The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian houses and vehicles in Kafr Qaddum, causing damage. Israeli forces raided the homes of 4 of the Palestinians accused of participating in the killing of an Israeli settler on 12/16 and took measurements for punitive demolitions in Silat al-Harithiya; the forces also violently dispersed Palestinians protesting the raids, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians protesting an Israeli incursion near Ramallah, inuring 1 with live ammunition and 1 minor with a rubber-coated bullet. Elsewhere, Israeli forces raided al-Lubban Ash-Sharqiya, assaulting the mayor of the village and several students. 13 Palestinians were arrested during house raids in Birzeit, Dura, al-Bireh, Kafl Haris, Abu Dis, Qatanna, Beit Umar, and Dahariya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities handed eviction orders to 2 families living on a plot of land in Sheikh Jarrah that Israel wants to construct a school on. The families were given until 1/25/2022 to leave their property, displacing 12 people. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled land east of al-Fukhari. Israeli forces also opened fire at Palestinian bird hunters east of Khuza‘a; no injuries were reported. In Israel, Israeli forces demolished the Bedouin village al-‘Araqeeb for the 196th time since 2000. (TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/20; MEMO 12/21; PCHR 12/23)

In East Jerusalem, EU representative to Palestine Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff led an EU delegation, meeting Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah threatened by Israeli forced evictions. (MEMO 12/21)

1 Palestinian prisoner in the Israeli Nafha prison allegedly stabbed 1 Israeli prison guard, lightly wounding the guard. There were subsequent reports of collective punishment of Palestinian prisoners in the same ward, including beatings and outdoor confinement in cold weather. (HA 12/20; WAFA 12/21)

Representatives for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel on administrative detention said the prisoners have decided to boycott sessions in Israeli military courts and in the supreme court from 1/1/2022 because of Israel’s arbitrary use of administrative detention on Palestinians. (HA 12/20)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said during the weekly cabinet meeting that the PA has sent a letter to the UN urging it to intervene against Israeli settler violence. (WAFA 12/20)

Palestinian member of the Knesset for United Arab List and chairperson of Knesset’s interior committee Walid Taha said he had canceled all official meetings for the week in protest over Israel’s interior minister Ayelet Shaked’s opposition to a bill that would provide electricity to Palestinian homes built in Israel without a permit. (HA 12/20)

Israel’s ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan wrote a letter to UN secretary-general António Guterres demanding that he acts to prevent UN funding from going to Palestinian rights organizations deemed terrorist organizations by Israel. The UN OCHA agency had mentioned its partnership with Health Work Committees in its plan for 2022, a Palestinian organization deemed illegal by Israel. (HA 12/20)

Israeli NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware was found on a Tunisian national’s phone. The man is part of a UN-mandated investigation into crimes committed in relation to the Saudi-led war in Yemen. (HA 12/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces delivered stop-work notices for 1 agricultural structure, 1 residential structure, 1 water well, and 1 playground in Susiya. Israeli forces arrested 3 Palestinian farmers and seized their tractor in al-Rakiz. 6 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Biddu, Beit ‘Anan, Bethlehem, Kafr ad-Dik, and Qarawat Bani Hassan. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers fenced off houses in Sheikh Jarrah with barbed wire, set up surveillance cameras, and assaulted 1 member of the Salem family, the owners of the land; the family is threatened with forced eviction. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own 3 houses on a plot of land in Silwan, displacing 35. 2 Palestinians were arrested in Isawiya. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/15; MEMO, PCHR 12/16)

UNESCO added Palestinian embroidery, tatreez, to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh thanked UNESCO for “protect[ing] our Palestinian identity, heritage and narrative, in the face of the occupation’s attempts to steal what it does not own.” Prime Minister Shtayyeh’s comment follows criticism of Miss Universe contestants dressing in Palestinian thobes while promoting Israel during events linked to the Miss Universe competition in Israel last week. (WAFA 12/15; AJ, WAFA 12/16)

The spokesperson for Christian churches in the Holy Land charged Israel with discriminating against Christian tourists by closing off Israel and the West Bank to foreign travelers due to the COVID-19 pandemic while at the same time allowing Jewish-only “Birthright” tourism. An official from the Catholic church called Israel’s discrimination shocking. (AP 12/15; DT 12/18; LT, TOI 12/19)

Al Monitor reported that Qatar and Israel had agreed to a bilateral agreement on allowing diamond trade between the 2 countries. The reporting suggested that Israeli diamond merchants will be allowed to enter Qatar and Qatari merchants will be able to enter Israel. Qatar and Israel have not had official ties since 2009. (ALM 12/15)

The Israeli supreme court criticized interior minister Ayelet Shaked for maintaining a ban on Palestinian family reunifications, despite the ban legally expiring in July this year. (HA 12/15)

U.S. senator Rand Paul (R-KY) blocked the passage of $1 billion in additional military aid to Israel, allegedly to replenish the Iron Dome arsenal. The Senate has been trying to pass the additional military aid to Israel through unanimous consent, but Senator Paul has blocked the 4 efforts. Senator Paul insists that the funding for Israel’s military should be deducted from aid earmarked for Afghanistan. (TOI 12/16; MEMO 12/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort attempted to raid a school in al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya before they were repelled by Palestinians protecting the students. Israeli forces razed agricultural lands in Birin, uprooting 120 olive and almond trees and demolishing 1 well in Khillat al-Furn. Israeli forces also raided Birzeit University, injuring 1 student with a rubber-coated bullet who was protesting the raid. 17 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Deir Abu Mash‘al, Deir Nidham, Kafr Ni‘ma, Bethlehem, al-Walaja, Sa‘ir, al-Shuyukh, Tarqumiyah, Tulkarm, Far‘un, and Kafr al-Labad; Israel also said that it had arrested 11 students of An-Najah University in Nablus, saying they were connected to a Hamas student network. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished the foundations to a house in al-Tur and demolished 1 house near the Old City. 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Wadi al-Juz and Isawiya; Israeli forces confiscated 11,500 NIS ($7,300) during a raid in Sur Baher. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 6 nautical miles north of Rafah; no injuries were reported. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/14; PCHR 12/16)

Israeli Channel 13 reported that a group called Returning to the Mount are praying at the Haram al-Sharif compound by disguising themselves as Muslims while following Islamic practices of prayer, but reciting Jewish prayers. Channel 13 reported that members of the group meet to learn how to appear like Muslim worshippers. (MEMO, TOI 12/14)

The Palestinian prisoners’ club said Israeli prison guards assaulted at least 3 female prisoners in Damon prison when they refused to leave their cell. The 3 prisoners were also transferred to solitary confinement. (MEMO, WAFA 12/19; MEE, MEMO 12/20)

PA and U.S. officials held a virtual meeting discussing economic ties. The meeting was headed by PA economic affairs minister Khaled Osaily and acting assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs Yael Lambert. (MEMO, WAFA 12/15; ALM 12/18)

Israel’s prime minister Naftali Bennett said settler violence is an “insignificant phenomena” in the West Bank, criticizing Israel’s public security minister Omer Bar-Lev, who on 12/13 brought up the issue in a meeting with U.S. state department undersecretary for political affairs Victoria Nuland. Prime Minister Bennett said that the settlers were the victims in the West Bank and needed the support of the Israeli government. Public Security Minister Bar-Lev subsequently reiterated his focus on settler violence during a trip to Hebron, saying that “it is truly difficult for some to look in the mirror” instead of tackling the issue of extremist settlers. (HA 12/14; HA 12/15; ALM 12/17)

Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate what HRW have found to be organized discriminatory behavior of Israeli law enforcement agencies when dealing with “Jewish ultra nationalist” and Palestinian citizens of Israel during the May 2021 civil unrest. HRW found that Israeli law enforcement used excessive force when dispersing Palestinians in Lydda while “failing to act even-handedly as Jewish ultra-nationalists attacked Palestinians.” (HRW, MEMO, WAFA 12/14)

Israel’s interior minister Ayelet Shaked announced that plans to construct the Trump Heights settlement in the Israeli occupied Golan Heights had advanced. The Trump Heights settlement, named after former U.S. president Donald Trump, will cover 70 acres. The announcement stated that construction of homes, public buildings, industrial zones, and roads can begin. (HA 12/14)

The Knesset passed the 1st reading of a bill that would allow Israeli police to conduct house raids in Israel without a court-issued warrant. An explanatory note to the bill clarified that the bill was intended for the Israeli police to use “in its battle against serious crime, and particularly serious crime in Arab society.” (Knesset 12/14; MEMO 12/15)

The officer of the Knesset granted the leader of United Arab List Mansour Abbas a security detail, as he was receiving a growing number of death threats. (MEMO 12/15)

The UAE said it had suspended talks with the U.S. on buying 50 F-35 fighter jets, citing “[t]echnical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions, and cost/benefit analysis.” The announcement follows U.S. concerns about the UAE’s relationship to China, including the UAE using Huawei 5G technology. The Trump administration had agreed to allow the UAE to purchase the F-35 fighter jets as part of the UAE’s and Israel’s normalization agreement. The UAE announced on 12/3, during a visit to the country by French president Emmanuel Macron, that it would buy 80 French-made Rafale fighter jets and 12 military helicopters. (AJ 12/3; AJ, AP, HA, MEMO, REU 12/14; REU, REU 12/15)

18 Democratic members of U.S. Congress wrote a letter to the Treasury and State Departments asking them to put sanctions on 4 foreign surveillance companies, including the Israeli NSO Group, citing the companies’ assistance in human rights abuses. Among the signatories were Senate finance committee chairperson Ron Wyden (D-OR) and House intelligence committee chairperson Adam Schiff (D-CA). (AJ, HA, MEMO, REU 12/15; +972 12/17)

Italy contributed $2.25 million to UNRWA programming in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and $1.13 million to UNRWA programming in Syria. (WAFA 12/14)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized some 70 olive trees in Khillat al-Dabe in Masafer Yatta. The Hebron Rehabilitation Committee said Israeli forces prevented its workers from renovating 12 Palestinian-owned homes in the al-Jabari area of Hebron. 12 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Bethlehem, Tuqu‘, Beit Fajjar, Beit Sahour, al-Am‘ari refugee camp, Beita, Bayt Dajan, and Rujeib. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian minor, facing eviction by Israeli settlers, allegedly stabbed an Israeli settler in her neighborhood in Sheikh Jarrah; the settler was lightly injured. The Palestinian girl was found in a nearby school 1 hour later and was arrested by Israeli forces; she denied involvement. Israeli forces also arrested 3 other people at the school and raided the girl’s home, arresting her mother. Israeli settlers toured Sheikh Jarrah, chanting “death to Arabs.” Israeli forces later closed off Sheikh Jarrah, preventing activists and journalists from entering the neighborhood. 5 Palestinians were arrested in Isawiya. In Israel, Israeli right-wing activists vandalized a mosque in Umm al-Fahm by spraying racist graffiti and drawing the Star of David on it. (AJ, HA, MEMO, MEMO, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/8; ALM, HA 12/9; HA 12/10; PCHR 12/16)

The Israeli Jerusalem municipality advanced early-stage plans for a new Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem near Bayt Safafa, to be called Givat Shaked. The plans for the new settlement include 473 settler units, 2 schools, and synagogues. The settlement was 1st proposed by former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, but shelved after international outrage, including from the U.S. (HA, MEE 12/6; MEMO 12/7; TOI 12/8)

Members of the Hamas political bureau visited Moscow for meetings with Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov. (MEMO 12/8)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Tunisian president Kais Saied in Tunis. (WAFA 12/7; WAFA, WAFA 12/8)

Jordan rescinded its submission to the Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, and apologized after pressure from Palestinians who called the film Amira offensive. The film depicts a Palestinian girl who is ostracized from her community after she discovers that she was conceived by sperm from an Israeli prison guard and not the Palestinian prisoners she thought was her father. The PA and Hamas were among those lobbying against the movie. (HA, MEE, MEMO 12/9)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz claimed, in response to a formal query by members of the Meretz party, that the 6 rights organizations he had declared terrorist organizations on 10/22 had PFLP members who did not work for them on their payroll. He also claimed that PFLP members controlled the organizations. (HA 12/8)

Lebanon’s labor minister Mustafa Bayram said Lebanon would ease restrictions on what professions Palestinian refugees in the country are allowed to work. Labor Minister Bayram’s office quickly sought to clarify that the changes would be within the confines of the current Lebanese legislation. The legislation does not allow much leeway for substantial changes to the rules banning Palestinians from certain jobs. Bayram, who is from the Amal party, was quickly shunned by Lebanese politicians from other parties, who said he does not have the authority to make any changes on the issue. Gebran Bassil of the Free Patriotic Movement called the comments “‘naturalization in disguise’ of the Palestinians . . . there shouldn’t be any stealing of jobs from Lebanese under the current circumstances.” Bayram eventually completely retracted his initial statement, saying that there will be no changes. (AA, JP 12/9; HA 12/13)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers from the Ibei HaNahal settlement outpost assaulted 3 Palestinians working their land in Kisan. Israeli settlers also installed electric fencing around a plot of land near Kisan. Israeli forces demolished 3 shops and 1 water tank in Ya‘bad. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Am‘ari refugee camp and Beita. In East Jerusalem, 3 Palestinians were arrested and beaten by Israeli forces at the Damascus Gate. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled farmland east of Maghazi. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/9; PCHR 8/12)

Israel began work to build an electric lift at al-Ibrahimi Mosque, drawing condemnation from the PA and Palestinian protesters as the project violates the Hebron Protocol signed by the PA and Israel in 1997. PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh called on UNESCO and international rights organizations to intervene. (MEMO 8/9; MEMO 8/11; MEMO 8/12; ALM 8/16; MEE 8/18)

Israeli interior minister Ayelet Shaked said that since the expiration of the ban of family reunification between Israeli citizens and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza on 7/6, 785 requests have been made. Interior Minister Shaked also said that 2,000 Palestinians have requested to have their temporary permits upgraded to Israeli citizenship. (HA 8/9)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with the new British counsel to Palestine Diane Corner in Ramallah. (MEMO, WAFA 8/10)

Egypt said its petroleum minister discussed plans to liquefy Israeli natural gas at Egyptian liquefaction plants for export. (REU 8/9)

In the West Bank, 3 Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian marble factory in Jamma’in near Huwwara, causing damage of around $920,000. 6 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Zabbuba and al-Walaja. In East Jerusalem, 4 Palestinians were arrested in the Old City. In Gaza, an explosion at the Zawiya market killed 1, injured 14, and caused damage. According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), the explosion was caused by explosives stored in a residential building at the market. After the PCHR reported its findings, it was smeared and threatened by the National and Islamic Factions’ Follow-up Committee in the Gaza Strip. In Israel, Israeli forces arrested 2 people who had crossed into Israel from Lebanon. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, MEMO, WAFA 7/22; PCHR 7/23; PCHR 7/25; AQ 7/26; PCHR 7/29)

Israel’s public security minister Omer Bar-Lev called PA president Mahmoud Abbas to wish him well on Eid al-Adha and said he used the oppounity to discuss more communications between the 2. (ALM, WAFA 7/22 HA 7/23)

Haaretz reported that although the ban on family reunifications for Israeli citizens married to Palestinians expired on 7/6, it has not been possible to make an appointment to process an application. According to Haaretz, interior minister Ayelet Shaked has ordered her ministry not to handle any of the requests until a new policy has been formulated. (HA, MEMO 7/22)

The Israeli government told the Israeli high court of justice that it would not grant work permits to Palestinians seeking asylum in Israel based on anti-LGBTQ persecution or domestic violence, saying that the PA “does not systematically persecute people because of their sexual orientation.” (HA 7/23)

In Syria, Israeli forces conducted air strikes for the 2d time in 1 week, this time in the Quseir region. It was unclear if there were any casualties. Syria’s military said its air defenses had intercepted most of the missiles. Russian officials later claimed that it was its air defenses in Syria that had intercepted the Israeli missiles. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 7/22; MEMO 7/23; HA 7/25)

French president Emmanuel Macron called Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett for clarification about Macron being a target of Pegasus spyware exported from the Israeli company NSO Group with Israeli government approval. (HA 7/24; MEMO 7/25)

The African Union (AU) said it would readmit Israel as an observer country. Israel was ejected as an observer 19 years ago after pressure from then brotherly leader of Libya Muammar Gaddafi. The Israeli foreign ministry had prior to the readmission sent a senior official to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to meet with 30 ambassadors to the AU. Hamas later issued a statement calling the AU decision “shocking and reprehensible.” The South African government called the AU decision appalling, “unjust and unwarranted.” Algeria, Egypt, Comoros, Tunisia, Djibouti, Mauritania, and Libya later voiced opposition to Israel’s readmission, saying that the decision could divide the AU nations. (HA, TOI 7/22; AJ, ALM, MEMO 7/23; MEMO, MEMO 7/26; AA, AJ 7/28; WAFA 8/1; MEMO, MEMO, MEMO 8/2; AJ, MEMO, MEMO 8/4; MEMO 8/9; MEE 8/11; AA 8/17; WAFA, WAFA 8/19)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers from the Shilo settlement threw stones at Palestinians driving between Nablus and Ramallah near Turmus ‘Ayya, injuring 2 who were taken to a hospital. Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian shepherds, preventing them from bringing their livestock to a water source in ‘Ain al-Hilweh. Israeli forces violently dispersed a protest in Yatta, causing tear-gas related injuries, and arrested 2 journalists. 2 others were arrested in Marah Rabah and Bayt Jala. In East Jerusalem, 1 43-year-old Palestinian man arrested for driving offenses on 7/18 was found dead in his cell in the Moscow detention center; other inmates said the man had been attacked by Israeli guards prior to his death and his family demanded that a Palestinian doctor be present at his autopsy. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled land east of Beit Hanun. (MEMO, WAFA, WAFA 7/21; HA, MEE, MEMO, TOI, WAFA 7/22; WAFA 7/23; AJ 7/27; PCHR 7/29)

The Israeli high court of justice allowed the Israeli government’s request for an extension to submit a position on the eviction of Palestinians in Khan al-Ahmar. The government now has until 9/5 to submit its position. (HA 7/21; MEMO 7/22)

According to the Likud-linked newspaper Israel Hayom, the new Israeli government has barred the Supreme Planning Council from meeting, leading to a freeze on settlement construction and expansion. According to the newspaper, the government’s decision is a “demand” from the U.S.; Israel’s interior minister Ayelet Shaked later said in an interview that if the government freezes settlement expansion, then her Yamina (Rightwards) party will leave the coalition, which is headed by Yamina chairperson Naftali Bennett. (MEE 7/21; MEMO 7/22; MEMO 7/24)

The UN human rights council said that its former commissioner Navi Pillay would head the investigation into crimes committed during Operation Guardian of the Walls. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEE, REU 7/22)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers planted trees near al-Farisya and ‘Ain al-Hilweh. Israeli forces delivered a stop-work order to 1 Palestinian for his agricultural fields and seized 1 bulldozer. 9 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Beit Fajjar, al-Bireh, Dura, Bayt Liqya, Bayt Rima, and Jaba‘. In East Jerusalem, around 100 Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound for the 2d day in a row. 2 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Isawiya and Shu‘fat. (WAFA, WAFA 7/19; PCHR 7/29)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz spoke on the phone. According to Gantz’s office, the 2 discussed trust-building steps between Israel and the PA and Gantz gave Abbas best wishes on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. Their conversation was the 1st between Abbas and an Israeli minister since 2017, when Abbas spoke to then prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli president Isaac Herzog also called President Abbas to wish him a happy Eid al-Adha. (JP, REU, TOI, TOI, WAFA 7/19; ALM 7/22)

In Syria, Israeli forces conducted air strikes in as-Safira, south of Aleppo, killing 5 people. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA 7/20)

A freedom of information request revealed that the director general of the Israeli interior ministry lives in a house in the illegal settlement outpost Keida, which has had a demolition order against it since 2008. The interior ministry said in a statement that its minister Ayelet Shaked “is pleased that the director-general of her ministry lives in Keida.” (HA 7/20)

King Abdullah II of Jordan met with U.S. president Joe Biden in the White House. King Abdullah II was the 1st Middle Eastern leader to visit President Biden in Washington, as the U.S.-Jordanian relationship was tarnished during the Donald Trump administration due to the 1-sided peace proposal made by the administration. A read-out of the meeting said that the 2 discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and Jordan’s relationship to Israel. (AJ, HA, JP, JP, MEE, NBC, NYT, REU, TOI, TOI 7/19; MEMO, WAFA 7/20)

The ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s issued a statement declaring it will end sales of its ice cream in Israeli settlements, saying that selling its ice cream in the occupied Palestinian territory “is inconsistent with our values.” Ben & Jerry’s also announced it would not renew its licensing agreement with manufacturers of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in Israel but that the ice cream will still be available in Israel. Israel’s prime minister Naftali Bennett said that Ben & Jerry’s had decided to brand itself as an “antisemitic ice cream.” Foreign minister Yair Lapid, who weeks ago said his government would not call all criticism of Israel anti-Semitic, said the company was surrendering to BDS and anti-Semitism and that he would ask 35 U.S. states with anti-BDS laws to enforce them against the U.S. company. On 7/20, Prime Minister Bennett called the CEO of Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, to criticize the decision and Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. Gilad Erdan urged states with anti-BDS laws to take legal action against Ben & Jerry’s. The Israeli president Isaac Herzog likened the Ben & Jerry’s decision to terrorism. Ben & Jerry’s is known to engage publicly on progressive issues. Both founders of the company are Jewish-Americans. (AJ, ALM, AX, BenJerry, FOX, GDN, HA, HA, MEE, MEMO, NBC, REU, TOI, TOI, TOI, TOI, Twitter 7/19; AJ, AP, BBC, CNN, HA, HA, JP, JP, JP, MEE, MEE, REU, TOI, WAFA 7/20; HA, MEMO 7/21; AJ, AP, MEMO 7/22; GDN 7/23; HA 7/26; AX 7/27)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up mobile homes in Kisan. Israeli settlers also set fire to Palestinian agricultural lands near Burin. Israeli forces delivered demolition notices for 4 houses in al-Walaja and 1 stop-work order for a school east of Yatta. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Bil‘in, Kafr Ni‘ma, al-Arub refugee camp, Dura, and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 Palestinian butcher shop and 1 apartment in the al-Bustan and al-Suweyeh areas of Silwan and dispersed Palestinian protesters, injuring 13 with rubber-coated bullets; 3 were arrested. Israeli police removed the checkpoints in Shaykh Jarrah, allowing Palestinian non-residents to travel through the neighborhood again for the 1st time since 5/9; according to local residents, the police removed the checkpoints because a U.S. envoy was touring the area. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a late-night raid in Silwan. (AJ, HA, HA, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/29; WAFA 6/30; PCHR 7/1; ALM 7/5)

The Palestinian owners of the land where Israeli settlers had constructed the Evyatar settlement outpost petitioned the Israeli attorney general Avichai Mendelblit not to allow a compromise deal between the Israeli government and the settlers. (HA 6/29)

Israel’s interior minister Ayelet Shaked said she would revoke the residency status of 1 Palestinian living in East Jerusalem, claiming he beached allegiance to Israel. Attorney General Mendelblit and the minister of justice Gideon Sa’ar still must approve Interior Minister Shaked’s decision. (SAM 7/5; ADM, WAFA 7/6)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau via phone. (WAFA 6/29)

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh met with secretary-general of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. Haniyeh also met with Lebanese president Michel Aoun and speaker of the parliament Nabih Berri. (MEMO 6/28; AJ, HA, MEMO 6/29)

20 EU diplomats met with PA intelligence chief Majed Faraj to discuss the killing of Nizar Banat by PA forces on 6/24. (HA 7/3)

Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid became the 1st Israeli cabinet member to visit 1 of the states that normalized ties with Israel in 2020 as he inaugurated the Israeli embassy in Dubai, the UAE. (AJ, AJ, ALM, MEMO, HA 6/29; AX, HA, MEMO, REU, REU 6/30)

Haaretz reported that PA officials have handed representatives of the Biden administration a list of 30 proposals for improving the Palestinian economy and quality of life. (HA 6/29)

The U.S. and the UN criticized the PA’s violent response to Palestinian protests against the PA, which started on 6/24 after PA security forces killed Nizar Banat, a prominent critic of the PA. (AX, REU 6/30)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting against the new Israeli settlement outpost Evyatar near Beita, injuring 20. Israeli forces also demolished 1 agricultural structure in al-Khadir and 2 agricultural structures in Abu Tayyah. Elsewhere, Israeli forces continued blocking the main road to ‘Azun for the 5th day in a row. 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Yamun and Jalazun refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided Issawiyya and confiscated Palestinian flags, leading to a confrontation with Palestinians; 1 was arrested. 3 others were arrested during raids in al-Tur, Silwan, and the Old City. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA 6/20; WAFA, WAFA 6/21)

The PA said it still intends to work with Israel on an exchange of COVID-19 vaccines after the PA canceled a deal with Israel on 6/18, saying that the vials received by Israel did not meet the agreed standards. Israel also said that 3 other countries had asked Israel for the vaccine exchange if the PA formally canceled the deal. (HA, JP, WP 6/20; TOI 6/21)

The head of Israel’s central command force Tamir Yadai rejected an appeal by Israeli settlers in the Evyatar settlement outpost to not evacuate it. (HA 6/21)

The new Israeli government decided to postpone a vote on the 2003 emergency regulation, the Provision to the Citizenship and Entry Law, which blocks family unification between Israeli citizens and Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza. The regulation has been extended yearly since 2003, but the new government coalition did agree that the racist regulation should be extended. The regulation ends on 7/6 and the parties said they would work on a compromise. If the order expires, interior minister Ayelet Shaked is presumed to use her authority to reject family reunification applications from Palestinian citizens of Israel. (MEMO 6/18; HA 6/19; HA 6/20; HA, TOI 6/21; PCHR 6/24)

An Israeli court released the deputy leader of the northern faction of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Shaykh Kamal Khatib, into house arrest after arresting him on 5/14, accusing him of incitement to violence. (MEMO 6/21)

Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett said Israel would change its approach to Hamas, stating that “our enemies will learn the rules—we won’t tolerate violence, we won’t tolerate trickles (of rocket), we won’t understand or accept ‘rebels’.” Prime Minister Bennett also said his approach was “one of initiative, decisiveness and suspicion.” (HA, TOI 6/20)

The German government coalition agreed to ban Hamas flags, saying that displays of the flag were seen at pro-Palestinian protests in Germany in May. (HA 6/20)

Malaysia said it would contribute $1 million to rebuilding a COVID-19 test center destroyed in an Israeli air strike last month. (WAFA 6/20)