The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized 9 vehicles parked outside the Shiloh settlement belonging to Palestinians working in the settlement; a video of the incident shows the settlers throwing stones at the parked vehicles. Israeli forces seized 5 residential tents in Khirbet Humsa. 14 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Sur Bahir, Ramallah, Qaddura refugee camp, Silwad, Nablus, Barta‘a, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished residential sheds in Silwan, displacing 1 Palestinian family. 1 Palestinian was arrested in al-Tur. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled farmland east of Gaza City. (AP, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/16; WAFA 2/17; PCHR 2/18)

After 2 days of protest, the Hamas-appointed chairman of the Higher Sharia Council Hassan Jojo said the council would redraft a law banning unmarried women in Gaza from traveling outside of the strip without approval from a male guardian. The law was initially passed on 2/14. (HA, REU 2/16)

The U.S. Biden administration said it would return to dealing with King Salman of Saudi Arabia rather than his son and crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. The announcement came during a press conference by White House spokesperson Jen Psaki, who also said that the Biden administration would start pressuring Saudi Arabia on human rights issues unlike the Trump administration approach. (REU 2/16; HA 2/17)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces arrested 1 Palestinian accused of attempting to stab an Israeli soldier near the Ariel settlement. Israeli forces also blocked the entrance to Jalazun refugee camp and 1 main entrance to Salfit. 5 Palestinians were arrested, including 4 during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Jericho, and Hizma, and 1 was arrested at a military checkpoint east of Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces installed 2 loudspeakers on the Haram al-Sharif compound. 1 Palestinian minor was arrested and later released to 5 days of house arrest in the Old City. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands east of Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces also made incursions to level land east of Khuza‘a. (HA, WAFA, WAFA 9/6; PCHR 9/10)

Chairman of the Hamas politburo Ismail Haniyeh met with the secretary-general of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut to discuss political and military developments in the region. Chairman Haniyeh also visited the Palestinian refugee camp ‘Ayn al-Hilwa. (AJ 9/6)

The king of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud told U.S. president Donald Trump in a phone call that his country would not normalize relations with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state. (GDN, REU 8/6; AJ, HA 9/7)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up a mobile home on Palestinian land east of Nablus. IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Tubas, and Bethlehem; and patrol near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish the foundation of a building under construction in Shu‘fat refugee camp. They also arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in Bayt Hanina and al-Tur. (WAFA 12/5; PCHR 12/7)

After days of speculation and rumors, U.S. pres. Trump calls PA pres. Abbas to tell him that he plans to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and to invite the Palestinian leader for a meeting at the White House before the end of the month. According to a PA spokesperson, Abbas warns Trump of the “dangerous repercussions.” Trump also calls Israeli PM Netanyahu, Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz, Jordanian king Abdullah, Russian pres. Vladimir Putin, and Egyptian pres. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to inform them of his decision. (AP, HA, MNA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/5)

In response to Pres. Trump’s plan to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to move the U.S. embassy there, several Palestinian factions and Islamist groups jointly declare 3 “days of rage” to begin on 12/6. Later, the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem issues a travel warning calling on U.S. citizens to avoid the West Bank and the Old City of Jerusalem. (HA, TOI 12/5)

Lebanese PM Saad Hariri formally rescinds his resignation, which threw Lebanon and much of the Middle East into turmoil when he announced it on Saudi television on 11/4 (see JPS 47 [2]). (AA, REU, TOI 12/5)