The Palestine Chronology

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinians walking close to the border fence nr. Bayt Lahiya, wounding 2. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Qalqilya at night; patrols in 2 villages nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Jericho and Jenin at night. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum). There are no serious injuries, except in Kafr Qaddum, where 5 are injured (4 struck by tear gas canisters, including 1 international, and 1 hit by a live bullet). (MNA 9/20; PCHR 9/26)

An Arab-introduced res. at the IAEA’s annual conference in Vienna to censure Israel’s refusal to allow international oversight of its nuclear weapons is voted down 43–54–32 (and another 30 countries were absent during the vote). (AP 9/20)

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) says that Syria has given details of some of its arsenal but still needs to fill in the gaps by next week to satisfy the timetable proposed by the Russian-U.S. plan. (REU 9/20)

White House dep. spokesperson Josh Earnest says that the Obama administration is ready to engage in talks with Iran “on the basis of mutual respect” about the country’s nuclear program. (REU 9/20)

Egyptian police arrest some 87 wanted men in a village nr. Cairo, while separately, gunmen target 3 military vehicles in Rafah, injuring 3 soldiers. Security forces say they also arrested 15 Salafist militants in villages in the n. Sinai. (AFP, AP, MNA 9/20)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries or damage to vessels. In the West Bank, the IDF shoots and injures a Palestinian in Dahaysha r.c. in Bethlehem after troops entered the camp, provoking clashes. IDF troops also clash with residents in Jaba‘ village nr. Jenin during a patrol, with Palestinian youth throwing stones and soldiers responding with rubber-coated metal bullets. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Hebron at night, patrols in 1 village each nr. Jenin and Ramallah in the morning, 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 village nr. Jenin at night. (PCHR 8/29; WAFA 8/22)

Palestinian officials say that U.S. envoy Martin Indyk and his team have not attended any of the negotiating sessions thus far at the request of the Israelis. Both Yasir ‘Abid Rabbuh and Hanan Ashrawi claim that Israel intends for the lack of U.S. participation in the 3 meetings, since the resumption of talks to strengthen Israel’s power over the Palestinians. Meanwhile, Pres. Mahmud Abbas meets with a delegation from the Israeli party Meretz in Ramallah, telling them that signing a peace agreement will mean the “end of the conflict” and that a future Palestinian state would agree to be demilitarized. Abbas also tells the Israeli politicians that the Palestinian leadership is unhappy with the slow pace of negotiations. (HA, JP, ToI 8/22)

Suspected mbrs. of the al-Qa‘ida-linked Brigades of Abdullah Azzam fire 4 rockets from s. Lebanon into n. Israel, causing no damage or injuries (and with 1 intercepted by Iron Dome missile defense batteries). The IDF says it views the attack as an isolated incident, and attributes it to “global jihad” elements. On 8/27, the brigades appear to directly claim responsibility for the attack via a statement published on the Twitter account of a Salafist cleric known to be affiliated with the group. Meanwhile, gunmen in Tripoli open fire and kill 3 outside the home of Hizballah supporter. (AP, HA, REU 8/22; YA 8/27)

Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz says that the govt. believes that Syrian forces are responsible for a chemical weapons attack that reportedly killed hundreds of people in Ghouta, a rebel-controlled suburb of Damascus. Meanwhile, Syria’s dep. PM says that foreign fighters and their international supporters are to blame for the attack. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexander Lukashevich says that his govt. urges the Syrian authorities and the UN to agree on chemical weapons experts visiting the site of the alleged attack. (AP, AFP, REU 8/22)

Former Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak is released from a prison cell and moved to house arrest at a military hospital. (NYT 8/22)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry welcomes the Arab League’s expression of support for reviving peace talks made the previous day, describing it as a ‘‘very big step forward.’’ An Israeli official welcomes the development, but says that the framework will not be a starting point for talks. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni says that the Arab League proposal represents encouragement for the Palestinians that they have regional support for a negotiated agreement. PLO Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat says that the Arab League’s support for land swaps is nothing new. Meanwhile, Israel’s Construction and Housing Minister Uri Ariel says that his party, Bayit Yehudi, will not back a 2013 budget that does not include full funding for West Bank settlement construction projects. (NYT 4/29; MNA, JP 4/30)

In the Gaza Strip, the IDF makes an air strike nr. Rafah assassinating Hitham al-Mishal, whom Israel accuses of being a Salafist militant responsible for arms manufacturing. In response, Hamas urges Egypt to ensure that Israel stays committed to the truce deal signed at the end of Operation Pillar of Defense in 11/2012 (see QU 167). Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen twice, once off the central Gaza coast nr. Dayr al-Balah and once off the south Gaza coast nr. Rafah, in the latter case causing damage and 1 injury. IDF forces also make a brief incursion into central Gaza nr. Juhr al-Dikto level land and clear lines of sight along the border fence. In the West Bank, a Palestinian fatally stabs a Jewish settler from Yitzhar at a Tapuach junction bus stop. In retaliation, Jewish settlers riot and attack Palestinians across the West Bank, including blocking roads and throwing stones at passing vehicles. Overall, the Palestinian civil defense report 57 fires across the West Bank caused by settlers, with damage to hundreds of olive and almond trees. In the most serious incident, Jewish settlers from Yitzhar settlement attack a mosque in Urif village and try to set it on fire; and stone a bus carrying Palestinian schoolchildren, injuring 2. The attack on Urif sparks clashes between IDF forces and Palestinians, leaving 4 Palestinians injured. Meanwhile, the IDF patrols in Hebron and 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; conducts house searches and arrest raids in Tulkarm in the afternoon, and in Bethlehem and Tulkarm at night. (HA, MNA 4/30; MNA 5/1; PCHR 5/2)

UNRWA estimates that 235,000 Palestinian refugees have been displaced inside Syria during the ongoing civil war. (AP, WAFA 4/30)

Palestinian prisoner Maysara Abuhamdieh dies in Israeli jail from complications caused by terminal cancer, prompting clashes between protesters and IDF forces in Hebron. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Committee blames Israel for Abuhamdieh’s death, saying that he did not receive adequate medical treatment. Gaza’s tiny Salafist group, the Mujahidin Shura Council, fires 3 mortars towards Israel, claiming retaliation for Abuhamdieh’s death; 2 of the mortars fall within Gaza. In retaliation, the IDF makes 2 nighttime airstrikes nr. Bayt Lahiya. No injuries are reported in either incident. Meanwhile, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Tulkarmin the morning, and in and around Hebronin the afternoon; conducts house searches and arrest raids in and around Bethlehem and nearby Dahaysha r.c., in and around Hebron, in Jenin, and in 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night. (HA 4/2; ToI, YA 4/3; PCHR 4/4)

Hamas’ Shura Council elects Khalid Mishal as politburo head for the fourth time, according to Egyptian officials. The secret election is conducted in a Cairo hotel. (MNA 4/2)

Israeli forces and unidentified armed persons in Syria briefly exchange fire across the demarcation line on the Golan Heights. The IDF reports no injuries or damage on its side, but claim that its return of fire scored a ‘‘direct hit.’’ (AP, REU 4/2)

At an Arab League meeting in Doha, Palestinian pres. Abbas calls for renewed negotiations with Israel for a 6-mo. period, provided that Israel freeze all West Bank and East Jerusalem settlement construction during that time. Responding to recent public Palestinian criticism over the increasing cost of living, Abbas also calls for an amendment to the 1994 Paris Protocol covering economic relations between Israel and the PA. At the meeting, Qatari PM Shaykh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani says that the 2002 Arab peace initiative (offering full normalization for full peace; see Quarterly Update in JPS 124) should be reviewed, though Abbas urges against withdrawing the initiative. Arab states agree to provide the PA with a monthly ‘‘safety net’’ of $100 m. to help bridge the PA budget deficit. The PA announces that it hopes to pay civil servants’ salaries for 11/2012 in the coming days. (AFP, JP, MNA, REU, ToI 12/9)

Israeli PM Netanyahu criticizes PA pres. Abbas for engaging with Hamas in reconciliation efforts. In Gaza, visiting Hamas leader Mishal says that it is time for Hamas and Fatah to put past mistakes behind them, though free and fair Palestinian elections should come first. (MNA, ToI 12/9)

In the Gaza Strip, the Hamas government releases Abu Hafs al-Maqdisi, leader of Salafist group Jaysh al-Ummah (Army of the Nation). The IDF fires warning shots at Palestinians collecting gravel and rubble close to the border fence nr. Bayt Hanun, wounding 1. In the West Bank, Jewish settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles in 2 incidents nr. Bethlehem and Hebron, injuring 1 Palestinian woman. The IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Ramallah in the morning, in 1 village nr. Ramallah and 2 villages nr. Tulkarm in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Ramallah at night. The IDF also conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, in Nablus and 2 nearby villages, and 1 village each nr. Bethlehem and Ramallah at night. (MNA 12/10; PCHR 12/13)

The death toll in clashes in Tripoli between Lebanese Sunni and Alawite militias hits at least 17, with over 100 wounded, in the worst case of spill-over violence in Lebanon from Syria’s civil war. (NYT 12/9)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Tulkarm and several nearby villages repeatedly during the day; patrols in a major show of force in Nabi Salih late at night, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades in the streets to harass residents and temporarily occupying the local council headquarters as an observation post. Palestinians and international activists demonstrate in Bayt Umar against settlement expansion; the IDF fires stun grenades and beats several demonstrators, injuring 4 Palestinians (including 1 child). In Gaza City, Hamas authorities break up a demonstration by 10s of Salafists protesting the U.S. assassination of Osama Bin Laden. (WP 5/8; OCHA, PCHR 5/12)

In Syria, troops and tanks surround, cut off, and raid Baniyas and Zabadani village outside Damascus. (NYT, WP 5/8)