The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole 150 olive saplings in Jalud. Israeli forces raided Bayt Umar, leading to clashes; tear-gas related injuries were reported. Israeli forces also razed several hundred olive saplings and trees in Dayr Balut. 5 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Dayr Nitham, Nablus, and Hebron. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled land east of Khan Yunis. In Israel, Israeli police violently dispersed Palestinian citizens of Israel in Kafr Qara protesting the lack of Israeli police’s willingness to investigate intra-communal violence of Palestinian communities in Israel; 1 Palestinian citizen of Israel was killed on 1/5. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/6; PCHR 1/7)

An Israeli military court convicted the prominent Palestinian activist Issa Amro of 6 of 18 charges against him, including obstructing Israeli forces’ activities and assaulting 1 Israeli settler. Amnesty International has called the charges politically motivated and Amro denies the charges against him. He will be sentenced on 2/8. Amro also has a court hearing at a PA court on 1/20 for accusations of “insulting higher authorities” over Facebook. Amnesty has also called the PA charges “disgraceful.” (AI 1/5; HA, MEE, REU 1/6)

Sudan announced that it had signed on the normalization deal between Israel, Bahrain, and the UAE after Sudan was formally removed from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism in December. The agreement was formalized by the Sudanese justice minister Nasredeen Abdulbari and U.S. treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin. The U.S. has also agreed to settle Sudan’s debt to the World Bank and granted Sudan immunity from prosecution related to the 2 U.S. embassy bombings in east Africa during the 1990s. (AJ, HA, REU 1/6)

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 15 people were killed or injured in Israeli attacks on southern Damascus. (REU 1/6; MEE 1/7; HA 1/9)

In Washington D.C., thousands of anti-democracy Donald Trump supporters protested at the U.S. Capitol building after attending a Trump rally by the White House on the day that the U.S. congress was to confirm the electoral college vote win for president-elect Joe Biden. Hundreds of protesters stormed the Capitol building while the legislators were debating the electoral college votes, taking over the senate chamber while legislators were evacuated. 1 protester was killed in the Capitol building and 4 others died due to “medical emergencies” during the violent protest, including a police officer. At least a dozen U.S. police officers were injured and several dozen protesters were arrested. After the Capitol building was secured, U.S. members of congress certified President-Elect Biden’s win. In the aftermath, Trump was temporarily banned from Twitter and Facebook after accusations of using the platforms to incite the rioters. Trump subsequently promised an “orderly transition of power” despite not acknowledging his defeat in the presidential election, making unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. 2 of the Trump administration cabinet members and a dozen high-ranking officials resigned in the aftermath of violence encouraged by the president; speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi was among many bipartisan voices calling for Trump’s removal from office. Also, 2 Democrats were declared winners of the run-off elections in Georgia, providing the Democrats a majority in the Senate as well as the House. (AJ, GDN, HA, HA, HA, REU, REU 1/6; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, BBC, CNN, CNN, HA, HA, HA, IN, MEE, NPR, NYT, NYT, REU, WP 1/7; AJ, CBS, CNN, CNN, CNN, WAFA, WP 1/8; HA 1/9)

Off the n. coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, injuring 1 fisherman with rubber-coated metal bullets. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian in a village nr. Hebron and another in c. Hebron. Meanwhile, hundreds of Israeli settlers perform religious rites at Joseph’s Tomb outside Balata r.c. nr. Nablus, sparking clashes between IDF troops and Palestinians in the camp. Israeli forces seize around 1,000 dunams of land nr. Hebron for the expansion of a nearby settlement. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault 2 guards in Haram al-Sharif after they try to intervene in the arrest of a Palestinian woman in the sanctuary. (MNA, WAFA 4/8; PCHR 4/9)

PA PM Hamdallah confirms PA Pres. Abbas’s earlier announcement that the PA refused reduced tax revenues from Israel after PM Netanyahu’s office announced on 3/27 that it would be unfreezing the transfers. He also says that the Palestinians will lodge an official complaint about the freeze at the ICC. (WAFA 4/8)

As part of a reported deal with Israel’s COGAT, the PASF expands deployments in towns and villages nr. Jerusalem, in Area B. The PASF will begin by opening up police stations in the villages. (REU 4/8; AFP, MNA 4/9)

U.S. Pres. Obama calls Sens. Corker (R-TN) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), the 2 ranking mbrs. of the Senate Foreign Relations Comm., denouncing Corker’s proposed bill that would empower Congress to approve or disapprove of any final agreement made by Iran and the P5+1. The bill, the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, is set for a comm. deliberation on 4/14. Meanwhile, Secy. of State Kerry and Under Secy. Wendy Sherman meet with reps. of AIPAC, the American Jewish Comm. (AJC), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and other pro-Israel U.S. Jewish groups to argue in favor of the agreement with Iran and further diplomacy. (AP 4/8; TOI 4/9; JTA 4/12)

In Gaza, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion nr. Rafah to level land. Off the coast nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage to 2 boats. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot 65 olive trees outside Turmus ‘Ayya village nr. Ramallah; perform religious rites at a site nr. Nablus, sparking clashes with local Palestinians; enter Isaac’s Hall in al-Ibrahimi Mosque in c. Hebron. After suspected Palestinian assailants set fire to an Israeli settler’s trailer nr. Nablus, the IDF imposes a curfew on a nearby Palestinian village and conducts raids and house searches in the area, sparking light clashes with residents. The IDF also conducts house searches in and around Hebron and Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrols in 2 villages each nr. Qalqilya and Jenin. IDF troops set up roadblocks and raid a school in a village nr. Jenin, sparking clashes with residents. Israeli forces destroy 300 olive trees and demolish 600 m of walls nr. Nablus; confiscate 2 water tanks nr. Tubas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in Anabta village and in al-Tur, assaulting 1 Palestinian and arresting 2; arrest 4 Palestinian women at an entrance to Haram al-Sharif. In s. Israel, Israeli forces demolish several Palestinian bedouins’ homes in 3 villages in the Negev, and they surround a home in a 4th village, preparing to demolish it. (AFP, MNA, WAFA 3/19; AFP, MNA 3/20; PCHR 3/26)

In an interview with NBC, Israeli PM Netanyahu rolls back his 3/16 assertion that he will block the creation of a Palestinian state if chosen for a 3d consecutive term as PM. Later, U.S. Pres. Obama calls Netanyahu to officially congratulate him for his 3/17 victory, but also to discuss his controversial comments. Obama reportedly says that the U.S. will be reassessing its positions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in light of the PM’s new position. (AFP, HA, JP, NBC, REU, TOI 3/19; AFP, TOI, YA 3/20)

On the 4th day of bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Wall Street Journal reports that the P5+1 is refusing to compromise on its demand for staggered sanctions relief. (AP, JP, WSJ 3/19; AFP 3/20)

In the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Comm., chair Corker (R-TN) and ranking mbr. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) agree to delay a comm. vote on the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 until after the P5+1 and Iran’s deadline for reaching a political accord at the end of 3/2015. They schedule a vote for 4/14