The Palestine Chronology

IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of al-Bureij r.c. fire warning shots at Palestinian farmers approaching the border fence, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct late-night raids in Hebron and 1 village each nr. Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Jenin, arresting 5 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 3; patrol during the day in 3 villages nr. Ramallah, 2 nr. Jericho, and 1 nr. Jenin. They also violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli and international activists at a demonstration against the Israeli occupation in Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya, injuring 2 Palestinians. Israeli settlers fill an agricultural well with stones and earth nr. Salfit. In East Jerusalem, right-wing Jewish activists assault a Palestinian child outside Haram al-Sharif. A group of Palestinians intervenes and the activists flee the scene. (MNA, WAFA 7/25; MNA 7/26; PCHR 7/30)

Israel’s Justice Min. Ayelet Shaked says that the proposed release of Israeli spy Pollard from U.S. prison in 11/2015 is not connected to Israel’s complaints about the nuclear deal announced by Iran and the P5+1 on 7/14. Meanwhile, U.S. atty. gen. Loretta Lynch says that the Justice Dept. “will not interfere” in Pollard’s case, meaning that she will not seek to accelerate or delay his release beyond the standard parole procedures. (HA, MNA 7/26; TOI 7/27)

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)