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, 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)