The Palestine Chronology

Amid a 2d day of deadly violence in the West Bank, unidentified assailants open fire on an Israeli settler vehicle nr. Hebron, killing 1 settler and injuring 3 (1 critically). Meanwhile, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian in c. Hebron after she allegedly attempts to stab Israeli officers at a security checkpoint. The alleged attacker was from Bani Na‘im, the home village of the Palestinian killed nr. Hebron on 6/30. The IDF then locks down Bani Na‘im village completely. Earlier, the IDF locks down Shwayka village nr. Tulkarm, the hometown of the Palestinian killed in Netanya on 6/30. Israeli troops conduct raids in Shwayka overnight, threatening punitive demolition of the attacker’s home. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops fire tear gas at Palestinians throwing stones in frustration over long wait times at the Qalandia checkpoint; 27 Palestinians are lightly injured. Palestinian paramedics are temporarily prevented from treating those affected, and 1 Palestinian suffers a heart attack and dies. The Israeli authorities say 3 Israeli soldiers are injured as well. (EI, HA, JP 7/1; PCHR 7/14)

In response to the day’s violence in and around Hebron, the IDF places the region under a general closure (the closure will be in place in some form through most of 7/2016): All crossings in and out of the city are closed, except for humanitarian cases, and the entrances to at least 9 nearby villages are also blocked off. Furthermore, a news leak, quoting senior Israeli sources, says that Israeli PM Netanyahu and DM Lieberman approve the construction of 42 new housing units in the Kiryat Arba settlement nr. Hebron, where a settler youth was killed on 6/30. The same Israeli sources that leak this also say that the political leadership has decided to establish a special graveyard for Palestinians killed during or after committing serious crimes against Israelis, which they think can end the conflict over withholding these Palestinian bodies. (HA, MNA, TOI 7/2)

Late at night, Palestinian fighters fire a rocket from Gaza into Israel. It lands in Sderot, causing minor damage to 1 building and lightly damaging several others. In response, the IAF launches air strikes on at least 9 Hamas and PIJ military sites in Gaza City, nr. Bayt Lahiya and Bayt Hanun, causing substantial damage and 1 minor injury. An Egyptian power line is damaged in the strikes, causing extended blackouts (it will be repaired on 7/2). (HA, YA 7/1; JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 7/2)

Across the oPt, Israeli forces arrest 9 Palestinians during raids and house searches nr. Tulkarm, Hebron, and East Jerusalem; and conduct 15 patrols in the Hebron area during the day. They also violently disperse Palestinians, Israelis, and international activists at Friday demonstrations against Israel’s occupation, settlements, and separation wall in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih), Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, and along Gaza’s border nr. al-Bureij r.c.; 3 Palestinians are injured. In East Jerusalem, Palestinians throw stones at Israeli security forces nr. the Old City, causing no injuries. More than 3,000 Israeli police are deployed in the city today. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 7/1; TOI 7/2; MNA 7/5; PCHR 7/14)

The Middle East Quartet releases a report on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighting the steps taken by both sides that have made a 2-state solution less viable. Both the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships criticize the report. (AFP, HA, NYT, YA 7/1)

In Kiryat Motzkin, nr. Haifa, a Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a device outside a cafe, wounding 15 Israelis. Islamic Jihad takes responsibility. (The bomber, Muhammad Nasr, was a fmr. PSF guard who quit his job at the Jinin jail after Islamic Jihad leader Iyad Hardan, who had befriended Nasr during his incarceration there, was assassinated on 4/5.) Afterward, Israeli Jews attack, severely beat an Israeli-Arab family in Haifa. Meanwhile, the IDF directs heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Hebron, fatally shooting a 7-yr.-old Palestinian girl in her home, wounding 19 others; on hearing the news of the girl's death, the child's grandmother has a fatal heart attack. The IDF also occupies the Palestinian Telecommunications (Paltel) building in Abu Dis, which handles Palestinian telephone service in the Jerusalem area; Israel says Paltel may continue operations in coordination with IDF officers posted on site. The IDF directs heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Bethlehem; demolishes a Palestinian home, bulldozes agricultural land in al-Qarara. Jewish settlers uproot a Palestinian olive grove nr. Ma'ale Shomron settlement. Demonstrations continue outside Orient House. Peace Now sponsors a protest vigil outside the PM's office in Jerusalem. Israeli police set up a new police post at Damascus Gate, new security cameras in several areas in the Old City. (AFP [Internet], IDF press release 8/12; HP, NYT, WP, WT 8/13; MENA, al-Ra'i 8/13 in WNC 8/14; NYT 8/14; MA 8/14 in WNC 8/15; MEZ 8/15; Independent [Internet] 8/16)

Sharon authorizes Peres to open security talks with senior PA officials but requires him seek special permission to meet with Arafat. (FMin. press release 8/12; AP, HP, WT 8/13; AYM 8/13 in WNC 8/14; WT 8/14; al-Ra'i 8/16 in WNC 8/17)

In Cairo, FM Maher, Mubarak's senior adviser Osama Baz meet with Oslo architect and fmr. Israeli MK Yossi Beilin to discuss ways achieving an Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire, renewing negotiations. (MENA 8/13 in WNC 8/14)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes leave a total of 2 Palestinian, 1 Jewish settler dead. Israeli DM Ben-Eliezer approves deployment of special forces units to bolster the IDF in the West Bank; some units will operate undercover, lying in ambush for Palestinian attackers, while others will operate overtly in a show of force. Jewish settlers increase vigilante attacks in the West Bank, shooting at and stoning Palestinian cars, beating a group of Palestinians nr. Nablus. In Bethlehem, a Palestinian, previously questioned by the PSF for selling land to Israelis, is killed in a drive-by shooting outside his home, raising speculation that Palestinians targeted him as a collaborator. (HA, MM, NYT 6/1; HP 6/2)

In Washington, Israeli pres. Moshe Katsav meets separately with Bush, Powell; asks the U.S. to set a deadline for the Palestinians to halt attacks on Israel. Bush makes no commitment. Afterwards, Katsav says Bush did not ask Israel not to retaliate against Palestinian attacks; warns Arafat that he has a "few days, no more" to end the violence or face a sharply escalated IDF military response. Powell phones Arafat and asks him to "implement the Mitchell Comm.'s call for an immediate, unconditional cease-fire." (JP [Internet] 5/31; WP, WT 6/1; WJW 6/7)

Orient House head and PLO Jerusalem Affairs M Faisal Husseini dies unexpectedly of a heart attack in Kuwait. (BBC, CNN, HA, JP [Internet] 5/31; AFP 5/31 in WNC 6/1; MM, WP, WT 6/1; DUS 6/11 in WNC 6/12; al-Quds 6/20 in WNC 6/22)