The Palestine Chronology

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces violently disperse Palestinian worshippers and protesters at and around Haram al-Sharif, injuring 1 woman with a rubber-coated metal bullet, and arresting at least 17. The authorities’ crackdown comes as religious Jews visit the compound to mark Sukkoth. There are also clashes in Issawiyya and Jabal Mukabir. (AFP, MNA 10/15; PCHR 10/16)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry joins EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and Iranian FM Zarif in Vienna for 6 hours of trilateral talks as part of ongoing efforts to achieve a comprehensive agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program. (AFP 10/15)

Unidentified Palestinians fire a rocket from Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Hebron and 1 nr. Qalqilya at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids at night in Hebron, 3 villages nr. Hebron, 1 village nr. Qalqilya, 1 village nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Tulkarm. (YA 4/21; PCHR 4/25)

A letter sent on 4/12 from 13 of 27 European foreign ministers to Catherine Ashton is published, expressing support for labelling products from Israeli settlements and asking Ashton to formulate guidelines. (HA 4/20)

A Palestinian sniper operating nr. the former Kissufim crossing on the c. Gaza border shoots and wounds 2 IDF soldiers inside Israel; no group claims responsibility. The IDF bulldozes a Palestinian barnyard nr. Hebron; tears down 6 residential tents in a different area nr. Hebron; demolishes a poultry farm nr. Ramallah. (PCHR, YA 5/23; OCHA 6/1; JPI 6/15)

At least 25 Senate Democrats (of 53 total) meet with reps. of 17 American Jewish groups in Washington for talks on Iran and other domestic issues. The senators challenge the Jewish leaders’ portrayal of Obama as weak on Iran, stating that more time is needed for strong sanctions to have deep impact. The off-the-record function is organized by the Democratic Steering and Outreach Comm. roughly every yr. to 18 mos. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), who has been deeply involved in forming the current U.S. policy on Iran as chmn. of the Senate Foreign Relations Comm., says the Obama admin. is willing to take military action if necessary but is concerned about Israel acting alone, stating ‘‘If we must act, we should act together.’’ The meeting coincides with the opening of talks in Baghdad between the P5+1 and Iran aimed at drafting specific proposals and counterproposals for reaching (in EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton’s words) ‘‘a comprehensive negotiated solution which restores international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program.’’ (NYT, WP, WT 5/24; NYT 5/25; WJW 5/31)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Nr. al-Maghazi r.c., 2 Palestinians are injured when they accidentally trigger unexploded IDF ordnance while scavenging for scrap metal. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 4 villages nr. Tulkarm (2 simultaneously) and 2 in Ramallah in the morning; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Nabi Salih and nr. Jenin. Hunger-striking administrative detainee Hana Shalabi is “in grave danger of dying” according to Physicians for Human Rights–Israel, which provides her with a doctor. OCHA reports that since 3/14, 4 Palestinians have been injured in smuggling tunnel accidents on the Gaza border. (JP 3/20; WT 3/21; PCHR 3/22; OCHA 3/23)

JSC head Gen. Dempsey receives IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz in Washington for talks on Iran and Syria as part of the regular U.S.-Israel strategic dialogue. Gantz also meets with White House and Defense Dept. officials, but no details are released. (JPI 3/30)

Speaking at a conference on Palestinian refugees in Brussels, EU foreign policy adviser Catherine Ashton expresses condolences for the 3/19/12 Jewish deaths in Toulouse and regrets over recent tragedies worldwide that have resulted in child casualties, citing among them Israel’s recent air strikes on Gaza (3/9–12) that injured 14 Palestinian children. Israeli PM Netanyahu denounces her for making “the comparison between a deliberate massacre of children and defensive, surgical actions.” Ashton’s spokesman issues a statement saying that her words were “grossly distorted.” (NYT 3/21)

Abbas briefs Arab League FMs in Cairo on the Ross-Hale visit. The FMs say that they strongly prefer that the Palestinians seek observer-state status via the UNGA rather than full memberstate status via the UNSC so as to avoid a serious confrontation with the U.S., but that they will support whatever he decides to do. Palestinian chief negotiator Erakat says (9/13) that the Palestinians are waiting to hear new proposals being drafted by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Quartet envoy Blair before deciding. (Forbes, REU 9/12; NYT, WT 9/13; NYT 9/14; NYT 9/17; JPI 9/23)

IDF troops on the c. Gaza border fire on Juhur al-Dik village, causing damage to a house but no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts synchronized daytime patrols in 2 villages e. of Qalqilya; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers set fire to 2 Palestinian cars and vandalize a Palestinian home in Burqa village nr. Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr. Karme Tzur nr. Hebron uproot 160 grape arbors on nearby Palestinian land. Jewish settlers fr. Gil’ad settlement nr. Qalqilya stone Palestinian cars on the Qalqilya–Nablus road, causing no injuries; the IDF intervenes by closing the road to Palestinian traffic for 5 hrs. (PCHR 9/15; OCHA 9/16)