The Palestine Chronology

Palestinians fire 2 rockets into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF responds with 10 air strikes on tunnels on the Rafah border, also destroying an evacuated house and a farm, killing many animals. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the Rafah coast, wounding 1 Palestinian. UNRWA halts aid transfers to Gaza, accusing Hamas of confiscating UN stocks for a 2d time, commandeering 10 truckloads of rice, flour. UN Secy. Gen. Ban Ki-moon warns Hamas that the suspension will remain in place until the stolen goods are returned and UNRWA is given credible assurances that thefts would not be repeated. Some Fatah-affiliated charities in Gaza also accuse Hamas of confiscating their supplies. Israel allows 82 truckloads of humanitarian aid and commercial goods into Gaza today. In the West Bank, the IDF fires live ammunition, tear gas to disperse Palestinians holding a nonviolent demonstration against OCL in Hebron, wounding 1 Palestinian; fires rubber-coated steel bullets at Palestinian and international activists taking part in nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall in Jayyus (injuring 3 Palestinians); fires tear gas at a similar demonstration in al-Ma‘sara s. of Bethlehem (injuring 5 Palestinians); conducts latenight arrest raids, house searches in Bil‘in and nr. Jenin, Nablus; makes a late-night incursion into Dayr Abu Da’if nr. Jenin, rousts 3 shop owners fr. their homes and has them open their stores, photographing and confiscating some goods. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai in Hebron vandalize nearby Palestinian houses. Separately, the IDF tells Palestinians in the Ramat Yishai vicinity that they may not receive visitors to their homes without IDF permission. (MM, NYT, WP, YA 2/7; WP, WT 2/8; PCHR 2/12)

In Gaza, the IDF bulldozes Palestinian land 300 m. inside Gaza n. of Jabaliya r.c., occupying the area. In the West Bank, the IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian nr. Hebron who allegedly attempted to infiltrate an IDF post; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah, in Jenin town and r.c. (firing on residential areas, wounding a Palestinian woman inside her home), Nablus; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists attending the weekly nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in Bil‘in, injuring 2 internationals. Jewish settlers fr. Rachelim settlement nr. Nablus uproot and cart away 300 Palestinian olive trees fr. nearby Qaryut (the IDF secures the return of 140 trees). Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar nr. Nablus cut down 20 Palestinian olive, almond trees in nearby Burkin village. Jewish settlers fr. Tekoa nr. Bethlehem set fire to 300 d. of nearby Palestinian agricultural land, including 400 olive trees. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai in Hebron burn 50 nearby Palestinian olive and almond trees. Suspected Hamas mbrs. toss a homemade bomb at the Fatah offices in Qalqilya, causing damage but no injuries. (WP 6/23; OCHA 6/27; PCHR 6/28)

Four Islamic Jihad and AMB gunmen in an armored jeep marked “TV” and “press, carrying RPGs and supported by mortar fire, break through the Gaza border fence nr. the Kissufim crossing, engage IDF troops for 2 hrs. in what Islamic Jihad describes as an attempt to capture a 2d IDF soldier (Cpl. Gilad Shalit was captured in 6/06 and is still being held); 1 Palestinian is killed. The IDF continues operations in Shuka, bulldozing 33 d. of Palestinian land, exchanging fire with local Hamas mbrs., leaving 1 Hamas mbr. dead. Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb nr. an IDF tank n. of Bayt Hanun, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron and in Jenin town and r.c., Tulkarm. Jewish settlers fr. Hebron severely beat a Palestinian teenager nr. the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs; an ambulance sent to the scene is barred by the IDF, stoned by settlers; the IDF arrests the teenager. Separately in Hebron, Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai severely beat a 9-yr.-old Palestinian. In Rafah, Fatah, Hamas mbrs. exchange heavy fire (including mortars, RPGs) for several hrs., leaving 2 Palestinians dead, 38 injured. In Bayt Hanun, unidentified gunmen shoot, wound an NSF mbr. (IFM, NYT, WP, WT 6/10; NYT 6/11; OCHA 6/13; PCHR 6/14)

The Lebanese army escalates attacks on FI, sending special forces and armored personnel carriers into areas around Nahr al-Barid r.c. to root out FI mbrs., increasing tank, artillery shelling of FI positions inside the camp to the highest level to date. FI replies with mortar and sniper fire. The army reports 6 soldiers killed, more than 40 wounded during the day. FI reports 4 mbrs. killed, 6 wounded. At least 60 FI mbrs., 49 soldiers, 20 civilians are thought to have been killed since fighting began on 5/20, but figures for casualties inside the camp cannot be confirmed. (WP, WT 6/10)

IDF troops on the Gaza border fire on, send a drone to fire missiles at a group of armed Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel e. of Jabaliya, killing 1 armed Palestinian, wounding 4. For the 3d day, the IDF sends bulldozers and tanks into Gaza nr. Bayt Hanun to level land; this time, Palestinian gunmen fire an RPG at a tank, sparking an exchange of gunfire, causing no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF sends troops into Jenin town and r.c. late in the evening, exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen who confront the troops, wounding local AMB leader Zacharia Zubeidi; conducts arrest raids, house searches in alBireh, Nablus, Qalqilya; fires rubber-coated steel bullets on stone-throwing Palestinians nr. the Qalandia checkpoint, injuring 2; fires rubber-coated steel bullets at 10s of Palestinians and Israeli and international peace activists protest the separation wall nr. Bil‘in, injuring 14; similarly fires rubber-coated steel bullets on Palestinians, international peace activists protesting the construction of the separation wall nr. Um Salamuna nr. Bethlehem, injuring 8. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai set fire to a Palestinian car in Hebron; the IDF bars fire engines fr. reaching the scene. For a 2d day, Jewish settlers occupying a Palestinian building nr. Kiryat Arba throw bottles and stones at local Palestinians, use trained dogs to scare Palestinian children; the IDF observes but does not intervene. In ‘Abasan, Fatah-Hamas clashes leave 11 Palestinians wounded. A Palestinian wounded in an IDF artillery strike on ‘Abasan on 9/6/06 dies. (OCHA 4/11; PCHR 4/12)

Overnight, the IDF revives Operation Hot Winter (see 3/1) in Nablus, conducting major house searches, arresting 2 Palestinians but withdrawing in the morning. During the day, IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire on Palestinian farmers who stray near the border fence e. of al-Qarara, causing no injuries; later sends tanks, bulldozers across the border in the same area to level land, discovering and dismantling 2 roadside bombs. Late in the evening, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, and nr. Bethlehem, Ramallah. Jewish settlers fr. Avraham Avino attack Palestinian workers repairing a Palestinian home nearby; the IDF observes but does not intervene. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai vandalize Palestinian homes nearby. A Palestinian gunman fires on a Jewish settler vehicle driving on the Itamar settlement bypass road nr. Nablus, wounding 1 settler. In Gaza City, suspected Fatah gunmen assassinate Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades cmdr. Ala’ al-Haddad; late in the evening, the ESF fires an RPG destroying a house in Gaza City in apparent retaliation. Fatah-ESF clashes escalate in Bayt Hanun, with ESF mbrs. firing an RPG at the home of a Fatah mbr. and Fatah mbrs. retaliating by firing an RPG at the home of a Hamas mbr.; 3 Palestinians are injured. Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad says that the PA has definite information about who kidnapped BBC corresponded Johnston on 3/12, indicating that they are mbrs. of the powerful Daghmash clan, which is involved in criminal activity and was responsible for the abduction of 2 Fox News journalists on 8/27/06; says the government is working to secure his release. (HA, NYT, OCHA 3/14; PCHR 3/15)

The IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Jenin town and r.c., firing on residential areas, causing no injuries. Jewish settler children fr. Ramat Yishai in Hebron chase, beat several Palestinian children; the IDF observes but does not intervene. Jewish settlers fr. Susia nr. Hebron vandalize several Palestinian homes, beat a 65-yr.-old Palestinian. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar uproot 170 Palestinian olive trees nr. Nablus. The family of a Fatah mbr. who died in Jabaliya on 2/16 sets fire to the home of Change and Reform Palestinian Council (PC) mbr. Yusif al-Sharafi, exchanges fire with ESF mbrs., destroying 2 homes but causing no injuries. (OCHA 2/21; PCHR 2/22)

The IDF conducts house searches in Hebron’s al-Takrusi neighborhood. In Sa’ir nr. Hebron, 2 Palestinians are killed, 1 is wounded by unexploded IDF ordnance. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai in Hebron beat 3 Palestinian children ages 7–17. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba vandalize Palestinian homes in Hebron. In Bureij r.c., ESF, Fatah mbrs. exchange fire, leaving 1 bystander wounded. PA security forces in Jenin protest the Hamas-led government’s failure to pay back salaries. Some 1,000 PA security forces protest on the same issue in Gaza, where demonstrators storm the PC building, fire in the air, exchange fire with PC security guards and the ESF. (OCHA 12/13; PCHR 12/14; AIC 1/17)

In Gaza, the IDF continues operations in Abasan, directing tank fire at residential areas, killing 1 Palestinian woman inside her home, wounding a man, bulldozing 120 d. of agricultural land; makes an air strike on a car driving in Bayt Lahiya, killing 3 Hamas mbrs. (‘Adil al-Maqusi, Muhammad al-Taluli, Rasim Zhahir) allegedly en route to fire rockets into Israel, wounding 1 bystander; makes an air strike on a car in Gaza City, assassinating Fatah Mujahiddin Brigades mbr. Raja’i al-Labban, wounding a 2d Fatah mbr.; makes a late-night air strike on Rafah destroying a Palestinian home (after warning residents to leave), severely damaging 5 others, cutting power to some areas; conducts arrest raids in Wadi al-Silqa. Late in the evening, Palestinians fire 3 rockets fr. Gaza into Sederot, lightly injuring 3 Israelis. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts searches in Qabatya, exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen, firing on residential areas, wounding 1 Palestinian militant; conducts house searches in and around Hebron, nr. Nablus (firing on residential areas, wounding 2 civilians). 100s of angry Palestinians barred by Israel fr. attending Ramadan Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque use makeshift ladders to scale the separation wall and 4 checkpoints around Jerusalem and 1 checkpoint nr. Nablus, fighting with IDF soldiers who disperse them using tear gas, water cannons, stun grenades, rubber-coated steel bullets. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai stone a Palestinian home in Hebron. Jewish settlers nr. Ramallah prevent Palestinians fr. reaching their olive groves; Israeli border police intervene to disperse the settlers. Overnight and throughout the day, Hamas mbrs. angered over the assassination of a local leader on 10/12 engage in fierce clashes with Fatah mbrs. in Bayt Lahiya, leaving a 14-yr.-old Palestinian dead, around 50 Palestinians injured. A Palestinian wounded by IDF fire in Gaza on 10/12 dies. (AP, NYT, REU 10/13; NYT, WT 10/14; PCHR 10/15, 10/19)

The IDF closes Gaza’s Sufa and Qarni crossings for 3 days for the Shavuot holidays; shells the n. Gaza coast fr. the sea, wounding 2 Palestinian teenagers; fires on residential areas of Tulkarm town and r.c.; raids a hospital in Nablus, arresting a Palestinian being treated in the intensive care unit. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai attack Palestinians, vandalize homes in Hebron. In Gaza City, 1 PA security force officer is killed, 7 Palestinians are wounded in a clash btwn. Fatah and Hamas mbrs. Separately, some 3,000 PA security force officers rally outside the PC headquarters in Gaza City, firing automatic rifles in the air and vandalizing the building in one of the largest protests to date over the government’s failure to pay civil service wages for 3 mos. (NYT, WP, WT 5/2; OCHA 6/7; PCHR 6/8)

Palestinian gunmen representing the AMB, Islamic Jihad, the PRCs fire on a Jewish settler vehicle nr. Gaza’s Kissufim crossing, killing 2 Israeli civilians (visiting Jewish settler relatives), wounding 4; IDF soldiers at the crossing return fire, killing 2 Palestinians; 2 soldiers are wounded in the exchange. Israel says it captured an AMB mbr. who infiltrated Israel fr. Gaza with an 11 lb. bomb, with plans to carry out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv; arrested a 2d Palestinian accomplice in Jaffa (with an Israeli ID card, married to an Israeli Arab). An IDF drone fires 2 missiles at a group of armed Palestinians nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries, in what may be an assassination attempt. The IDF also sends troops into Sa’ir nr. Hebron, fires on stone-throwing Palestinians who confront the troops, seriously injuring 1 bystander; fires on residential areas of Rafah; severely beats a Palestinian at a flying checkpoint nr. Salfit; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Balata r.c., villages around Jenin. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai attack, vandalize a Palestinian home in Hebron. Palestinian groups linked to Fatah, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine fire rockets at Gush Katif, causing no damage or injuries. An armed Palestinian in fatigues raids the Rafah apartment of 4 American International Solidarity Movement workers, forces 1 of them (a 75-yr.-old man) into a car with 3 other masked Palestinians, holds him at a local school for 1 hr. before releasing him unharmed; no reason is given. (HA, IMEMC, PCHR, PRCS, WP, WT, XIN 7/24; NYT 7/25; OCHA, PR 7/27; PCHR 7/28)

Citing retaliation for the death of an Israeli woman on 7/14, the IDF launches overnight missile strikes on 4 sites in Gaza: a Hamas cultural center in n. Gaza, 2 sites Palestinians have used to launch rockets in s. Gaza, and a metal workshop (alleged weapons factory) in central Gaza; at least 2 Palestinians are injured. Later in the day, an IDF drone fires a missile at a car driving in Gaza City, assassinating 4 Hamas mbrs. (Sabir Abu Assi, ‘Assim Abu Ras, Amjad Arafat, ‘Adil Haniyeh), wounding more than 12 bystanders; an IDF helicopter and ground troops fire 3 missiles at a car driving in Salfit, assassinating 3 wanted Hamas mbrs. (Muhammad Ayyash, Samir Dawahqa, Muhammad Mar’ai); an IDF helicopter fires at 3 Palestinians firing mortars at Gush Katif, injuring them. In clashes in Salfit after the assassinations, the IDF fatally shoots a stone-throwing Palestinian teenager. The Israeli strikes mark the definitive end of the 2/8 cease-fire; Hamas announces that it is considering massive retaliation. Israel blames Abbas for failing to crack down on militant groups. The IDF also continues operations in and around Tulkarm; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus. Overnight, PA police searching for Hamas gunmen clash again with Hamas mbrs., this time in Gaza City, leaving 2 Palestinian children dead; during the clash, Hamas mbrs. destroy a PA armored personnel carrier with rocket-propelled grenades, burn a police station and a PA office building; Hamas, Fatah quickly convene an emergency mtg. to defuse tensions. Palestinians fire a barrage of at least 19 rockets and 10s of mortars at Neve Dekalim, lightly injuring 2 settlers, damaging 5 houses; 1 shell hits an industrial zone in the Negev, sparking a fire. A Jewish settler seriously injures a Palestinian teenager in a hit-and-run incident in Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai throw stones, bottles at Palestinian homes in Hebron and at a Palestinian teenager, lightly injuring him. An Israeli court sentences an East Jerusalem Palestinian to 5 mos. in jail for joining Force 17 in 2000, calling it a “severe crime”; says at least 80 “Jerusalem Arabs” have been indicted on similar charges since 9/00. (IMEMC, JTA, NYT, UNIS, WP, YA 7/15; VOI 7/15 in WNC 7/15; Interfax, ITARTASS, JP, MENA, VOI, VOP, XIN 7/15 in WNC 7/16; HA, IMEMC, NYT, PRCS, REU, WP, WT, YA 7/16; VOP 7/16 in WNC 7/17; HA 7/17; OCHA, PR 7/20; PCHR 7/21)