The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces arrest 25 Palestinians during raids in and around Qalqilya, Hebron, Bethlehem, Tulkarm, Ramallah, and Jenin. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Nuseirat refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, al-Bureij, and Gaza City, killing at least 92 people. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Naqoura, Aitaroun, Ayta ash Shab, Marwahin, and Hamool. Hezbollah forces fire anti-tank missiles at Metula; there are no reports of injuries or damage. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb the southern part of the country, wounding a Syrian soldier. (AJ, AP, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/17; UNOCHA 3/18)

More than 31,645 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 13,400 children and 8,900 women, and around 73,676 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 426 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 111 children. More than 4,665 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured in Israel since 10/7/2023, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 247 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,476 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27/2023. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7/2023. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12/2023 due to the Israeli blockade. At least 70,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023, constituting over 60% of all housing units. 192 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza, including 13 trucks that arrive in Jabalia refugee camp and Gaza City. The aid arriving in Jabalia is the first in 4 months. U.S. forces airdrop 28,000 meals and 34,500 bottles of water over northern Gaza. (AJ, HA, REU, WAFA 3/17; UNOCHA, UNOCHA 3/18)

Adalah says it has documented 19 clear cases of torture in Israeli prisons since 10/7/2023, including sexual violence. (AJ 3/17)

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh meets with a delegation of Chinese diplomats in Doha, discussing the situation in Gaza and the political situation in Palestine. (AJ 3/17)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas meets with Brazilian foreign minister Mauro Vieira in Ramallah, warning against the humanitarian consequences of an Israeli invasion of Rafah. (AJ, WAFA 3/17)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says during a press conference with German chancellor Olaf Scholz that Israel will invade Rafah, but that Israel will enable civilians to leave the city. Scholz says an invasion of Rafah would make regional peace “very difficult.” Scholz also says Israel has a “right to defend itself” but adds the humanitarian cost of Israel’s attacks on Gaza is “extremely high, many will argue much too high.” (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, REU 3/17)

Haaretz reports that Israeli finance minister and minister with a portfolio at the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich is trying to appoint a settler, Hillel Roth, from the Yitzhar settlement as the deputy head of the Civil Administration and transfer authority over settlement building regulations to him instead of the military’s Central Command. (HA 3/17; HA 3/18)

Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani meets with UAE foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed in Doha, discussing ceasefire negotiations. (AJ 3/17)

U.S. president Joe Biden meets with Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, saying that a ceasefire and more humanitarian aid is needed in Gaza. Varadkar says Irish solidarity with Palestinians is rooted in the Irish “story of displacement, of dispossession, a national identity questioned and denied, forced emigration, discrimination, and now hunger.” (HA 3/15; AJ, HA, NYT 3/17)

U.S. senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) says in an interview that Israel’s claim that UNRWA is a Hamas proxy is “just flat-out lies” and says Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to get rid of UNRWA because he wants to destroy hopes of a 2-state solution. (AJ 3/17)

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reiterates his support for Israel’s attacks on Gaza, saying Israel should “finish it up and do it quickly and get back to the world of peace,” claiming he would make a normalization agreement between Iran and Israel. (AJ, HA, HA 3/17)

In the West Bank, 2 Israeli settlers were wounded by gunfire near Joseph’s Tomb. Israeli settlers opened fire at Palestinians in Kisan; no injuries were reported. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near the Yitzhar settlement, damaging 3. Israeli forces shot and injured 4 Palestinians with live ammunition, 5 with baton rounds, and 13 with shrapnel, and fired an anti-tank missile at a home during an arrest raid in Rujeib. Israeli forces also placed dirt mounds at the main entrance to Silwad. 13 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Zeita, Deir al-Ghusun, Attil, Seida, Huwwara, Tubas, Qalqilya, Jenin, Beit Umar, and Deir Sammit. In East Jerusalem, 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silwan. (MEE, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/30; MEMO 8/31; PCHR 9/1)

An Israeli district court in Beersheba sentenced the former director of World Vision in Gaza, Mohammad al-Halabi, with another 6 years in prison, in addition to the 6 years he has already spent in Israeli prison. Human Rights Watch’s Israel and Palestine director Omar Shakir called the sentencing “a profound miscarriage of justice . . . The al-Halabi case exposes how Israel uses its legal system to provide a veneer of legality to mask its ugly apartheid over millions of Palestinians.” (AJ, GDN, REU, WAFA, WAFA 8/30; BBC, MDW, WAFA 8/31; MEMO 9/1)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian man shot by Israeli forces during a raid in Jenin refugee camp on 5/13 succumbed to his injuries. An Israeli settlement guard detained 1 Palestinian minor near the Yitzhar settlement. Israeli settlers also vandalized 50 olive trees in Yasuf. Israeli forces arrested 1 Palestinian man from al-Bireh carrying an axe; Israeli police claimed that a suicide note was found on his person. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters during a Nakba Day commemoration near al-Bireh, injuring 20, including 7 with live ammunition, 3 with baton rounds, and 6 with tear gas. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians commemorating the Nakba at Palestine Technical University in Tulkarm, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also delivered a demolition notice for 1 house in as-Samu. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen northwest of Rafah; no injuries were reported. In Israel, Israeli forces arrested 3 Palestinian students at Tel Aviv University during a Nakba Day protest, claiming the 3 had assaulted right-wing counter protesters; 2 were released the same day. (AJ, AP, AX, HA, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/15; HA, MDW, MEMO, MEMO 5/16; PCHR 5/19; UNOCHA 6/4)

Israel reopened the crossings between Gaza and Israel for the 1st time since 5/3. (HA 5/14; MEMO 5/15; PCHR 5/19)

The Israeli high court of justice rejected 4 petitions against the planned Jerusalem cable car project. The project had been heavily criticized by Palestinians for seeking to deepen the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem and by Israelis who believe the cable car would harm the aesthetics of the city. (AP, HA, REU 5/15; MEE 5/16)

The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett instructed his government to examine options of demolishing the family homes of Palestinian citizens of Israel convicted of committing attacks against Israeli Jews and whether Israel can deport their families to Gaza. (JP 5/16)

Berlin police arrested more than 170 pro-Palestine protesters marking Nakba Day. Berlin police had banned all Palestinian events and protests in the days surrounding Nakba Day, citing the potential for anti-Semitic sentiments. 1 of the banned pro-Palestine protests was organized by the Jewish organization Jüdische Stimme. (HRW 5/20; +972 5/21)

Members of the Somalia parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the country’s new president. During Mohamud’s previous tenure, he secretly met with then Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv in 2016, discussing potential normalization. (TOI 5/22)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles driving on Route 60 near the Yitzhar settlement, causing damage. Israeli settlers also started construction on a pool near a water spring in Khirbet al-Farisiya. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, killing 1 Palestinian man with a shot to his head; 68 others were injured, including 4 with rubber-coated bullets. The PA foreign ministry called in the ICC to take action against Israel’s killing of Palestinian protesters. The man was the 9th victim of Israeli gunfire related to the weekly anti-settlement protest in Beita since May. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 6 with rubber-coated bullets, including 2 minors. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Beitunia and al-Bireh. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested in Isawiya and Jabel Mukaber. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen and confiscated their boat. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian bird hunters near the Gaza fence; no injuries were reported. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/10; MEMO, PCHR 12/11; WAFA 12/12; HA, MDW 12/13; PCHR 12/16; HA 12/24)

In Lebanon, an explosion killed 1 and injured 4 others in the Burj el-Shamali refugee camp. Sources in the camp said the explosion happened in a Hamas weapons depot; however, Hamas denied the claim, saying the explosion was due to an electrical fault in a warehouse storing oxygen and gas cylinders for COVID-19 patients. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 12/10; AP, MEMO 12/12)

The New York Times reported that Israel consulted with the Biden administration before it struck 2 targets in Iran in June and September this year. (NYT 12/10; HA 12/11)

In promotional material for the upcoming book Trump’s Peace: The Abraham Accords and the Reshaping of the Middle East by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, it was revealed that former U.S. president and likely candidate for the Republican presidential ticket in 2024, Donald Trump, made significant U.S. policy changes to help former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu win elections in Israel. Former President Trump told Ravid that he recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel and, separately, announced plans to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem to help Netanyahu, who was struggling in the Israeli elections. Trump also told Ravid that he left the Iran Nuclear deal because of Israel and dismissed the idea that it was due to Israeli intelligence, mocking the idea that Israel had presented anything new at the time. Ravid further reports in his book that Trump believes that Netanyahu never had any interest in making peace with the Palestinians. Trump explained to Ravid that PA president Mahmoud Abbas “was almost like a father” and that he thought Abbas wanted to make peace more than Netanyahu. Trump acknowledged to Ravid that his strategy of pressuring the Palestinian leadership back to negotiations after recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel had failed, saying “[t]hese are hardened people.” Netanyahu and Trump had a significant personal fallout due to Israel’s push to annex most of the West Bank, outside of the framework of the Trump administration’s plan for a peace deal. It was also revealed that Trump now holds a grudge against Netanyahu because Netanyahu congratulated U.S. president Joe Biden on his election win in 2020, which Trump has falsely claimed to be fraudulent and has never officially conceded. Trump said he had not talked to Netanyahu since losing the election and said to Ravid during the interview, “fuck him [Netanyahu].” (AP, AX, AX, HA 12/10; FWD, HA, HA 12/12; AX, HA, IN, MEE, MEMO 12/13; TOI 12/14; GDN 12/20)

In Ravid’s book Trump’s Peace, new details about the normalization agreement between Israel and the UAE are also revealed. According to Ravid, Avi Berkowitz, aide to senior advisor to the president Jared Kushner, suggested to Netanyahu on 6/30/2020 that he normalize relations with the UAE instead of moving ahead with annexation of parts of the West Bank. The UAE ambassador to the U.S. Yousef Otaiba had been in talks with the U.S. about normalization since March 2019 and had been pushing normalization with Israel. Ravid also writes in his book that UK ambassador to the UN Karen Elizabeth Pierce warned Berkowitz and U.S. special envoy to Iran Brian Hook that the UK and other countries would recognize the State of Palestine if Israel moved forward with annexing parts of the West Bank. (FWD 12/12; AX, HA 12/13; MEMO 1/4)

Germany contributed with $23.75 million to the UNRWA. (WAFA 12/10)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked and injured 1 Israeli soldier and damaged 3 vehicles in the Yitzhar settlement as Israeli forces tried to remove 1 settler-erected tent. Israeli settlers also installed water pipes on Palestinian-owned land in Ein al-Sakout. 14 Palestinians were arrested, including 13 during late-night raids in Beita, al-Khader, Umm Salamuna, and Yatta; 1 was arrested at a checkpoint near Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians at the Damascus Gate plaza using stun grenades and skunk water; 2 Palestinians were arrested. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian lands east of al-Qarara; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces also opened fire at municipal workers at a landfill near Juhor ad-Dik; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Gaza; no injuries were reported. (JP, WAFA, WAFA 10/11; HA, TOI 10/12; PCHR 10/14)

Founder of Rawabi City Bashar Masri announced that he will begin building 400 housing units on land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church in East Jerusalem near Bayt Hanina. Masri said it had taken him more than 10 years to get the building permits from the Israeli municipality. (WAFA 10/11)

Israel issued permits for 442 undocumented Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, making them official residents. Israel controls the Palestinian population registry so people without Israeli permits cannot receive a valid PA-issued identity card. More than 10,000 Palestinians are estimated to be living in the West Bank without being registered by Israel. Israel is said to register over 5,000 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza as part of an agreement made between Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz and PA president Mahmoud Abbas. (HA, TOI 10/11)

The Israeli high court of justice criticized the Israeli military for not protecting Palestinian farmers by enforcing a ban on Israeli settlers in the former Homesh settlement area. Because of the lack of enforcement, Palestinian farmers are frequently attacked by Israeli settlers in the area and Israeli settlers have erected a settlement outpost and a Yeshiva on the land. (HA 10/12)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Pope Francis on the phone. (WAFA 10/11)

Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett said that Israel will never renounce its claim to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, even if Syria or its president Bashir al-Assad gains favor with the world. Prime Minister Bennett also said that his government seeks to increase the Israeli settler population in the area from 27,000 to 100,000. (MEE, MEMO, REU, TOI 10/11; ALM 10/13)

In the West Bank, some 60 Israeli settlers from the Yitzhar settlement threw stones at Palestinians harvesting olives in Burin. Israeli settlers from the Telem settlement also uprooted and vandalized some 100 olive seedlings in Tarqumiyah. Israeli forces razed land near al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya, leading to a confrontation with Palestinians protesting the attack on their land; 1 was physically assaulted and 4 were injured by rubber-coated bullets. Israeli forces also razed land in al-Zawiya for the 2d day in a row and demolished 2 residential buildings in al-Zanbah. 8 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Tell, Zabbuba, al-Fara‘a refugee camp, and Aida refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in the Old City. 3 Palestinians were arrested, including 2 during a raid in Isawiya and 1 at the Haram al-Sharif compound. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Gaza; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/7; HA 10/11; PCHR 10/14)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke to Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi over the phone. (WAFA 10/7)

Members of the Israeli Labor Party met with Palestinian officials in Ramallah. (WAFA 10/8)

Haaretz reported that the Israeli military did not refer an incident to the Israeli police where an Israeli settler took an assault rifle from an Israeli soldier and shot at Palestinians on 6/26. The Israeli military said it had referred the case to the Israeli police, but the police denies it ever received notice of the incident. Palestinian eyewitnesses said that the Israeli soldier gave the settler the gun for him to shoot with. The Israeli military also refused to respond to Haaretz’s enquiry about an incident in May where a masked Israeli soldier shot and killed 1 Palestinian in ‘Urif. The soldier in question was also a settler and was not on duty when he shot and killed the Palestinian man, wearing only a face covering and army pants. (HA 10/7)

At Americans for Peace Now’s annual gala, Democratic senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) said that he and Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) are working to significantly increase the U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza as the Senate is working on a bill to give Israel $1 billion in military aid, allegedly to replenish the Iron Dome missile defense system arsenal. Senator Sanders said giving Israel $1 billion in military aid without addressing the suffering of the people in Gaza “would be wrong and unconscionable.” Sanders explicitly called for the U.S. to condition its military aid to Israel, saying that “[i]t is totally appropriate for the United States to say what that aid may and may not be used for.” Sanders also said that he is unimpressed by the policies of Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, saying that Bennett is pursuing the same policies as Benjamin Netanyahu when it comes to occupied Palestinian territories. Sanders called the current Israeli policy “a one-state reality in which one people enjoy perpetual political dominance over another.” (HA, MEMO 10/8)

In the West Bank, Israel issued a military order to seize 350 dunams (86.4 acres) of Palestinian farmland for expanding settlement roads south of Bethlehem. Israeli forces also seized equipment from a blacksmith shop near Salfit and a bulldozer near Nablus. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Hebron. Israeli settlers discharged wastewater on Palestinian farmland near Jalbun and threw stones at a Palestinian home in Madama, causing damage. Settlers also threw stones at Israeli forces as they demolished Israeli-deemed illegal settlement outposts near the Yitzhar settlement. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians demolished their own homes in Jabal Mukabir to avoid exorbitant Israeli demolition fees. In Gaza, 4 rockets were launched at Israel, 2 of which were intercepted. There were no reports of damage or injuries and it was unclear who fired the rockets. Israel later struck several targets in Gaza. A military spokesperson said that it had struck “Hamas sites.” Israeli forces also sprayed herbicides over Palestinian farmland for the 2d day in a row. (HA, HA, HA, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/15; WAFA, PCHR 1/16)

The Israeli defense ministry approved 7 new Israeli “nature reserves” in Area C and the expansion of 12 already-existing “nature reserves.” The approval comes 1 week after Israeli defense minister Naftali Bennet said that he had started a campaign to ensure that Area C remains under Israeli control. The PA foreign ministry called the approval of the “nature reserves” a “scheme for the appropriation and seizure of Palestinian land.” (HA, JP, WAFA 1/15)

In the West Bank, Israeli setters punctured tires and wrote graffiti on 2 vehicles belonging to Israeli forces near the Yitzhar settlement. 3 Palestinians were arrested, including 1 during a late-night raid in Hebron, and 2 teenagers were arrested in 2 separate incidents at al-Ibrahimi Mosque after knives were allegedly found on their person. In Gaza, Israeli forces bombed 4 locations belonging to Hamas, causing 2 injuries and material damage. (AJ, HA, HA, HA, WAFA 12/8; PCHR 12/12)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole olive harvest in Qaryut and flooded 5 dunams (1.2 acres) of Palestinian farmland planted with olive trees with sewage waste in al-Jaba‘. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Israeli forces at Yitzhar settlement. Israeli forces delivered notices that 2,522 dunams (623 acres) of land would be seized, including 2,000 in al-Jaba‘, 372 south of Hebron, and 150 near Bayt Liqya. 10 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around al-Ram, Yatta, Nablus, Jenin, and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces summoned 2 members of the parents’ committee that organized a school strike in Issawiyya on 11/2 in protest over Israeli forces breaking into the school and arresting 1 student; 1 of the 2 members was arrested and clashes between Israeli forces and local Palestinians broke out, resulting in the arrest of 3 Palestinian minors. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian farmlands east of Khuza‘a; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen off the shore of Jabalia; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/4; HA, HA 11/5; PCHR 11/7)

The Israeli housing cabinet approved the controversial cable car project which would connect Western Jerusalem with East Jerusalem’s Old City. The project is currently under review by Israel’s attorney general and it would need a final procedural approval by the Israeli government. The project, if approved, would likely be challenged in the Israeli high court of justice. (HA 11/4; CNN 11/5 BBC 11/6)

After Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel on 10/29 in protest of Israel holding 2 Jordanian citizens in administrative detention, Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the 2 would be released to Jordan. (HA 11/4)

In the West Bank, for the 2d day in a row, Israeli settlers from the Yitzhar settlement clashed with Israeli forces. Israeli settlers also damaged a Palestinian-owned home near Jalud. Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian minor who allegedly was throwing stones near Qalqilya. Israeli forces handed out notices in Qaryut informing residents of plans to seize 700 dunams (173 acres) of Palestinian-owned land. Elsewhere, in ‘Azun, Israeli forces closed a metal gate on an eastern entrance and put up a flying checkpoint on the western entrance to the town. 2 Palestinians were arrested, including 1 at a checkpoint in Qalqilya; and 1 during a house raid in Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound; at the same time, Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinians in the area. In Gaza, the Erez border crossing was closed by Israel. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/21; PCHR 10/24)

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Reuven Rivlin that he was not able to form a government, handing the coalition building efforts to his rival Benny Gantz. (HA 10/21)

After 5 days of protests in Lebanon, the Lebanese cabinet approved new measures to deal with the country’s economic crisis, including cutting the salaries of top officials in half. Prime Minister Sa’d Hariri said that the measures would reduce the country’s deficit by $3.4 billion in 2020. (HA 10/21)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Israeli forces with stones near the Yitzhar settlement. 5 Palestinians were arrested, including 3 who attempted to enter Israel for work; 1 of the 3 was shot by live ammunition. Israeli forces forced Palestinian farmers picking olives to leave their fields in Qaryut. In East Jerusalem, 4 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Silwan. Hundreds of Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian worshipers holding a sit-in in protest demonstrating against the settler incursion. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen 3 nautical miles from Bayt Lahiya. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/20; PCHR 10/24)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian youth at a checkpoint near Nablus, allegedly for carrying a knife. They also arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in Hebron and patrol near Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya, and Hebron. Israeli forces raze a swathe of Palestinian land south of Bethlehem to clear space for a new IDF training base, demolish a kindergarten in a Palestinian Bedouin community east of Jerusalem, and remove 6 prefab trailer homes near the Yitzhar settlement, sparking minor clashes with the Israeli settlers living in them (there are no serious injuries). Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Khan Yunis. 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. In Gaza, unidentified armed men open fire on a Hamas post in Rafah, causing no serious injuries. (MNA, WAFA 8/21; TOI 8/22; PCHR 8/24)

In the Gaza Strip, an Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades fighter is killed during a training exercise e. of Gaza City. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers throw rocks and glass bottles at Palestinian-owned vehicles nr. Nablus, causing damage. Overnight, a mentally disabled Palestinian enters a home in the Yitzhar settlement; Israeli settlers and settlement security officers beat the man, causing moderate injuries, before IDF troops arrive to detain him. The IDF conducts arrest raids and house searches nr. Jenin, Hebron, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces raid the Jabal Mukabir homes of the 2 Palestinians who attacked a West Jerusalem synagogue on 11/18, sparking clashes. Israeli security forces also enter Silwan, where they arrest 3 Palestinians, including Fatah’s secy.- gen. in Jerusalem; raid the Palestinian Football Association’s offices in al-Ram. Elsewhere, 3 young Israelis attack a Palestinian youth, causing moderate injuries. During a separate brawl in the Old City between Israeli and Palestinian youth, 1 Israeli is stabbed, another is lightly injured, and the Palestinians are arrested. Late at night, 5 Israeli settlers attack a Palestinian nr. the French Hill settlement. In West Jerusalem, an Israeli driver hits a Palestinian youth with his car and drives away, leaving the Palestinian with a fractured foot. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 11/24; HA, IMEMC, MNA 11/25; HA 11/26; PCHR 11/27)

In response to the Israel Prison Service’s increased restrictions on 11/23, Palestinian prisoners clash with Israeli prison guards at Rimon prison, and 6 prisoners are injured. (MNA, WAFA 11/24; PNN 11/25)

The Palestinian leadership has decided to postpone its submission of a UNSC res. calling for a timetable to end the Israeli occupation, originally planned for late 11/2014. The decision is reportedly caused by a combination of strong U.S. opposition, threats of sanctions, and bad timing, with the UNSC largely focused on the negotiations over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. PA FM Riyad al-Maliki also notes that the PA has failed to win the support of 9 UNSC mbrs. that would be needed for the res. to pass. (HA, JP, JTA, MNA, WAFA 11/24)

The Israeli embassy in Amman lodges a formal complaint with the Jordanian govt. about the letter of condolence that PM Ensour sent (11/19) to the family of the 2 Palestinian men who attacked a West Jerusalem synagogue on 11/18. (HA, TOI 11/24)

In Vienna, reps. of Iran and the P5+1 agree on another extension to the Joint Plan of Action (signed on 11/24/2013). The talks, which began on 1/20/2014, will be extended 7 mos.; however, the negotiators plan to complete a political accord by the end of 3/2015, leaving final technical details for annexes to be agreed on by 7/1/2015. (AJ, BBC, HA, NBC, REU 11/24; ALM 12/1; ICG 12/10)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troopsstationed along the border arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to enter Israel. In the West Bank, IDF troops enter e. Nablus on a raid and clash with Palestinians, injuring 3 with live ammunition and tear gas. IDF troops enter an area e. of Yatta nr. Hebron and seize a tractor and 4 water tanks; demolish several mobile homes in a village e. of Ramallah; deliver stop-work notes to several construction sites nr. Jericho and demolition notices for 6 wells in Qusra village in the n. West Bank, where Israeli settlers later attack Palestinian property; 2 of the settlers are detained. Separately, around 100 settlers from Adi Ad gather nr. al-Mughir village, but IDF troops intervene before they can attack the residents. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces enter Jabal Mukabir to deliver demolition orders to the homes of the Palestinians who attacked a synagogue and were killed on 11/18, then raid a mourning tent set up for them; 5 Palestinians are injured in the ensuing clashes. There are further clashes in Abu Dis, and 37 Palestinians are injured. In Sur al-Bahir, Silwan, and al-Tur, undercover Israeli military officers raid multiple homes, sparking more clashes; approximately 35 Palestinians suffer effects of tear gas inhalation and 12 are injured with rubber-coated metal bullets. Israeli security forces also conduct arrest raids on several homes in the Old City. Late at night, 4 Israeli girls from Yitzhar settlement in the West Bank attack a Palestinian taxi driver with pepper spray. (IMEMC, MNA, WAFA 11/20; MNA 11/21; PCHR 11/27)

Israel’s FM announces that it will return its amb. to Sweden on 11/29, after Amb. Isaac Bachman was recalled in the wake of Sweden’s recognition of Palestine as a state on 10/30. (JP, YA 11/20)

After meeting with UK Foreign Secy. Philip Hammond in London, U.S. Secy. of State Kerry travels to Paris for meetings with French FM Laurent Fabius and Saudi FM Saud al-Faisal, then to Vienna to join the P5+1 negotiating team ahead of the 11/24 deadline. Meanwhile, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, calls on Iran to increase its cooperation with the agency, saying that the govt. has not been transparent about some aspects of its research. (AP, NYT, REU, TOI 11/20)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. alSudaniyya, Israeli naval forces detain 5 Palestinian fishermen and confiscate their boat. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Jenin and 2 nearby villages in the morning, and in 2 villages each nr. Hebron and Nablus, and in Salfit; patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm and 1 village nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers from Yitzhar torch about 100 olive trees in Hawara nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian drives his car into a light rail station, killing a baby and injuring another 8 people. (An Ecuadorian citizen will succumb to her injuries on 10/26.) The driver is immediately shot and killed by police. Israeli PM Netanyahu says that PA Pres. Abbas is responsible for inciting such acts. Separately, Palestinian protesters in Issawiyya and Silwan clash with Israeli security forces. (HA, JP, MNA, REU 10/22; PCHR 10/23; HA 10/26)

Unknown assailants in the Sinai Peninsula fire small arms and an antitank missile across the border into Israel at IDF troops, injuring 2. The IDF returns fire, killing 3. (AFP, HA, REU 10/22)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinians collecting stones close to the border fence nr. Bayt Hanun, wounding 2. IDF troops also conduct 2 separate limited incursions in the s. Gaza Strip to level land close to the border fence. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya, and in Nur Shams r.c. in Tulkarm at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, and in 2 villages each nr. Hebron, Jenin and Tulkarm at night. Jewish settlers from Yitzhar destroy around 150 olive trees nr. Nablus. (MNA 4/28; PCHR 4/30)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry releases a personal statement on the State Dept.’s website denying that he believes Israel is an “apartheid state or that it intends to become one,” in response to the previous day’s reports of his remarks on the subject. (See document D4 in JPS 172 for more.) He says that in hindsight, he “would have chosen a different word to describe my firm belief that the only way in the long term to have a Jewish state and 2 nations and 2 peoples living side by side in peace and security is through a 2-state solution.” (HA 4/28)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops conduct 2 separate limited incursions to level land close to the border fence nr. Bayt Hanun and Khan Yunis. In the West Bank, IDF troops kill 1 armed Palestinian after he sought refuge in a cave nr. Bayt Liqya village, a man wanted for his alleged role in an attack on an Israeli bus during “Operation Pillar of Defense” in 11/2012. In addition, a Palestinian run over by a settler car in Qalqilya on 10/15 dies in hospital from his injuries. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the morning, and in Hebron and 3 nearby villages at night. In Qabatya nr. Jenin, IDF troops set up a flying checkpoint at the entrance to the village where around 20 soldiers check IDs and inspect vehicles. Residents throw stones and soldiers fire tear gas, causing no reported injuries. Also in the West Bank, IDF troops temporarily displace 17 families in the n. Jordan Valley on the basis of conducting military drills. Jewish settlers nr. Bethlehem uproot 80 olive seedlings, and other settlers nr. Bethlehem pump sewage water on agricultural lands, while in a further separate incident nr. Bethlehem, settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles, causing minor damage. Settlers nr. Qalqilya uproot more than 50 olive trees, while separately, settlers from Yitzhar assault a Palestinian farmer from Burin village nr. Nablus. (MNA 10/22; PCHR 10/24)

PA Pres. Abbas warns that the Palestinians will not accept Israeli control over a border with Jordan and that it could be a deal breaker. Speaking on a visit to Lithuania, Abbas also praises EU demands that Israel stops settlement construction. (AFP 10/23)

Reps. of 11 countries from the “Friends of Syria” group meet in London to encourage the Syrian opposition to join talks under the proposed “Geneva 2” framework. However, SNC head Ahmed Jarba tells a news conference following the meeting that their conditions included the impossibility of Asad being allowed to remain in power. The SNC says it will continue internal discussions about whether or not to attend the proposed peace conference. (REU 10/22)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops operating from a border fence watchtower nr. Khan Yunis open fire and cause damage to a house. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Hebron in the morning and in 1 village nr. Jenin at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Ramallah in the morning, and in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Jenin, and 1 village nr. Jericho at night. Jewish settlers throw rocks and Molotov cocktails at Palestinian-owned homes and a car nr. Yitzhar settlement in the n. West Bank. (MNA 6/13; PCHR 6/20)

Israeli officials confirm that plans will proceed to build more than 1,000 new homes in Bruchin and Itamar settlements, drawing criticism from the U.S. administration, with U.S. State Dept. spokesperson Jen Psaki calling the announcement “unhelpful.” Bruchin was granted legal status last year, and its residents will be allowed to construct 550 new houses, while Itamar’s will be permitted to construct 537 new homes, in association with the relevant govt. agencies. (AP, REU 6/13)

An estimated 3,000 protesters march in Beersheba to demonstrate against the proposed Prawer Plan, which will displace tens of thousands of Bedouins in the Negev. Bedouins also conduct a community-wide strike in protest of the Plan. (AFP, YA 6/13)

U.S. Pres. Barack Obama authorizes sending U.S. weapons to Syrian rebels for the 1st time. Meanwhile, a statement from the White House says that between 100 and 150 people have died from chemical weapons attacks in Syria. (AP, REU 6/13)

UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky says that the peacekeeping dept. has asked Austria to delay to the end of 7/2013 its full troop withdrawal from the UNDOF mission in the Golan Heights to enable a smooth transition. Separately, the UN also says that Syrians are being killed at an average rate of 5,000 per month, with the overall death toll nearly 93,000. (AP 6/13)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 village nr. Hebron; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Salfit and 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. Also in the West Bank, Jewish settlers from Yitzhar settlement destroy around 100 olive trees nr. Nablus. (MNA 5/25; PCHR 5/30)

Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court rules against elements of an election law passed by the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated legislature, sending the bill back to the Upper House for review. Meanwhile, U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry meets Pres. Mohamed Morsi on the sidelines of an African Union summit and urges the Egyptian govt. to implement economic reforms necessary to secure a $4.8 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan. (AP, REU 5/25)

Four more people die in clashes between residents of the Sunni Bab el-Tebbaneh district and Alawite area Jabal Mohsen, bringing the death toll over 6 days of fighting in Tripoli to 28, with over 200 wounded. Meanwhile, Hizballah head Hassan Nasrallah broadcasts a televised speech saying that the fall of the Bashar al-Asad govt. in Syria would be a disaster for the “resistance” and for Palestine and a victory for U.S. and Israeli interests. (AFP, HA 5/25)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry welcomes the Arab League’s expression of support for reviving peace talks made the previous day, describing it as a ‘‘very big step forward.’’ An Israeli official welcomes the development, but says that the framework will not be a starting point for talks. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni says that the Arab League proposal represents encouragement for the Palestinians that they have regional support for a negotiated agreement. PLO Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat says that the Arab League’s support for land swaps is nothing new. Meanwhile, Israel’s Construction and Housing Minister Uri Ariel says that his party, Bayit Yehudi, will not back a 2013 budget that does not include full funding for West Bank settlement construction projects. (NYT 4/29; MNA, JP 4/30)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF makes an air strike nr. Rafah assassinating Hitham al-Mishal, whom Israel accuses of being a Salafist militant responsible for arms manufacturing. In response, Hamas urges Egypt to ensure that Israel stays committed to the truce deal signed at the end of Operation Pillar of Defense in 11/2012 (see QU 167). Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen twice, once off the central Gaza coast nr. Dayr al-Balah and once off the south Gaza coast nr. Rafah, in the latter case causing damage and 1 injury. IDF forces also make a brief incursion into central Gaza nr. Juhr al-Dikto level land and clear lines of sight along the border fence. In the West Bank, a Palestinian fatally stabs a Jewish settler from Yitzhar at a Tapuach junction bus stop. In retaliation, Jewish settlers riot and attack Palestinians across the West Bank, including blocking roads and throwing stones at passing vehicles. Overall, the Palestinian civil defense report 57 fires across the West Bank caused by settlers, with damage to hundreds of olive and almond trees. In the most serious incident, Jewish settlers from Yitzhar settlement attack a mosque in Urif village and try to set it on fire; and stone a bus carrying Palestinian schoolchildren, injuring 2. The attack on Urif sparks clashes between IDF forces and Palestinians, leaving 4 Palestinians injured. Meanwhile, the IDF patrols in Hebron and 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; conducts house searches and arrest raids in Tulkarm in the afternoon, and in Bethlehem and Tulkarm at night. (HA, MNA 4/30; MNA 5/1; PCHR 5/2)

UNRWA estimates that 235,000 Palestinian refugees have been displaced inside Syria during the ongoing civil war. (AP, WAFA 4/30)

The Egyptian government announces that Fatah and Hamas have agreed to start implementing previous reconciliation agreements, following talks between PA pres. Abbas and Hamas leader Mishal in Cairo. Abbas spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudaineh says the 2 sides agreed on the formation of several joint committees, including ones dealing with presidential and parliamentary elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the formation of a Palestinian unity government, and the reconstruction of the PLO. (JP 1/10)

Gaza’s Minister of Public Works and Housing Yousef Subhi al-Ghariz says that the United Arab Emirates has donated $50 m. to build a housing project for Palestinians released from Israeli jails. (MNA 1/10)

IDF forces make a brief incursion into n. Gaza nr. Bayt Lahiya to level land 200 m inside the border fence. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, 2 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night. Jewish settlers from Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus attack Palestinians from ‘Urif village; the IDF intervenes and opens fire on the Palestinians, wounding 1 in the leg with live ammunition. Jewish settlers from the Esh Kodesh outpost nr. Nablus open fire on Palestinians from Qusra village, wounding 1. Palestinians throw rocks at Jewish settler vehicles in the West Bank, injuring 3 Israelis in 2 separate incidents. (JP, MNA 1/10; PCHR 1/17)

Masked gunmen claiming affiliation to Fatah parade through Balata r.c. in Nablus and hold a press conference urging the PA security forces to stop imprisoning their members. (MNA 1/10)

The IDF closes a section of the highway close to the Egyptian border to civilian traffic, citing security concerns related to unrest in the Sinai Peninsula. Meanwhile, Egyptian security forces arrest 4 men nr. the Libyan border on suspicion of arms smuggling to Sinai— the haul includes anti-aircraft gun rounds, explosives, and RPG launchers. (ToI 1/10)

PA pres. Abbas rejects a conditional Israeli offer to let Palestinian refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria resettle in the West Bank and Gaza, claiming it would compromise the right of return. (AP 1/10)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. IDF troops make a brief incursion into n. Gaza to level land and clear lines of sight along the border fence n. of Bayt Hanun, occasionally firing on the surrounding area to keep Palestinians away (no injuries reported). In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 2 Palestinian water tanks serving Palestinian agricultural land in area C; bulldozes 1 d. of agricultural land nr. Qalandia (n. of Jerusalem) that was previously confiscated for construction of the separation wall; conducts morning patrols in Qalqilya and 1 nearby village, 2 villages each nr. Ramallah and Tulkarm, and 1 nr. Jericho; afternoon patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 nr. Jenin; late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron; and late-night patrols in Bayt Umar, Birzeit, Jericho and 1 nearby village, Tulkarm, and 2 villages nr. Hebron and Ramallah (firing tear gas and stun grenades at stone-throwing Palestinian youths who confront them). Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus, escorted by IDF troops, throw stones at a Palestinian elementary school in nearby Ourif village; when local Palestinians throw stones back at the settlers, IDF soldiers fire tear gas at them to force them to disperse, causing no serious injuries. (JP, YA 4/23; PCHR 4/26; OCHA 4/27)

A Turkish official says that Turkey has blocked NATO from inviting Israel to participate in a NATO summit planned for Chicago in 5/2012 as part of a NATO outreach program to boost ties with nonmember states. NATO officials deny that the issue was ever discussed. Israel does not comment. (WP 4/24)

Ross and Hale return to the U.S., having failed to secure a last-minute postponement of the Palestinian statehood bid. U.S. officials say they are “at a loss” for how a U.S. veto can now be avoided. Quartet efforts to broker a resumption of talks continue, however. (NYT, WP 9/9)

IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire toward al-Qarara village, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts daytime patrols in 4 villages nr. Qalqilya, 3 villages northwest of Salfit, and 2 villages southwest of Ramallah; conducts synchronized late-night patrols in 4 villages nr. Tulkarm and additional late-night patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah. In Ramallah, 10s of Palestinians hold the 1st small demonstration in support of the statehood bid, marching to the UN’s local headquarters. Jewish settlers fr. Shvut Rachel settlement nr. Nablus set fire to 2 Palestinian cars and vandalize a mosque in nearby Yatma village to protest the IDF’s 9/5 removal of structures at Migron outpost. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar nr. Nablus uproot 17 olive trees in nearby Hawara village. (NYT, WT 9/9; PCHR 9/15; OCHA 9/16)

Overnight and during the day, Palestinians fire another 65 projectiles fr. Gaza into Israel, including at least 15 Grads (5 of which are intercepted by the Iron Dome system), damaging 1 house and a water main, but causing no injuries. The IDF carries out 4 more air strikes (3 dropped fr. warplanes, 1 drone strike), killing at least 1 senior Hamas mbr. and 1 PRC mbr., and wounding 3 militants (1 Hamas, 2 PRC). In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Qalqilya and Tulkarm during the day and 1 nr. Ramallah late at night; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem. In 2 separate incidents Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar nr. Nablus vandalize Palestinian homes and stone a Palestinian woman in nearby Asira village, and stone laborers and vandalize cars in nearby ‘Urif village. (JP 4/9; HA, IFM, IsRN, NYT 4/10; PCHR 4/14; OCHA 4/15)

Israeli officials announce that PM Benjamin Netanyahu, in consultation with DM Ehud Barak and Israel’s atty. gen. Yehuda Weinstein, have asked Israel’s High Court to respond to 15 petitions filed by Peace Now demanding the immediate removal of Israel’s unauthorized settlement outposts by ordering the dismantling of outposts built on privately owned Palestinian land before the end of 2011 (with the exception of a house owned by a fallen IDF officer) but authorizing the legalization of those built on state land. This would mean that 6 outposts would be removed, of which 5 are inhabited (47 homes), while more than 100 others would be legalized. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 3 structures at the Havat Gilad unauthorized settlement outpost; Jewish settlers stone Israeli border police overseeing the demolition, who respond with tear gas and rubber bullets, leaving 15 persons lightly injured and 17 settlers under arrest. Afterward, Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus exact their “price-tag doctrine” attack in nearby Hawara village, fire-bombing a house, injuring 2 children, and damaging other property. Separately, Jewish settlers fr. Halmish nr. Ramallah block a road leading to Nabi Salih and stone passing Palestinian vehicles; the IDF observes but does not intervene. Later, Jewish settlers fr. Gilad occupy a plot of Palestinian land nr. Qalqilya, setting up tents and mobile homes, but are evacuated by the IDF later in the day. The IDF also patrols in 4 villages nr. Hebron, Jenin, and Qalqilya; enters Kafr Laqif village nr. Qalqilya and fires stun grenades, claiming local youths stoned passing Jewish settler vehicles; no injuries are reported. In Gaza, the IDF shells the abandoned Dahaniyya airport site in s. Gaza, wounding 1 Hamas mbr. and destroying a nearby vacant home. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials in the fmr. settlement sites, killing 1 Palestinian. IDF troops on the c. Gaza border shell open areas e. of Jabaliya, forcing farmers in the area to leave their plots but causing no injuries. Hamas authorities arrest 4 of 20 Palestinians responding to an online call by Palestinian student groups to rally in Gaza City for national unity. (MNA 2/28; HA 3/1; JP, WT 3/2; PCHR 3/3; OCHA 3/4; AFP 3/7; JTA 3/8; UNIS 3/22)

Overnight, the IDF sends troops into Gaza to engage a group of armed Palestinians laying a roadside bomb nr. the border fence, fatally shooting 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs.; the deaths bring to 22 the number of Gazans killed by the IDF since the 1/18/09 cease-fire. Later in the day, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine detonates a roadside bomb on the Gaza border fence as an IDF patrol passes, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin (firing live ammunition and stun grenades at homes, injuring a Palestinian woman); fires tear gas at stone-throwing Palestinians demonstrating against the separation wall construction in Bil‘in; fires live ammunition, rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists taking part in weekly nonviolent protests against the separation wall in Ni‘lin (injuring 10 Palestinians, 2 with live ammunition). Jewish settlers burn 10s of d. of Palestinian crops nr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus, block firefighters fr. reaching the scene. A Jewish settler is found dead nr. Eli settlement btwn. Ramallah and Nablus; the circumstances of his death are unclear. (NYT, WP 5/23; OCHA, PCHR 5/28)

The 20th day of OCL is marked by serious diplomatic steps toward a cease-fire but also by Israel’s heaviest attacks on Gaza since operations began. Israel’s envoy receives the Egyptian-Hamas cease-fire offer in Cairo, returns to Israel to brief the security cabinet. Olmert dispatches Livni to Washington to finalize a bilateral “memorandum of understanding” (MOU) regarding U.S.-led international efforts to halt arms smuggling into Gaza.

Combat notes: The IDF sharply escalates air, naval, and ground attacks across Gaza. IDF ground forces push deep into Gaza City under cover of air strikes and heavy tank and artillery fire. Residents report almost constant air, naval, artillery bombardment from 1:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. local time, and particularly heavy ground engagements in al-Atatra n. of the city and Tal al-Hawa neighborhood on the southern outskirts, as well as in Jabaliya r.c. Thousands of Gaza City residents attempt to flee the fighting, but many cannot leave their homes because of the intensity of Israeli fire. During the operations, Israeli troops surround the home of Hamas’s Mahmud Zahhar (in hiding), killing his security guards. Gaza City fighting eases slightly in the afternoon, but IDF troops remain in the city overnight. The IDF also takes up new positions in Bayt Hanun’s alFarta and al-Nazzaza quarters under cover of heavy shelling and gunfire, ordering residents of the 2 areas (some 20 families) to evacuate.

The IDF reports carrying out more than 80 air strikes today, hitting at least 23 rocket and mortar launching sites, 19 groups of armed Palestinians, 6 suspected weapons depots (including 2 mosques in Gaza City, 1 in Rafah), 4 tunnels, 1 radio station in Gaza City. Air strike target areas include al-Atatra, Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahiya, Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City (al-Rimal, al-Sabra, Tal al-Hawa, al-Yarmuk), Jabaliya, Khan Yunis, al-Maghazi r.c., Nussayrat r.c., Rafah, Yibna r.c. Heavy tank and artillery fire are reported in Abasan, Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahiya, al-Bureij r.c., Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City (al-Sabra, Tal al-Hawa, al-Tuffah), Jabaliya, Khuza, al-Mughraqa, al-Nasser (n. of Rafah), Nussayrat r.c., al-Qarara, Rafah. UNRWA reports 100s of Palestinians fleeing areas of northeastern Rafah to escape heavy bombardments. Reports of Israel using white phosphorous munitions spike sharply, with confirmed use in 3 areas (Abasan, Khuza, al-Qarara) and suspected use in 5 areas (Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahiya, al-Bureij r.c., Khan Yunis, Nussayrat r.c.). Israeli naval bombardment concentrates on Khan Yunis and the neighboring al-Mahatin area. Closecombat fighting is reported around Jabaliya r.c.

In a major air strike on Jabaliya, the IDF assassinates Gaza’s acting Interior M Said Siyam in his brother’s home, along with his brother and nephew, Hamas internal security head for Gaza Salah Abu Sharah, 4 Palestinians in an adjacent home. In addition, IDF air strikes hit buildings in Gaza City housing UNRWA’s main food depot (3 white phosphorous missiles incinerate tons of food and medicine brought in during the humanitarian lulls); Palestinian Red Crescent Society offices and the adjacent al-Quds Hospital (both hit repeatedly over a 5-hr. period; the patient wing of the hospital is not targeted); and the shared media offices of Abu Dhabi TV, al-Arabiyya TV, Reuters, and the Russian TV channel Rusiya al-Yaum, causing serious damage and injuring 2 journalists. A number of other hospitals in Gaza City are damaged by Israeli mortar fire. Palestinian medical workers say the Palestinian toll is at least 1,090 dead (including 375 children, 150 women, 14 medical workers), more than 5,000 wounded.

Palestinians fire 15 rockets and 8 mortars into Israel, seriously injuring a 7-yr.-old Israeli boy in Beersheba and causing significant damage in 2 instances (both by Qassams in Sederot); at least 3 of the rockets are Grads (2 in and nr. Beersheba, 1 in Gadera).

The Palestinian toll is estimated to be at least 1,090 dead, more than 5,000 wounded.

Humanitarian notes: With diplomacy toward a cease-fire showing progress, Israel extends the daily humanitarian lull to 4 hrs./day, allowing in up to 170 truckloads of humanitarian aid; permits the Qarni crossing conveyor belt to resume operation for the 1st time since 12/27 for the import of grain. Israel also allows the ICRC and Palestinian Energy Authority to begin repairs to part of Gaza’s electricity network. (AFP, AP, HA, IDF, IFM, IHY, MM, RFM, UNOSAT, YA 1/15; HA, IDF Radio, JP, MA, MM, NYT, REU, Scotsman, WP, WT, XIN, YA 1/16; IFM, NYT, XIN 1/17; ITIC 1/19; PCHR 1/22, 1/29)

Citing unspecified security concerns, the IDF imposes a total closure on the West Bank through 1/17. The IDF also conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar attempt to close a road nr. Nablus to Palestinian traffic, stone Palestinian cars; the IDF forces them to leave. (IDF 1/15; PCHR 1/22)

Israeli FM Tzipi Livni narrowly wins Kadima party elections to replace Ehud Olmert as party head. Olmert, Israel’s current PM, called for party elections on 6/11/08, after government investigators turned up serious new evidence of his financial impropriety (see Quarterly Update in JPS 149). He vowed to resign as PM formally once a new party head was elected. (NYT 9/17; HA, NYT, WP, WT 9/18)

Israel reopens Gaza’s Kerem Shalom crossing for limited imports of humanitarian goods and the Nahal Oz crossing for limited fuel (see 9/14). In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international peace activists taking part in a nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in Ni‘lin, injuring 6; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Azariyya nr. Jerusalem and al-Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah, and nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar burn Palestinian olive trees nr. Nablus. (PCHR 9/18; OCHA 9/24; PCHR 9/25; AIC 11/9)

In Gaza, an ailing 8-yr.-old Palestinian boy dies when the IDF denies permission to transport him through the Erez crossing to an Israeli hospital despite his having the proper Israeli permits. The IDF fires on several al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB) mbrs. attempting to infiltrate the border nr. Bayt Lahiya, killing 2 AMB mbrs.; raids Khan Yunis, firing on residential areas and then exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen who confront them, killing 1 Palestinian (possibly armed), seriously wounding 1 Palestinian civilian, moderately wounding 2 gunmen. Palestinians fire 8 mortars at IDF bulldozers sent into the Erez industrial zone to level land; the IDF responds with heavy machine gun fire; no injuries are reported. Palestinians fire 2 rockets fr. n. Gaza into Israel, causing damage at a cemetery but no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Tubas, partially demolishing a Palestinian home, firing on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops, wounding 9. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar nr. Nablus ambush, stone a Palestinian taxi driving nearby, heavily damaging the car but not injuring the driver. AMB gunmen protesting the upcoming Annapolis summit fire on a Jewish settler vehicle nr. Keddumim settlement outside Qalqilya, killing 1 settler. The Israeli High Court rules that the 3/07 purchase by Israelis of a Palestinian house overlooking Kiryat Arba settlement in Hebron was illegal, stating that Israeli police may evict Jewish settlers who have since occupied the site. (IFM 11/19; PCHR 11/20; OCHA 11/21; PCHR 11/22, 11/29)

After PRC members fire more than 20 rockets into Israel (causing no damage or injuries) to protest the 10/23 assassination of PRC head Hasanat, Israeli DM Barak authorizes the IDF to cut electricity for several hrs. to parts of Gaza fr. which rockets were fired.; Dep. DM Matan Vilnai says that targeted power cuts will increasingly be used to punish the Palestinians as long as rocket fire continues and that he expects electricity to be cut by two-thirds in the coming weeks. In the evening, IDF fires a surface-to-surface missile at a suspected rocket-launching site e. of Gaza City, killing 2 Palestinian boys (ages 14, 17), wounding 2 other Palestinians; sends troops into Abasan, where they clash with armed Palestinians, wounding 2. A Hamas mbr. is killed when a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border collapses. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Bethlehem and Hebron, and in Jenin r.c. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar nr. Nablus prevent local Palestinians fr. harvesting their olive groves. Armed Palestinians fire on a bus stop outside Ariel settlement, wounding 3 Jewish settlers. ESF officers storm and occupy a Fatah office in central Gaza; no injuries or arrests are reported. Some 5,000 Hamas supporters stage marches in n. Gaza camps in support of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. (PCHR, WT 10/25; OCHA 10/31; PCHR 11/1)