The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces issued notices to residents of al-Khader, Nahalin, and Artas that Israel will seize 320 dunams (79 acres) of land for expansion of the Daniel, Eliezer, and Efrat settlements. Israeli forces also demolished 1 house under construction in Azzun ‘Atma. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in Nabi Salih. 45 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Beit Sira, Hebron, and Surif. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 Palestinian home in Sur Baher, displacing 4. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/16; MEMO, PCHR 11/17; UNOCHA 11/25)

Israeli prime minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu and Otzma Yehudit party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir agreed to amend the Disengagement Plan Implementation Law to allow Israeli settlers to repopulate the Homesh settlement outpost, create a yeshiva in the Evyatar settlement outpost, and to create infrastructure to several Israeli settlement outposts. The PA called on the international community to act to prevent the deal from being implemented. (HA, TOI, TOI 11/16; AJ, JP, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, TOI 11/17; BBC, MEMO, MEMO 11/18)

Germany and the PA signed an agreement worth $22 million to support vocational and technical education in the West Bank. (WAFA 11/16)

In the West Bank, PA security forces, dressed in civilian clothes, violently dispersed Palestinian students and staff protesting the dismissal of 10 students from the Islamic bloc and 5 employees at An-Najah National University in Nablus, causing several injuries from beatings and pepper spray. The Iranian news agency Tansim said 1 of its Palestinian reporters was abducted by Palestinian gunmen while covering the events before being beaten and warned against writing negatively about the PA. Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling between Nablus and Jenin. Israeli settlers also vandalized 8 olive trees in Qaryut. Israeli forces evicted 4 Palestinians from their land in Wadi Fukin. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Ramallah, Tuqu‘, Bethlehem, Surif, al-Tabaqa, Nablus, Far‘un, Rumana, and Aqabat Jaber refugee camp; Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting the raid in Nablus, injuring 2 with shrapnel. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assaulted and arrested 2 Palestinians in Silwan and arrested 1 other in Isawiya. (MEE, WAFA, WAFA 6/14; PCHR 6/15; PCHR 6/16; AP, HA 6/17; UNOCHA 7/2)

Hamas released a statement accusing PA forces in the West Bank of torturing Hamas supporters. (ALM 7/2)

EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced that the frozen $224 million in economic aid to the PA from 2021 had been unfrozen and would be transferred to the PA. The announcement came ahead of a meeting between President von der Leyen and PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh in Ramallah. Von der Leyen later met with Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett and president Isaac Herzog. The EU funding to the PA was frozen due to 1 Hungarian commissioner’s concern over “incitement” in PA schoolbooks. Prime Minister Shtayyeh also met with his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi. (AA, HA, JP, POL, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/14; AJ, WAFA 6/15)

Israel’s deputy religious affairs minister Matan Kahana of the Yamina party was filmed telling Israeli high schoolers in the Efrat settlement that “if there was a button that could be pressed, that would remove all the Arabs from here, send them on an express train to Switzerland—where they would live an amazing life, I wish them all the best in Switzerland—I would press that button. . . . there is no such button. We were probably meant to [co]exist here on this land in some form,” Palestinian members of the Israeli parliament attacked Kahana for his remarks and he later apologized for wording his statements poorly. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE 6/14; HA, MDW, TOI 6/15)

The U.S. White House expressed concern over negotiations between the Israeli spyware company NSO Group and the American defense contractor L3Harris for the latter to buy technology from the former. The deal would see NSO Group removed from the U.S. department of commerce’s blacklist and would transfer NSO’s clients in the U.S., UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and possibly EU and NATO countries to L3Harris. The New York Times later reported that the negotiations had collapsed after they were made public and that U.S. intelligence officials had backed L3Harris’s potential acquisition of NSO Group. (HA 6/14; MEE, REU 6/15; NYT, WP 7/10; HA, TOI 7/11)

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler shot and killed 1 Palestinian man after he had stabbed and injured 1 other Israeli settler with a screwdriver in a bus near the Efrat settlement south of Bethlehem. Israeli settlers threw an incendiary device at 1 Palestinian minor in Jinba, causing burns to his face and hands. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers attacked 1 Palestinian herder near Fasayil, throwing stones and releasing a dog on him, causing injuries. Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians and injured 14 others during a daytime arrest raid in Jenin refugee camp. Israel said that the arrest raid was related to the attack on 3/29 in Bnei Brak in which 5 were killed; 31 were arrested during the raid. PA president Mahmoud Abbas condemned the raid, saying Israel wants to escalate tensions ahead of the start of Ramadan. During the raid, Palestinian patients at a nearby hospital suffered tear-gas related injuries. 24 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Aida refugee camp, Bayt Jala, Husan, al-Ubeidiya, Wadi Abu Freiha, Hebron, al-Ramadin, Dura, Qalandia refugee camp, al-Zawiya, Salem, al-Far‘a refugee camp, Jenin, Ya‘bad, Nabi Elias, and Azzun. In East Jerusalem, far-right Israeli MK Itamar Ben-Gvir toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. The Joint List party and PA president Mahmoud Abbas criticized the Israeli government for allowing Ben-Gvir to tour the compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian farmlands east of Abasan; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen; no injuries were reported. (AJ, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/31; WAFA 4/1; HA 4/2; MEMO 4/5; PCHR 4/7; UNOCHA 4/10)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces delivered demolition notices for 6 agricultural structures and 1 residential structure and delivered stop-work orders for 2 houses and a water well in Wadi Rahal. Israeli forces also raided Khirbet Humsa, seizing tools and tents used for agricultural purposes. 10 Palestinians were arrested, including 8 during late-night raids in and around Tuqu’, Hebron, Beit Umar, and Bir al-Basha, and 2 were arrested at a checkpoint near Jenin. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli forces confiscated 2 boats anchored 7 nautical miles from the coast. (MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/27; PCHR 10/28)

An Israeli military court convicted 1 Palestinian man of murdering an Israeli settler in the northern West Bank on 12/20/2020. (HA, JP, TOI 10/27)

Israel’s civil administration advanced, for the 1st time during the U.S. Biden administration, settlement units to be built in the West Bank. 2,860 housing units were approved in Har Brakha, Revava, Elon Moreh, Hermesh, Karnei Shomron, Beit El, Givat Ze’ev, Kefar Etzion, Alon Shvut, Teneh, Sansana, Vered Yericho, Ma’aleh Mikhmash, Efrat, Tal Manashe, Talmon, Shima’a, and Kedumim. The approval also included the retroactive approval of units in Elon Moreh, Alei Zahav, Peduel, and Eli, and the “legalization” of the Mitzpe Danny outpost and an outpost in Haroeh Haivri. The U.S. publicly criticized the move and privately asked Israel to reverse course on 10/26. (AP, HA, JP, JP, MDW, MEE, MEMO, PCN, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 10/27; AJ, ALM, CNN, HA 10/28)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh met with EU officials, including the high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell in Brussels. Prime Minister Shtayyeh called on the EU to take concrete steps to end Israeli settlement expansion. Shtayyeh also called on the EU to recognize the State of Palestine. Separetly, Shtayyeh called on Belgium to recognize the State of Palestine during a meeting with the speaker of the Belgian parliament. (WAFA 10/27; WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/28)

The Israeli Knesset voted down a bill that would recognize the 1956 Kafr Qasim massacre. Only 12 members voted for the bill while 93 voted against. The bill was sponsored by Aida Touma-Sliman, Ofer Cassif, and Ayman Odeh of the Joint Arab List. (HA 10/26; HA 10/27; HA 10/28)

U.S. deputy of state for management and resources Brian McKeon told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that it is his understanding that the U.S. needs Israel’s permission to reopen the U.S. consulate to Palestinians in Jerusalem. (HA, JP, MEMO 10/28)

Florida’s boycott of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company’s parent company Unilever went into effect after a 90-day period given to the company to reverse Ben & Jerry’s decision to stop selling ice cream in West Bank settlements and to end its franchise agreement in Israel. Florida will now stop new investments in Unilever, but its $39 million already invested in the company will not be affected. (TOI 11/26; JP 11/27; MEMO 11/29)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces injured several Palestinian prisoners during raids in Ofer prison. Elsewhere, Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians during a raid in al-‘Arub refugee camp, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also prevented Palestinian construction workers from working on a road in ‘Araqa connecting it to Ya‘bad. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Qalqilya, Tulkarm, and Dura. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian was arrested during a house raid in the Old City. Off the coast of Gaza, Israel naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands east of Khan Yunis and Abasan; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA 9/13; PCHR 9/17)

The Israeli government approved plans for 980 new settlement units in the Efrat settlement near Bethlehem. (WAFA 9/13)

The Israeli government said it would impose a 3-week lockdown from 9/18 to curb the spread of COVID-19 as cases continue to rise. People in Israel will be restricted to stay within 0.3 miles of their homes. (REU 9/13; AJ, CNN, HA 9/14)

According to Times of Israel, the U.S. administration promised the UAE, as part of the normalization deal with Israel, that the U.S. would not approve of Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank until 2024. (TOI 9/13)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers leveled land near Dura. Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinian shepherds in Burqa, stealing 20 sheep; 1 Palestinian was in serious condition after the attack. 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Taqqua. In Gaza, Israeli warplanes struck 3 places in and around Gaza City with rockets after alleging that 1 rocket was fired at Israel from Gaza; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen using live ammunition and water hoses 3 nautical miles west of Bayt Lahiya; 1 boat was damaged. In Israel, Palestinian citizens of Israel were striking in many places, for the 2d day in a row, to protest the disproportionately low compensation that business owners in Palestinian-majority neighborhoods have received of the COVID-19 aid, about 1.7 percent. (HA 5/5; JP, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/6; HA, PCHR 5/7)

Israeli defense minister Naftali Bennett announced plans for around 7,000 new settlement units in the Efrat settlement. The plans expand the settlement by seizing 1,100 dunams (271.8 acres) of Palestinian land. (AJ, HA, INN, REU, WAFA 5/6)

The Israeli high court of justice dismissed a petition against allowing Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government because he is criminally indicted, and petitions against the coalition agreement between Netanyahu and Benny Gantz. (REU 5/6; HA 5/7)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian driver after he allegedly attempts to ram a group of Israeli settlers at Huwwara checkpoint. They also arrest 5 Palestinians during raids near Bethlehem, Tulkarm, and Nablus; and patrol near Hebron throughout the day. Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian car repair shop near Nablus. Israeli settlers assault and injure a Palestinian shepherd working his land near Nablus. In East Jerusalem, a number of right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif. Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in Silwan. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Bayt Lahiya. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/26; PCHR 12/27; PCHR 1/3)

PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki says that he plans to initiate an application for the State of Palestine to obtain full membership at the UN during his next visit to New York City in 1/2019. The application, if accepted by the UN Security Council, would see Palestine’s status upgraded from non-member observer state. Later, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon says that Israel and the U.S. are already working together to “stop the [new Palestinian] initiative.” (JP, WAFA 12/26; TOI 12/27)

PA security forces seal off the entrances to the Palestinian Legislative Council building in Ramallah, preventing Hamas officials from holding a planned press conference. A PA official says that although Hamas claims they were attempting to hold a press conference, their true intention was to open a session of the PLC in protest of the 12/22 announcement of a new round of PLC elections. (JP, TOI 12/26)

The High Planning Committee of Israel’s Civil Administration meets for a 2d day to discuss proposals to expand Israel’s West Bank settlements. Between today and yesterday, they have advanced plans for 2,191 new residences in various settlements, 3 new industrial zones, and the retroactive authorization of 2 illegal settlement outposts. Separately, Israel’s Civil Administration announces plans to put together a new proposal for as many as 2,500 new settler residences at the site of the Givat Eitam outpost near Bethlehem, which is within the municipal boundaries of the Efrat settlement, but not contiguous to any of that settlement’s buildings. According to the Israeli NGO Peace Now, an expanded Givat Eitam would “block Bethlehem from the south, and prevent any development in the only direction that has not yet been blocked by settlements.” (HA, PCN, TOI 12/26)

Haaretz reports that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the IDF to declare an end to Operation Northern Shield, but to continue detecting and demolishing the cross-border tunnels allegedly built by Hezbollah. Some senior defense sources say that Netanyahu no longer has a political reason for a formal operation in the north now that he is running for re-election. Meanwhile, the IDF announces that it has uncovered and demolished a 5th cross-border tunnel and the Knesset votes to dissolve itself, officially triggering snap elections. (HA, JP, TOI 12/26; MNA 12/27)

Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Bayt Hanun. They also open fire on 2 Palestinian children approaching the border fence near Gaza City and Palestinian farmlands near Dayr al-Balah, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces dismantle a Palestinian elementary school in Khirbat al-Simia near Hebron. The school was put together recently and comprised a number of mobile, makeshift classrooms. IDF troops shoot and injure 3 Palestinians during clashes sparked by a raid in Jenin refugee camp; arrest 11 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during additional raids near Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah, and Jenin; and patrol near Nablus, Jenin, and Hebron. An Israeli settler driver runs over a Palestinian outside the Efrat settlement near Bethlehem, causing minor injuries. It’s unclear if the collision was an intentional ramming attack. IDF troops shoot and injure 2 Palestinian minors on their way home from school in al-Jaba‘. In East Jerusalem, 152 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif. (MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA 12/5; PCHR 12/6)

PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki submits a formal complaint to the ICC calling for chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to expedite her preliminary examination into alleged war crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territories. Bensouda initiated her examination shortly after the Palestinians acceded to the Rome Statue on 1/2/15. Later, Bensouda’s office responds, saying that they have made significant progress toward a decision on whether or not to open a full investigation. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/5)

In the West Bank, dozens of Israeli settlers approach a water tank outside ‘Urif village near Nablus, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and Palestinian residents; 1 Palestinian is killed and another is seriously injured. Later, approximately 30 Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian homes and attempt to set fire to a mosque in al-Twana village near Hebron. Residents of the village challenge the settlers and their IDF escort, leading to a nonviolent confrontation. Israeli settlers also cut down approximately 30 olive trees near Nablus. Israeli forces order a Palestinian farmer to leave his land near Bethlehem, alleging that he lacks permission from the guards at nearby Efrat settlement. IDF troops conduct raids in ‘Azun village near Qalqilya, sparking minor clashes; there are no serious injuries. They also patrol near Qalqilya and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers assault a number of Palestinian children in Silwan, sparking minor clashes between Israeli border guards and residents of the area; there are no serious injuries. In 3 separate incidents off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya and Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian lands near al-Bureij refugee camp. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/10; PCHR 3/15)

A spokesperson for the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza announces that a PIJ fighter died in an “accidental explosion” this morning. Two other Palestinians were reportedly injured in the accident. (TOI 3/10; JP 3/11)

IDF troops shoot and seriously injure a Palestinian youth, allegedly after he drives his car into Israeli civilians, first at the Efrat junction, and later at the Gush Etzion junction near Bethlehem, injuring 2. After the first collision, the Palestinian drove on to Gush Etzion, where he hit and moderately injured the 2d Israeli. He was shot when he exited his vehicle. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday protests against Israel’s occupation, settlements, and separation wall in 3 villages near Ramallah (Nabi Salih, Bil‘in, and Ni‘lin) and Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya; no Palestinians are seriously injured. Two Palestinians are injured during clashes with IDF troops in ‘Azun village near Qalqilya, and the IDF patrols near Salfit and Qalqilya. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian farmers working their lands outside Burin village; 1 Palestinian is injured. Settlers also throw stones at Palestinian homes and pepper-spray 2 Palestinian children east of Hebron and burn a small swath of Palestinian land near Nablus. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 11/17; PCHR 11/23)

The Associated Press reports that the U.S. State Dept. recently notified the Palestinians that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) diplomatic office in Washington could be forcibly closed unless they enter peace negotiations with Israel (see Update). Secy. of State Rex Tillerson reportedly told the Palestinians that the decision stemmed from Palestinian Authority (PA) pres. Mahmoud Abbas’s expressions of support for the International Criminal Court investigating and prosecuting Israelis in his 9/20 speech to the UN General Assembly (UNGA). (AP, HA, TOI 11/17)

A Palestinian stabs and injures an Israeli settler inside his home in the Efrat settlement nr. Bethlehem. After the attack, Israeli forces crack down on Palestinian villages nr. Bethlehem, setting up mobile checkpoints and clashing with stone-throwing Palestinians in multiple locations; there are no serious injuries. They also violently suppress the annual “Santa Claus March” in Bethlehem, causing no serious injuries. Elsewhere, a Palestinian youth succumbs to injuries sustained during clashes with the IDF nr. Ramallah on 12/15. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s occupation, separation wall, and settlements in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, and along Gaza’s border nr. Gaza City; 4 Palestinians are injured and 1 is arrested. They also arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid nr. Salfit and patrol nr. Nablus and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in Hizma. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 12/23; MNA 12/24; PCHR 12/29)

The UNSC passes Res. 2334, the anti-Israeli settlement measure that Egyptian diplomats circulated on 12/21, with 14 votes in favor and the U.S. abstaining. The res. contains no enforcement protocols, but it could facilitate lawsuits against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC), sanctions on Israel’s settlement building, and more boycotts of settlement products. (EI, HA, JP, MNA, REU, TOI 12/23; HA, JP, YA 12/24)

After the UNSC vote, U.S. secy. of state Kerry says that he plans to “speak further to the vote . . . and share more detailed thoughts, drawn from the experience of the last several years, on the way ahead.” Some of Kerry’s aides say that he intends to lay out a “comprehensive vision for peace.” (YA 12/23; HA 21/24)

The Israeli authorities return 9 corpses of Palestinians killed during confrontations with the IDF in the past 6 mos., marking the 2d return of bodies in a week. (MNA, TOI 12/23)

Amid an upswing in tension across the West Bank, Israeli soldiers shoot and seriously injure a Palestinian after he allegedly stabs and moderately injures an Israeli officer outside the Efrat settlement nr. Bethlehem. IDF troops on a patrol nr. Jenin clash with and violently disperse stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 4 Palestinians are arrested. They arrest 3 more Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Nablus; and patrol throughout the day nr. Nablus, Hebron, and Salfit. Israeli forces shut down the entrance to Bayt Umar village nr. Hebron to allow for maintenance work on an IDF watchtower in the area (the work will continue through 9/22). Meanwhile, the Israeli authorities return the body of the Jordanian killed on 9/16 to his family via the Allenby border crossing. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 4 Palestinians during raids in Ras al-Amud, Issawiyya, and Silwan. (MNA, YA 9/18; PCHR 9/22)

Israeli PM Netanyahu authorizes the extension of his ban on mbrs. of the Knesset (MKs) visiting Haram al-Sharif ahead of the Jewish High Holidays, which he implemented during the habba, the surge of Palestinian resistance, random attacks, and protests that began in Jerusalem in 9/2015. (TOI 9/18)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing overnight and allow 474 Palestinian pilgrims to return home from their trip to Saudi Arabia. (MNA 9/18)

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli authorities detain a Palestinian businessman as he is passing through the Erez border crossing. In the West Bank, after Palestinian and international activists rebuild the “Gate of Jerusalem” protest camp over the last few days, IDF troops raid the camp and pass along a 24-hour evacuation notice, demolishing the camp for a 5th time late at night. IDF troops raid the home of a deceased Palestinian in Hebron, confiscating NIS 50,000 (around $13,000) and issuing a summons to his father. The man was killed in a firefight with Israeli soldiers on 9/22 after he and 2 others kidnapped and killed 3 Israeli settler teenagers in 6/2014. Israeli forces raze 30 dunams of land nr. Bethlehem, preparing the area for the expansion of nearby Efrat settlement. The IDF conducts arrest raids and house searches nr. Hebron, Jenin, and Bethlehem; patrols nr. Hebron, Tulkarm, and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a home in Silwan, displacing 14 Palestinians; deliver 3 demolition orders to families in Silwan. They also arrest a Palestinian at the Shu‘fat checkpoint. In c. Israel, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian family’s home in Lydda. (MNA, WAFA 2/10; EI, JP, MNA, WAFA 2/11; PCHR 2/12)

PA Pres. Abbas meets with the Swedish PM Stefan Lofven in Stockholm, then inaugurates a new Palestinian embassy. Lofven announces a new aid program that will see 1.5 b. kronor (around $180 m.) spent on projects that help fight corruption, promote gender equality and human rights under the PA. (AFP 2/9; REU, WAFA 2/10)

On the 5th day of OPE, the IDF strikes multiple targets across the Gaza Strip, killing approximately 48 Palestinians, including 21 in a single strike on the home of a senior police commander in Gaza City. Air strikes also hit a center for the disabled, killing 2. The IDF warns Palestinians in the n. Gaza Strip to “leave their homes for their own safety,” adding that “it’s unsafe to be nr. Hamas.” Israel’s targets expand to include civilian institutions with suspected Hamas ties. Israeli naval forces raid the beach at al-Sudaniyya in the n. Gaza Strip, and clash with al-Qassam Brigades fighters. Palestinians fire some 70 rockets into Israel, and at least 6 are intercepted by Iron Dome batteries. In the evening, al-Qassam Brigades launches 10 rockets toward Tel Aviv, but they cause no damage or casualties. Overall, 2 Israelis are injured nr. Beersheba in the day’s barrage. In addition to s. and c. areas, rockets also land nr. Efrat settlement in the West Bank, causing no damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces clash with Palestinian youth in Issawiyya, al-Tur, and Qalandia. (AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU 7/12; PCHR 7/13)

Addressing the crisis in Gaza, the UNSC issues a presidential statement calling for a “de-escalation of the situation, restoration of calm, and reinstitution of the 11/2012 ceasefire.” It also expresses “serious concern regarding the crisis related to Gaza and the protection and welfare of civilians on both sides” and calls for “respect for international humanitarian law.” Media reports suggest that a cease-fire proposal is being drawn up at the initiative of the Palestinians with the involvement of Egypt and Qatar, but Islamic Jihad dep. head Ziad al-Nakhleh dismisses this as a rumor. (AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU 7/12)

Unknown persons fire 3 rockets from inside Lebanon that land into n. Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF responds with artillery fire toward “the source of fire.” (AP, REU 7/12)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry, on his last day in the region, meets with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss reviving negotiations. Afterward, some sources say that Israel has agreed to silently adopt construction freeze outside of the major settlement blocs, while other Israeli government sources say that Israel has refused to adopt any confidence building measures at all prenegotiations. One anonymous Israeli official says that Netanyahu opposed Kerry’s proposal to resume talks based on initially discussing border and security issues only. (HA, YA 4/11)

A scheduled meeting between Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas and PM Salam Fayyad to discuss the latter’s 4/10 resignation is postponed under European and American pressure, according to Palestinian officials. An anonymous U.S. State Department official dismisses the idea that Fayyad is really resigning. (AFP, JP 4/11; HA 4/12)

IDF forces make a brief incursion into Gaza nr. Khan Yunis to level land and clear lines of sight. In the West Bank, the IDF shoots and injures a disabled Palestinian man in Hebron during an arrest operation in the city. The IDF shoots and injures 4 Palestinians with rubbercoated metal bullets in al-Khader nr. Bethlehem during clashes. Jewish settlers from Netzah Binyamin outpost nr. Efrat settlement seriously assault a Palestinian man working on his land in Silwad village, sparking clashes between residents and settlers. IDF forces violently disperse the Palestinians, shooting and injuring 1 Palestinian with rubbercoated metal bullets. Jewish settlers cut down or damage around 100 olive trees and grape vines on Palestinian-owned land nr. Hebron. The IDF patrols in 1 village each nr. Jericho and Ramallah in the morning, 2 villages each nr. Jenin, and Ramallah, and 1 village nr. Salfit in the afternoon, and 2 villages nr. Hebron, and 1 village each nr. Jenin and Salfit at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 each nr. Bethlehem and Hebron at night. (HA, MNA, WAFA 4/11; PCHR 4/18)

A delegation of Israeli security and diplomatic officials arrives in Egypt for discussions with their Egyptian counterparts on the situation in Sinai and indirect talks with Hamas. (MNA 4/11)

The Israeli government issues tenders for 198 new settlement homes in Hebron and Efrata (Gush Etzion bloc). Meanwhile, the Jerusalem municipality approves the planned relocation of the National Defense College to the Mount of Olives. Also, Israeli NGO Peace Now says that approval for settlement plans jumped 300% in 2012, and that under Netanyahu’s premiership, 40% of construction starts in settlements were in settlements located outside of the so-called blocs that Israel intends to keep under a final-status agreement. (AP, JP, YA 1/16)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF fires warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials close to the border fence in the n. Gaza Strip, causing no injuries. In a separate incident, the IDF shells an open area 200 m from the border nr. Bureij, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, The IDF raids Aida r.c. in Bethlehem, opening fire on Palestinians with live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, and tear-gas grenades, seriously wounding 1. The IDF says that Palestinian protesters threw stones and firebombs at the Separation Wall and Israeli forces. Palestinian news agencies report that the raid was in response to the Palestinians opening a hole in the bottom of the wall nr. Rachel’s Tomb. The IDF also demolishes sheep barns and sheds nr. Jericho; patrols in Tulkarm and 1 village each nr. Hebron, Jenin, and Jericho at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Jenin, and Salfit at night. Meanwhile, an IDF investigation concludes that Israeli soldiers fired 80 bullets without justification when they mortally wounded a Palestinian man in al-Nabi Salih on 11/17 (he died on 11/19). Jewish settlers raze land nr. 2 separate settlements in the Jordan Valley and nr. Nablus in preparation for expansion. (MNA, WAFA 1/16; PCHR, PNN 1/17)

Israeli security forces dismantle Palestinian protest camp Bab al-Shams in the E1 zone nr. Jerusalem, after the Supreme Court authorizes the government to dismantle the site. Protesters were removed on 1/12, but the tents had remained. Separately, the High Court of Justice orders the state to refrain from evicting Palestinians from 8 villages in the s. Hebron Hills in an area the IDF has designated a firing zone for training. (REU 1/16; AFP, HA 1/17)

Dep. head of Hamas’s political bureau Musa Abu Marzuq says that the movement will not agree to dismantle the IQB as part of a prospective reconciliation deal with Fatah. He makes the comments in response to recent reports in al-Quds al-Arabi that Fatah is demanding Hamas dismantle its armed wing and integrate it into the PA security forces. (ToI 1/16)

The EU grants €100 m. to the PA and to UNRWA to provide essential services in the West Bank. Palestinian pres. Abbas announces that Saudi Arabia will give the struggling PA $100 m. to alleviate the PA’s financial crisis. (IMEMC, REU 1/16)

Israel announces that the military has completed the main section of the 142-mi. Israel-Egypt border fence, a task that took 21=2 yrs. at a cost of around $377 m. PM Netanyahu, visiting the fence, says that ‘‘tens of thousands’’ of African migrants (‘‘infiltrators’’) will soon be forcibly repatriated. (ToI, AP 1/2)

U.S. State Dept. spokesperson Victoria Nuland says that the Obama admin. is urging Israeli and Palestinian leaders to resume direct talks in 2013 and halt ‘‘counter-productive unilateral actions.’’ (AFP 1/2)

Israeli newspaper Ha’Aretz reports that Israeli authorities have begun barring foreign nationals living and working in the West Bank from entering East Jerusalem and Israel by stamping their passports with ‘‘Judea and Samaria only.’’ Some of these people are Palestinians born in the West Bank, but whose residency status was rescinded by Israel pre1994 due to a prolonged stay abroad. (HA 2/1)

The IDF orders dozens of Palestinians in the Jordan Valley to leave their homes for the duration of military exercises. Bedouin communities say that these temporary evacuation orders have increased in frequency and that they are being pressured to permanently leave the area. (AP 1/2)

Elsewhere in the West Bank, Jewish settlers enter Jalud village nr. Nablus and clash with residents, injuring 4 Palestinians (including 1 child). Settlers also vandalize a mosque nr. Efrat settlement s. of Bethlehem. The IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. (AP 1/2; PCHR, PNN 1/3)

Following protests on 1/1, the PA announces that it will cancel outstanding electricity bill debts for every West Bank resident. Those being investigated for electricity theft will not be included in the deal. (MNA 1/2)

Israel’s Housing and Construction Ministry publishes tenders for construction of West Bank settlement housing units in Karnei Shomron, Efrat, and Givat Ze’ev as part of the government’s decision to build 3,000 new settlement units to punish the Palestinians for their successful UN bid. The U.S. expresses disappointment with what it calls Israel’s ‘‘pattern of provocative action’’ with regard to settlement construction, saying the repeated announcements and plans ‘‘run counter to the cause of peace’’ and put the two-state solution ‘‘further at risk.’’ Britain, France, Germany and Portugal–European members of the UNSC–issue a joint statement condemning Israel’s 12/17 decision to construct homes in Ramat Shlomo settlement in occupied East Jerusalem. (ToI, AP, HA 12/18)

IDF forces make a brief incursion into s. Gaza to level land along the border fence. In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets at Palestinians nr. Aida r.c. in Bethlehem, causing no injuries; this marks the 6th day of confrontations since Israeli forces killed a Palestinian youth in Hebron’s Old City on 12/12. The IDF also conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 each village nr. Bethlehem and Hebron at night. (PNN 12/19; PCHR 12/20)

Israeli military sources say that there are cracks appearing in the co-operation between the IDF and the PA’s security forces, though the operational relationship remains generally positive. One example of this deterioration is the PA security forces stopping IDF troops from pursuing their activities on at least 2 occasions in the past few weeks. (YA 12/18)

Reports suggest that more than 1,000 Palestinian refugees living in Syria crossed over the border into Lebanon in just 24 hours, fleeing fighting in Yarmuk r.c. (REU 12/18)

IDF spokesman Maj. Guy Inbar acknowledges that Israel plans to relocate some 2,000 Bedouin fr. 20 encampments in the hills e. of Jerusalem (in area C) to clear the way for the expansion of Ma’ale Adumim settlement into the E1 zone to link it with Jerusalem. Officially, the government says the relocation plans are part of its broader initiative to “provide the bedouin across the West Bank with sites where they can build legally with access to water, electricity, and government services.” Construction in the E1 zone and settlers’ preparations for expansion of Ma’ale Adumim into the area have been planned since 2009, but this marks the 1st admission that the government has started logistical planning to remove the Bedouin population fr. the area. Meanwhile, Israeli DM Ehud Barak approves establishment of a new 40-unit settlement neighborhood and farm nr. Efrat settlement to expand the Gush Etzion settlement block s. of Bethlehem; the new settlement, to be called Givat Hadagan, was approved for development in the 1990s, with plans to build 500 housing units. Israel closes the old wooden Mughrabi footbridge (deemed unsafe) used by non-Muslims to reach the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount; the PA and Waqf officials protest, saying Israel plans to build a larger permanent structure to assert its control over the site, which is holy to both Muslims and Jews. Also in East Jerusalem, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in Bayt Hanina. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya twice in the afternoon; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem and Jenin. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus vandalize nearby Palestinian homes and cars twice during the day, including throwing a Molotov cocktail at a home. Jewish settlers fr. Karnei Shomron nr. Qalqilya stone passing Palestinian vehicles, injuring 3 Palestinians. (HA 12/12; NYT, WP 12/13; PCHR 12/15; OCHA 12/16; HA 12/18)

Israel’s new amb. to Egypt, Ya’akov Amitai, arrives in Cairo. Israel withdrew its former ambassador for safety reasons on 9/9/11, when Egyptian protesters ransacked the Israeli embassy (see QU in JPS 162). (WP 12/13)

During a regular security briefing to the Knesset, IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz says that Israel may need to strike Gaza if rocket fire continues, stating that Israel would initiate an operation before it would allow itself to be “dragged into” one. Later in the day, unidentified Palestinians fire 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, damaging an empty kindergarten but causing no injuries. Late at night, the IDF carries out 2 air strikes (warplane and drone) targeting a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border and a group of armed Palestinians nr. Jabaliya, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes 4 Palestinian homes n. of Jericho; patrols in al-Bireh and 3 villages nr. Ramallah during the day; conducts late-night house searches nr. Nablus, confiscating computers but making no arrests. Taking inspiration from the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1960s, 6 Palestinian peace activists, dubbed the Freedom Riders, board an Israeli commuter bus linking the West Bank Jewish settlements with Jerusalem and are arrested at an IDF checkpoint outside the city. The Israeli Housing Min. launches a major advertising campaign selling 277 subsidized apartments in Ariel settlement nr. Salfit, 743 in Ramot and 130 in Har Homa settlement in Jerusalem, and 164 in Mod’in nr. Ramallah, as well as leasing 213 plots of land zoned for construction in Efrat settlement nr. Bethlehem, 207 in Mod’in, 168 in Har Homa, and 18 in Pisgat Ze’ev in Jerusalem. (JP, WP 11/16; PCHR 11/17; OCHA 11/18)

Retaliating for the 10/31 UNESCO vote, Netanyahu suspends the transfer of VAT taxes Israel collects on the PA’s behalf and orders accelerated construction of 2,000 settlement housing units in East Jerusalem’s Har Homa settlement and the nearby West Bank settlements Efrat and Ma’ale Adumim, calling it Israel’s “right and obligation” to build in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Palestinian IP addresses and Palestinian phone networks in the West Bank and Gaza come under “multiple attacks” by computer hackers originating from many countries; the PA says the attacks appeared linked to the UNESCO vote and it believes they were “organized by a state” [i.e., Israel]. (HA, NYT, WP 11/2)

The IDF drops flyers over Khan Yunis warning residents to stay away fr. the 300-m. no-go zone. IDF troops manning the observation towers on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians and international activists marching toward the border to protest Israel’s imposition of a no-go zone; no casualties are reported. In the evening, unidentified Palestinians fire a rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c. nr. Nablus and nr. Jenin; conducts late-night patrols in Jenin. The Israeli Comm. against House Demolitions (ICHAD) submits a report to the UN special rapporteurs on Palestine that concludes that Israeli policies in East Jerusalem (e.g., restricting building permits, demolitions, revoking permanent residency status) are forcing Palestinians to flee in what may constitute a war crime. In the West Bank, the IDF rearrests senior Hamas official Hassan Yousef in Ramallah for having links to a “terrorist” organization; Yousef was 1st arrested in 2005, was released on 8/4/11 as part of a mass release to ease prison overcrowding. (JP 11/1; PCHR 11/3; OCHA 11/4)

Hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian supporters of the UN statehood bid hold a peaceful joint rally on their respective sides of the Qalandia crossing. The IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Nablus in the morning; conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in Jenin. Jewish settlers fr. Efrat nr. Bethlehem stone a passing Palestinian car, causing serious damage but no injuries. (NYT 9/18; PCHR 9/22; OCHA 9/23)

Obama gives a major address to the American Israel Public Affairs Comm. (AIPAC). While he restates his belief that discussion of final borders should take the 1967 lines as the starting point for negotiations, he clarifies that agreed land swaps would be necessary and would certainly result in “a border that is different than the one that existed on June 4, 1967,” stating that any controversy over his 5/19 speech was “not based on substance.” (JTA, NYT, WP, WT 5/23)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah and 1 nr. Jericho; patrols in al-Jarushiyya village nr. Tulkarm, randomly stopping cars and checking IDs; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around al-‘Arub r.c. and nr. Tulkarm; searches the home of Hamas politburo mbr. Aysha Dar Suleiman in ‘Arura village nr. Ramallah, arresting her. Jewish settlers heavily damage a Palestinian home located between the Gush Etzion and Efrat settlements nr. Bethlehem. Jewish settlers fr. Tafuh settlement s. of Nablus attack 3 Palestinian women traveling on the Nablus–Ramallah road. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim settlement uproot 70 olive trees fr. neighboring Kafr Qaddum village. (PCHR 5/26; OCHA 5/27)

The Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights reports that Gaza’s Hamas-run Interior Min. has started requiring Palestinians wishing to exit Gaza to obtain an exit permit from the ministry’s new Office of Travel Registration, with Hamas-affiliated police already enforcing the order on Palestinians exiting through the Erez crossing, but notably not at the Rafah crossing. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron (in 1 case severely beating several family members and allegedly stealing money and gold from 1 family). Jewish settlers fr. Efrat nr. Bethlehem burn at least 50 newly planted Palestinian olive trees in nearby Umm Salamuna village. (OCHA 12/9; PCHR 12/10)

The Israeli government approves construction of 84 structures in West Bank settlements despite the 11/25 freeze. Meanwhile, Israel makes its 1st arrests in enforcing its 10-mo. ban on new Jewish settlement construction, briefly detaining the mayor of Bet Arye settlement and 2 Jewish settlers in Elon Moreh when they confront police escorting building inspectors delivering stop-work orders. Israeli security officials say inspectors have handed out 60 stop-work orders since beginning on 11/30. YESHA settlement council leaders attend a high-profile ceremony to start construction of a new synagogue in Efrat settlement, vowing they will continue to settle the West Bank with or without government support. Also in the West Bank, the IDF makes unusual daytime arrest raids nr. Jenin; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron, Jenin. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border shoot, wound, detain 1 Palestinian nr. the border fence outside Bayt Lahiya. (NYT, PCHR 12/3; OCHA 12/9; PCHR 12/10)

In the West Bank, the IDF fires tear gas, percussion grenades at Palestinian farmers to prevent them fr. working their land nr. the separation wall in Jayyus nr. Qalqilya; beats and fires tear gas, percussion grenades at Palestinians holding a nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in Bayt Allam n. of Hebron (injuring 6); makes rare daytime incursions into Dayr Abu Mash‘al (raiding a home and arresting 1 Palestinian) and Ni‘lin (patrolling streets, firing tear gas at residential areas) nr. Ramallah; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Jenin town and r.c., nr. Hebron. The IDF also completes the relocation of its Bayt Ibia checkpoint (see 3/15), allowing Palestinians freer movement between Jenin and Nablus, but places additional restrictions on Jenin residents seeking to travel s. to Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba, angry over an IDF decision to allow Palestinians to use the Kiryat Arba Road by the settlement if they live in the immediate area and register their vehicles with the District Coordination Office, vandalize at least 14 Palestinian homes nr. the settlement. Jewish settlers fr. Efrat begin bulldozing land nr. Bethlehem for the creation of a settler-only bypass road; Israel declared the area state land in 2/09, 1 month after settlers first made attempts to seize the land for a road, and has not responded to appeals by the Palestinian owners. (OCHA 3/31, 4/1; PCHR 4/2)

Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb nr. the Gaza border fence, sparking an exchange of gunfire with the IDF that leaves 2 armed Palestinians dead. In the West Bank, the IDF sends undercover units in a car with Palestinian license plates into Qabatya nr. Jenin to arrest a Palestinian; enters Bayt Umar village nr. Hebron to chase several stone-throwing youths, raiding 2 homes and a store, occupying rooftops, and firing on residential areas, wounding 1 Palestinian, arresting 2; fires live ammunition, rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists taking part in a nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in Ni‘lin (injuring 9); fires live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, percussion grenades at Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists, some of whom throw stones at IDF troops, taking part in a demonstration against the separation wall in Bil‘in (10s suffer tear gas inhalation); uproots 70 olive seedlings on a Palestinian plot nr. Efrat settlement nr. Bethlehem; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-Fara‘a r.c. nr. Tubas, nr. Bethlehem and Jenin. (OCHA 2/24, 2/25; PCHR 2/26)

After nearly 2 wks. of consultations with top 2/10/08 election vote-getters Tzipi Livni (Kadima) and Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud), Israeli pres. Shimon Peres taps Netanyahu to form a government. Netanyahu quickly opens coalition talks with various parties. (IFM 2/20; NYT, WP 2/21; WP 2/23; NYT 2/24)

As the quarter opens, Israel’s near total blockade of Gaza enters its 21st month, since Hamas’s takeover of Gaza in 6/07. Israel continues to bar exports fr. Gaza, strictly limit imports, and ban all but VIPs and emergency medical cases fr. transiting the border. Imports include limited commodities and enough staple goods and fuel for electricity, emergency services, and cooking to preclude a humanitarian crisis, but are insufficient to meet daily needs, adequately maintain basic services, or repair the heavy damage fr. Israel’s 23-day assault on Gaza, Operation Cast Lead (OCL), which ended on 1/18/09. Today, Palestinians fire 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) respond with 2 air strikes on tunnels on the Rafah border, causing no injuries. In Bayt Lahiya, 1 Palestinian scavenging scrap metal is killed, 4 are injured when they accidentally trigger unexploded IDF ordnance (UXO). In the West Bank, the IDF bulldozes 20 olive trees on a plot of Palestinian land on the s. border of Ni‘lin, declaring it a closed military zone; conducts synchronized late-night arrest raids, house searches into Tulkarm, neighboring Nur Shams refugee camp (r.c.), and 5 nearby villages; conducts similar late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron; closes a gate in the separation wall nr. Dahiyat al-Barid (located btwn. the separation wall and the Green Line nr. Jerusalem), forcing villagers to travel 1–2 hrs. through the Qalandia crossing to access the rest of the West Bank. The Israeli government authorizes the confiscation of 1,700 dunams (d.; 4 d. = 1 acre) of Palestinian land in the villages of al-Ma‘sara, Umm Salamuna, and Wadi al-Nas nr. Bethlehem for expansion of Efrat and Gush Etzion settlements (2,500 new housing units, increasing the settler population there fr. 9,000 to 30,000). (Mideast Mirror 2/16; NYT, WP 2/17; OCHA 2/18; PCHR 2/19; OCHA 2/24)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late night arrest raids in and around Jenin town and r.c., Nablus, and in al-Fara‘a r.c. nr. Tubas (firing live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets on stone-throwing youths who confront them, wounding 6); 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 2 Palestinians, 1 international). Israel imposes new restrictions requiring Palestinian medical personnel fr. the West Bank who work in Jerusalem to enter Jerusalem only through the Qalandia checkpoint, the most crowded checkpoint, causing them significant delays. Heavy rains cause the collapse of 10 smuggling tunnels on the Rafah border, trapping and injuring at least 7 Palestinians. Egypt allows the entry of a delegation of Islamic Jihad officials fr. Gaza who are heading to Damascus for a wk. of internal discussions on Egypt’s proposed national unity plan ahead of national unity talks in Cairo on 11/9. Inside Israel, Hebrew University student Ali Baher, an Israeli Palestinian, is detained by campus security, questioned for 3 hrs., charged with “inappropriate conduct” for refusing on political grounds to shake hands with Pres. Shimon Peres, who randomly approached Baher while he was touring the campus library meeting with students; the university evicts Baher from campus housing and orders a disciplinary hearing (date not set) to decide whether he should be suspended. (MNA 11/2; OCHA 11/5; PCHR, Physicians for Human Rights–Israel press release 11/6)

Concerned by the escalating settler violence directed at Israeli security forces, the Israeli cabinet at its weekly meeting votes to suspend all direct and indirect government funding to unauthorized settlement outposts (especially citing infrastructure such as roads, garbage collection, and school buses) in the 1st de facto admission that public funds are used to advance illegal settlement. Olmert also proposes increasing arrests and administrative detention of Jewish settlers who break the law. The Jerusalem District Juvenile Court remands and indicts 3 Jewish settler girls (ages 12, 15, 17) for reckless endangerment, aggravated assault of security forces, and obstruction of a police officer for attacks against Israeli border police in Givat Harsina on 10/30. IDF district cmdr. Noam Tivon cancels plans to give a speech at a yeshiva in Efrat settlement nr. Bethlehem after Jewish settlers fr. Hebron threaten to hold a massive demonstration to block his visit, calling him an “expulsion criminal” for previously ordering the removal settlers fr. the unauthorized Federman Farm outpost. (YA 11/2; NYT, WP 11/3; WT 11/4; MM 11/4, 11/7)

In the West Bank, the IDF makes a predawn raid on Kafr Malik nr. Hebron, firing on 2 Palestinians allegedly carrying Molotov cocktails, killing 1 Palestinian; makes a predawn raid on Qabatya nr. Jenin (which is under daytime PA security control), arresting 4 Islamic Jihad mbrs., confiscating 88 lbs. of explosives; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-Fara‘a r.c., Jenin town and r.c. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim nr. Qalqilya burn a Palestinian olive grove. Jewish settlers fr. Elon Moreh nr. Nablus slash the tires, break the windows of the car of a Palestinian family harvesting their olive grove nearby; IDF soldiers observe but refuse requests of the Palestinian family to intervene. Jewish settlers fr. Efrat and Kefar Etzion nr. Bethlehem, escorted by the IDF, set up several mobile homes at an abandoned IDF post in Bayt Sahur, hold prayers in local park. (NYT 10/17; OCHA 10/22; PCHR 10/23; AIC 11/9)