The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, IDF troops clash with residents in a village nr. Qalqilya during a raid, with 1 Palestinian wounded by a tear gas canister striking him on the hand. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning, and in 1 village and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron at night; patrols in Tulkarm and 1 village each nr. Jenin and Ramallah in the morning, in 1 village each nr. Hebron and Jenin in the afternoon, and in 2 villages each nr. Hebron and Jenin, and 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. IDF troops also demolish water wells and tents in 3 locations across the n. Jordan Valley. (MNA 12/3; PCHR 12/5)

A group of French experts rules out polonium poisoning as the cause of death for the late Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat, differing from the conclusions reached by Swiss scientists last mo. (See document A2 in JPS 170 for extended excerpts of the Swiss team’s report.) (AFP 12/3)

Andreas Reinicke, EU special rep. for the Middle East peace process, tells journalists at the European External Action Service in Brussels that at least half the EU’s mbr. states currently support labelling products manufactured in Israeli settlements. (ToI 12/3)

Palestinian UNRWA workers in the West Bank go on strike, protesting low salaries and the agency’s decision to not renew the contracts of 55 workers. (MEMO 12/3)

In a televised interview, Hizballah leader Shaykh Hasan Nasrallah accuses Saudi Arabia of being behind the suicide bombing attacks that targeted the Iranian Embassy in Beirut on 11/19. He dismisses claims that differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran are sectarian, saying that they are based on Riyadh’s desire to be the dominant regional influence. (AP, DS, REU 12/3)

Israel officially acknowledges for the 1st time that it is providing humanitarian aid along the border fence for victims of Syria’s civil war, an announcement made by DM Ya’alon during a visit to the occupied Golan Heights. (AP 12/3)

Off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 village nr. Hebron; patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin and 1 village nr. Tulkarm in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Salfit and 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. Also in the West Bank, Jewish settlers from Yitzhar settlement destroy around 100 olive trees nr. Nablus. (MNA 5/25; PCHR 5/30)

Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court rules against elements of an election law passed by the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated legislature, sending the bill back to the Upper House for review. Meanwhile, U.S. Secy. of State John Kerry meets Pres. Mohamed Morsi on the sidelines of an African Union summit and urges the Egyptian govt. to implement economic reforms necessary to secure a $4.8 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan. (AP, REU 5/25)

Four more people die in clashes between residents of the Sunni Bab el-Tebbaneh district and Alawite area Jabal Mohsen, bringing the death toll over 6 days of fighting in Tripoli to 28, with over 200 wounded. Meanwhile, Hizballah head Hassan Nasrallah broadcasts a televised speech saying that the fall of the Bashar al-Asad govt. in Syria would be a disaster for the “resistance” and for Palestine and a victory for U.S. and Israeli interests. (AFP, HA 5/25)

In the West Bank, IDF forces demolish 10 commercial properties nr. Jenin. The IDF patrols in 1 village each nr. Jenin and nr. Qalqilya in the morning, in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 4 villages nr. Jenin and 2 villages nr. Ramallah at night. Also at night, IDF troops conduct house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Qalqilya. (MNA 5/9; PCHR 5/10)

Palestinian amb. to Egypt Barakat al-Farra says that Palestine has called an emergency meeting of Arab League representatives to discuss recent clashes in al-Aqsa Mosque compound (see 3/8). (MNA 5/9) 

Hamas says that PA security forces arrest 9 of its members in Hebron, Nablus, Qalqilya, and Ramallah. (MNA 5/9)

Hizballah leader Hasan Nasrallah says that Syria will supply the organization with ‘‘game-changing’’ weapons, following recent Israeli air strikes, and that Hizballah would help other groups looking to liberate the Syrian Golan Heights from Israeli occupation. Meanwhile, deputy Syrian FM Faisal Miqdad says that his country will ‘‘respond immediately’’ to any further Israeli attack in its territory. (AFP 5/9; DS 5/10)