The Palestine Chronology

The IDF conducts late-night patrols in 1 village each nr. Jericho and Ramallah; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin. (PCHR 6/7, 6/14; OCHA 6/15)

The Knesset votes down (69–22) a resolution that would have retroactively legalized unauthorized settlement outposts built on private Palestinian land. Hundreds of right-wing settlers gather outside the High Court in Jerusalem to protest. The decision clears the way for implementation of a High Court order to demolish Ulpana outpost by 7/1/12 and Migron outpost by 8/1/12 (see QU in JPS 164 for background). In 4/2012, Netanyahu had urged the government to find a solution that would legalize Ulpana, but knew this draft bill would not pass legal muster with Israel’s High Court and had urged MKs to defeat the measure. Instead, he vows to have the Ulpana buildings physically moved to neighboring Beit El settlement and to build 300 new housing units inside Beit El. At the same time, the Israeli Housing Min. announces plans to build another 551 new settlement housing units in various other West Bank settlements. (NYT, WT 6/7; JPI 6/15)

The International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation hosts members of Congress and some 100 evangelical Christians for a prayer breakfast to mark ‘‘the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967.’’ Nine Republican House reps. [Michele Bachmann (MN), John Fleming (LA), Trent Franks (AR), Louie Gohmert (TX), Randy Hultgren (IL), Doug Lamborn (CO), Steve Stivers (OH), Joe Walsh (IL), Allen West (FL)] attend and speak at the session, all calling for moving the U.S. emb. to Jerusalem. (WJW 6/14)

Israel allows a shipment of fuel for Gaza’s power plant (shut down on 2/28), allowing 1 of 4 turbines to restart, but reduces the amount of cooking fuel and gasoline, aggravating shortages of these supplies. Gazans across the Strip continue to experience rolling blackouts of 8–16 hrs./day; 40% of Gaza receive running water for several hrs. once every 4 days. Unidentified Palestinians fire 3 Qassam rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 5 villages nr Jenin, Jericho, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Tulkarm in the morning; in 1 village nr. Jenin in the afternoon, and in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya and Ramallah late at night. (JP 3/2; PCHR 3/8; OCHA 3/9)

U.S. Reps. Howard Berman (D-CA) and Joe Walsh (R-IL), along with 50 cosigners from both parties, send a letter urging U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder to indict, extradite, and prosecute “Palestinian terrorists” who have killed or wounded American citizens, particularly any Palestinian prisoners released under the 10/2011 and 12/2011 Hamas-Israel prisoner swap that freed Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. The letter states that since the Koby Mandell Act was passed in 2005 allowing the U.S. to try foreigner terrorists who have harmed U.S. citizens abroad, not one Palestinian has been tried though as many as 71 Palestinians attacks (by their count) have left 54 Americans dead and 83 injuring since the 1993 Oslo Accords were signed. (WJW 3/8)