The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Qalqilya in the morning; patrols in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in al-Fawar r.c. nr. Hebron and 1 village nr. Tulkarm at night. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against Israel’s separation wall, settlements, and occupation in 3 villages nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Nabi Salih, and Ni‘lin), and 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum). There are no serious injuries. (PCHR 9/19)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry and Russian FM Sergey Lavrov meet the UN’s Special Envoy on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi in Geneva, to discuss both plans for an international peace conference, as well as the more pressing question of a plan to neutralize Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile. Following the meeting, Brahimi says he hopes to have a 2d peace conference sometime in 10/2013. Meanwhile, the Syrian opposition National Coalition (SNC) says it will appoint a provisional PM to boost its international credibility, an announcement made on the 1st day of a meeting of the 115-mbr. group. (AP, REU 9/13)

There are clashes across Egypt between supporters and opponents of ousted pres. Morsi, while the military continues its offensive against Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula, where 3 soldiers are wounded in 3 separate villages. There are 2 reported deaths in Alexandria and Beni Suef, with demonstrations also taking place in Cairo among others. (AP, REU 9/13)

Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi announces that the country has reduced its stock of 20 percent-enriched uranium by converting it to reactor fuel, news judged to aimed at easing tensions with the West. (AP 9/13)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in al-Bireh and 1 village nr. Bethlehem at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin at night. The raids in al-Bireh provoke clashes, in which 1 Palestinian is injured by rubber-coated metal bullets. (PCHR 7/25)

U.S. State Dept. spokesperson Jen Psaki says that Secy. of State John Kerry is finalizing his team for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, but does not confirm or deny reports that former amb. to Israel Martin Indyk had been chosen to head the team. (AFP 7/23)

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Cmte. approves the appointment of Pres. Barack Obama’s nominee for amb. to the UN, Samantha Power, by a vote of 16–2. The committee also approves Victoria Nuland as an asst. secy. of state for European and Eurasian affairs. (REU 7/23)

Supporters and opponents of ousted pres. Morsi clash in Cairo, killing 12 people and wounding 86. Meanwhile, an Egyptian police officer is shot and killed in the Sinai. (MNA, NYT 7/23)

In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers shoot and kill a Palestinian man in Dura village nr. Hebron in response to stone-throwing at an IDF patrol. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages nr. Jenin, 1 village and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin at night. In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops conduct a limited incursion nr. Khan Yunis to level land alongside the border fence. (MNA, REU 7/2; PCHR 7/4)

Palestinian pres. Mahmud Abbas says he is “optimistic” about U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry’s shuttle diplomacy, in comments he makes to reporters at a Ramallah press conference with Italian PM Enrico Letta. Meanwhile, U.S. State Dept. spokesperson Jen Psaki says in a press conference that no details of the peace talks will be divulged for the time being. In another development, Israel and the PA agree to form a biweekly committee on economic matters, a decision made in a meeting between Palestinian FM Shukri Bishara and Israeli FM Yair Lapid. Issues of concern for the committee will include crossings, fuel, and tax. (JP 7/2; MNA 7/3)

Egyptian pres. Mohamed Morsi rejects the military’s ultimatum to relinquish power, insisting on his democratic legitimacy and warning that any attempt to remove him and his govt. by force will plunge the country into chaos. Both Morsi and the military leadership say they will not back down from a violent confrontation. Violent clashes between supporters and opponents of Morsi in different neighborhoods of Cairo result in an estimated 7–11 deaths. Meanwhile, the Israeli army issues a statement revealing that the Egyptian military has moved several dozen armored vehicles into the border area nr. the Gaza Strip in coordination with Israel, part of efforts to combat security threats in the Sinai. (AP, NYT 7/2)

U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry meets with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of a security conference in Brunei and tells reporters afterward that a proposed peace conference on Syria will not happen until at least 9/2013. Lavrov also says that Kerry had recognized that “consolidating” the various Syrian opposition forces was the most important task ahead of any possible peace conference. (WP 7/2)