The Palestine Chronology

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s new coalition government officially takes office. Speaking in the Knesset, Netanyahu says that Israel is ready for a ‘‘historic compromise’’ with the Palestinians. (JP, REU, WP 3/18)

In the West Bank, unidentified Palestinians open fire on and injure a Jewish settler at a bus stop nr. Nablus. The IDF patrols in al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and conducts house searches and arrest raids in al-‘Arub r.c. and 1 village nr. Hebron, and 1 village nr. Nablus at night. (AP 3/18; PCHR 3/21)

A UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) fact-finding mission releases its report on Israel’s West Bank settlements, describing them as a ‘‘creeping form of annexation,’’ and calling on Israel to cease construction immediately and ‘‘initiate a process of withdrawal.’’ The report, presented by mission leader Christine Chanet, urges the international community to cut economic links with the settlements. The U.S. refuses to take part in the Council’s debate. Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay states that Israeli settler violence ‘‘continues to be perpetrated with impunity,’’ and further notes that excessive force by the IDF has resulted in Palestinian fatalities. (AFP, HA, JP, UNNC 3/18)

Lebanon reports that Israeli warplanes entered Lebanese airspace earlier in the day. Israel routinely conducts aerial surveillance over Lebanon even though this explicitly violates the 2006 Israel-Hizballah cease-fire agreement laid out in UN Res. 1701. (AP 3/18)

Iran and P5+1 group nuclear experts meet in Istanbul to review proposals put forward during the last round of talks in Kazakhstan (2/26-27). (AFP, XIN 3/18)

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu finalizes a deal to form a new coalition government comprising of his joint Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu list, Yesh Atid (19 seats), Bayit Yehudi (12 seats), and Hatnua (6 seats), giving the Likud leader control of 68 Knesset seats (out of 120). For the first time in a decade, an Israeli coalition government does not include any ultra-Orthodox parties. (BBC, REU 3/15)

A Palestinian man dies from heart problems brought on by inhaling tear gas fired by the IDF during clashes 3 weeks ago. After his funeral in al-Ram nr. Jerusalem, Palestinians clash with IDF forces (no serious injuries reported). In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning; in Hebron, al-Fawar r.c. and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron in the afternoon; and 1 in village nr. Jericho and 1 village nr. Tulkam at night. IDF soldiers conduct house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon and in 2 villages nr. Hebron at night. The regular weekly nonviolent demonstrations by Palestinians, Israelis, and internationals against the Israeli occupation this week also express solidarity with Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The demonstrations are also more widespread that usual (cf. 3/8), occurring in 5 villages nr. Ramallah (Abud, Bayt Liqia, Bil`in, Budrus, Ni’lin), 2 villages nr. Bethlehem (al-Khader, al-Ma’sara), Shuhada Street in Hebron, and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum). The IDF violently disperses the demonstrations, but no serious injuries are reported. (MNA 3/15; PCHR 3/21)

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu signs a coalition agreement with Tzipi Livni’s Hatnua party, under which Livni will become Justice Minister as well as heading the government’s negotiations team with the Palestinians. (HA, ToI 2/20)

Palestinians hold demonstrations in the West Bank, as an estimated 800 Palestinian prisoners declare a one-day fast in solidarity with long-term hunger striking prisoners being held as administrative detainees. Some 200 protesters clash with Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank city, Hawara, causing no serious injuries. Meanwhile, UN Secy.- Gen. Ban Ki-moon expresses concern at the ongoing Palestinian hunger strike, saying that ‘‘those detained should be charged and face trial with judicial guarantees in accordance with international standards, or be promptly released. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village each nr. Jenin and nr. Tulkarm in the morning, and in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon; conducts house searches and arrest raids in Tulkarm, al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Hebron, Aida r.c. and al-Dheisha r.c. in Bethlehem at night. The Israeli navy arrests 2 Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the Gaza Strip, nr. Bayt Lahiya. The IDF also conducts 2 incursions into the Gaza Strip, nr. Jabaliya and nr. Khan Yunis, levelling land in both cases. (AP, MNA, REU 2/19; PCHR 2/21)

Head of the PA’s borders and crossing department Nathmi Muhanna announces that the European Union will fund expansion of the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza in order to increase its capacity to 500 truckloads per day (up from its current 300). Muhanna also says that Israel has informed his department of their intention to allow entry of new empty domestic gas cylinders into the Gaza Strip, as well as new fuel trucks, and the installation of a new phone and Internet line from Israel to the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Yousef Rizka, adviser to Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh, says that the Egyptian authorities are flooding smuggling tunnels on the Rafah border with sewage water. (MNA 2/19)

Israeli security officials visit Cairo for the second time in a week to discuss the Gaza cease-fire with their Egyptian counterparts. An unnamed Hamas official says that the talks are focused on ‘‘humanitarian issues,’’ not politics. (MNA 2/19)