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In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones and bottles at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Ya’bad. Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians, including 1 minor, during a raid in Aqabat Jaber refugee camp. Israeli forces also shot and critically wounded 1 Palestinian while escorting Israeli settlers to Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus; the man succumbed to his wounds on 8/19. Meanwhile, Israeli forces shot and wounded 1 Palestinian at a checkpoint in Huwwara, claiming he had opened fire at the soldiers. Israeli forces also arrested 2 Palestinians, including 1 minor, in Burqa; they were then charged with throwing stones at Israeli settlers when the settlers raided Burqa on 8/4. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished a park in Qarawat Bani Hassan, razing 40 trees, removing artificial turf, benches, solar panels, and light poles. Israel claimed that Palestinian militants attempted to launch a rocket at Israel from the northern part of the West Bank, but that the rocket launch had failed. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces arrested 1 Palestinian man suspected of drug offenses in Shu’fat refugee camp; he was then severely beaten and imprinted with a Star of David under his eye. None of the 16 Border Police officers had their body camaras on and Israeli police claimed the Star of David imprint was caused by shoelaces. The Palestinian man was released from custody on 8/20. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, MEE, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/15; PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/16; PCHR 8/17; AJ, MEE 8/18; HA, HA, MEE 8/19; HA, WAFA 8/20; HA, NYT 8/21; HA 8/24; UNOCHA 8/28)

An Israeli court sentenced Palestinian activist Aya Khatib to 4-years in prison claiming she provided “information with the aim of harming state security” and that funds she raised were given to families that are connected to Hamas. Khatib called the ruling unjust, saying her work benefits Palestinian children in Gaza suffering from medical issues. (MEE 8/15)

The Jerusalem District Court released Yehiel Indore, the main suspect of the settler attack on Burqa on 8/4 where 1 Palestinian was killed, to house arrest. (AP, HA 8/15)

Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen met with Paraguayan president Santiago Peña in Asunción hours after he was sworn in to office. The Paraguayan Foreign Ministry announced that Peña will move the country’s embassy to Israel to Jerusalem. In 2018, the then Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes moved the Paraguayan embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv before his successor Mario Abdo Benítez moved the embassy back to Tel Aviv months later, prompting Israel to close its embassy to Paraguay. (HA, MEE 8/16)

Japan donated $1 million to UNRWA to help Jenin refugee camp recover from the 2-day Israeli raid on the camp in July. The EU donated $24 million for payments to 71,162 vulnerable Palestinian families. (WAFA, WAFA 8/15)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian mother and her daughter in Hebron using pepper spray. Israeli forces seized a truck and a bulldozer in Bayt Umar near Hebron. Israeli forces arrested 14 Palestinians, including 1 disabled teenager by al-Ibrahimi Mosque; 9 during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Qalqilya, and Ramallah; 3 at a northern entrance to Bethlehem; and 1 at a flying checkpoint north of Tulkarm. Meanwhile, Israeli forces seized tents and uprooted trees in Khirbat Tana and dismantled residential shacks and a barn near Tubas. During the incident near Tubas, a B’tselem fieldworker was detained and his car was seized. In East Jerusalem, 7 Palestinians were arrested at the Haram al-Sharif compound and in Silwan. Approximately 232 Israeli settlers with military escort toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian bird hunters east of Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. 1 Palestinian trying to cross the Gaza fence was injured by Israeli live ammunition; he was hospitalized and interrogated before being released on 12/24. Israeli forces also fired flare bombs and artillery shells east of Dayr al-Balah; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/23; PCHR 12/26)

Israel’s civil administration said it had reversed its initial decision to not allow any Christians from Gaza enter Jerusalem and the West Bank for Christmas celebrations. It said that all 950 applicants would be allowed to travel, pending a security screening. (HA 12/23)

The Israeli high court of justice criticized the Israeli government’s decision to return $63 million from the Palestinian Workers’ Sick Fund to Israeli employers. The $63 million were accumulated by payments from Palestinian workers in Israel to the sick fund for paid sick leave. The court ordered a freeze in payment to the Israeli employers and gave the Israeli state 3 months to respond to the justices’ questions. (HA 12/26)

In the Gaza Strip, employees of the ministries of public works, labor, justice, and women’s affairs—those led by Gaza-based ministers of the PA unity govt.—go on strike, protesting unpaid salaries since 6/2. In the West Bank, Palestinians throw stones at Israeli settlers’ vehicles nr. Sinjil, injuring 2 women. Israeli police arrest a settler in connection with the shooting of a Palestinian nr. Hebron on 1/10. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Jenin, Hebron, and Bethlehem; patrols nr. Jericho, Qalqilya, Tulkarm, Hebron, and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 6 Palestinians. (MNA 1/12; OCHA, PCHR 1/15)

Following up on the 1/11 meeting between political factions in Gaza, a Hamas spokesperson says that the group will make a political decision to quit the PA unity govt. if the crisis facing civil employees is not resolved. (MEMO 1/12; JP 1/13)

Egyptian authorities announce that they will not open the Rafah border crossing this week, reversing their 1/11 announcement. The decision comes after the Sinai Province of the Islamic State captures an Egyptian security officer nr. Shaykh Zuwayd. (MNA 1/12)

Israeli security forces shut down 3 Nazarethbased Muslim charities—Muslim Women for al-Aqsa, al-Fajr, and Ruad al-Aqsa—suspected of channeling funds to Hamas and inciting violence at Haram al-Sharif. (HA 1/12; AFP 1/13)

In the Gaza Strip, the Union of Civil Servants announces that all govt. employees will go on strike on 12/11, and that school workers will strike on 12/14, in protest of the PA unity govt.’s failure to pay civil servants in Gaza who were hired after Hamas came to power in 2007. An IDF tank stationed along the border e. of al-Bureij r.c. fires on agricultural land, causing damage. Hours later, 4 IDF tanks and 3 armored bulldozers cross the border fence in e. Gaza, leveling land and firing live ammunition toward Palestinian property. In the West Bank, IDF troops detain 2 Palestinians as they approach the Tekoa settlement nr. Bethlehem. Israeli forces confiscate 3 Palestinian-owned tractors while patrolling in a bedouin village in the n. Jordan Valley. They also stop work on a UN Development Program project nr. Salfit, detain 2 Palestinian workers, and confiscate 1 tractor. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Ramallah, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Jenin. Israeli settlers cut the wires to 4 electricity poles and chop down several olive trees nr. Burin village s. of Nablus, clearing the area for the expansion of 2 nearby settlements. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police raid the Silwan home of Ahmad al-Ghoul, head of the Fatah Youth Movement in Jerusalem, and arrest him. He was recently attacked by Israeli settlers on 11/21. Israeli authorities deliver demolition notices to several residences and commercial buildings in Silwan, al-Tur, Issawiyya, and Jabal Mukabir. Israeli police detain 2 Palestinian women at Haram al-Sharif. They also conduct arrest raids around East Jerusalem; deliver demolition notices in Silwan, al-Tur, Issawiyya, and Jabal Mukabir. (IMEMC, JP, MNA, WAFA 12/9; PCHR 12/10)

After threatening a mass action on 12/6, 70 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons launch a hunger strike in protest of Israel’s treatment of a fellow prisoner and its use of solitary confinement. (MNA 12/9; WAFA 12/10)

The Knesset Finance Comm. approves a series of public funds transfers, including PM Netanyahu’s 12/8 request for around $20 m. to support the West Bank settlements. (AFP, TOI, YA 12/9)

The Lower House of the Irish Parliament unanimously passes a nonbinding res. calling on the Irish govt. to recognize Palestinian statehood, similar to the 1 passed by the Upper House on 10/23. (REU 12/9; HA 12/11)