The Palestine Chronology

In the Gaza Strip, a bomb explodes outside a Fatah-affiliated charity, lightly injuring 2 bystanders. Shipments of domestic-use gas into Gaza resume after a dispute between local officials and the PA unity govt. is resolved on 12/10. All public institutions, ministries, and charities go on strike in protest of the PA unity govt.’s failure to pay civil servants. Several civil society organizations coordinate cleaning campaigns in Gaza’s hospitals, as the sanitation workers’ strike continues for a 10th day. IDF troops stationed along the border e. of al-Bureij arrest 2 Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel. In the West Bank, 1,000s of Palestinians attend the funeral of Ziad Abu Ein in Ramallah. Palestinians gathered for the funeral clash with IDF troops in al-Bireh; 19 are injured from rubber-coated metal bullets. Meanwhile, over 100 Palestinians gather in c. Hebron to protest Abu Ein’s death, leading to 2 separate clashes with IDF soldiers. There are also demonstrations in Turmus ‘Ayya. During the day, Israeli soldiers arrest Palestinians at a checkpoints nr. Ramallah and Hebron. The IDF conducts arrest raids nr. Jenin and Hebron; patrols in Tulkarm and n. of Jenin. Late at night, unidentified assailants open fire on the home of an imprisoned Hamas MP in Hebron, causing damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently disperse 100s of Palestinians gathered to protest Abu Ein’s death in Shu‘fat r.c., Issawiyya, al-‘Izzariya, and Silwan. They conduct late-night arrest raids and house searches in Jabal Mukabir, Wadi al-Juz, Ras al-Amud, and Issawiyya. Meanwhile, 75 new security guards are added to the security detail at Haram al-Sharif in response to King Abdullah of Jordan’s request. (MNA 12/10; HA, JP, MNA, NYT 12/11; IMEMC, MNA 12/12; TOI 12/13; PCHR 12/18)

UN Special Coordinator Serry holds talks with senior Hamas official Abu Marzuq at the UN building in Gaza City. Serry calls on the PA unity govt. to take on its responsibilities stipulated in the cease-fire agreements, specifically staffing the border crossings. Outside the UN building, dozens of Palestinians gather for a sit-in protest in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. (MNA, TOI 12/11)

Egyptian pres. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi travels to Jordan to hold talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah. They discuss the draft UNSC res. that Jordan plans to introduce on behalf of the Palestinians before 12/25. Meanwhile, Jordan’s House of Deps. votes to cancel its 9/2014 gas agreement with U.S. company Noble Energy. The MPs oppose increasing Jordan’s economic ties with Israel, despite Jordan’s ongoing energy crisis. (JT, MNA 12/11; JP 12/12; NYT 12/14)

The French Senate passes a nonbinding res. inviting the govt. to recognize Palestinian statehood. The French parliament previously passed a similar res. on 12/2. Meanwhile, the Swiss govt. invites all states party to the Fourth Geneva Convention, which includes every UN mbr. and Palestine, to attend a summit on 12/17 to discuss the situation in the oPt. (AFP, AP, HA 12/11; WAFA 12/13)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israel orders 4 W. Bank universities, 800 secondary and grade schools closed for 1 month [WP, NYT 2/3]. Commercial strike continues in occupied territories [FJ 2/7]. Settlers attack al-'Azzah camp in Bethlehem, clash with residents [FJ 2/7]. 'Izz al-Din al-'Aryan, sec. of Red Crescent Society in occupied territories, is served 3-month administrative detention order [FJ 2/7].

Arab World: Reports indicate Jordan's King Hussein has reservations about new U.S. proposal to restart peace negotiations because proposal contains "nothing new" [WP 2/2; NYT 2/3].

Other Countries: In Athens, PLO officials announce plan to charter ship, return Palestinian deportees to Israel [NYT 2/3]. U.S. officials state new peace proposal includes U.S. -mediated Israeli-Jordanian negotiations by September to achieve limited Palestinian self-rule in W. Bank and Gaza Strip and direct negotiations in December to reach final settlement on territories [WP 2/3]. In New York, U.S. veto defeats UN Security Council resolution demanding Israel abide by terms of 4th Geneva Convention and calling for international conference on Arab-Israeli dispute [FJ 2/7].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Curfew remains in force in Nablus, village of 'Anabta, old and new 'Askar camps, 'Ayn Bayt al-Ma', Tulkarm, Jalazun, Bani Na'im, village of Hibla near Qalqiliyyah, and Gaza's Burayj camp. Jabalya remains a closed military area [NYT 2/3; FJ 2/71. Palestine Press Service reports Palestinian is shot, wounded in Tulkarm clash with IDF; 20 are beaten by soldiers in Hibla demonstration. Hibla, Tulkarm refugee camp, and 8 other towns and camps are placed under curfew. [WP 2/3].