The Palestine Chronology

For a 7th day in a row, Palestinians across the oPt gather to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital (attendance continues to steadily decline). Israeli forces violently disperse protestors in Hebron and 3 nearby villages (Dura, Bayt Umar, and Halhul), outside the Beit El settlement near Ramallah, Bethlehem, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and along Gaza’s border near al-Bureij refugee camp, Bayt Hanun, Khan Yunis, and Rafah; at least 26 Palestinians are injured, including 1 journalist, and 5 are arrested. Meanwhile, IDF troops violently detain 2 Palestinian youths inside an ambulance in Halhul; arrest 3 Palestinians during late-night raids in Hebron and near Ramallah; and patrol in and around Hebron, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian students outside a school in Burin village near Nablus, sparking minor clashes; there are no serious injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids in Issawiyya and Abu Dis. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 12/13; MNA, PCHR 12/14)

Unidentified parties fire 3 rockets from Gaza toward Israel in the evening; 2 are intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system and 1 falls in an open area, causing no damage or injuries. The IAF conducts air strikes on at least 5 Hamas sites across Gaza, causing damage but no injuries. The Israeli authorities announce that both the Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings will be closed indefinitely as collective punishment for the week of rocket attacks emanating from Gaza. (HA, TOI 12/13; HA, PCHR, WAFA, YA 12/14; PCHR 12/21)

At an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, reps. of the 57 OIC members jointly declare East Jerusalem to be the capital of the State of Palestine and urge all countries to recognize Palestine. Addressing the attendees, PA pres. Abbas says that Israel’s violations and of international law free the Palestinians from prior commitments made in context of the peace process, threatens to abandon the PA’s security coordination with the IDF, and announces the Palestinians’ intention to go to the UNSC for full UN membership. (AFP, HA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/13)

In Gaza, Sarayat al-Shaykh Umar Hadid fire a Katyusha 130 rocket into Israel and it lands nr. Ashqelon, causing no serious damage or injuries. The group says that the recent rocket attacks (today and 6/3) are meant to remind Hamas that Israel is the enemy. In response, IAF jets launch air strikes on a vacant Hamas military base in n. Gaza, causing severe damage. Off the coast nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval forces fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian and international activists nonviolently commemorating the 48th anniversary of al-Naksa nr. Jerusalem; there are no serious injuries. The IDF also conducts house searches and raids in 2 villages each nr. Hebron and Qalqilya, arresting 4 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 3 others; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Ramallah and Tulkarm, and 1 each nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, and Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians on raids in Issawiyya and the Old City. (MNA, WAFA 6/6; HA, MNA, REU 6/7; PCHR 6/11)

An Egyptian appeals court overturns a lower court’s 2/28 designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization, following an appeal from the State Litigation Authority. A court official says the previous ruling is thrown out because the lower court did not have the proper jurisdiction. Hamas welcomes the new decision. (AHR, MNA, YA 6/6)

On the 2d day of billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s summit for pro-Israel U.S. megadonors in Las Vegas, a letter is read aloud from Israeli PM Netanyahu announcing that the Israeli govt. will begin expanding its efforts to counter the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The same day, Netanyahu announces that Strategic Affairs Min. Gilad Erdan’s office will receive NIS 100 m. (around $25.4 m.) to escalate its anti-BDS efforts, including hiring 10 new employees to deal solely with “delegitimization” activities worldwide. (FWD 6/4; TOI, YA 6/7; HA [Beinart Analysis], JTA 6/10)

The IDF continues its assault on the Gaza Strip, killing 61 Palestinians. Local officials say targets struck include 5 mosques and a soccer stadium, in addition to other Palestinian infrastructure and multiple tunnels. Prolonged Israeli shelling of Khan Yunis kills at least 6 and wounds more than 20. Also, the IDF strikes a UNRWA-run school in c. Gaza. Palestinian fighters kill 2 Israeli soldiers overnight and fire approximately 67 rockets and mortar shells into Israel, with 18 projectiles intercepted by Iron Dome batteries. In the West Bank, an Israeli citizen shoots and kills a Palestinian man between al-Ram and Hizma checkpoint n. of Jerusalem, reportedly after the Palestinian man threw stones at the Israeli’s car. IDF troops shoot and injure 5 Palestinians in ‘Askar r.c. nr. Nablus, during clashes in an arrest raid. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Nablus and 2 villages nr. Ramallah at night. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces clash with Palestinians in at-Tur, Shu‘fat r.c., and Issawiyya, causing no serious injuries. (AFP, AP, JP, MNA, REU, YA 7/22; PCHR 7/23)

After 1 rocket lands nr. Ben Gurion Airport, the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) bans flights to and from Israel for at least 24 hours, and the European Aviation Safety Agency advises all carriers to avoid Tel Aviv “until further notice.” Israel’s Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, in a statement, says “there is no need for U.S. carriers to suspend flights and reward terrorism.” U.S. Secy. of State Kerry and PM Netanyahu later discuss the FAA ban on a phone call. (AFP, AP, JP, MNA, REU, YA 7/22)

At a monthly meeting of the EU Council, the 28 EU FMs issue a statement that “strongly condemns the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and militant groups in the Gaza Strip” and also “condemns calls on the civilian population of Gaza to provide themselves as human shields.” Meanwhile, Secy. of State Kerry meets with Egypt’s Pres. al-Sisi in Cairo to discuss Gaza, and afterward, affirms that “there is a framework available to end the violence, and that framework was the Egyptian initiative.” Senior Fatah official al-Ahmad flies in to Cairo to also meet with Kerry. In Israel, UN Secy.-Gen. Ban meets with PM Netanyahu and at a Tel Aviv press conference, Ban condemns the rocket attacks, while the Israeli leader accuses Hamas of committing a “double war crime” of targeting Israeli civilians while using Palestinian civilians as human shields. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, REU, YA 7/22)