The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to olive trees in Burin. Israeli forces shot and injured 4 Palestinians with live ammunition and injured 9 others with shrapnel during a raid in Nur Shams refugee camp, Israeli bulldozers also razed streets and damaged electricity and sewage networks during the raid. Israeli forces also shot and injured 2 Palestinians, including a medic, during a raid in ‘Askar refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished a house in Khirbet Humsa and a mobile home in Battir. 14 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Beita, Nablus, Bethlehem, al-Mughayyir, Beit Kahil, Beit Umar, Nur Shams refugee camp, Qatanna, and Shu’fat. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat around 3 nautical miles northwest of Gaza City. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled land east of Khan Yunis (HA, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/24; PCHR 7/27; UNOCHA 7/29)

The Israeli Be’er Sheva Magistrate Court ruled that 500 Palestinians living in Ras Jrabah must demolish and leave their homes by March 2024 to make way for expansion of Dimona. The Palestinians will also have to pay $31,700 in legal fees. The residents of Ras Jrabah had requested that they remain in the area they have lived in since before the Nakba by being absorbed into Dimona, a request the court denied. (Adalah 7/27; HA, MEE 7/28; WAFA 7/29; WAFA 7/30)

PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki submitted a written statement to the ICJ regarding the Israeli occupation. (QDS, WAFA 7/24)

The Knesset passed the third and final reading of the bill that overturns the reasonableness standard, which has allowed the Israeli High Court of Justice to void government decisions that it deems unreasonable. The bill is a component of the Israeli government’s judicial overhaul plans. Israeli police used water cannons to disperse Israeli protesters outside of the Knesset and 1 Israeli man rammed 3 protesters with his car in Kfar Sava. More than 11,000 Israeli reserve soldiers said on 7/21 and 7/22 that they would not report for voluntary reserve duty if the law passed. The EU expressed concern about the passage of the bill and the U.S. called it “unfortunate.” (+972, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, ALM, ALM, AX, AX, AX, F24, HA, HA, HA, HA, MDW, MEE, MEE, NYT, NYT, NYT, TOI, WAFA 7/24; +972, AJ, ALM, ALM, BBC, HA, HA, MEE, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU 7/25; AJ, ALM, HA, HA, HA, MEE, NA, NYT, REU, REU 7/26; REU 7/27)

The American Anthropological Association voted to adopt a boycott of Israeli academic institutions, citing discrimination against Palestinians. 71% of the votes cast between 6/15 and 7/14 were in favor of the pro-BDS vote. (MDW, MEE 7/24; WAFA 7/26)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces delivered 1 stop-work order for a house in Bardala and handed demolition orders for 2 structures in Bayt Jala. Israeli settlers closed off an area on Palestinian-owned land in Hebron to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day; Israeli forces refused to remove the settlers despite complains. In East Jerusalem, 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands east of al-Maghazi and Dayr al-Balah; no injuries were reported but several sheep and donkeys were killed by indiscriminate shooting near Dayr al-Balah. In Israel, 1 Palestinian teen from the West Bank was shot and injured by Israeli forces after allegedly stabbing 1 Israeli woman in Kfar Saba. (HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/28; PCHR 4/30)

A Palestinian suicide bomber fr. Balata r.c. detonates a device at the Kfar Saba railway station in Israel, killing 1 Israeli security guard, injuring 13 Israelis. A statement faxed to Reuters claims the AMB carried out the act with the help of the PFLP, but AMB’s chief spokesman denies this, saying the attack was staged by Nablus breakaway faction of the AMB (see 4/10). Israel says it will not stage a massive retaliation in response. The IDF fires on stone-throwing Palestinian youths in Qarawat Bani Zayt, killing 2 Palestinians; fires on an elementary school in Qalqilya, injuring 3 students, 1 teacher; shells residential areas of Rafah; bulldozes nearly 300 dunams of land in Bayt Hanun, 34 dunams in Rafah; conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem (targeting Hamas), al-Qarara, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers fr. Mitzpeh Yeriho seize a hilltop nr. Jericho as a new outpost, called Givat Haherut (Liberty Hill), to “prevent invasion” of the area by bedouin shepherds; Israeli police urge the settlers to evacuate the site but leave when they refuse. (HA, LAW, MM 4/24; AFP, ITAR-TASS 4/24 in WNC 4/25; NYT, WP, WT 4/25; al-Quds, VOI 4/25 in WNC 4/28; PR 4/30; LAW, PCHR, WJW 5/1; MEI 5/2)

King Hussein initiates mtg. with David Levy in Paris, discusses peace process, says Levy has "an important role" to play on the Israeli political scene. (IDF Radio 7/4 in FBIS 7/5)

Knesset debates bill presented by Matza that would force PA to close 14 institutions operating in Jerusalem. Matza is only able to provide evidence of activity for 4. Of those, the PA agrees to close 3: the statistics, housing, and information bureaus. (JP 7/4 in FBIS 76) (see 2/10)

In Kfar Sava, 25,000 right-wing Israelis led by Likud's Netanyahu demonstrate against planned IDF redeployment. (MM 7/4)

In 2 clashes btwn. Hizballah, IDF in s. Lebanon, 2 IDF soldiers are killed, 5 wounded. IDF responds by shelling suspected Hizballah positions n. of self-declared security zone. (RL 7/3 in FBIS 7/3; MM, WP 7/4; JP 7/15)

Hebron Massacre. 29 Palestinians killed when American-born settler, IDF reservist, and Kach mbr. Dr. Baruch Goldstein opens fire with IDF-issued Galil assault rifle on Muslim worshippers at Haram al-Ibrahimi in Hebron ("Cave of the Patriarchs") before being bludgeoned to death by survivors. 6 more Palestinians killed in clashes with IDF outside main Hebron hospital, 5othershot dead elsewhere in o.t. Hundreds wounded in bloodiest single day in o.t. since 1967 war. Palestinians riot throughout o.t., including at Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem. Gaza Strip closed off fr. Israel. (MENA, SPA 2/25 in FBIS 2/28; MM 2/25; WP 2/26, 2/27)

PFLP, PFLP-GC, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad issue statements vowing revenge for massacre. (AFP 2/25, QPAR 2/25, al-Ray 2/26 in FBIS 2/28)

Unidentified Palestinians axe to death 79-year-old Israeli at Kfar Sava bus station. (JP 3/5)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Muhammad & Mufid Kak both sentenced to 25 yrs. for planting 5 bombs in Petah Tikva-Kfar Sava in 1982.

Military Action

Arab World: IDF impose curfew and close shops in Nabatiya in response to local disturbances.

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Lydd court sentences 'Abd al-Rahman Tum to 25 yrs. and Nabil Nufal to 15 yrs. for attempted bombing at Kfar Sava. Confession of al-Fara'a detainee Nidal Hussein disqualified after petition filed verifying confession extracted by torture, US & Israel hold joint military medical exercises for eventual rescue of US personnel from 6th Fleet to Israel. After Bidya residents petition, High Court refuses to endorse Nablus district court order permitting Israeli construction co. Yakir to destroy village land and property.

Other Countries: Rev. Jackson's proposal for US Democratic Party to adopt policy favoring "independent state for Palestinians" defeated (13-2) in platform committee.

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 2 Palestinian students arrested in Beer Sheba (Bir Sab'a) on charges of possessing banned printed material. Al-Fajr poll finds 94% of Palestinians in Israel support Arafat leadership. 200 residents of Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem attend mtg. at UNRWA office to protest Israeli threat of camp school closure. Galilee priest, Fowzi Khouri, released on IS100,000 bail after 1 month detention on charges of contact with PLO. 

Arab World: Gemayel ends talks with Reagan admin. with no further commitments of US assistance. Second-ranking Druze official murdered in Beirut; Christian Phalange blamed.

Other Countries: 2 Israeli firms sign deals for 1st Israeli factory in Ciskei tribal homeland, S. Africa; Israeli trade there includes sale of American-made Mooney light planes for fledgeling Ciskei airforce plus military training. [Israel and Taiwan lead investment in S. African "Bantustans."] British High Court decides to refer Israel's protest at UK's refusal to sell it North Sea oil to European Court of Justice. UN Security Council considers Arafat's request for assistance in evacuating Tripoli.

MILITARY ACTION:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 3 Palestinian workers shot for not stopping at Gaza checkpoint while driving to work in Israel. About 30 Birkat Avraham yeshiva students go on rampage armed with iron rods, smashing windows, injuring 2 Arab men; 3 Arabs and 2 Jews arrested and released. IDF uproots five dunums of fruit trees belonging to Palestinian farmers along Kfar Saba-Qalqilya road where IDF believes petrol bomb attacks on Israeli traffic launched; farmers not to be compensated and ordered not to replant.

Arab World: Heavy artillery exchanges in Tripoli between rival Palestinian forces as talks on evacuation of loyalists stall. Bazooka attack on Israeli army vehicle kills 1 IDF soldier in Lebanon.