The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers and Israeli forces attacked Palestinian journalists filming in the vicinity of the Ariel settlement. Israeli settlers also began construction on a tract of land in ‘Ayn Bus. Israeli forces seized and demolished residential tents in Khirbet Humsa provided by humanitarian agencies to displaced residents after Israeli forces demolished and confiscated and demolished 46 residential structures on 2/1 and 2/3. Israeli forces also demolished 1 water well in al-Mughayyir and 2 residential structures in Khirbet Yarza. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters demonstrating against stop-work orders delivered in al-Twana, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian with live ammunition during a late-night raid near Jenin. Meanwhile, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian trying to enter Israel for work near the separation barrier in Barta‘a. 14 Palestinians were arrested, including 13 during late-night raids in and around Jalazun refugee camp, Hebron, Nablus, Qabatiya, and al-Bireh, and 1 was arrested at a checkpoint near Nablus. In East Jerusalem, 4 Palestinian citizens of Israel were arrested at the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian famers east of Gaza City and Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/8; CNN 2/10 PCHR 2/11)

PA and Hamas officials and members of 12 other Palestinian factions met in Cairo to discuss reconciliation and the Palestinian elections. (AJ, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/8)

A Palestinian court in Nablus sentenced 1 Palestinian man to 5 years in prison for selling Israeli settlement products. (WAFA 2/8)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded not guilty in response to the corruption charges against him in an Israeli court. Prime Minister Netanyahu was forced to appear in court but left after 30 minutes as the judges excused his absence. (REU 2/7; AJ, AP, AX, CBS, CNN, HA, WP 2/8)

The U.S. said it will rejoin the UN Human Rights Council as an observer after the Donald Trump administration left the UN body, citing anti-Israel bias in 2018. The Biden administration wants to rejoin as a full member at an unset date. (NYT 2/7; TOI 2/8)

In an interview with CNN, U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken said he applauded the normalization deals between Israel, the U.S., the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, and said that peace between Palestine and Israel is far away, saying the 2 need to engage in peace before the U.S. can get involved. Secretary Blinken also said the Biden administration supported a 2-state solution but when asked about whether a Palestinian state would have East Jerusalem as its capital, he said it was part of final status issues, despite saying the U.S. considers Israel’s capital Jerusalem. Former secretary of state John Kerry said the U.S. supports East Jerusalem as a future capital of Palestine during the Barack Obama administration. Lastly, Secretary Blinken said that the Biden administration would consider supporting the return of the Golan Heights to Syria if Bashar al-Asad was no longer in power. (HA, REU, State Department 2/8; HA 2/9; AJ 2/11)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries or damage to the vessels. IDF troops also conduct a limited incursion in land close to the border fence nr. Khan Yunis before withdrawing. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon and in 1 village nr. Hebron at night, and patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon and in al-‘Arub r.c., 1 village nr. Hebron, and in 2 villages nr. Jenin at night. In East Jerusalem, IDF troops clash with residents in Abu Dis after protests against the arrest of a cancer patient. Separately, Israeli police ban 10 Palestinians from attending prayers at al-Aqsa mosque when Jewish extremists plan to visit the compound. Police also arrest Shaykh Raed Salah, leader of the n. Islamic Movement in Israel, on suspicion of incitement. Salah refuses bail conditions that would keep him 30 km away from al-Aqsa for 30 days and remains in jail. (JP, MNA, WAFA 9/3; PCHR 9/5)

Palestinian and Israeli negotiators meet for a 5th round of peace talks in Jerusalem. PA FM Riyad al-Maliki tells the media that Abbas is seeking to arrange a meeting with U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry to express doubts about the nature of the talks and dissatisfaction at U.S. envoy Martin Indyk’s limited participation thus far. Meanwhile, Arab League Secy.-Gen. spokesperson Nassif Hetti tells reporters that an Arab ministerial delegation will meet Kerry in Rome on Sunday to discuss the peace process. (AFP, JP, MNA 9/3)

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Cmte. reaches an agreement on a draft authorization for the use of military force against the Syrian govt., with conditions narrower than those requested by Pres. Obama. The draft sets a 60-day time limit on any U.S. action with a conditional single 30-day extension possible. There is also a provision banning the use of ground forces. Speaking to the cmte., Defense Secy. Chuck Hagel says that the pres.’s national security team is now convinced that taking military action against the Asad regime targets would be the right course of action. Hagel also reveals that Obama approved plans in 1/2013 to give lethal aid to Syrian rebels, the 1st time such a decision has been made public. Meanwhile, pro-Israel Jewish community groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Cmte. (AIPAC) and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations back the administration’s call for a strike on Syria, following a conference call with Obama’s security advisers. In another development, UN Secy.-Gen. Ban Ki-moon affirms that the use of force is only legal as self-defense or with UNSC authorization. (AP, Guardian, JTA, REU, WP 9/3)

An Egyptian military court in Suez hands down sentences ranging from 5 years to life to around 50 Muslim Brotherhood mbrs. convicted of violence against the army, in relation to the events of 8/14 (when security forces massacred anti-coup protesters in Cairo). Meanwhile, Egyptian helicopter gunships kill 8 suspected militants and wound 15 others in air strikes in the Sinai Peninsula nr. the Rafah border with the Gaza Strip. (AFP, AP, REU, NYT 9/3)

In the West Bank, the IDF opens fire on Palestinians who threw stones at a routine patrol in al-Khadir village nr. Bethlehem, wounding an 11-year-old with a rubber-coated metal bullet. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Hebron at night; patrols in 1 village each nr. Jenin, Qalqilya and Tulkarm in the morning, in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, 2 villages nr. Tulkarm, and in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 1 village nr. Hebron, and Tulkarm and 1 village nearby at night. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces clash with Palestinians in the Abu Dis and Eizariya neighborhoods while conducting arrest raids, detaining 29. Meanwhile, in Israel, security forces demolish 11 structures and tents in Attir and 3 homes in Beer al-Mashash, 2 Bedouin villages in the Negev. In the latter case, Israeli police officers fire rubber-coated plastic bullets and tear gas at residents, injuring 5. (MNA 5/30; PCHR 6/5)

Israel’s Housing Ministry releases a tender for the construction of 300 new homes in Ramot, a settlement in East Jerusalem, and also confirms a decision to sell 797 housing units in Moradot Gilo, another East Jerusalem settlement. A U.S. State Dept. spokesperson describes the move as “counterproductive,” while Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat says that the announcement sabotages U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry’s efforts to restart peace talks. Israeli officials stress that the announcement is not new construction but a republication of a tender previously issued. (AP, HA 5/30)

Syrian pres. Bashar al-Asad says during an interview with Al-Manar TV that Russia is still committed to supplying his country with S-300 air defense missiles. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council agrees to add Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qa‘ida-linked rebel group operating in Syria, to a UN sanctions blacklist that imposes an assets freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo on the associated individuals and entities. (AP, REU 5/30)

Two small rockets and later a mortar land in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, causing no damage or injuries. While the IDF says the fire is ‘‘accidental spillover’’ from the Syrian civil war, rather than intentional, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command says that Syrian government has given the Damascusbased group permission to attack Israeli targets in the Golan Heights. Syrian pres. Bashar al-Asad says that Syria is capable of facing Israel, but does not suggest Damascus will retaliate for the recent Israeli air strikes (e.g., 5/5). Hizballah’s deputy head Naim Qassem says that the Israeli attacks aim to boost the opposition fighters and does not comment on claims that missiles bound for the Lebanese group were the target. Meanwhile, Syrian rebel faction the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade says that it is holding 4 Filipino UN peacekeepers it detained on the Syrian side of the ceasefire line between Syria and the occupied Golan Heights, claiming that fighting had endangered the observers. (AP, JP, REU, WP 5/7)

Israeli officials say that PM Benjamin Netanyahu has promised U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry to ‘‘rein in’’ settlement construction until mid-6/2013 in the context of renewed efforts to resume negotiations. (HA 5/7)

Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen off the north Gaza coast, causing no damage or injuries.

In East Jerusalem, some 40 rightwing Israelis enter the al-Aqsa Mosque compound protected by Israeli security forces, sparking clashes with Palestinian worshippers.

In the West Bank, Jewish settlers attack Palestinian vehicles and agricultural land nr. Nablus, causing no injuries. The IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm in the morning, and in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 2 villages nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night. Also at night, IDF troops conduct house searches and arrest raids in Nablus, 1 village nr. Nablus, 1 village nr. Ramallah and 1 village nr. Tulkarm. (MNA, WAFA 5/7; PCHR 5/9)