The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers re-erected a settlement outpost near al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya; the settlement outpost was dismantled by Israeli forces on 6/7. 18 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Ni‘lin, al-Mughayyir, Bayt Rima, Balata refugee camp, Rujeib, Bayt Dajan, Ya‘bad, Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, Fawwar refugee camp, and Beit Fajjar. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities took measurements for the demolition of a 4-story apartment building in Silwan. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat within the fishing zone. (PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/8; PCHR 6/9; UNOCHA 6/17)

The Israeli supreme court rejected a petition for a retrial in a case where the Israeli settler group Ateret Cohanim allegedly purchased 3 buildings in the Old City from the Greek Orthodox church, allowing the settler organization to evict the Palestinian tenants. The Greek Orthodox church called the ruling “unfair” and without “any legal logical basis.” The EU voiced concern about the supreme court ruling. (HA, YNET 6/9; MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/10; MEMO, WAFA 6/11)

Israel extended its antiquities authority to the West Bank. The Israel Antiquities Authority will replace the Coordinator on Government Activities in the Territories in managing archeological sites in the West Bank. (HA 6/8)

Speaking, via phone link at a conference on the holy sites in Jerusalem, dubbed “Property Documentation and the Historical Status of the Holy al-Aqsa Mosque,” PA president Mahmoud Abbas said that the PA would not accept any changes to the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, saying all Islamic and Christian holy sites are Palestinian. (WAFA, WAFA 6/8; WAFA 6/9)

Israeli media reported that members of a Liberian delegation in Israel headed by minister of state for presidential affairs Nathaniel McGill told Israeli journalists that Liberia will open a trade office in Jerusalem that eventually will become Liberia’s embassy to Israel. The delegation was meeting Israeli officials, including president Isaac Herzog. (ALM 6/9)

Axios reported that last week, Israel refused a proposal for a White House summit with the PA, U.S., Egypt, and Jordan to create a political horizon for ending the occupation. (AX 6/8)

Axios also reported that the White House is sending the newly appointed assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, Barbara Leaf, to Israel and Ramallah for meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials. (AX 6/8)

Haaretz reported that the EU commission’s anti-fraud office will not open an investigation into the 6 Palestinian rights organizations Israel deemed terrorist organizations in October 2021, saying that it had not seen sufficient evidence from Israel against the 6 organizations. EU diplomats told Haaretz that the evidence handed to EU countries by Israel was not compelling and did not meet the threshold of proof. (HA 6/8)

In a visit to the Buraq Wall/Western Wall, Bosnia and Herzegovina parliament speaker Dragan Čović told reporters that the Old City is part of Israel. (JP 6/10)

The World Bank approved a grant of $30 million for PA reforms in transparency, inclusion, and green economy and a $7 million grant for social services and online employment oppounities for Palestinians in Gaza. (WAFA 6/8)

In the West Bank, clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli forces in ‘Araqa near Jenin when Israeli forces stormed the village and set up a flying checkpoint. Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces halted construction on a road in Battir near Bethlehem and seized vehicles. (WAFA, WAFA 6/30

The Israeli supreme court dismissed an appeal made by Palestinian residents against the demolition order for 16 apartment buildings in Wadi al-Hummus in East Jerusalem. (WAFA 6/30)

Israel released the PA minister for Jerusalem affairs Fadi al-Hadami after arresting him on 6/27. (WAFA 6/30)

U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman and U.S. special representative for international negotiations Jason Greenblatt attended the inauguration ceremony of “Path of the Pilgrims,” an excavation of a large underground archeological site underneath Silwan in East Jerusalem. The excavation is led by the settler organization Elad, the Israeli antiquities authority, and the Nature and Parks Authority. The excavations have been going on for years and residents of Silwan have complained several times about damage to their properties due to the excavations. The presence of the 2 U.S. officials was seen as an implicit recognition of Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem by the Trump administration. (HA 6/30; HA, HA 7/2)

According to U.S. special representative for international negotiations Jason Greenblatt, the PA released the man from Hebron who had been arrested on 6/27 after returning to the West Bank from the U.S.-led Peace to Prosperity Bahrain Workshop. (HA 6/30)

Israel conducted air strikes on Syrian territory. According to the Russian foreign ministry, 16 people were killed, including a child. (HA 7/2)

In the 2d such incident in as many days, Israeli forces arrest several Islamic Waqf employees accused of planning maintenance work at Haram al-Sharif without permission from the Israel Antiquities Authority. Elsewhere in East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth, accusing him of planning an attack on Jerusalem’s Light Rail after finding a knife in his possession. In the West Bank, IDF troops clash with stonethrowing Palestinians during raids in 2 villages nr. Ramallah; 1 Palestinian is injured. IDF troops arrest 1 Palestinian during further raids and house searches nr. Jenin, Qalqilya, and Ramallah; and patrol nr. Hebron throughout the day. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolish several residential structures, 2 offices, and 3 water tanks nr. Jericho and 2 agricultural structures nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers attack a Palestinian shepherd nr. Ramallah, injuring her and killing several of her goats. Late at night, around 400 settlers enter Awarta village nr. Nablus to perform religious rituals, sparking minor clashes between their IDF escort and Palestinian residents of the area (there are no serious injuries). (JP, MNA, TOI 8/4; MNA 8/5; PCHR 8/11; +972 8/13)

Israel’s Shin Bet accuses the Palestinian manager of the Gaza branch of World Vision, a Christian aid group, with redirecting around $43 m. of the group’s money to Hamas over the past 6 years. The manager, Mohammad Halabi, was arrested at the Erez border crossing on 6/15. Hours later, the Australian govt. suspends its funding of World Vision. The charity responds, saying that programs in Gaza “have been subject to regular internal and independent audits, independent evaluations, and a broad range of internal controls,” and that they “have no reason to believe the allegations are true.” (NYT, TOI 8/4; TOI 8/5; AJ 8/9)

Egypt’s military announces that it has killed the leader of the Sinai Province of the Islamic State (SPIS) with a recent air strike nr. al-Arish in n. Sinai. The strike was one of many that reportedly killed 45 other SPIS fighters and destroyed a lot of their supplies and munitions. (HA, REU 8/4)

The IDF sends troops into Gaza City, clashing with local gunmen and calling in an air strike, killing 1 armed Palestinian, wounding a 2d. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Tubas. A Palestinian resistance mbr. wounded by IDF fire in Jabaliya on 2/7 dies. Palestinian residents of Silwan in East Jerusalem appeal to the Israeli High Court for a temporary stop-work order to halt tunneling under their homes by the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) and to block workers from entering their private property. Israeli police later arrest 4 Palestinians, including 3 landowners who had filed the appeal, placing them under house arrest for 5 days and charging them with sabotaging the IAA project. Digging at the site resumes under police protection. (International Justice Watch email 2/11; OCHA 2/13; PCHR 2/14)

Israeli cabinet mbrs., including Environment Min. Yossi Sarid and Dep. DM Mordechai Gur, call PLO Chmn. Arafat's condemnation of 10/29 killing of Israeli settler Haim Mizrachi inadequate, want evidence PLO can control situation. Police Min. Moshe Shahal says PLO must control Hamas, Islamic Jihad. Sarid says IDF not doing enough to control settlers. FM Peres, Justice Min David Libai ask A.G. Michael Ben-Yair to examine outlawing "Committee for Road Safety," Kach-affiliated sttler vigilante group. Peres says talks with PLO on implementing 9/13 agreement will proceed. (MM, NYT, WT 11/15)

"Black September 13 Brigades" issue statement claiming responsibility for 10/29 killing of settler Haim Mizrachi. (MM 11/15)

Israeli Antiquities Authority archeology teams fan out in Judean Desert, West Bank, in search for ancient Hebrew and Jewish artifacts. Move is protested by Palestinian researchers advising peace delegation as an attempt at last-minute looting of Palestinian cultural heritage. (NYT 11/15)