The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assaulted 3 Palestinians in Burqa and threw stones at vehicles and homes in the town. Israeli forces closed the main road between Nablus and Qalqilya, impeding Palestinian movement. Israeli forces also leveled 3 dunams (0.75 acres) of land planted with olive trees near Wadi Rahal. 24 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silwad, Ramallah, Huwwara, Qalqilya, Ya‘bad, Yatta, Sa‘ir, and Bani Na‘im. In East Jerusalem, 5 Palestinians were arrested during raids. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinians east of Khuza‘a and Maghazi; no injuries were reported. (MEE, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/26; UNOCHA 6/4)

The PA announced it had finished its investigation into the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, concluding that Israel deliberately killed her. The PA findings are aligned with investigations made by AP and CNN, and with eyewitness accounts. Israel called the PA conclusion “a blatant lie.” The investigation found that the bullet that hit Abu Akleh was a 5.56 mm round used by NATO forces and that it was fired from 186 yards. The PA will not hand over the bullet to Israel, as Israel had requested. The PA handed a copy of its investigation to the U.S. (AJ, AP, AX, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 5/26)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas appointed PA minister for civil affairs Hussein al-Sheikh the new secretary-general of the PLO Executive Committee. The position of secretary-general had been vacant since Saeb Erakat passed due to complications from the COVID-19 virus on 11/10/2020. (HA, MEE, WAFA 5/26)

Al Jazeera said it was preparing a file to be sent to the ICC pertaining to the Israeli killing of its journalist Abu Akleh and the Israeli bombing their offices in Gaza in May 2021. (AJ, MEE, REU 5/26; AP, HA 5/27)

The Iraqi parliament approved a law criminalizing the normalization of Israel, with 275 out of 329 votes in favor. The law applied to all Iraqi citizens, state and independent institutions, and foreigners working in Iraq. Violations of the law can be punishable by death sentences or life imprisonment. (AJ, HA, WAFA 5/26; NYT 5/27; MEMO 5/30)

83 Democrats in the U.S. house and senate signed a letter to U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken urging him to intervene against Israeli plans to forcefully displace more than 1,000 Palestinians living in Masafer Yatta, an area Israel has converted into a firing zone. The letter underscored that the Israeli move “could further undermine efforts to reach a two-state solution” and contravenes international law. (ALM, HA 5/26; MDW, MEE, WAFA 5/27; TOI 5/31)

The U.S. company Meta, which operates Facebook, turned down an Israeli request to block a Facebook page Israel claims is “clearly linked to Hamas.” Meta said that the Israeli claim did not hold any merit. (HA 5/26)

In the West Bank, 2 Israeli settlers were escorted out of central Ramallah by Palestinian security forces after Palestinians attacked their car and subsequently set it on fire. Israeli officials claimed the 2 had entered central Ramallah by mistake, while others reported that the 2 were playing loud religious music to try to provoke a reaction from Ramallah residents. The 2 settlers were unharmed. Israeli forces demolished 2 agricultural structures in Nahalin. Israeli forces also raided the home of 1 Palestinian journalist coving the displacement of Palestinians in al-Twana in the Masafer Yatta area, seizing his cameras. Elsewhere, Israeli forces seized 6 tractors, 5 cars, 4 water tanks, and 3 trucks in Khirbet ar-Ras al-Ahmar. 4 Palestinians were arrested during house raids in Yatta, Idhna, Rafat, and Beit Sira. In East Jerusalem, around 150 Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 2 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Isawiya and Silwan. (AP, HA, MEMO, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/1; MEMO, PCHR, WAFA 12/2)

1 Israeli settler was sentenced to 20 months in prison for throwing stun grenades at Palestinian homes in Sarta in January, injuring 1. The settler was part of a group of several settlers who also threw rocks and vandalized 4 homes and 2 cars. (HA 12/1; MEMO 12/2)

The company Meta Inc., formerly known as Facebook, said it had removed 150 accounts, 79 pages, and 13 groups from Facebook and Instagram that it says are linked to Hamas. (HA 12/2)

At the UNGA, 3 resolutions pertaining to Palestine and Israel passed. 1 resolution condemning Israel’s annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights passed 94-8-69. 1 resolution calling for intensified efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict with a 2-state solution passed 148-9-14. The countries that vote against were Australia, Canada, Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, and the U.S. A final resolution calling for preserving the Status Quo at the Holy sites in Jerusalem, usually passing with a higher margin, passed 129-11-31. Several countries, including the UK, explained their opposition to the resolution, saying that it usually refers to the Haram al-Sharif compound by also including the Jewish terminology the “Temple Mount.” The UK clarified that its vote does not signify a policy change, only an objection to the change in language. (UKGOV, UN 12/1; TOI, WAFA 12/2)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian teen shot by Israeli forces during an anti-settlement protest on 6/16 in Beita succumbed to his injuries. Israeli forces demolished 1 house in Halhul and displaced 8 Palestinians, demolished 1 car wash in Jinsafut, delivered demolition orders for 8 structures in Jawaya, and demolished 1 agricultural structure in Wadi Muhaisen. Israeli forces also shot and injured 4 Palestinians during a late-night raid in Jenin. Elsewhere, Israeli forces continued blocking the main road to ‘Azun for the 2d day in a row. 7 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Jalazun refugee camp, Yatta, Tarqumiyya, and Kafr Dan. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silwan. In Gaza, Israeli forces conducted air strikes in Khan Yunis and Gaza City, causing damage; no injuries were reported. Israel said the air strikes were in response to incendiary balloons sent toward Israel, which were said to have ignited 8 fires. In Israel, a Palestinian Israeli journalist had large parts of his home blown up by a bomb planted in his house in Taibeh, causing severe damage but no injuries. This happened 2 weeks after his house was shot at by unknown assailants on 6/3. (ABC, AJ, AP, CNN, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/17; HA, MEMO, WAFA 6/18; WAFA 6/21; PCHR 6/24)

The Palestinian Health Work Committees reopened its office in al-Bireh despite an Israeli order to close the office for 6 months after a raid on 6/9. The PA health minister Mai al-Kaila attended the reopening ceremony. (WAFA 6/17; WAFA 6/19)

The new Israeli health minister Nitzan Horowitz of Meretz (Vigor) decided to loan the PA 1.2 million nearly expired doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in exchange for a shipment of Pfizer vaccines set to arrive to the PA in 2022. (AP, HA, REU, WAFA 6/18)

An Israeli court ordered a Palestinian woman be released into house arrest and criticized Israeli police for trying to force her to confess that she intended to hit an Israeli soldier with her car at a checkpoint in East Jerusalem on 6/15. (HA 6/20)

Israel arrested a Palestinian Israeli imam of Lydda’s largest mosque, Shaykh Yousef al-Baz, saying he had incited violence by sharing a clip from a movie showing people killing a police officer on Facebook. (HA 6/17; MEMO 6/18)

The Israeli justice ministry indicted 1 Israeli border police officer for reckless homicide in relation to the shooting of Eyad al-Hallaq, a Palestinian man with special needs, in the Old City of East Jerusalem on 5/30/2020. The indictment stated that the Israeli soldier executed al-Hallaq while he was lying on the ground, wounded and incapacitated. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, MEMO, REU 6/17)

Israel shelled a location near the village of al-Qahtaniah in Quneitra, Syria. (TOI 6/17)

Haaretz reported that former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered official documents shredded on the last day in office. (HA 6/17; HA 6/21)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken and foreign minister Yair Lapid spoke for the 2d time since the formation of the new Israeli government on 6/13. (REU 6/17; JP, HA 6/18)

In Lebanon, a general strike was held in protest over the Lebanese politicians’ inability to form a government. (AP 6/17)

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler shot and injured 1 Palestinian minor using rubber-coated bullets in al-Janiya. Israeli settlers also damaged and uprooted 130 olive seedings in al-Rihaya south of Hebron. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian with live ammunition in Far‘un. 19 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Bayt Umar, Yatta, Bethlehem, al-Walaja, Kaubar, Silwad, Tell, Qabalan, ‘Azun, al-Twana, and Jenin; during a house raid in al-Twana, 1 Palestinian 5-year-old got a black eye during the raid on her home. In East Jerusalem, around 120 Israeli settlers with military escort raided the Haram al-Sharif compound for the 2d day in a row. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian after he allegedly stabbed and injured 1 settler and 1 soldier near Shaykh Jarrah. 26 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silwan, Jabal al-Mukabir, Shu‘fat, and the Old City. In Gaza, 2 Palestinians injured in Israeli air strikes on Bayt Hanun on 5/11 succumbed to their injuries and 4 Palestinians were found dead in rubble from Israeli air strikes in Khan Yunis, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 253 to 259, including 67 children and 3 pregnant women. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/24; HA, MEMO, WAFA 5/25; PCHR 5/27)

3 Jewish-Israelis were charged with terrorism after severely beating 1 Palestinian-Israeli man on 5/12 in Bat Yam. The Palestinian man was pulled from his car and beaten by a large mob of Jewish-Israelis while an Israeli TV crew filmed the incident as it was unfolding. 6 people were for the attack, while TV footage show the faces of several others beating the man who have not been arrested. (HA 5/24; HA 5/26)

The Palestinian Prisoners Society said Israel had issued 155 administrative detention orders since the beginning of May. (WAFA 5/24)

AP reported that 17 journalists in Gaza had their WhatsApp accounts blocked since 5/21. WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, which has been accused of silencing Palestinian voices. WhatsApp is considered an important tool for sharing information among journalists and activists. (AP 5/24; AJ, F24, NAT, TOI 5/25; AJ, MEMO 5/26)

Iran said it would allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to continue monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities for 1 additional month after a previous agreement expired. (AP, AX, HA, NYT, REU 5/24)

U.S. president Joe Biden spoke to Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, thanking him for his role in mediating the Hamas-Israel ceasefire that went into effect on 5/21. The 2 also discussed rebuilding Gaza. (HILL, REU 5/24; AJ, NAT 5/25)

A U.S. federal court ruled a 2016 Georgia law, prohibiting state contracts with people who engage in boycotts of Israel, unconstitutional. The lawsuit was brought by 2 U.S. rights organizations on behalf of journalist Abby Martin. (MEMO 5/25)

In an attempt to deflect from international outcry, Belarus said it had forced a Ryanair plane traveling from Athens to Vilnius to land in Minsk because a bomb threat in the name of Hamas was made against it. Hamas denied the allegation. In the incident, which happened on 5/23, Belarusian warplanes forced the commercial jet to land in Minsk for Belarusian forces to arrest a passenger who runs a website for opponents of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. (HA 5/24; MEMO 5/26)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian shepherds and international activists using stones and batons near Yatta, damaging 1 vehicle. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Umm Safa and Ya‘bad. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers with military protection raided al-Twana; 1 Palestinian was shot by Israeli forces using live ammunition and 7 others were shot by rubber-coated bullets. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian who allegedly shot and injured 2 soldiers at a checkpoint near Madama. 6 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 during house raids in and around Bethlehem, Surayf, Abu Dis, and al-Khadir, and 1 at a checkpoint near Jenin. In East Jerusalem, 11 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya and the Old City. In Gaza, 50 Palestinians were killed, including 11 children and 2 pregnant women, and dozens were injured, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 64 to 114, including 27 children and 2 pregnant women. The casualties included: 6, including 2 children, and 25 wounded, including 7 children, in artillery fire at Um al-Nasar village near Bayt Lahiya; 10, including 4 children and 1 pregnant woman, and 52 wounded, in air strikes on apartment buildings in Bayt Lahiya; 2 in air strikes on al-Bureij refugee camp; 1 in al-Turkman in an airstrike; 1 child, and 8 others injured, in an air strike on an apartment building in Bayt Hanun; 2 in an air strike near a hospital in Bayt Hanun; 2 in air strikes on Tal al-Hawa; 4, including 2 children, and 5 wounded, in air strikes on a residential building in al-Bureij refugee camp; 6, including 2 children and 1 pregnant woman, and 22 wounded, including 10 children, in air strikes on 2 houses in Rafah; the bodies of 14 Palestinians were found at a military site; Hamas claimed that the 14 had died of toxic gases from Israeli weapons. Additionally, the headquarters of the interior ministry’s security division was destroyed near Bayt Lahiya and Khan Yunis, as well as 1 ministry of transportation building in Bayt Lahiya. In Israel, 1 Jewish-Israeli man was injured in a stabbing in Lydda. 1 Muslim cemetery and 1 synagogue were vandalized in Lydda. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian-Israeli man with a rubber-coated bullet as he was filming the soldiers from the inside of his house in Jaffa. Israeli right-wingers attacked Palestinian-Israelis and Israeli journalists in the Hatikva neighborhood of Tel Aviv. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in ‘Akka and Israeli right-wingers attacked 1 Palestinian-owned grocery store. 3 rockets were fired at Israel from Lebanon; all 3 landed in the sea. Dozens of rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza, most of them intercepted. 1 Israeli woman died after falling while running to a shelter near Ashdod, raising the Israeli death toll to 8. Israel said it had sent 9,000 troops to the vicinity of Gaza (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, HA, HA, HA, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/13; AP, HA, PCHR, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA 5/14; GDN 5/15; TOI 5/16; PCHR 5/20; MEE 5/21; NYT 5/26)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with French president Emmanuel Macron about the escalation of violence in Gaza and eviction of Palestinians in Shaykh Jarrah. (WAFA 5/13)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz ordered 10 reserve border police companies to cities in Israel where violence has been rising. Several Israeli media outlets also reported that Israeli military officials were preparing to approve plans for a ground invasion of Gaza. Defense Minister Gantz also spoke with senior executives of social media companies Facebook and TikTok to convince them to prevent content critical of Israel on their platforms. (HA, JP, TOI 5/13; AS 5/14)

U.S. president Joe Biden said that he did not believe that the Israeli bombardment of Gaza is a “significant overreaction.” The Biden administration also rejected a publicly held UN security council (UNSC) meeting on 5/14 discussing the situation in Israel and Palestine. The U.S. has prevented any statements from the UN security council on the matter from 2 other UNSC meetings held in the past week. The Biden administration also notified Congress that it will be sending $10 million to Palestinian groups in the West Bank and Gaza to support exchange and reconciliation projects with Israelis. (HA, HA, REU 5/13; AP 5/14)

As pro-Palestine demonstrations were happening in many countries all over the world, the French interior ministry asked the French police to ban a pro-Palestine protest in Paris. (AJ 5/13)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort stormed Sabastiyya, closing off parts of the town to Palestinians. 6 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Hebron, Yatta, and al-Ram. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled land east of Rafah. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/21; PCHR, WAFA 4/22)

The racist Israeli organization Lehava called on its supports to gather at the Damascus gate in the Old City, where clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians have continued since Israeli measures against celebrations for Ramadan started on 4/13. The Lehava organizers called for breaking Palestinians’ faces and burning them alive. Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinians in East Jerusalem almost every night since 4/13. (HA 4/21)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with the Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi in Ramallah. (WAFA 4/21)

Facebook said it had broken up a hacker network used by the PA’s intelligence service to spy on journalists, human rights activists, and government critics. Facebook said the intelligence service used compromised, fake profiles to befriend potential targets and trick them into installing malware on their computers. It was reported that some 800 people had been targeted in the Middle East. (AP 4/21; PCHR 4/22)

A powerful explosion occurred in an Israeli weapons manufacturing factory near Ramle. The factory said it “was a controlled test with no exceptional circumstances.” (HA, JP, TOI 4/21)

A British Zionist youth movement, Noam, boycotted an event with Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely because of her “racist and anti-pluralistic views.” In a recent interview with the BBC, Ambassador Hotovely would not say if she favored a 2-state solution, saying she favors peace. (HA, JP 4/21)

A bipartisan bill that seeks to task the U.S. State Department with identifying opportunities to expand normalization efforts with Israel was introduced to the house. The bill was introduced by Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Michael McCaul (R-TX). (JTA 4/21; JP 4/22)

The U.S. presented, through intermediaries, a list of sanctions to Iran that it is ready to lift in exchange for Iranian compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. A U.S. state department official also said that the U.S. had presented Israel with a list of sanctions that could potentially be lifted on Iran. (AP 4/21; AJ, HA 4/22)

UK Labour leader Keir Starmer withdrew from participating in a Ramadan iftar event because the organizer had retweeted a post about boycotting Israeli dates during Ramadan. It was also reported that Starmer had yet to respond to a letter sent to him by 25 members of the Labour party, complaining that the party is creating a “hostile environment” for Palestinians since Starmer became leader after Jeremy Corbyn resigned in 2019. (MEE 4/23; MEMO 4/25)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians during a raid in al-‘Arub refugee camp, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also demolished 2 caravans, 1 tent, 1 solar panel, and 2 rooms near Yatta. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Nablus, Birzeit, Yatta, and Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 2 buildings under construction in Issawiyya. In Gaza, Israeli forces shelled multiple locations throughout the area; causing damage but no injuries were reported. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/11; PCHR 9/12)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Facebook page had an automated pop-up message, warning voters that “Arabs want to annihilate us all—women, children, and men,” and urged voters not to vote for a left-wing government “that relies on Arabs who want to destroy us all.” Joint List chairperson Ayman Odeh said that he had reached out to Facebook to end Netanyahu’s “racist and dangerous incitement against the Arab population.” (HA 9/11)