The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, injuring 7 with rubber-coated bullets and 30 with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Dajan, injuring 30 with tear gas. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Ras al-Joura and al-Khader, causing tear-gas related injuries. 10 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Husan, Bani Na‘im, Hebron, Tulkarm, Ramallah, and ‘Askar refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, 1 Israeli settler attacked 1 Palestinian activist in Sheikh Jarrah during a protest against evictions in neighborhood. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting the demolitions at al-Yusufiya Muslim cemetery, injuring 3 with sound bombs and arresting 7; Israel said that Palestinian stone throwers had damaged 1 police vehicle. 5 others were arrested in Shu‘fat, the Old City, and al-Tur. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian agricultural lands east of Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Gaza; no injuries were reported. In Israel, Palestinians protested in Umm al-Fahm for the Israeli police’s inaction against gun violence in Palestinian towns and cities. (MEMO, WAFA, WAFA 10/29; AJ, WAFA 10/31; PCHR 11/4)

Israeli forces closed down al-Ibrahimi Mosque for Palestinian worshippers between 3 p.m. on 10/29 and 10 p.m. on 10/30, only allowing Jewish worshippers. (WAFA 10/30)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas dispatched the head of the Detainees Affairs Commission Qadri Abu Bakr on a 2-week tour to meet with leaders in Egypt, Belgium, and France in order to gather international support for the Palestinian prisoners hunger striking against their administrative detention. 1 of the prisoners has been on hunger strike for 107 days, another for 101 days, and 3 others for more than 65 days. (WAFA 10/30)

Israel’s president Isaac Herzog apologized, in a speech, on behalf of Israel for the massacre of Palestinians in Kafr Qasim on 10/29/1956. (HA, MEMO 10/29)

Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan tore the UN human rights council yearly report to pieces at the UN general assembly podium. The report condemned Israel’s attacks on Gaza on May, dubbed Operation Guardian of the Wall by Israel. (HA, MEMO 10/30)

ABC News reported that Facebook employees expressed concern over the restrictions on the Palestinian activist Muhammed El Kurd’s Instagram account during Israel’s May assault on Gaza. The document was leaked to ABC News by a congressional staffer after the testimony by Frances Haugen, a Facebook whistleblower. The Facebook employees did not understand why El Kurd’s Instagram story was being limited by Facebook. (ABC, MEE 10/29; WAFA 10/31)

The Texas-based company A&R Engineering and Testing Inc., along with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, filed a lawsuit against the city of Houston and the Attorney General of Texas, saying that the state’s anti-boycott of Israel laws are unconstitutional, citing the 1st and 14th amendments. The lawsuit was filed after the engineering company on 10/13 was told to sign a pledge that the company is not engaging in a boycott of Israel; the company has been providing services for the city of Houston for 17 years. (WAFA 11/5)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers contaminated a water container with poisonous material in Yatta south of Hebron. Elsewhere, in the village of al-Jib, Israeli settlers with military escort stormed an archeological site while closing the main road to the village for 2 hours. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces escorted some 300 Israeli settlers while touring Haram al-Sharif. Meanwhile, Israeli forces set up checkpoints and roadblocks impeding access for Palestinians in the Old City. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian farmers; no injuries were reported. (MNA, MNA, PNN, WAFA 4/25)

The Israeli foreign ministry announced that Israel would participate in the World Expo in the United Arab Emirates in 2020. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Israel’s participation an expression of Israel’s “rising status in the world and the region.” (HA 4/27)

A federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked the enforcement of a Texas state law that prohibits boycotting Israel as a condition of public employment. The judge cited the 1st Amendment as a reason for his decision. The ruling comes after 2 federal judges in Kansas and Arizona blocked similar state laws last year. (WP 4/26)  

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov warned in a report that the financial crisis due to Israel withholding 6 percent of the PA tax revenue, and the PA refusing to accept any of the revenue as long as it is not 100 percent, “threatens the stability of the West Bank and the very survival of the Palestinian state-building effort.” (MNA, UNSCO, WAFA 4/25)