyahu’s “one-sided” decision to not renew the TIPH’s mandate is “worrying” and that if could “mean that the implementation of an important part of the Oslo Accords is discontinued.” (AP, YA 1/29; TOI 1/30)

Widely seen as one of the greatest challenges to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former head of the IDF Benny Gantz officially launches his campaign ahead of the 4/9 Israeli elections. “Under my leadership, the government will strive for peace and will not miss an opportunity to bring about regional change,” he says, pledging to strengthen the “settlement blocs and Golan Heights” and build a “united Jerusalem.” Netanyahu later criticizes Gantz’s speech as just “another speech by [Yesh Atid leader Yair] Lapid. Whoever says he’s neither right nor left, is left.” (HA 1/29; YA 1/30)

A senior Japanese official pledges $341,348 in support of 4 humanitarian projects in Gaza. (MNA 1/31)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 21 Palestinians during late-night raids near Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Qalqilya, and Tulkarm; and patrol near Ramallah, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya. Israeli settlers cut down 2 olive trees in a Palestinian grove near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 4 Palestinians during a raid in Silwan. Along Gaza’s coast, IDF troops violently disperse a few hundred Palestinians gathering near al-Bureij refugee camp to continue the Great March of Return for a 3d day in a row; 1 Palestinian minor is injured. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries (1 fisherman is arrested). In Israel, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home for the 2d time in Lod. (MNA, WAFA 1/20; MNA, MNA 1/21; PCHR 1/24)

A Qatari diplomat says that the $15 million that was supposed to be transferred to Gaza last week is set to go through this week, following a relatively quiet day of protests on 1/18. “Due to the violence on the border, the Israeli government postponed it,” he says. “The agreement is subject to there not being too much violence, so last Friday they approved to do the third tranche.” (HA, JP, REU, TOI, YA 1/20)

YNet reports that PA prime minister Rami Hamdallah formally informed U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo that the Palestinians have decided to reject future U.S. financial assistance, including that which supports the PA security forces, in response to the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act, which the U.S. passed into law in 10/2018 (see *S. 2946 of 5/24/18 at congressionalmonitor.org for details). That law, which is set to go into effect at the end of the month, forced the Palestinians to either accept future U.S. aid or open themselves up to terrorism lawsuits from individual U.S. citizens, inter alia. (JP, TOI, YA 1/20)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu lands in Chad to renew the diplomatic ties between Israel and Chad that were severed in 1972. At a joint press conference with Netanyahu, Chad’s President Idriss Déby says, ‘The purpose of your visit is to bring our two countries closer and to cooperate.” Netanyahu calls it the renewal of ties a “breakthrough” and a sign of Israel’s “rising standing” in the Muslim world. (HA, JP, TOI, TOI 1/20)

After unverified reports of Syrian air defenses intercepting an Israeli air strike near Damascus, several ground-to-ground projectiles are fired from Syria into northern Israel. They are all intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. Late at night, Israeli forces strike approximately 10 government weapons depots, intelligence sites, and other targets in Syria, killing 21 people, including 12 member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. An IDF spokesperson says that Iranian forces were responsible for the projectile launched into Israel earlier in the day. “This was planned in advance as an attempt to deter us from continuing to act against them,” he says. (HA, JP, TOI, YA, YA 1/20; JP, TOI 1/21; HA 1/22)

Unidentified Palestinians fly an incendiary device from Gaza into southern Israel attached to a cluster of balloons, where it lands in an open area in the Sdot Negev Regional Council. IDF troops detonate the device, causing no damage or injuries. In response, the Israeli Air Force conducts 3 air strikes on Hamas sites in Khan Yunis, Gaza City, and Bayt Hanun, causing extensive damage. Also along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians gathering to continue the Great March of Return near al-Bureij refugee camp; 1 Palestinian is injured. They also open fire on Palestinian farmland near Rafah, Gaza City, Bayt Hanun, and Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, following the shooting attack on an Israeli settler vehicle at the nearby Beit El checkpoint on 1/5, IDF troops conduct raids in al-Bireh overnight, confiscating surveillance tapes and sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents of the area throughout the day; several Palestinians are injured (1 critically). They also arrest 5 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids near Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron, and Tubas; and patrol near Hebron and Nablus. Israeli settlers uproot 60 olive and almond trees from a Palestinian grove near Hebron. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, YA 1/6; PCHR 1/10)

Following a week of increasing tensions between Fatah and Hamas, the Fatah-dominated PA announces plans to remove its staff from the Rafah border crossing on 1/7. “This decision comes in the light of recent developments and brutal practices of the de facto gangs,” reads the PA statement. “Since we took over the Rafah crossing, Hamas has been obstructing the work of our crew there. We had to bear a lot in order to give the opportunity for the Egyptian effort to end the division.” The PA took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing in the context of the 10/12/17 Hamas-Fatah reconciliation agreement, which was never fully implemented. (JP, REU, WAFA 1/6)

U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman says that the Trump administration’s long-awaited Palestinian-Israeli peace plan will likely not be released for at least several more months. “We want to release it a way that gives it the best chance of getting a good reception,” he says, adding that the upcoming Israeli elections on 4/9 are “a factor, but not the only factor.” Meanwhile, U.S. national security advisor John Bolton meets with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Following the meeting, Bolton says that the U.S.-Israel relationship has never been stronger than it is now under Netanyahu and U.S. president Donald Trump. (HA, JP, JP, TOI 1/6)

In an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi says that Egypt’s military coordination with Israel is at its “closest ever.” He adds, “We have a wide range of cooperation with the Israelis.” (AJ, CBS, HA 1/6)

An incendiary balloon allegedly flown from Gaza sparks a fire in Israel’s Alumin Kibbutz near Beersheba, damaging 1 vehicle. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces uproot a number of olive trees from Palestinian land near Tulkarm. IDF troops patrol near Jenin, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Hebron. Israeli settlers dump sewage on the grounds of a Palestinian school in ‘Azun ‘Atma village near Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in Hizma, Silwan, and the Old City. They also arrest the PA’s governor of Jerusalem, Adnan Ghaith, during a raid in Silwan. The allegations against him are reportedly varied, revolving around land sales in East Jerusalem and PA operations in the city. Ghaith was arrested in connection with similarly murky allegations on 10/21. (MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA 11/1; MNA 11/2; PCHR 11/8)

After meeting with Egyptian intelligence officials in Gaza, the various political factions in Gaza agree to stop launching incendiary kites and balloons into Israel and to stop protesters from setting fire to tires, according to a senior Hamas official. “Friday’s events will be quiet,” adds a member of the Great March of Return organizing committee. The protests on 11/2 are set to proceed no less than 500 meters away from the border fence. Today’s agreement comes amid ongoing Egypt-mediated talks on a possible long-term cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. It also comes one day after Israeli defense minister Lieberman ordered an expansion of the fishing zone off Gaza’s coast. (HA, JP, TOI, YA 11/1)

An Israeli aircraft conducts an air strike along Gaza’s border fence near Khan Yunis, killing 3 Palestinian minors. An IDF spokesperson says that the Palestinians were attempting to place a suspicious object along the border fence. Hours after the strike, hundreds of Palestinians march to the homes of senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine (PIJ) leaders demanding that they retaliate against Israel. PIJ then puts out a statement threatening to respond and rejecting the Israeli narrative about what the 3 minors were doing. Meanwhile, IDF troops stationed along the border fence open fire on Palestinian bird-hunters working near Bayt Hanun; 1 Palestinian is injured. In the West Bank, Israeli forces chase a Palestinian shepherd off his land in the northern Jordan Valley. IDF troops assault and injure a Palestinian, arrest 9 other Palestinians, issue 1 arrest summons, and confiscate a Palestinian vehicle during late-night raids near Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya; and patrol near Nablus, Hebron, and Qalqilya. Israeli settlement security guards assault 2 Palestinians near Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 5 Palestinians during late-night raids in Qalandia refugee camp, Anata refugee camp, and Shu‘fat. (HA, JP, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, YA 10/28; MNA 10/29; PCHR 11/1)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when IDF troops opened fire on Palestinian protesters along Gaza’s border fence on 10/26. This brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 185. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 10/28)

The PLO Central Council convenes in Ramallah for the first of 2 days of meetings on a variety of issues facing the Palestinian people. Opening the meetings, PA president Mahmoud Abbas says, “We are facing a historical moment; either to be or not to be.” He calls for the Palestinian people to support the PLO and reaffirms that there can be no Palestinian state without Gaza or a capital in Jerusalem. (HA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, YA 10/28)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a 4-story building in al-Bireh near Ramallah; an agricultural structure in Khirbet al-Marajim near Nablus; and a makeshift residential structure, 3 tents, and 3 agricultural structures in Bardala near Jericho. IDF troops patrol near Hebron, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya. Approximately 50 Israeli settlers throw stones at a Palestinian school in Urif village near Nablus, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and Palestinian students and residents of the area; 1 Palestinian is injured. (MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/18; PCHR 10/25)

The IDF reinforces its troops stationed along Gaza’s border with additional tanks, artillery and engineering forces ahead of the planned protests on the other side of the border fence on 10/19. Meanwhile, Hamas announces plans to investigate the rocket fire on 10/17, likely in an effort to reduce tensions ahead of the planned protests on 10/19. (HA, TOI, YA 10/18)

Al-Hayat reports that Hamas and the other factions in Gaza recently agreed to scale back the Great March of Return protests along Gaza’s border fence to help facilitate the Egyptian effort to mediate a long-term Hamas-Israel cease-fire. The deal was reportedly reached on 10/15, before rocket fire and air strikes heightened tensions on 10/17. Meanwhile, a delegation of senior Egyptian officials shuttle between Gaza and Israel throughout the day, negotiating with both Hamas and Israeli officials on a long-term cease-fire and the stalled Palestinian reconciliation process. (AH, AP, TOI, TOI, YA 10/18)

U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo announces that the U.S. consulate general in Jerusalem, which serves Palestinians, is to be merged with the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. “This decision is driven by our global efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations,” he says. “We will continue to conduct a full range of reporting, outreach, and programming in the West Bank and Gaza as well as with Palestinians in Jerusalem through a new Palestinian Affairs Unit inside the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem.” (JP, MNA, MNA, REU, TOI, WAFA, YA 10/19)

Israel’s High Court of Justice rules in favor of Lara Alqasem, the U.S. student who the Israeli authorities denied entry into Israel on 10/2 and have detained ever since over her support for BDS. “Since the appellant’s actions do not raise satisfactory cause to bar her to entry to Israel, the inevitable impression is that invalidating the visa given to her was due to the political opinions she holds,” the court’s ruling reads. “If this is truly the case, then we are talking about an extreme and dangerous step, which could lead to the crumbling of the pillars upon which democracy in Israel stands.” (EI, HA, MNA, TOI 10/19)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 3 Palestinian residential structures and confiscate solar panels from Khirbet al-Halawa near Hebron. They also deliver stop-work orders to 2 Palestinian homes under construction near Hebron; patrol near Nablus and Hebron; and arrest 13 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Tulkarm and Nablus. Israeli settlers uproot approximately 40 olive trees in a Palestinian grove near Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse dozens of Palestinians gathering along the border fence near Dayr al-Balah to continue the Great March of Return; 5 Palestinians are injured. Separately, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Bayt Lahiya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in Abu Dis. (MNA, WAFA, WAFA 10/9; MNA 10/10; PCHR 10/11)

The first shipment of Qatari-funded diesel fuel—450,000 liters on 6 trucks—enters Gaza to supply the region’s only power plant. The shipment was previously blocked on 10/4, allegedly due to PA president Abbas’s interference, and it is reportedly going forward today without PA approval. A UN spokesperson says that 7 more truckloads of fuel are set to enter Gaza on 10/10, with the goal of 15 truckloads entering per day. “In addition to other long-term efforts underway to increase the energy supply, additional fuel for the Gaza Power Plant remains the fastest and most immediate way to increase electricity and help alleviate the humanitarian and related public health needs on the ground,” the spokesperson says. Meanwhile, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu blames PA president Mahmoud Abbas for “suffocating” Gaza. “I am trying to find a solution that will restore quiet and security,” he says. “I am not interested in getting into needless wars.” A Hamas spokesperson rejects allegations that Hamas will benefit from the $60 million that Qatar recently pledged to support Gaza. “The funds that came from Qatar through international associations are directed to the Gaza power plant in a move to partially ease [the burden] on Gazans in terms of electricity,” he says. “Hamas has absolutely nothing to do with the money.” (MNA, HA, HA, JP, TOI, YA 10/9)

A U.S. State Department spokesperson comments on the case of U.S.-Palestinian student Lara Alqasem, who the Israeli authorities denied entry to Israel and have detained since 10/2. “We are aware of her case. Our embassy is providing consular access as we would to all American citizens,” she says. “Ultimately it is up to the government of Israel to decide who it wants to let into the country.” Later, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan says he would reconsider allowing Alqasem entry if she publicly condemns the BDS movement. (HA, HA, TOI 10/9) 

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Gaza City, causing no damage or injuries (2 fishermen are arrested and 1 boat is confiscated). Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians gathering near Rafah to continue the Great March of Return; 1 protester is injured. Israeli firefighters put out 7 fires reportedly sparked by incendiary kites and balloons flown into southern Israel from Gaza. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians at protests against the Israeli occupation in al-Bireh near Ramallah; 5 Palestinians are injured. They also arrest 13 Palestinians during raids near Ramallah, Hebron, Jenin, and Qalqilya; and patrol near Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Salfit. Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders to a Palestinian home and well under construction near Hebron. Israeli settlers throw stones at a Palestinian vehicle near Qalqilya, causing minor damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya. (MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, YA 10/6; PCHR 10/11)

Hamas announces that a member of its armed wing has succumbed to injuries that he sustained during a previously unreported accidental explosion on 10/1. Later, another Hamas fighter succumbs to injuries reportedly sustained years ago in unclear circumstances in Gaza. (MNA 10/6; MNA 10/7)

Israeli defense minister Avigdor Lieberman orders the reduction of the fishing zone off Gaza’s coast from 9 nautical miles to 6 nautical miles, citing concerns about the recent violence along Gaza’s border. “The defense minister’s decision was made following the violent rioting over the weekend near the fence and attempts to harm IDF forces and launch confrontational flotillas,” according to a Defense Ministry statement. This marks the 2d time in the past few months that Lieberman has ordered a punitive reduction of the fishing zone. (MNA, TOI 10/6)

Al Akhbar reports that the UN has agreed to pay the salaries of Gaza’s civil servants for 3 months and that Israel has agreed in principle to permit 5,000 Gazan merchants to enter Israel for business. The report comes days after similar reports of a deal under which Qatar would pay $60 million for fuel for Gaza’s sole power plant. Meanwhile, senior Israeli defense officials say that PA president Mahmoud Abbas was enraged at the UN plan to transfer Qatari-funded diesel fuel to Gaza, as reported on 10/4. Abbas later confirms that he is considering possible response, including a suspension of the approximately $100 million that the PA transfers to Gaza per month. Also, a senior Fatah official calls UN Special Coordinator Mladenov a “servant” of the Trump admin., presumably in response to the UN official’s work to facilitate transfers of aid to Gaza without PA involvement. “He should not be intervening in internal affairs,” the official continues. “It is not his right or mandate to interfere, but he puts his nose in everything.” (AH, TOI, TOI, WAFA 10/6; TOI 10/8; TOI 10/9)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse dozens of Palestinians gathering near Rafah, Khan Yunis and Jabaliya refugee camp to continue the Great March of Return; 5 Palestinians are injured. Amid the demonstrations, an Israeli aircraft conducts an air strike on a protest camp near Rafah, causing damage. Separately, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Jabaliya refugee camp. On the other side of the border fence, Israeli firefighters put out 7 fires that were reportedly sparked by incendiary balloons and kites flown from Gaza. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct raids in Rumana village near Jenin overnight, sparking minor clashes; several Palestinians are injured. They also arrest 5 Palestinians during further raids in and around Hebron, Qalqilya, and Nablus; and patrol near Hebron throughout the day. In East Jerusalem, approximately 362 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif to commemorate Sukkot. Late at night, Israeli forces assault and arrest 2 Palestinians in Silwan. (MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA 9/26; MNA, PCHR 9/27)

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York City, U.S. president Donald Trump meets with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At a joint press conference, Trump says he thinks a “2-state solution will work best.” His statement marks the first time he has publicly expressed a preference for the 2-state solution while in office. Later in the day, Trump says that Netanyahu was “very nice” to him and that a 2-state solution is “more likely,” but that he would be “OK with 1 state, 2 states, whatever they want.” Netanyahu, for his part, tells Israeli reporters that Trump accepts that Israel should retain a military presence in the West Bank even if a 2-state solution is agreed upon. (HA, TOI, WAFA, YA 9/26; HA, HA, JP, WAFA, YA, YA 9/27)

Ahead of PA president Mahmoud Abbas’s planned address to the UN General Assembly on 9/27, Hamas denounces Abbas as an illegitimate representative of the Palestinian people. According to sources close to Hamas’s leadership, the statement stems from the Egyptian delegation’s visit to Gaza last week for talks on the stalled Palestinian reconciliation process. The Egyptians reportedly backed Abbas’s position that there could be no long-term cease-fire with Israel until Hamas and Fatah reconcile and the PA resumes control of Gaza. “Most of the donor countries, including the Arab countries, have adopted this line,” the source says. “So it looks like Hamas is losing the momentum to advance calm on a separate track from reconciliation, and the situation in Gaza is getting worse.” Meanwhile, Hamas security forces summon dozens of Fatah members for interrogation in Gaza. According to some reports from Gaza, they also threaten at least 1 print shop owner with “arrests and beatings” should he print any materials in support of PA president Abbas’s planned speech to the UN General Assembly on 9/27. (HA 9/26; TOI 9/27)

One day after the UK Labour Party endorsed a freeze on UK arms sales to Israel, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says that he intends to recognize the State of Palestine if he is elected to lead the UK. (TOI, YA 9/26)

IDF troops violently disperse hundreds of Palestinian minors gathering near Gaza City and Khan Yunis to continue the Great March of Return; 1 Palestinian is killed and 14 are injured. This brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 158. Meanwhile, Israeli firefighters put out approximately 7 fires in and around Israeli border communities that were reportedly sparked by incendiary kites or balloons flown from Gaza. The Israeli Air Force conducts air strikes on sites in central and northern Gaza reportedly used as staging areas for such attacks, injuring 2 Palestinian minors. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 2 Palestinians during a late-night raid near Nablus; and patrol in and around Hebron, Salfit, and Qalqilya. (HA, TOI, WAFA 9/23; MNA, MNA 9/24; PCHR 9/27)

One day after an Egyptian delegation visited Gaza for meetings with Hamas officials, al-Hayat reports that the Egyptians proposed a new framework for Palestinian reconciliation and a long-term cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. The plan would reportedly see the PA take control of Gaza and limits on Hamas’s military wing, inter alia. Hamas and Fatah officials both say that the proposal is unlikely to help Hamas and Fatah overcome their differences. Meanwhile, a Hamas official says that the Egypt-mediated backchannel talks with Israel over a long-term cease-fire are at an impasse, that it’s the PA’s fault for opposing the process, and that Hamas plans to escalate the ongoing protests along Gaza’s border fence in response. (AH, TOI, TOI 9/23)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on a small fleet of Palestinian boats sailing in a symbolic attempt to break the Israeli blockade. Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border fence near Jabaliya refugee camp to cheer on the boats and continue the Great March of Return; 49 Palestinians are injured at sea and along the border fence. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot 15 olive trees in a Palestinian grove outside Yatta village near Hebron. IDF troops conduct a raid at an elementary school in Hebron, disrupting classes and assaulting and injuring 1 Palestinian teacher. They also arrest 3 Palestinians and confiscate 1 vehicle during raids in Hebron and near Ramallah; and patrol near Hebron. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/10; PCHR 9/13)

The U.S. State Department announces that the PLO is no longer allowed to operate an office in Washington because the Palestinians “have not taken steps to advance the start of direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel.” In the same statement, the State Department also denounces the PLO for criticizing a “peace plan they have not yet seen” and refusing to engage with the Trump administration’s peace initiative. The decision to shutter the office was “also consistent with [Trump administration] and Congressional concerns with Palestinian attempts to prompt an investigation of Israel by the International Criminal Court,” according to the statement. Separately, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton says that the U.S. plans to shield Israel from any ICC effort to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes and settlement growth (the ICC has been working on a preliminary examination of such allegations since 1/2015). (HA, HA, JP, JP, MNA, TOI, TOI, WSJ, YA 9/10)

PA prime minister Rami Hamdallah announces that the PA plans to cover the budget deficit facing Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem, following the U.S. decision on 9/8 to redirect $25 million in U.S. aid to “other priorities.” “We will continue to meet the basic and urgent needs of our people on every inch of our land,” he says. (MNA, WAFA 9/10)

The PA’s Committee Against the Wall and Settlements announces plans to appeal the Israeli High Court of Justice’s 9/5 decision to authorize the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin village in the West Bank, at international courts. “[We] will not appeal this decision at Israeli courts anymore because they are a tool of the occupation to legalize theft of Palestinian land,” explains one senior committee member. (MNA, WAFA 9/10)

The IAF conducts an air strike on a site near Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza; 4 Palestinians affiliated with a small armed group are injured. The IDF claims that the men were launching incendiary kites and balloons into Israel. Later, IDF troops open fire on a small group of Palestinians congregating at a Great March of Return protest camp along the border fence near al-Bureij refugee camp; 3 Palestinian minors are injured. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops assault and injure 1 Palestinian and arrest 9 others during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Hebron; and patrol near Hebron and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Silwan, al-Tur, and a cemetery outside the Old City. A Palestinian demolishes his own home in Jabal Mukabir to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 8/5; MNA 8/6; PCHR 8/9)

A Palestinian minor succumbs to injuries sustained when Israeli troops violently dispersed Great March of Return protests along Gaza’s border on 3/30. His death brings the Great March of Return death toll to 141. (WAFA 8/5; MNA, TOI 8/6; PCHR 8/9)

Along Gaza’s border fence, Israeli forces shell a group of Palestinian minors in Gaza congregating at a Great March of Return protest camp near Rafah, injuring 2 (1 fatally). His death later in the day brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 126. Meanwhile, unidentified Palestinians fly a number of incendiary kites and balloons into Israel, sparking at least 17 fires along the border fence. Later, an Israeli drone bombs a site in Gaza City, causing damage. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers spray-paint racist graffiti and puncture the tires of a number of Palestinian vehicles in ‘Urif village near Nablus. IDF troops arrest 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in Hebron. (EI, HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 6/28; MNA 6/29; PCHR 7/5)

In retaliation for the incendiary kite and balloon attacks from Gaza on 6/17, the IAF conducts air strikes on 9 Hamas sites across Gaza overnight, causing major damage. Unidentified Palestinians in Gaza then launch 3 rockets toward southern Israel; 2 land in open areas, causing no damage or injuries (the third falls short of the border fence). Also along Gaza’s border fence, IDF troops open fire on 4 Palestinians allegedly attempting to cross the fence into Israel near Gaza City; 1 Palestinian is killed and the other 3 are injured. The IDF reports that the men were attempting to sabotage “security infrastructure.” In the evening, the IAF conducts another round of air strikes across Gaza, targeting Hamas and other armed groups’ infrastructure. In the West Bank, IDF troops assault Palestinian farmers traveling from Hebron to Jerusalem and confiscate the crops they are bringing to market. They also arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids near Bethlehem, and patrol near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, a number of Israeli settlers tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest a senior Islamic Waqf guard at the sanctuary. They also set up a new watchtower outside one of the main entrances. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 6/18; MNA 6/19; PCHR 6/21)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when IDF troops violently dispersed protesters along Gaza’s border near al-Maghazi refugee camp on 5/30, bringing the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 123. (PCHR 6/21)

In a statement, PA president Abbas rejects the U.S. plan, first reported on 6/17, to raise money for relief efforts in Gaza, accusing the Trump administration of attempting to separate Gaza from the West Bank in the name of “humanitarian aid or rehabilitation.” (HA 6/18)

Israeli PM Netanyahu meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Amman. They discuss a number of regional issues, including the Palestinians. It is their first public meeting since 11/2014. (JP 6/19)

Along Gaza’s border, 10 Palestinians cut through the border fence near Rafah and set fire to an IDF post. They then return to Gaza. Israeli tanks shell a Hamas observation post in the area, causing no major damage or injuries. Late at night, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducts air strikes on Gaza City’s port and an allegedly Hamas-built tunnel east of the city; 2 boats are damaged and there are no major injuries. Meanwhile, IDF troops open fire on the Great March of Return tent camp near Khan Yunis, injuring 1 Palestinian. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, unidentified armed assailants open fire on an Israeli vehicle near Ramallah, causing no major damage or injuries. IDF troops arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids in Nablus and near Hebron and patrol in and around Qalqilya and Hebron. The raid in Nablus sparks minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is injured. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/22; PCHR 5/24)

PA FM Riyad al-Maliki submits a formal request to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for an investigation into Israeli settlement policies in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which he calls “grave crime[s].” In response, ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda says that her office’s preliminary examination of alleged war crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), which began on 1/16/15, has seen “important progress.” (JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/22)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya on 2 separate occasions, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border fence, IDF troops open fire on a Great March of Return tent camp near Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Jabaliya refugee camp. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya and the Old City. (MNA 5/21; PCHR 5/24)

One week after the U.S. and Guatemala formally opened their new embassies in Jerusalem, Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes attends a similar ceremony to inaugurate the new Paraguayan embassy in the city. Meanwhile, a senior PA official says that the Palestinians are urging Arab states to cut ties with Guatemala and Paraguay over their embassy relocations. “A similar request was made regarding America after it relocated its embassy, but it was clear that no Arab nation would cut its ties with the U.S.,” the official says. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/21)

A Palestinian youth succumbs to injuries sustained during the deadly violence along Gaza’s border fence on 5/14. His death brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 108. (HA, MNA, WAFA 5/19; MNA 5/21; PCHR 5/24)

A Palestinian sets himself on fire in Gaza in protest of the Palestinian Authority’s (PA’s) withholding of part of his salary for months (he will succumb to his injuries on 5/23). Elsewhere in Gaza, IDF troops violently disperse hundreds of protesters gathering along the border fence near Gaza City; 1 Palestinian is injured. In 3 separate incidents off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 2 Palestinians during raids near Ramallah, and patrol near Hebron. Dozens of Palestinians march through Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya to protest the moving of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and the Israeli occupation. IDF troops violently disperse them, injuring a Palestinian infant. (HA, MNA 5/19; PCHR 5/24)

Today, Great March of Return demonstrations see tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza gathering along the border fence to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, to protest the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem today, and to call for the Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their homes. IDF troops violently disperse demonstrations near Khan Yunis, Rafah, Gaza City, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Jabaliya refugee camp; 58 Palestinians are killed, including 3 who allegedly attempted to plant an explosive along the border near Rafah, and more than 1,300 are injured. After unidentified assailants open fire on IDF patrols along the border near Jabaliya refugee camp, the IAF conducts air strikes on Hamas posts near Jabaliya refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Gaza City, causing moderate damage. The killings today bring the death toll related to the Great March of Return to 102. Elsewhere in the oPt, thousands of Palestinians gather across the West Bank and Jerusalem to protest the official opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem today. They also release 70 black balloons in Ramallah, marking the 70th anniversary of the Nakba. IDF troops violently disperse the protests at Qalandia checkpoint, Bethlehem, and Hebron; at least 2 Palestinians are injured. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 19 Palestinians during latenight raids in and around Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, and Hebron; and patrol near Jenin and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in Issawiyya and the Old City. (AJ, EI, HA, JP, MEE, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 5/14; PCHR 5/17)

Hours after Israeli troops open fire on peaceful Palestinian protesters along the border fence in Gaza, senior U.S. and Israeli officials gather for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. In a recorded video, U.S. president Trump celebrates the opening and says the U.S. “remains fully committed to facilitating a lasting peace agreement” between Israel and the Palestinians. Outside the ceremony, Israeli police violently disperse approximately 200 protesters, including Joint List MKs Ahmad Tibi, Dov Khenin, Jamal Zahalka, Yousef Jabareen, and Masud Ganaim; 12 Palestinians are arrested. (AJ, BBC, JP, MEE, NYT, TOI 5/14; EI 5/15)

In the evening, the Palestinian leadership convenes in Ramallah to discuss the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem and the violence in Gaza. PA president Abbas calls the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem a “settlement outpost” and reiterates that he has no plans to engage in any U.S.-mediated peace talks “in any way, shape, or form.” The assembled officials decide to file a war crimes complaint against Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague over settlement construction in the West Bank. According to PLO secretary-general Erakat, they also agree to a number of other unspecified responses. (TOI 5/14; AP, YA 5/15)

The South African government recalls its ambassador to Israel and Turkey recalls its ambassadors from Israel and the U.S. in protest of the killings in Gaza today. “The victims were taking part in peaceful protests against the provocative inauguration of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem,” a South African statement reads. Meanwhile, the U.S. blocks the UNSC from adopting a Kuwait-backed statement condemning the deadly violence in Gaza and calling for an “independent and transparent investigation” into Israel’s actions. (ANA, TOI, WAFA 5/14; HA, TOI 5/15)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing in both directions for the 3d consecutive day. (AHR 5/14; OCHA 5/24)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian minor during a raid near Jenin. They arrest 6 Palestinians during further raids near Hebron and Ramallah, and patrol near Hebron. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian farmers working near Khan Yunis and later near Dayr al-Balah, causing no injuries. They also violently disperse Great March of Return protesters gathering along the border fence near al-Bureij refugee camp, Gaza City, and Khan Yunis; 1 Palestinian is injured. (WAFA 4/30; PCHR 5/3)

The Palestinian National Council (PNC), the legislative wing of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), convenes in Ramallah for its first regular session since 1996. Some factions boycotted the meetings. Over the next 4 days, they are set to elect new members to the PLO Executive Committee and other top PLO positions. In the evening, PA president Abbas gives a speech calling for the PNC to adopt the initiative he presented at the UNSC in 2/2018, and reiterates his commitment to ending the division with Hamas. (JP, WAFA 4/30; YA 5/1)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing in both directions for a 3d and final day. (OCHA 5/10)

An Israeli settler shoots and fatally injures a Palestinian after he allegedly attempts to stab another settler with a screwdriver at a gas station outside the Mishor Adumim settlement near Jerusalem (the Palestinian will succumb to his injuries on 4/9). Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces block Palestinian farmers from working their lands near Tulkarm, without offering any justification. They also arrest 8 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Nablus; and patrol near Salfit and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces evict 3 Palestinian families from their homes in Silwan, implementing a recent court ruling that an Israeli settler group owns the buildings. They also arrest 3 Palestinians during late-night raids in Jabal Mukabir, Anata refugee camp, and Abu Dis. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops shoot and injure 2 Palestinians amid clashes near Khan Yunis and open fire on agricultural lands near Dayr al-Balah, causing no damage or injuries. Later, Israeli tanks fire shells at 3 Palestinians who snuck through the border fence near Gaza City. The 3 turn back, unhurt. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/8; HA 4/9)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained in a violent confrontation with IDF troops at a checkpoint near Tulkarm on 4/2. (WAFA 4/8)

At a meeting of the Fatah Central Committee, PA president Abbas lays out conditions for Palestinian engagement with the U.S. peace initiative. “We will not listen to anything that comes [from the Trump administration], regardless of what it is, unless the 2-state solution [is endorsed] and East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine is recognized,” he says. (JP, TOI 4/8)

Following the burning of hundreds of tires along Gaza’s border on 4/6, a PA official says that the Israeli authorities have suspended all tire imports into Gaza. (JP 4/8)

Israeli DM Lieberman condemns the calls for an independent, transparent investigation into the killings along Gaza’s border over the past 2 weeks. “The demand to investigate the shooting [. . .] is hypocrisy,” he says. Separately, Israeli officials say that the IDF will react with force, including air strikes on Hamas military targets, if Palestinians continue attempting to damage the border fence during the ongoing Great March of Return. (HA, JP 4/8)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian protesters participating in the Great March of Return for a 2d day in a row near Bayt Hanun, al-Bureij refugee camp, Rafah, and Jabaliya refugee camp; at least 25 Palestinians are injured. In the West Bank, PA president Abbas calls for a general strike and a day of mourning for the 16 Palestinians killed in Gaza on 3/30. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians gathering in Hebron to protest the killings; several Palestinians are injured. IDF troops also arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids near Bethlehem and patrol near Hebron. Israeli police shoot and injure a Palestinian driver allegedly after he rams 1 of their vehicles near Nablus. In Israel, hundreds of Palestinians march through Umm al-Fahm in commemoration of Land Day. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/31; YA 4/1; PCHR 4/5)

U.S. diplomats block the UNSC from adopting a Kuwait-backed statement calling for an “independent and transparent” investigation into the IDF’s deadly crackdown on the Great March of Return, according to several diplomats. “The wording was acceptable to all members of the council excluding the U.S.,” says Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danon. Later, European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini calls for an independent and transparent investigation. (AFP, HA, TOI 3/31; HA, JP 4/1)

An Israeli drone crashes in southern Lebanon. According to the Lebanese press, a 2d drone destroys the first after it crashed. (HA, YA 3/31)