The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished parts of a settlement outpost near the Yitzhar settlement. During the demolition, Israeli settlers attacked the Israeli forces, wounding 1. Israeli settlers closed a road between Nablus and Qalqilya and threw stones at Palestinian vehicles. Israeli forces razed Palestinian-owned land in Yasuf and east of Salfit. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Tulkarm, Jenin, and Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces razed land and 1 Palestinian family started demolishing their own home in Jabal Mukabir. 4 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya. In Gaza, Israel fired missiles at Gaza City, Rafah, and al-Bureij, causing damage and incendiary balloons from Gaza landing in Israel. Israeli forces also opened fire at agricultural lands east of Bayt Hanun; no injuries were reported. Israel announced that it had reduced the Gaza fishing zone to 8 nautical miles from 15 at its maximum as collective punishment for incendiary balloons landing in Israel. (AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/12; HA, PCHR, PCHR 8/13; HA, HA 8/14)

Italy contributed $8.1 million for UNRWA core programming. (WAFA 8/12)

Israel reseals crossings into Gaza, citing continued Palestinian mortar and rocket fire. Palestinian rocket fire immediately falls to near zero. The IDF sends tanks into s. Gaza to disable roadside bombs planted along the border, trading fire with Palestinian gunmen, causing no reported injuries. The Israeli navy intercepts and confiscates 3 Palestinian fishing boats carrying fishermen and international peace activists, detaining passengers and crew (all are released on 11/19). Egyptian security forces demolish 20 smuggling tunnels on the Rafah border. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in Issawiyya nr. East Jerusalem; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus, in Ramallah, and nr. Bethlehem and Salfit. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar bar Palestinian access to a nearby road, stone Palestinian vehicles. (WP, WT 11/19; OCHA 11/19; PCHR 11/20)

On the 1st day of the cease-fire in Gaza, no Israeli-Palestinian violence is reported inside the Strip. Israeli naval vessels, however, fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of Rafah, forcing them to return to shore. Hamas removes armed mbrs. fr. posts along the border with Israel. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in Qalqilya; raids several Palestinian homes in Hebron, detains and photographs 30 residents for no apparent reason; conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches nr. Nablus and in Jenin town and r.c., Qabatya. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar nr. Nablus block a road, stone Palestinian cars driving in the area, burn 800 d. of Palestinian olive groves, stone local Palestinians who attempt to reach the area to put out the fires; the IDF observes but only intervenes to detain Palestinians who arrive to extinguish the fire. Jewish settlers fr. Tapuach settlement nr. Salfit burn 48 d. of nearby Palestinian crops. A Jewish settler seriously injures a 70-yr.-old Palestinian man in a deliberate hit-and-run along the Qalqilya-Nablus road outside Qalqilya; the IDF evacuates him to an Israeli hospital. In Gaza City, unidentified gunmen fire on the offices of a Hamas-affiliated newspaper, causing damage but no injuries. In al-Bureij r.c., Hamas-affiliated police raid, fire in the air to disperse a wedding party, claiming attendees were playing pro-Fatah songs; no injuries are reported. (MM 6/19; AHR, NYT, WP 6/20; OCHA 6/25; PCHR 6/26)