The Palestine Chronology

Undercover Israeli police officers arrest 6 Palestinian youths in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem on suspicion of throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at a Jewish settler-owned house. In the Gaza Strip, the IDF opens fire on a garbage truck close to the border fence nr. Bayt Hanun, wounding 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, Jewish settlers from the unauthorized outpost Esh Kodesh nr. Nablus attack the Palestinian village of Qusra, provoking clashes with residents. In response, the IDF deploys troops in the area and fires tear gas and stun grenades at villagers. The IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning, in 1 village nr. Jericho in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 village each nr. al-Bireh and Jericho at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in the Old City of Hebron, 1 nearby village, and 1 village nr. Jenin at night. The IDF attacks a nonviolent demonstration against the occupation and settlement expansion held by Palestinians, Israelis, and internationals in Bayt Umar village nr. Hebron, causing no serious injuries. (MNA 1/5, 1/6; PCHR 1/10)

PA security forces arrest the Hebronbased members of the National Unity Brigades, which announced its formation and called for a 3d intifada in a video released on 12/14. (JP 1/5)

Sources tell Palestinian Ma‘an news agency that PLO leaders, the Free Syria Army, and Syrian government forces are working toward a deal to end the fighting in and blockade of Yarmuk r.c. in Damascus, including the withdrawal of rebel fighters and the end to army shelling. (MNA 1/6)

Israeli riot police clash with Palestinian worshipers at al-Aqsa Mosque after Friday prayers in the greatest violence there since Sharon’s 9/00 visit that sparked the al-Aqsa intifada; after some worshipers throw stones at police guarding Jews praying at the Wailing Wall, Israeli police wielding batons, firing stun grenades and rubber bullets charge the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, injuring at least 45, arresting 14, driving 1,000s of worshipers into the mosque; Palestinians are allowed to leave after more than an hr. when Waqf officials negotiate their peaceful dispersal. An armed Palestinian infiltrates Avnei Hefetz settlement nr. Tulkarm, fires on a house, killing 1 Jewish settler, wounding 1 before being shot dead by the IDF. The IDF also fires on stone-throwing youths in Bethlehem, killing a 16-yr.-old Palestinian; fires on 2 “suspicious figures” nr. the Gaza boundary fence with Israel, killing 1 Palestinian;stages a major raid into Rafah, demolishing 38 Palestinian homes; conducts arrest raids in Aida r.c. and nr. Hebron, Ramallah. (MM 4/2; WP, WT 4/3; NYT, WT 4/4; PCHR 4/8)

Israel intensifies its offensive across the West Bank and Gaza, leaving more than 40 Palestinian dead (including 3 paramedics), 200 injured--the highest single-day toll since the al-Aqsa intifada began. 1 IDF soldier is also killed. Early this morning, the IDF sends troops into Khuza' village nr. Khan Yunis, killing 16 Palestinians, including PSF regional cmdr. Maj. Gen. Ahmad Mifraj. In Bayt Hanina, the IDF are photographed executing an AMB mbr. hand-cuffed, in custody. The IDF continues house-to-house searches in Aida and Dahaysha, leaving 6 Palestinians dead. Another 6 Palestinians are killed in IDF raids in the Tulkarm area, 5 in a helicopter attack on a PSF office in Gaza City, 1 in Jenin r.c. A pregnant Palestinian woman, her baby die when the IDF bars their transportation to a Tulkarm hospital. In Tulkarm r.c., the IDF calls on all men age 15-45 to surrender for questioning. The IDF shells at least 1 building on Bethlehem University campus. In Jerusalem, Israeli police fatally shoot 1 Palestinian allegedly preparing to detonate a suicide bomb. 10s of armed Jewish settlers, accompanied by several IDF jeeps, raid Hawara village, nr. where a settler was wounded on 3/7, damaging homes, firing in the air The PSF arrests PFLP mbr. Majid Rimawi, the 4th Palestinian wanted by Israel in connection with the Ze'evi assassination. (BDL, LAW, MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/8; MENA 3/8, al-Quds 3/9, SA 3/10 in WNC 3/11; BDL, GS, LAW, NYT, WP, WT 3/9; PMC, WP 3/10; Le Monde 3/10 in WNC 3/13; LAW 3/13)

Palestinians mark Nakba commemoration day by observing 3 minutes of silence. Large rallies are held in every major Palestinian city in the West Bank and Gaza, after which a recorded message by Arafat is read over loudspeakers. Israeli Arabs hold marches to the sites of their destroyed villages. Marches, rallies are also held in Amman (where 1,000s demonstrate), Cairo, Tehran, Washington. (MM 5/15; IRNA, MENA 5/15 in WNC 5/16; SA 5/15, HJ, JT, al-Quds 5/16 in WNC 5/17; NYT, WP, WT 5/16; WJW 5/17; HA, WP 5/18)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate due to the Nakba anniversary, leaving 5 Palestinians, 1 Israeli settler dead, some 250 Palestinians wounded. In an apparent assassination in Gaza, the IDF fires a tank shell at the car driven by `Abd al-Hakim al-Manama, bodyguard of Hamas spiritual leader Shaykh Yasin, killing him and a passenger. In Ramallah, an IDF soldier shoots French TV reporter Bertrand Aguirre, who captures his targeted shooting on video; Aguirre escapes fatal injury because he is wearing a bulletproof vest. A Palestinian woman gives birth at an IDF checkpoint when soldiers refuse to let her pass to reach a hospital. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Rafah, Tulkarm. (AP, LAW 5/15; HP, NYT, WP, WT 5/16; PCHR 5/17; CSM 5/18; JP 5/25)

The Higher Follow-Up Comm. for the Arab Community (HFCAC), composed of Israeli Arab political and community leaders, reports that Israel is restricting the freedoms of Israel Arabs in light of the al-Aqsa intifada. Israeli Arab journalists, poets have been detained for questioning, warned against "incitement" for writing on the intifada; community activists have received threatening telephone calls fr. police, intelligence officials; Israel police have opened investigations against 4 Israeli Arab MKs; 1 Israeli Arab has been placed under administrative detention; several Israeli Arabs have had their passports confiscated for taking part in a trip to Syria. (HFCAC press release 5/15)

In Washington, PA senior negotiator Abbas holds talks with Secy. of State Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice on halting violence, Arafat visiting the U.S. (WP, WT 5/16; MENA 5/16 in WNC 5/17; NYT 5/17, 5/21)

Israel, the PA submit their official responses to the Mitchell Comm. report, generally welcoming the report as a basis for a cease-fire. (MM 5/15; NYT 5/16; AYM 5/16 in WNC 5/18; NYT 5/17)

Israel reinforces troops in Shaba` Farms, directs machine gun fire across the border into Lebanon, flies helicopters along the border area. (RL 5/15 in WNC 5/16)

After Israel announces it is ending its "policy of restraint," Israeli-Palestinian clashes intensify sharply, leaving 6 Palestinians dead, 136 wounded. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at PA-controlled areas in Hebron, in the heaviest barrage there since the beginning of the al-Aqsa intifada. Serious clashes are also reported in Gaza and in Nablus, where 10,000 Palestinians rallying to mark Land Day clash with IDF troops, who shoot dead 5 Palestinians. The IDF also directs shelling, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of al-Bireh, Jinin, Rafah, Tulkarm; confiscates 100 dunams of land nr. Qalqilya for a new settlement bypass road. Frustrated with Israeli security checks, Palestinian workers at Erez industrial zone riot, prompting Israel to close the zone--an unprecedented move since the purpose of the zone is make Palestinians who work there and the businesses that employ them (60% of which are Israeli-owned) immune to closures. (AP, HP, LAW 3/30; NYT, WP, WT 3/31; Sunday Times [London], WT 4/1; HJ 4/1 in WNC 4/5; Globes 4/2 in WNC 4/3)

In Sakhnin, Israel, 10,000 Israeli Arabs participate in a peaceful Land Day rally--the 1st major protest since the 10/00 demonstrations, which were violently suppressed by Israeli police, who, this time, are ordered to intervene only if protesters block major roads. Major Land Day commemorations are also held in Jordan, Lebanon. (HP, MM 3/30; NYT 3/31; JT 4/1 in WNC 4/2)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate, leaving 8 Palestinians dead, including senior Islamic Jihad mbr. Sa'ir al-Khruf, who is assassinated by the IDF. (1 Palestinian dies en route to the hospital when his ambulance is detained by the IDF for over 1 hr.) In Nablus, 20,000 Palestinians attend a funeral for 3 of the dead killed overnight. Israel allows a small number of West Bank, Gaza Palestinians over age 35 to attend Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque. Those that are barred scuffle with Israeli police who respond with rubber bullets, stun grenades, tear gas. The IDF also placed curfews on Salfit, Qasrah to conduct an arrest sweep. IDF directed shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas in Aida, Aqbat Jabir camp, Bayt Jala (damaging an elementary school), al-Bireh, Dayr al-Balah, Nablus, Ramallah (damaging the PA Local Government Min.), Tulkarm; bulldozes Palestinian agricultural land across Gaza, in Qalqilya. In Rafah, the IDF fires a shell at a family protesting the bulldozing of their land, injuring 6 children. Jewish settlers attack Palestinian property around Qalqilya, shoot at Palestinians in Silt al-Thahir (wounding 1). (ADM, LAW 12/15; NYT, WP, WT 12/16; PCHR 12/18; NYT 1/17)

Israel's Ben-Ami meets with Arafat at Erez to discuss resuming peace talks, holds follow-up mtg. with PA Information M `Abid Rabbuh in Tel Aviv. The State Dept. says that midlevel Israeli, PA negotiators may come top Washington the wk. of 12/18. (NYT, WP 12/16) (see 12/10)

In Gaza, over 30,000 Palestinians attend a Hamas rally in support of continuing the al-Aqsa intifada no matter what stand the PA regarding negotiations with Israel. (MEI 12/22)