The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raided Huwwara, leading to a confrontation between Palestinians and Israeli forces; tear-gas related injuries were reported. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians seeking to enter Israel through the separation wall near ‘Anin, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians in Tulkarm, causing tear-gas related injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Israel, Israeli forces shot and arrested 1 Palestinian man who had entered a checkpoint at Ben Gurion International Airport. Israeli police said that the man had taken a wrong turn from the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway and did not intend to carry out an attack. Palestinian citizens of Israel protested Israeli inaction in addressing gun violence in Taybeh. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/4; WAFA, WAFA 12/5; PCHR 12/8; UNOCHA 12/16)

Israel started dismantling the Karni crossing east of Gaza City to extend the Gaza Fence. The Karni crossing, for movement of commercial goods, was closed by Israel in 2007. (MEMO 12/5; AP 12/6)

Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party and the Religious Zionism Party agreed to change the procedure for how the coordinator of the activities in the territories and the head of the Civil Administration are appointed. The 2 positions will in the next government be filled by Israeli politicians rather than by the military chief of staff and defense ministry. Outgoing Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid condemned the agreement. (HA 12/4; HA 12/5)

Speaking at the J Street conference in Washington D.C., U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken said that the U.S. expects to work with the next Israeli government in the same manner it has with previous governments, but warned about potential threats to the 2-state solution, including settlement expansion, annexation, and changes to the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem. Secretary Blinken also noted that Israelis and Palestinians “do not enjoy equal measures of freedom,” which he said they are entitled to. (AJ, AP, F24, HA, REU, WAFA 12/4)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian woman was killed by Israeli forces using live ammunition by a checkpoint in Qalandia after allegedly trying to stab an Israeli soldier. Israeli forces also chopped down more than 100 olive trees in Burqin, delivered stop-work orders for a number of houses under construction in Barta‘a, razed 145 dunams (35.8 acres) of agricultural land for expansion of the Karni Shomron settlement near Qalqilya, and demolished 2 agricultural structures in Atuf in the Jordan Valley. 2 Palestinians were arrested, including 1 during a late-night raid in Aida refugee camp and 1 at a checkpoint near Jaba‘. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces handed demolition orders for several homes in Issawiyya. In Gaza, 7 Palestinians were injured after rockets fired from Gaza landed inside the territory. Separately, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural land east of Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. (AJ, HA, HA, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/18; PCHR 9/19)

A day after the general elections in Israel, it remained unclear which of the 2 top contenders, Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, would be able to form a government coalition. (AJ, HA 9/18)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip nr. Bayt Lahiya, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. Separately,IDF troops open fire from the border fence nr. Karni crossing, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops demolish a Palestinian house in a village nr. Tulkarm and clash with residents, causing no injuries. Separately, IDF troops demolish 4 commercial stalls in the n. Jordan Valley. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Hebron at night; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning, and in 3 villages each nr. Hebron and Ramallah, and in 1 village each nr. Jericho and Salfit at night. (MNA 6/9; PCHR 6/12)

Iranian and U.S. officials meet in Geneva and hold their 1st official, bilateral talks since the beginning of the Vienna negotiations between reps. of Iran and the P5+1 powers on 1/20. Attended by Iran’s Dep. FM Araghchi along with U.S. Dep. Secy. of State William Burns, and Under Secy. of State Wendy Sherman, the discussions are intended to overcome the impasse reached in Vienna and make it possible to reach a comprehensive agreement by the 7/20 deadline. The 5th round of talks is scheduled to begin on 6/16. Araghchi tells Iranian media that it is “too early to judge whether an extension will be needed.” (AFP, AP, HA, REU 6/9)

The IDF conducts predawn arrest raids, house searches in Jenin, several villages around Bethlehem and Hebron; raids a bakery nr. Jerusalem, arresting 5 Palestinian workers fr. ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c. nr. Nablus; bulldozes 95 dunams of land along a settler bypass road between Karni crossing and Shuhada Junction nr. Gaza City, 12 dunams outside Khan Yunis. (MENA 5/25 in WNC 5/27; PCHR 5/27)