The Palestine Chronology

As announced on 6/1, Egypt opens its side of the Rafah border in both directions to Palestinian medical cases, students, other humanitarian cases with proper travel documents, as well as to foreign passport holders; 1,000s of Gazans stream to the border crossing in hopes of reaching stores in Egyptian Rafah, but Hamas and Egyptian officials allow fewer than 500 out and fewer than 600 in the first day. (The crossing remains open continuously through the end of the quarter, but average daily numbers allowed to cross are slightly lower than these, with Egypt denying entry to a significant number of Palestinians approved for exit by Hamas.) Twice during the day, IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials inside the Erez industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts evening arrest raids in al-Ma‘sara. Jewish settlers set fire to crop land in 4 Palestinian village nr. Nablus, destroying 450 olive trees and 300 almond trees. (PCHR 6/3; OCHA 6/4)

With Israeli permission, Egypt allows Gazan university students with valid travel visas and other foreign passport holders to exit Gaza through the Rafah checkpoint; at least 600 of the 1,000 persons qualified leave the Strip. In the West Bank, the IDF makes a rare morning raid on a factory in Ramallah, questioning workers but making no arrests; takes up positions in Tulkarm at midday, randomly checking Palestinian IDs; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces forcibly remove a solidarity tent set up on the site of a Palestinian home demolished in 11/08. (WP 2/23; OCHA 2/24, 2/25; PCHR 2/26)

Israeli cabinet approves (10-7) 1st stage of FRD covering 9% of West Bank. (MM 3/6; MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/7; RE 3/7 in WNC 3/11; ITV 3/7 in WNC 3/13; NYT WP 3/8; CSM 3/13; JP 3/15; Hatzofe [Tel Aviv] 3/17 in WNC 3/19; WP 3/25; Vesti [Tel Aviv] 3/24 in WNC 3/27; PR 3/14)

12 Mediterranean (including Egypt, Israel, Jordan, PA), 15 EU states attend Euro-Mediterranean conference in London. (JT 3/8 in WNC 3/13)

Jordan says that Lebanon is barring entry to Jordanian trucks transporting produce, claiming that the Lebanese markets are inundated; believes the move is in violation of trade agmt. stipulations that Jordan may sell unspecified amounts of produce to Lebanon until the end of April; bars the entry of Lebanese produce in response. (JT 3/6 in WNC 3/7)

Lebanon releases 3 Japanese citizens arrested along with 5 Red Army mbrs. on 2/15; charges the 5 Red Army mbrs. with passport forgery, entering the country illegally. (Kyodo [Tokyo] 3/14 in WNC 3/17) (see 3/3)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: A Jerusalem court convicts Israeli army Capt. Shlomo Leviatan and Maj. Ronnie Gila of complicity in bombings carried out by anti-Arab Jewish underground group [JP, WP 4/15]. U.S. Asst. Sec. of State Murphy meets with Bethlehem Mayor Iliyas Furayj at reception at American consulate in East Jerusalem; reports circulate that they discussed the "Gaza first" proposals being floated by some circles in Jerusalem; Murphy confirms he attempted to ease tensions between Israel and Syria during recent meetings with Syrian Pres. Hafiz al-Asad [JP 4/15]. Students at Hebron Polytechnic demonstrate in protest of Tehiya convention; 70 students are arrested [JP 4/15; FJ 4/18].

Arab World: West Bank Palestinians travelling to Jordan are experiencing increased bureaucratic harassment, including passport confiscation and interrogation by Jordanian authorities; moves seem to be targetting Fateh supporters [JP 4/14].