The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler stabbed and killed 1 Palestinian man in Iskaka after the Palestinian man, along with others, confronted Israeli settlers erecting a settlement outpost near the Ariel settlement. According to eyewitnesses, there were Israeli soldiers at the scene when the man was stabbed, and they were said to have prevented Palestinians from providing the victim aid. Israeli forces arrested 1 Israeli settler on 6/22, suspected of having carried out the stabbing. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian herders in Kisan. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians during a raid in Qabatiya. Israeli forces also delivered 1 demolition notice against 1 house under construction and stop-work orders for 8 other homes in Jalbun. 18 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Surda, Kobar, Jalazun refugee camp, Qabatiya, Bir al-Basha, Beit Furik, Tubas, al-Ram, and Tuqu‘. In East Jerusalem, 5 Palestinians were arrested at the Damascus Gate plaza. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEE, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/21; HA, MDW, MEMO, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/22; HA, MEMO, PCHR, TOI 6/23; UNOCHA 7/2)

1 Palestinian held in administrative detention suspended his hunger strike after 111 days, following promises by Israeli authorities to release him at the end of his detention period which expires on 6/27. (WAFA 6/21; MEMO 6/22)

Reuters reported that Hamas had decided to restore ties with Syria and that Hamas sources told the news outlet that several “high-profile meetings [had been held] to achieve that goal.” (REU 6/21)

Israeli interior minister Ayelet Shaked met with Moroccan officials, including foreign minister Nasser Bourita, In Rabat. During Interior Minister Shaked’s trip, she expressed support for Morocco’s sovereignty claims to Western Sahara and worked on negotiations to allow Moroccan construction workers and nurses to work in Israel to bolster the 2 countries’ normalization deal. (ALM, MEMO 6/22; MEMO 6/23)

A U.S. official at the U.S. embassy to Israel said that including Israel in the U.S. visa waiver program and securing access for Palestinian Americans to the West Bank are 2 separate issues, implying that negotiations over the 2 issues are done on separate tracks. (HA 6/22)

Iranian media reported that Iran had arrested 3 Mossad-linked agents in April who were planning on assassinating Iranian scientists. (HA, REU 6/21)

Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt signed an agreement to transfer 650 million cubic meters of gas from Egypt to Lebanon via Syria, adding around 4 extra hours of power to the electric grid per day. (AP, HA, REU 6/21)

In the West Bank, 9 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Bayt Awa, Beit Umar, al-Twana, Nablus, and Birin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians at the Damascus Gate plaza, detaining and assaulting 2 and arresting 3 others. Former MK Yehuda Glick led a group of Israeli settlers touring the Haram al-Sharif compound. (WAFA 4/6; PCHR, WAFA 4/7; UNOCHA 4/23)

An Israeli court ordered a punitive demolition against the family home of 1 Palestinian in Silat ad-Dhahr accused of killing 1 Israeli settler on 20 December 2021. (WAFA 4/7)

3 Palestinian citizens of Israel were indicted on charges of smuggling pistols and hashish from Lebanon into Israel. According to the indictment, the 3 were going to sell the pistols to a man in Hebron. (HA 4/6)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh met with 15 conservative members of the UK Parliament in Ramallah. Prime Minister Shtayyeh called on the MP to recognize the State of Palestine, citing the UK’s historical responsibility for the current situation. Shtayyeh also asked the politicians to help facilitate elections being held in Jerusalem. (WAFA 4/6)

The 6 Palestinian rights organizations deemed terrorist organizations by Israel in October 2021—al-Haq, Addameer, Bisan Center for Research and Development, Defence for Children International – Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees—issued a joint statement calling for international help to have their terror designations rescinded. The organizations said that verbal condemnation of the designations had not helped their situation. (AHQ 4/6; MDW 4/12)

Idit Sliman of Yamina said she would leave the Israeli government coalition after striking a deal with former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sliman’s departure from the coalition ended the coalition’s majority in the Knesset that is now split 60-60. Sliman commented that “the time has come to form a national, Jewish and Zionist government.” Sliman was promised, by Netanyahu, the role of health minister if he wins the next election. Joint List chairperson Ayman Odeh rejected calls for him and his party to join the government to restore the majority, saying that “we will not be a lifeline for [Prime Minister Naftali] Bennett and [Interior Minister Ayelet] Shaked.” (AJ, ALM, AX, CNN, GDN, HA, HA, HA, WSJ 4/6; MDW, TOI 4/7)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attempted to set a Palestinian-owned home on fire in Hebron, but fled when the family living in the home woke up. Israeli forces demolished 1 retaining wall and 1 agricultural structure in al-Maniya. Israeli forces also temporarily evicted 6 Palestinian families from their homes in in Khirbat Ibziq to conduct a military exercise; during the drill, 2 cows were killed and 3 were injured. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silat al-Harithiya, ‘Anata, Dheisheh refugee camp, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces delivered demolition notices for several commercial structures in Wadi al-Juz; 1 Palestinian minor was arrested during a late-night raid in Isawiya. In Israel, 20 Palestinian-owned vehicles were vandalized and racist anti-Palestinian graffiti was sprayed in Kafr Qasem. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/7; PCHR 2/10; UNOCHA 2/11)

Israeli police arrested 1 Israeli settler in the Givat Ronen settlement outpost in relation to an attack on Israeli activists helping Palestinians planting trees in Burin on 1/21. (HA 2/7)

According to figures obtained by Haaretz from Israeli police, charges were only filed in 3.8% of criminal cases where Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians or their property. (HA 2/7)

On the 2d day of the 31st session of the PLO Central Council, Rawhi Fattouh was elected speaker of the National Council, replacing Salim Zanoun, who retired. Hussein al-Sheikh was appointed as a PLO negotiator with Israel and the U.S. Al-Sheikh was also 1 of 3 new members elected to the PLO executive committee. Hamas called the appointments “illegal” and said they lacked support from the national consensus. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the PFLP later issued a joint statement calling the appointments “a violation of decisions based on national consensus.” (REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/7; HA 2/8; AJ 2/10)

The Knesset approved the 1st of 3 votes of the citizenship law that would prevent family reunifications of Palestinians married to Israeli citizens. Meretz and United Arab List boycotted the vote. Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked told Yedioth Ahronoth in an interview that the bill is meant to prevent a “creeping right of return.” (HA 2/7; HA, MEE 2/9)

Palestinian member of the Knesset from the Meretz party and minister for Regional Cooperation Issawi Frej was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. Frej’s chief of staff said he would make a full recovery. (HA 2/8)

Calcalist reported that Israeli police used the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware against Israeli journalists, politicians, rights activists, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son Avner, and people involved in the court case against Benjamin Netanyahu. On 2/1, Israeli police admitted to misusing the Pegasus spyware. (AP 2/6; AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU, TOI 2/7)

The German news outlet Deutsche Welle fired 5 Palestinian and Lebanese employees, saying the had posted anti-Semitic content on social media. The social media posts in question were largely criticism of Israel and not targeting Jewish people. Deutsche Welle was criticized for trying to silence criticism of Israel. (AJ 2/11; MEMO 2/15; HA 2/16)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished 1 Palestinian-owned home near al-Ramadin. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Araqah, Beit Umar, Jaba‘, and Burqin. In East Jerusalem, some 100 Israeli police officers raided the Salhiya family home in Sheikh Jarrah, throwing stun grenades and beating family members, including minors, before escorting them out and demolishing their home, displacing the family of 18; 18 Palestinians were arrested, including family members. The family members were released on 1/20 under the condition that they do not return to Sheikh Jarrah for 1 month. Israel had attempted to displace the family since 1/17, but was unable due to resistance from the family and a large presence of international diplomats and local activists. The PA called the eviction a war crime, calling on the U.S. to protect Palestinians in East Jerusalem, and the EU condemned the displacement of the family. The U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said at a UN security council meeting that Israel must refrain from “demolitions, and evictions—like what we saw in Sheikh Jarrah.” At the meeting, PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki also called on the international community to end Israeli impunity. A representative for the Salhiya family said the family is referring the case to the ICC. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Wadi al-Juz, displacing 8. In Jerusalem, Israeli police violently dispersed activists in front of Mayor Moshe Leon’s home protesting forced displacement of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah; 5 were arrested. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, CNN, EI, F24, GDN, HA, HA, HA, I24, JDF, MDW, MEE, MEE, MEMO, NAT, NYT, PCHR, REU, REU, TOI, VICE, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WP 1/19; HA, HA, IN, JP, JP, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, MEMO, PCHR, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/20; MEMO, MEMO 1/21; MEE, TOI 1/22; ALM, WAFA 1/23)

Israeli police arrested 3 Jewish Israeli men for attacking 2 Palestinian Israeli men in Bat Yam on 11/14/2021. The 3 Jewish Israeli men were charged with racially motivated violence prompted by the 2 Palestinians socializing with Jewish Israeli women. (HA 1/20; HA 1/21)

Hamas officials concluded a visit to Algeria, presenting the group’s vision for national unity and reconciliation with Fatah. The delegation arrived in Algeria on 1/17. Members of the DFLP, PFLP-GC, and Islamic Jihad are expected to visit Algeria soon. PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Algerian officials on 1/15. (MEMO 1/18; MEMO 1/20; ALM 1/24)

The Citizenship Law bill, created to prevent family unifications between Palestinians and Israeli citizens, was sent back to the Israeli cabinet after the Meretz party filed an objection to the legislation in the Knesset. The Citizenship Law is being pushed by Israeli interior minister Ayelet Shaked. (HA 1/20)

A delegation of Israeli officials arrived in Sudan for meetings with Sudanese officials, according to Israeli and Saudi Arabian media. (HA 1/19; MEMO 1/20)

The UNRWA called on the international community to donate $87.5 million to help the agency with programming in Lebanon, where the financial crisis is further impeding its work to assist Palestinian refugees. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, WAFA 1/19; WAFA 1/20)

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, 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 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)