The Palestine Chronology

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops open fire on Palestinians who were close to the border fence nr. Jabaliya r.c., injuring 2. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin at night; patrols in 1 village nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and at night in 1 village each nr. Hebron, Jericho, and Ramallah. The night raid in Ramallah provokes clashes, leaving 1 Palestinian injured with live ammunition. 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), 1 village nr. Qalqilya (Kafr Qaddum), and 1 village nr. Bethlehem (al-Ma‘sara). There are no serious injuries, except in Bil‘in (1 wounded by a bullet) and Kafr Qaddum (2 struck by tear gas canisters). Meanwhile, around 200 Jewish settlers gather outside Yabad village nr. Jenin and burn tires, blocking a road. In East Jerusalem, IDF troops open fire on Palestinians protesting against the occupation nr. Abu Dis, in Qalandia, and in Issawiyya, injuring dozens with rubber-coated metal bullets and stun grenades. Palestinians respond by throwing stones and burning tires. (MNA 11/22; PCHR 11/28)

Israel’s Labor Party elects former minister Isaac Herzog as its new leader, defeating incumbent Shelly Yachimovich with 58.5% of the vote compared to the latter’s 41.5%. Herzog announces in his victory speech that the Labor Party will not join the governing coalition led by PM Netanyahu. (REU, YA 11/22)

Russian FM Lavrov arrives in Geneva to join diplomats struggling to finalize a deal between Iran and the P5+1 powers, with remaining disputes including Iran’s right to produce nuclear fuel, the fate of the Arak heavy-water reactor project, and the extent of sanctions relief. (AP, REU 11/22)

Six large Islamist opposition groups in Syria declare a new Islamic Front, the biggest alliance of rebel fighters to date. The group is distinct from both the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the al-Qa‘ida-linked factions. (REU 11/22)

Muslim Brotherhood supporters hold protest rallies across Egypt to mark 100 days since the mass killings by security forces in 8/2013 (see the QU in JPS 169). Clashes with Muslim Brotherhood opponents leave 2 dead, 1 in Cairo and 1 in Suez. Meanwhile, Hamas PM Haniyeh says that his organization is not breaking ties with Egypt, despite the recent conflict with Cairo’s military rulers. (AP, MNA 11/22)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, and in 1 village each nr. Jericho, Ramallah, and Salfit at night; conducts house searches and arrests in 2 villages nr. Hebron in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Salfit and 1 village each nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, Tulkarm, and Aida refugee camp (r.c.) in Bethlehem at night. Schools across the West Bank are on strike to protest the failure of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to pay 1/2013 wages, with a second day of industrial action planned for later in the week. (MNA 2/16; PCHR 2/21)

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu tells Likud ministers that he intends to create a broad coalition following January’s elections in order to advance negotiations with the Palestinians from a position of strength. (AP, HA 2/17)

Israeli security officials visit Cairo for the second time in a week to discuss the regional security situation with Egyptian intelligence officials. Items for discussion include the security situation in Sinai and the indirect talks with Hamas. Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya confirms that the organization is indeed conducting indirect talks with Israel over the details of the cease-fire deal that ended Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense in 11/2012, including possibly allowing the entry of Qatari-donated construction materials to Gaza and the export of Gaza’s agricultural products to Israel. (MNA, ToI 2/17)

Hizballah forces controlling 8 Syrian border villages expand into other adjacent villages, prompting the fighting between Hizballah fighters and Free Syrian Army rebels in Syrian territory nr. the Lebanese border. (AP, REU 2/17)

PM Salam Fayyad says that the PA is in ‘‘extreme jeopardy’’ due to an unprecedented financial crisis caused by Israel’s withholding of tax revenues and the subsequent failure of Arab countries to send promised funds. Meanwhile, the union of government employees in the West Bank says it will continue its partial strike to protest salary delays; part of 11/2012’s salaries are still outstanding. (AP, MNA 1/6)

Sixty-two truckloads of gravel enter the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing, part of a shipment from the Qatari government intended to help reconstruction. It is the 2d such delivery since 2007, following the entry of building materials via Rafah on 12/30. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Jericho in the morning, in 1 village nr. Jericho in the afternoon, and in 1 village nr. Ramallah, al-Jalazun r.c. nr. Ramallah, and Hebron at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Bethlehem, Tubas, Nablus and 1 nearby village, and 1 village nr. Hebron. (MNA 1/7; PCHR 1/10)

Jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti says that Palestinians should use mass popular protest to help end the split between the governments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, calling for sit-ins in front of Hamas and Fatah party buildings in Palestine and internationally. (MNA 1/6)

Talks continue among PLO leaders, the Free Syria Army, and Syrian regime forces about Yarmuk r.c., without concluding a deal. PLO representatives are demanding that all armed groups, including Palestinian gunmen, withdraw from the camp; that authorities allow food and fuel to enter for residents; and that all parties to respect the neutrality of the camp. (MNA 1/6)

Israeli PM Netanyahu vows to build a fortified fence along the border with Syria in response to claims that radical Islamist groups have taken over the area alongside the occupied Golan Heights. (AP, REU 1/6)

Russian pres. Putin meets with PA pres. Abbas in Ramallah and tours holy sites in Bethlehem. Putin calls the Palestinian conditions on resuming negotiations with Israel ‘‘responsible’’ and reiterates that Russia would recognize a Palestinian state. (WT 6/27) 

Jewish settlers begin evacuating Ulpana outpost, moving into new mobile homes placed on an Israeli border police base next to neighboring Beit El settlement. Meanwhile, Israel’s Jerusalem planning comm. approves construction of 180 new housing units for Armona Hanatsiv settlement on 67 d. of confiscated Palestinian land in Sur Bahir. (NYT, WP 6/27)

Unidentified Palestinians fire 4 Grad rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing light damage in 1 instance but no injuries; 2 of the rockets are intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome antimissile system. Israeli naval vessels fire warning shots at Palestinian fishing boats off the c. Gaza coast forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, and nr. Bethlehem and Jenin. The IDF also makes a late-night raid into Salfit, searching the offices of Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Council (PC) mbrs. Omar ‘Abd al-Raziq and Nasser ‘Abd al-Jawwad as well as a nearby house. OCHA reports that in the previous week, the IDF demolished another 3 residential structures, 9 animal pens, and 1 portable kitchen in Wadi al-Malih village in the Jordan Valley nr. Tubas (an area designated as an IDF firing zone), where several structures were demolished on 6/5/12. (JP 6/26; PCHR 6/28; OCHA 6/29)

As civil war escalates in Syria, Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) col. Ahmad Salih Hassan is shot dead near Damascus. The PLA is technically a wing of the PLO but is incorporated into the Syrian army. Government sources blame the Free Syrian Army (FSA) for Hassan’s killing, whereas opposition groups claim he was killed by government forces for refusing orders to target the FSA. Hassan is the 6th PLA officer to be killed since 1/2012. A new charity funded by 3 Russian Jewish billionaires and comanaged with the Israeli government plans to offer a $1-m. ‘‘Genesis Prize’’ for excellence in any field. The prize is intended to ‘‘honor those who attribute their success to Jewish values’’ and to ‘‘recognize the role of Jewish identity in encouraging universal achievements.’’ (NYT 6/27)

An Iranian detained in Kenya ca. 6/20 on charges of plotting an attack on Israelis there says that he was interrogated by Israeli agents. Israel’s amb. to Kenya refuses to comment other than to say the matter is an internal Kenyan issue. (WT 6/28)