The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers sprayed pepper spray at a Palestinian herder in Kisan. Israeli settlers also vandalized 30 olive trees in al-Zawiya. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians in Biddu protesting the assassination killing of 3 Palestinians in Nablus on 2/8, injuring 3 with rubber-coated bullets. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians protesting in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 10 with rubber-coated bullets. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, injuring 1 with live ammunition and 3 with rubber-coated bullets. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Dajan, injuring 8 with rubber-coated bullets and others with tear gas. 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Anza and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, a fire broke out in an apartment in Sheikh Jarrah inhabited by Israeli settlers; Israeli settlers claimed it was the result of arson while Palestinians said the fire started due to an electrical short; 2 Palestinians were arrested. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Silwan, displacing 2. 5 Palestinians were arrested at the Haram al-Sharif compound. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of the coast; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian herders northeast of Khan Yunis, no injuries were reported. (MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/11; ALM, HA 2/14; HA, PCHR 2/17; UNOCHA 2/28)

Norway announced that it will contribute $125.5 million to the UNRWA over the next 4 years. (WAFA 2/12; WAFA 2/14; MEMO 2/15)

In the West Bank, the IDF orders temporary alterations to its rules of engagement, responding to the increased tensions since the 7/31 arson attack. Israeli soldiers are now required to hold their fire unless their lives are in immediate danger, and are only permitted to fire shots in the air toward a fleeing suspect rather than at the lower body. Israeli forces demolish multiple residential units in the n. Jordan Valley overnight. IDF troops conduct raids in c. Hebron and a nearby village, arresting 1 Palestinian and assaulting and lightly injuring 2; patrol in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, and Salfit. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces deny a group of Palestinian youths entrance to Haram al-Sharif for the 2d day in a row, then they detain a Palestinian woman and youth suspected of assaulting Israeli officers in the sanctuary. Israeli forces also demolish a store in al-Tur and a commercial building in the Qalandia industrial zone n. of the city; patrol in Silwan and Issawiyya, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 8/11; HA, JP, TOI 8/12; PCHR 8/13)

The IPS says talks broke down today with the Palestinian prisoners who declared a campaign of disobedience in the Nafha and Ramon Prisons on 8/10. IPS reportedly offered to lift the restrictions after 6 mos. while the prisoners demanded they be lifted immediately. (MNA 8/11)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian man after he allegedly participates in a group stabbing of an Israeli settler nr. Ramallah. The Israeli settler is moderately injured. On a series of raids of Israeli settlement outposts nr. Nablus, Israeli forces arrest as many as 9 Israeli settlers suspected of recent attacks and perpetrating the 7/31 arson attack in Duma, nr. Nablus, that led to the death of 3 Palestinians; 2 of the suspects are placed in administrative detention; they also deliver stop-work orders to 2 EU-funded water tanks under construction nr. Hebron. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in Hebron and 1 nearby village, Jenin, and Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem, arresting 6 Palestinians and issuing an arrest summons to 1; patrols during the day in al-Fawar r.c. and 2 villages nr. Hebron, 4 villages nr. Jenin, and 1 nr. Qalqilya. Israeli forces demolish 3 dirt roads and 3 olive trees nr. Qalqilya and a livestock building in a village nr. Salfit; deliver a notice to a water tank operator in a village nr. Hebron, requiring him to halt operations. A Palestinian child is seriously injured when he accidentally triggers a piece of unexploded Israeli ordnance nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian agricultural land nr. Nablus, burning hundreds of acres. Off the coast of Gaza nr. Dayr al-Balah, Israeli naval forces fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries, then arrest 2 fishermen. Outside UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City, hundreds of Palestinians gather to protest the agency’s proposed cuts in services for the 3d Sunday in a row. In East Jerusalem, around 30 right-wing Jewish activists tour Haram al-Sharif. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 8/9; YA 8/10; HA 8/12; PCHR 8/13)

After around 32 Palestinian prisoners join the mass open-ended hunger strike in Israel’s Nafha and Ramon Prisons, bringing the number of total participants to 180, the prisoners decide to end their strike, which began on 8/5. The Israel Prison Service (IPS) says no deal was made, but Palestinian Prisoners Society chair Qadura Fares says that IPS agreed to several concessions on terms of cell searches and other issues. Meanwhile, Israeli doctors at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba say they will refuse to force-feed hungerstriking Palestinian prisoner Allan. (MNA, TOI 8/9; HA, MNA, TOI 8/10)

In Gaza, 2 rockets are fired toward Israel, with 1 falling short of the n. border and the other exploding in open land on the Israeli side of the border fence; neither cause major damage. Off the n. coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no injuries. Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinian refugees gather in front of UNRWA’s headquarters in Gaza City for the 2d Sunday in a row to protest the agency’s recent reduction in services. In the West Bank, thousands of Palestinians march in Duma, nr. Nablus, in solidarity with the victims of the 7/31 arson attack in the village. Israeli forces erect mobile checkpoints outside the village to stop the march, sparking clashes in the evening; there are no serious injuries. IDF troops assault 1 Palestinian each in c. Hebron and Bethlehem; conduct late-night raids and house searches in 2 villages nr. Nablus, arresting 2 Palestinians; patrol during the day in 3 villages nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers return to the evacuated Sa-Nur settlement, harassing Palestinians in the area; throw rocks at a Palestinian bus s. of Hebron, causing minor damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities increase restrictions on Palestinians’ access to Haram al-Sharif, barring all Palestinian women and men under the age of 30 from entering between 7:00 and 11:00 A.M. Israeli forces detain 5 Palestinians as they leave the sanctuary. Later, minor clashes break out when 30 right-wing Jewish activists tour the sanctuary; there are no serious injuries. Meanwhile, Israeli forces also set up mobile checkpoints at 5 entrances to the Old City. In c. Israel, 3 Jewish Israelis assault a Palestinian in Lydda, shouting that he should be forced out of the city. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 8/2; MNA, TOI 8/3; PCHR 8/6)

U.S. and Egyptian officials, including U.S. secy. of state Kerry, meet in Cairo for a Egypt-U.S. strategic dialogue, the 1st such meeting since 12/2009. (SIS 7/17; AHR 7/27; AP, NYT, REU 8/2)

Overnight in the West Bank, 4 Jewish extremists set fire to 2 Palestinian family homes in the village of Duma, nr. Nablus, killing an 18-mo.-old child and severely injuring the 3 other mbrs. of his family (the father and mother will succumb to their injuries on 8/8 and 9/7, respectively). The extremists leave price-tag graffiti nr. the site of the attack. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at demonstrations against the Israeli occupation and the morning’s arson attack in 6 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Jalazun r.c., Silwad, and outside Ofer Prison) and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 4 Palestinians are injured. They also violently disperse Palestinians gathering in Hebron and 1 village nearby to protest the morning’s arson attack, injuring 6. In the evening, clashes break out at Atara checkpoint nr. Ramallah, and Israeli soldiers shoot a Palestinian in the back, critically injuring him (he will succumb to his injuries on 8/1). During the day, Israeli forces patrol in 5 villages nr. Hebron and 1 each nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah; assault a Palestinian driver at a checkpoint nr. Nablus. An Israeli settler rams a Palestinian firefighter with a car while he is putting out a fire nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers also damage 35 olive tree seedlings nr. Ramallah. Elsewhere, a Palestinian opens fire on an Israeli vehicle nr. Ramallah, causing damage. Late at night, unknown assailants throw a molotov cocktail at a Hamas leader’s car in Jenin. IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Bayt Lahiya open fire on a small group of Palestinians approaching the border fence to protest the morning’s arson attack nr. Jenin, killing 1 and moderately wounding another. In East Jerusalem, the Israeli authorities bar men under 50 from entering Haram al-Sharif in the wake of the morning arson attack. Clashes break out across the city, with Israeli forces firing rubber-coated metal bullets at Palestinian protesters in Shu‘fat r.c., Issawiyya, Bayt Hanina, al-Suwana, al-Tur, and Silwan; 2 Israeli police officers and 13 Palestinians are injured, including 1 seriously. Meanwhile, unknown assailants throw rocks and firebombs in the Old City, injuring 1 Israeli police officer. An Israeli settler rams a Palestinian with a car in Ras al-Amud, injuring him. During the day, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinians on raids and patrols in the Old City and Silwan. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 7/31; HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 8/1; PCHR 8/6)

In Ramallah, 5 new ministers are sworn into the PA consensus govt. after being announced on 7/30. (MNA 7/30; HA, YA 8/4; MNA 8/5)

In Gaza, the IDF bars a Palestinian journalist from passing through the Erez border crossing, despite the fact that he was issued a permit on 6/20. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 2 Palestinian structures nr. Salfit. IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in 2 villages nr. Ramallah, confiscating property and arresting 3 Palestinians. Israeli settlers spray price-tag graffiti on walls in Tiberius; assault Palestinians in c. Hebron; cut down 70 olive trees nr. Nablus. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian stabs and seriously injures an Israeli border policeman nr. Damascus Gate of the Old City. The policeman then shoots the Palestinian man multiple times, leaving him in critical condition. Israeli forces consequently raid the Palestinian man’s home nr. Hebron. Israeli forces later clash with Palestinians gathering nr. Damascus Gate and separately with Palestinians leaving Haram al-Sharif; 4 Palestinians are injured. They conduct late-night raids in Silwan, Jabal Mukabir, and Issawiyya, arresting 3 Palestinians. In n. Israel, thousands of Christians attend a protest rally to condemn the 6/17 arson attack on a nearby church. (HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 6/21; MNA 6/22)

In response to the 6/19 shooting nr. Ramallah and today’s stabbing in East Jerusalem, Israeli PM Netanyahu and DM Ya’alon annul the 6/16 announcement permitting 500 Palestinians to fly abroad via Ben Gurion Airport during Ramadan. Additionally, they instruct the Defense Ministry to revoke the work permits of all Palestinian residents of the village nr. Hebron where today’s perpetrator is from, and say they will consider further punitive restrictions. (HA, TOI 6/22)

In Ramallah, French FM Fabius meets with PA pres. Abbas to discuss the French initiative to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, including a French-drafted UNSC res. Fabius then meets with Netanyahu in Israel to discuss the same issues. Ahead of the meeting, Netanyahu opposes the French initiative, saying “we will forcibly reject any attempt to force upon us international dictates”. (JP 6/17; HA, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA 6/21)

The Egyptian govt. announces the appointment of a new amb. to Israel, Hazem Khairat, who will travel to Tel Aviv in the coming mos. Egypt has not had an amb. to Israel since 2012, when Atef Salem was recalled in the midst of Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense. (HA, YA 6/21)

Israeli mbr. of Knesset (MK) Basel Ghattas (Joint List) announces his plans to join the Freedom Flotilla III, an international activist effort to deliver aid to Gaza and call attention to the Israeli blockade (the flotilla will set sail on 6/25). He calls on Netanyahu and the IDF to allow the flotilla to reach Gaza without their interference. (HA 6/21; MEE, MNA, WAFA 6/22)

Iranian parliamentarians approve amendments to the bill introduced on 6/17 to increase oversight on implementation of any agreement made with the P5+1. The amendments shift oversight responsibilities, and the power to end the deal, from parliamentarians to the Supreme National Security Council, which is chaired by Pres. Hassan Rouhani and controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. The bill must still be approved by the parliament and ratified by the Khamenei-controlled Guardian Council to become law. (AFP, REU 6/21)