The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raided Khirbet Zanuta, assaulting Palestinians and causing damage to houses. Israeli settlers also seized an old Jordanian army building in Arab al-Rashayida near Bethlehem. Israeli forces raided the headquarters of the Palestinian Red Crescent in Tubas, firing 29 tear gas canisters at the building, causing tear-gas related injuries and starting a fire. Israeli forces also assaulted a man at the Hamra checkpoint near Nablus. 6 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around al-Bireh, Jenin, and Tayassir. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters demonstrating against Israeli-planned evictions of Palestinians in Batn al-Hawa, injuring 1 minor before arresting him. Israeli forces also arrested 1 Palestinian for gesturing his middle finger at Israeli forces in the Old City; the man’s lawyer said he was beaten by Israeli police while in detention; it was the 2d man in 2 days arrested for making the gesture. In Israel, 1 Palestinian citizen of Israel demolished his own home in Taibe to avoid exorbitant Israeli demolition fees. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/26; PCHR 5/27)

Israel opened an investigation into why Israeli forces shot 1 girl and her father in their house in Shaykh Jarrah on 5/25. The girl was shot in the back with a rubber-coated bullet, fracturing her spine. Her father was hit in his leg and with a stun grenade. 1 Israeli soldier was suspended while the investigation was ongoing. (AP 5/26; HA 5/27)

Israel revoked social and health benefits for 16 Palestinian families in East Jerusalem as a punitive measure because at least 1 member in each family is seen as a political activist for Palestinian rights to live in Shaykh Jarrah or against Israeli attacks on the Haram al-Sharif compound. It was also reported that 11 Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem were placed in administrative detention for periods of 3-6 months. (HA, MEMO, WAFA 5/27)

An Israeli court in Jerusalem postponed making a judgment on the eviction of 86 Palestinian families from their homes in Batn al-Hawa in Silwan. 15 European diplomats were present at the court during the postponement. (AJ, MEE, MEMO, WAFA 5/26; ALM, WAFA 5/27; HA 5/28; AJ 5/29)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met the British foreign minister Dominic Raab in Ramallah, calling for the revival of the International Quartet’s engagement in a peace process. (HA, WAFA, WAFA 5/26)

Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar threatened Israel with a more intense attack if Israel continues to attack the Haram al-Sharif compound. Sinwar also said that Hamas would not touch “a single cent” of international aid for rebuilding Gaza. (AJ, HA 5/26)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken met with Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and other senior Egyptian officials discussing the Egyptian brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Secretary Blinken also met with Jordanian king Abdullah II in Amman. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU 5/26)

After the government of Ireland recognized Israel’s settlement activity as de facto annexation of Palestinian lands on 5/25, the Irish parliament passed a motion to condemn Israel’s “de facto annexation” of Palestinian lands. (AJ 5/26; AP, GDN, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/27)

The EU increased its financial support for Palestinians by $9.75 million to help rebuild Gaza. (WAFA 5/26)

Qatar announced it would donate $500 million to help rebuild Gaza. (AJ, AX, HA, REU 5/27; MEMO, WAFA 5/28)

In Gaza, the IDF closes the Nahal Oz pipeline, Qarni crossing for the day; makes an air strike on a group of PRC mbrs. n. of Gaza City, killing 2 PRC mbrs., a 3- yr.-old girl in a house nearby, wounding 2 PRC mbrs.; makes air strikes destroying the home of an Islamic Jihad mbr. in Bayt Hanun, a 2d home elsewhere in Gaza (warning residents to leave beforehand). A Palestinian is killed in Jabaliya r.c. when he accidentally detonates unexploded IDF ordnance. In the West Bank, the IDF also makes air strikes on a house in Jenin r.c., assassinating Islamic Jihad mbrs. Amjad al-‘Ajami, Muhammad Atik, wounding 12 bystanders (including 7 children); conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron and Jenin, in Nablus, nr. Tulkarm (targeting PA security force mbrs.). (BBC, REU 8/9; PCHR 8/10; OCHA 8/16; PCHR 8/17)

The Israeli security cabinet approves plans to expand ground operations in s. Lebanon, speed IDF deployment to the Litani River. The IDF immediately begins reinforcing troops on the n. Israel border (anticipating a build-up of as many as 5,000 troops) and moves an additional 1,000 troops into s. Lebanon. The IDF continues air, naval, and artillery strikes across Lebanon, shelling ‘Ayn al-Hilwa r.c. (allegedly targeting the home of a Hizballah mbr., killing at least 2 persons, wounding 5), making an air strike on an apartment in Mashghara in the Biqa‘ Valley just n. of the Litani (killing a Hizballah official, 8 family mbrs.), hitting targets in s. Beirut. Ground operations also continue in s. Lebanon, with heavy clashes reported in Aita al-Sha‘b (4 IDF soldiers killed), Bint Jubayl, Dibil (9 IDF soldiers killed), Labuna, Jibbayn, al-Khiyam, Marja’uyun (1 IDF solider killed), Qantara, Taybeh, resulting in Israel’s highest daily toll to date, with 15 IDF soldiers dead and 38 wounded; the IDF claims to have killed 40 Hizballah mbrs. Hizballah fires some 170 rockets into n. Israel, hitting targets in Acre, Kiryat Shimona, Ma’alot, Safad. (BBC, HA, IFM, NYT, WP 8/9; NYT, WP, WT 8/10)

The IDF continues operations in Rafah and al-Shuka, firing on and shelling residential areas, conducting house-to-house searches, forcing some 400 Palestinian families to flee their homes, killing 1 Palestinian civilian, wounding at least 13 civilians. The IDF also shells areas around Bayt Hanun, wounding at least 2 Palestinians; fires across the border fr. Israel at Palestinian farmers working their land nr. al-Maghazi r.c., wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF arrests PA parliament speaker ‘Aziz Dwayk (Change and Reform) in his Ramallah home on charges of being a mbr. of a terrorist organization (Hamas); conducts random ID checks in Dahaysha r.c. (firing on stone-throwing Palestinians who confront them, wounding 2), Tubas; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem, Jenin town and r.c., Nablus; burns 30 d. of agricultural land btwn. the separation wall and the Green Line nr. Tulkarm, barring fire engines fr. reaching the scene. A Palestinian dies of injuries received in the 7/16 IDF air strike on the PA FMin. offices in Gaza City. (NYT, PCHR 8/5; NYT, WP, WT 8/6; NYT 8/7; PCHR 8/10)

Overnight, the IDF makes air strikes outside a Palestinian r.c. s. of Tyre, wounding 1 person, lands 2 naval commando units (reportedly wearing Lebanese army uniforms) nearby, raids an apartment building housing Hizballah mbrs. allegedly involved in long-range rocket attacks on Israel, clashing with Hizballah mbrs. for 3 hrs., killing 4 suspected Hizballah mbrs., 1 Lebanese soldier at a nearby checkpoint, 2 bystanders before withdrawing. During the day, the IDF continues air strikes, hitting 170 targets in s. Beirut, and n. of Hermel; drops leaflets over Sidon, warning residents to leave prior to imminent strikes there; continues ground operations in some 20 villages in s. Lebanon, leaving 2 IDF soldiers dead, at least 9 wounded in clashes in Aita al-Sha‘b, Taybeh. Hizballah fires 160 rockets into n. Israel (140 of them in a 90 min. period in the evening), killing 3 Israeli Palestinians in Arab al-Aramshe, also hitting targets in Haifa, Kiryat Shimona, Ma’alot, Nahariya, Safad, Shlomi, Tiberias, wounding a total of 54 Israelis. (NYT 8/5; NYT, WP, WT 8/6)

Overnight, the IDF launches ground operations in al-Shuka, using helicopters, drones, and some 50 tanks, armored vehicles, bulldozers; seals off Dahaniyya airport, the eastern entrance to Rafah, the main north–south Gaza highway; makes heavy air and artillery strikes on residential areas throughout the day, with Palestinian militants retaliating with antitank and light weapons fire, leaving 2 Hamas mbrs., 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs., 1 PA security officer, 5 bystanders dead and more than 30 Palestinians wounded (including at least 8 militants, 18 civilians). Palestinians fire 4 rockets toward Israel, but all land inside Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Qalqilya and in ‘Ayn alSultan r.c. nr Jericho, Balata r.c., Hebron, Nablus. (NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 8/3; NYT, WP 8/4; PCHR 8/10)

The IDF operates in 20 villages in s. Lebanon, most of them less than 2 mi. inside the border, engaging in intense clashes with Hizballah (particularly in Bint Jubayl, Maroun al-Ras, Marwahin, Rajmin), with Hizballah killing 4 IDF soldiers, wounding 4, destroying at least 4 APCs in Aita al-Sha‘b and Taybeh. The IDF also continues air strikes across Lebanon, including in s. Beirut (hitting houses of senior Hizballah and Hamas mbrs.), Blat, Nabatiyya, Rashaya, Taybeh, in the Biqa‘ Valley, and in the far n. nr. the border with Syria. Hizballah fires around 180 rockets into n. Israel, killing 5 Israeli civilians in Acre and 3 bedouin in Tarshiha nr. Ma’alot (all 8 killed during a 1- hr. barrage of 40 rockets), also hitting Kiryat Shimona (in another barrage of 30 rockets). (BBC, JAZ, NYT 8/3; AP, NYT, WP, WT 8/4)

Palestinian collaborator Murad Abu al-Asal detonates a suicide bomb nr. Taibeh, Israel, injuring his 2 Shin Bet handlers. A 2d Palestinian dies of injuries received on 1/21. The IDF conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem, East Jerusalem, Nablus, Ramallah, and Tulkarm, detaining 9 Palestinians fr. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, PFLP; shells residential areas of Tulkarm. (HA, MM, PCHR 1/30; NYT, WT 1/31; MA 1/31 in WNC 2/4; LAW 2/6)

The Israeli cabinet approves the Enveloping Jerusalem plan. (WP, WT 1/31) (see 1/28)

The Palestinian woman who carried out a suicide bombing on 1/27 is identified as Wafa Idriss, a Red Crescent volunteer medical worker who reportedly was distraught over the Palestinian casualties inflicted by the IDF. Most recently, a boy she treated, who had been shot by the IDF and left in a coma died, on 1/25. AMB claims she was "one of our female fighters," but family and friends say she had no connection to the group; she also was not religious, never attended al-Najah University. Her brother, Khalil Idris, is a local Fatah leader wanted by Israel. (AP, REU 1/30; HA, NYT, Red Crescent press release, WP 1/31; SA 2/2 in WNC 2/4; WT 2/3; JP 2/8; WP 2/9; NYT 2/11)

Sharon meets secretly in Jerusalem with Qurai`, PA senior negotiator Mahmud Abbas, Arafat economic adviser Muhammad Rashid, marking his 1st mtg. with PA officials since his election in 2/01; reportedly says he accepts the idea of an interim agmt. along the lines of the Peres-Qurai` plan, with implementation taking 7 yrs. (XIN 2/1, AYM, al-Ra'i 2/2 in WNC 2/4; NYT, WP, WT 2/2; AFP, JP [Internet] 2/3; MM, NYT, WT 2/4; AYM 2/4 in WNC 2/6; WP, WT 2/5; MA 2/9 in WNC 2/11)

Ben-Eliezer meets with Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak in Sharm al-Shaykh, says Israel currently sees no partner for peace on the Palestinian side, asks Egypt to inform Damascus that Israel is ready to renew peace talks with Syria. (HA, MM 1/30; MENA 1/30 in WNC 1/31; WT 1/31; MM 2/1; MENA 2/5 in WNC 2/6; MM 2/7)

Military Action:

IDF leaves Beirut port and Galerie Semaan but keeps some units at airport; IDF presence in East Beirut also diminished; US Marines expected to land within 48 hours at port, airport and Ouzai; Draper informs Gemayel that lDF has agreed to total pullout; Israeli guards shoot, wound eight prisoners while breaking up a riot at Al-Ansar detention camp; IDF claims to have completed removal of PLO arms caches from West Beirut, including 520 tons of ammunition, 23 tanks and APCs, 200 other vehicles, 80 cannons and mortars, 75 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and 5,000 small arms; IDF arrests Israeli Druze in Beirut as extortionist.

Casualties:

During Israel's 11-day occupation of West Beirut, 9 IDF soldiers were killed and 130 wounded.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin agrees to establish judicial commission to investigate the Beirut massacre; pressures grow within government for dismissal of Sharon (meeting of top army commanders again calls for Sharon's resignation); Shamir says Israel is wrongly blamed for massacre; Israeli papers report Phalangists discussed such a massacre weeks prior to actual event as way to make Palestinians flee (contradicts view that massacre was 'spontaneous'); pro-government rally scheduled for Saturday cancelled; tensions remain high in Palestinian villages in Israel (protests have continued non-stop since massacre reported last week); several youths detained, curfew imposed following demonstrations in Nablus; Meir Kahane detained after trying to enter Taibe (Arab residents gathered with stones to resist, Kahane later released after promising not to enter without their permission).

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese inquiry into massacre begins with Military Prosecutor General Assad Jermanos meeting with commission members.

Arab Governments: Egypt, at UN General Assembly, urges US to "restrain" Israel as Eisenhower did in 1956 Suez Crisis.

US and Other Countries: Reagan notes he ordered a halt to cluster bomb shipments to Israel and will delay requesting sale of additional fighter jets to Israel; (Israel still receiving explosive grenade that gives cluster bomb its punch, only shipment of casing halted).