The Palestine Chronology

The IDF sends troops into Gaza to bulldoze land nr. the border fence e. of Jabaliya. The UN reports several previously unreported Gaza incidents that took place between 5/7 and 5/12 (no exact dates given): the IDF killed 1 armed Palestinian and wounded 1 armed Palestinian and 7 civilians (no details); Palestinians fired “several” rockets and mortars into Israel, causing no injuries but damaging 1 house; the IDF made several air strikes on Rafah border tunnels in response; there were 6 incidents of IDF gunfire and shelling across the border at Palestinian farmers, in 1 case setting 15 d. of wheat ablaze nr. al-Qarara. In the West Bank, the IDF makes a morning incursion into Qalqilya to raid and search the home of a wanted Palestinian (not at home), arresting his mother. Jewish settlers perform religious ceremonies at the vacated Homesh settlement site northwest of Nablus. Jewish settlers in Hebron stage a provocative march through the town (fr. Kiryat Arba through Wadi al-Husayn, Wadi al-Nasara, Jabir, al-Salayma, the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs, al-Sahla, and al-Shuhada to Ramat Yishai settlement) in a show of force, vandalizing Palestinian homes and threatening Palestinians along the way; the IDF observes but does not intervene. (OCHA, WP, WT 5/13; PCHR, WJW 5/14)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts latenight house searches in Qalqilya, but makes no arrests. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba in Hebron set up 2 mobile homes and an electricity generator nr. the vacated Beit Shalom site; IDF troops observe but do not intervene. Jewish settlers fr. Carmiel s. of Hebron attack 3 Palestinian shepherds (including a pregnant woman) nr. the settlement. Jewish settlers fr. Carmiel and nearby Ma’on plant wheat on large areas of Palestinian land nr. the settlements and build a new road s. of Carmiel in an apparent effort to expand, and possibly link, the settlements (which are 3 km apart). (OCHA 4/15; PCHR 4/16)