The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raided Huwwara, leading to a confrontation between Palestinians and Israeli forces; tear-gas related injuries were reported. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians seeking to enter Israel through the separation wall near ‘Anin, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians in Tulkarm, causing tear-gas related injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Israel, Israeli forces shot and arrested 1 Palestinian man who had entered a checkpoint at Ben Gurion International Airport. Israeli police said that the man had taken a wrong turn from the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway and did not intend to carry out an attack. Palestinian citizens of Israel protested Israeli inaction in addressing gun violence in Taybeh. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/4; WAFA, WAFA 12/5; PCHR 12/8; UNOCHA 12/16)

Israel started dismantling the Karni crossing east of Gaza City to extend the Gaza Fence. The Karni crossing, for movement of commercial goods, was closed by Israel in 2007. (MEMO 12/5; AP 12/6)

Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party and the Religious Zionism Party agreed to change the procedure for how the coordinator of the activities in the territories and the head of the Civil Administration are appointed. The 2 positions will in the next government be filled by Israeli politicians rather than by the military chief of staff and defense ministry. Outgoing Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid condemned the agreement. (HA 12/4; HA 12/5)

Speaking at the J Street conference in Washington D.C., U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken said that the U.S. expects to work with the next Israeli government in the same manner it has with previous governments, but warned about potential threats to the 2-state solution, including settlement expansion, annexation, and changes to the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem. Secretary Blinken also noted that Israelis and Palestinians “do not enjoy equal measures of freedom,” which he said they are entitled to. (AJ, AP, F24, HA, REU, WAFA 12/4)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked 1 Palestinian working on rehabilitating a road east of Yatta and damaged the excavator he was using. Israeli forces delivered demolition notices for 20 residential structures in Rujeib, a house under construction, and an agricultural shack in Battir. Israeli forces also seized a mobile home in Khallet al-Nahleh, south of Bethlehem. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian who tried to enter Israel through a hole in the separation wall near ‘Anin before arresting him. 13 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Jenin, Jenin refugee camp, Rummana, Tulkarm, and Qarawat Bani Hassan. In East Jerusalem, 44 Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli settlers led by Israeli MKs from HaTzionut HaDatit (The Religious Zionist) party Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strock harassed Palestinian residents under eviction threat in Shaykh Jarrah. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Issawiyya. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silwan. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Bayt Lahiya and al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/22; MEMO 6/23; PCHR 6/24)

After meeting in a Hamas office, various political and military factions in Gaza issued a warning to Israel to ease the blockade. The factions said that if Israel does not comply, they would allow the launching of incendiary balloons and protests by the Gaza fence. (AJ, MEMO 6/23)

Iran said it had foiled a drone attack on a building belonging to the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization in Karaj City, 25 miles west of Tehran. According to the New York Times, the building was on a list of potential targets Israel had presented to the U.S. and which the Trump administration had approved for targeting by Israel. Iran later said that Israel had attacked the building to undermine the nuclear deal negotiations. (AJ, NYT 6/23; HA 6/24; AJ, AP, REU 7/6)

The U.S. seized the domain name for the news site Palestine Today and more than 30 Iranian and Iranian-linked websites, including state-run news agencies. (HA, MEE, REU 6/22; AJ 6/23)

The EU provided the PA and Palestinian banks with a loan of $425 million to help keep the Palestinian economy going as it is facing an economic crisis due to the Israeli occupation and the COVID-19 pandemic. (HA 6/22)

Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen off the Gaza coast nr. al-Waha, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Jenin in the morning, in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, and in 3 villages each nr. Ramallah and Tulkarm, and 1 village nr. Jericho at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Jenin in the morning, and in Bethlehem, Hebron, Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem, and 1 village nr. Bethlehem at night. In the West Bank, Palestinian activists set up a new protest camp called al-Asra in ‘Anin village nr. Jenin; the IDF forcibly disperses protesters, including the governor of Jenin, Talal Dweikat. (MNA 1/26; PCHR 1/31)

Secy.-gen. of the teachers union, Ahmed Anis, announces that teachers in the West Bank will go on strike for 3 days starting on 1/27 to protest irregular salary payments by the PA. (MNA 1/26)

The Israeli govt. approves construction of up to 500 West Bank settlement housing units in Ariel, Gush Etzion, Kiryat Sefer, Ma’ale Adumim, Mod’in Ilit (large settlements Israel expects to keep under final status) in retaliation for the killing of 5 settlers on 3/11 by suspected Palestinians, with PM Netanyahu telling relatives of the victims: “They murder and we build.” The U.S. expresses “deep concern,” saying “continued Israeli settlements are illegitimate and run counter to efforts to resume direct negotiations.” Meanwhile, the IDF continues searches in Awarta, raiding and searching several homes and turning a few into observation posts. At least 16 attacks on Palestinians and their property by armed Jewish settlers exacting revenge for the Itamar murders are reported in Qalqilya (10), Salfit (3), Nablus (2), and Ramallah (1). Incidents involved: setting up a new outpost on Palestinian land (1); rampaging through Palestinian areas (9); attacking Palestinian homes (4, including firing on Palestinian homes, shooting fireworks at Palestinian homes, and attempting to break into houses); and stoning and vandalizing cars (8). The IDF also patrols in Dayr Istya nr. Salfit, photographing several old buildings; raids ‘Anin village nr. Jenin, searching several stores and rounding up patrons for questioning, but making no arrests; patrols in Tulkarm and 3 villages nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon; conducts late-night patrols, arrest raids, house searches in 3 villages nr. Salfit and 1 nr. Ramallah. (WP, WT 3/14; PCHR, WJW 3/17; OCHA 3/18; JPI 3/24)