The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids in al-Til and neighboring ‘Allar; fires live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets at stone-throwing Palestinians demonstrating against Israeli excavations at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, wounding 2. In addition to the weekly nonviolent demonstration in Bil‘in, 100s of Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists take part in nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall nr. Bethlehem, Marda, Salfit, Tulkarm; in each case, the IDF fires tear gas, percussion grenades to disperse the demonstrators, injuring several. In an evacuated settlement site nr. Khan Yunis, 1 Hamas mbr. is killed, 9 are wounded when explosives they are handling during a training exercise accidentally detonate. Nr. Rafah, 3 Palestinians are injured when they accidentally trigger an unexploded IDF shell. Jewish settlers fr. Beit Hadasah in Hebron chase, severely beat 3 Palestinians (ages 10, 40, 55); the IDF intervenes, arrests 1 Palestinian. The bedouin residents of the unrecognized village of al-Nasara in the Negev report that over the past 3 wks., Israel has issued eviction orders to around 250 residents, declaring plans to build an IDF installation on the site of the village. (NYT 3/31; OCHA 4/4; PCHR 4/5)

The IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Jericho and neighboring ‘Aqabat Jabir r.c., Qalqilya, Tamun and nr. Hebron. The Israeli navy fire 7 shells at Palestinian fishing boats nr. Rafah, forcing the boats back to shore, causing no injuries; later in the day arrests 6 Palestinian fishermen off the Rafah coast, confiscating 2 boats. Inside Israel, the Israel Lands Authority issues demolition orders for a Palestinian playground in the unrecognized village of Dahamesh nr. Ramla, stating it was built illegally on state land and “represents an incursion into farmland beyond the boundaries of the unrecognized settlement”; children in Dahamesh had no safe place to play before the playground was built with EU donor funds. In Gaza City, DFLP, PFLP, Islamic Jihad mbrs. hold a sit-in to protest ongoing Fatah-Hamas violence. Meanwhile, ESF, Fatah mbrs. exchange fire in Bayt Lahiya, wounding 1 ESF mbr. A Force 17 mbr. injured in clashes with Fatah in Gaza City on 1/9 dies. In the West Bank, suspected Fatah mbrs. vandalize, set fire to offices of the Jinata municipality (controlled by Hamas) nr. Bethlehem. (HA 1/10; PCHR 1/11; OCHA 1/17; PCHR 1/18)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on Palestinians collecting scrap metal nr. the border fence, wounding 4. The Israeli navy fires on Palestinian fishermen w. of Rafah, damaging some boats but causing no injuries. The AMB fire 3 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Also in Gaza, Palestinian haulers hold a 1-day strike to protest new Israeli restrictions barring the passage of specific types of trailers through the Qarni industrial crossing. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in ‘Askar r.c., Nablus, Qalqilya, al-Walaja nr. Bethlehem. Inside Israel, Israeli police demolish Israeli police demolish 17 homes in the unrecognized village of Twayyil in the Negev. (Palestine Information Center, Palestine Times [London] 12/6; MM, PCHR 12/7; IMEMC 12/12; OCHA 12/13; PCHR 12/14)

The IDF imposes a curfew on, patrols in, fires on residential areas of Dayr Istiyya nr. Salfit; patrols in Tamun and Tubas nr. Jenin; occupies 5 Palestinian homes in Allar nr. Tulkarm as observation posts; fires on residential areas of Rafah, wounding a Palestinian infant inside her home. A Jewish settler injures a 69-yr.-old Palestinian woman in a hit-and-run incident in the West Bank (exact place not reported). (VOI 7/1 in WNC 7/2; OCHA 7/6; PCHR 7/7)

Israel police send a large contingent (20 vehicles) into the unrecognized village of Bir al-Mashash in the Negev, with home demolition orders covering all structures in the village of 4,000 Israeli Palestinians. Angry residents scuffle with police, leaving at least 2 Israeli Palestinians hospitalized. (IMEMC 7/1)