The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers destroyed a memorial for 1 Palestinian rights activist who was killed by Israeli forces on 1/5 in Umm al-Khair. Israeli settlers also assaulted 1 Palestinian farmer in Kisan. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man and injured 3 by live ammunition and 2 with baton rounds during a raid in Halhul. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian with live ammunition during a raid in Nablus. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 3 Palestinians with live ammunition during a raid in Jenin refugee camp. Israeli forces also raided Jayyus, injuring 1 Palestinian with live ammunition and confiscating 1 bulldozer. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolished an apartment building under construction in Beit Jala. Israeli forces also delivered a punitive demolition notice and took measurements for a separate punitive demolition in Rumana. 7 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Baytin, al-Mazra‘a ash-Sharqiya, Tell, Tammun, Nur Shams refugee camp, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, 9 Palestinians were arrested, and 1 Palestinian was assaulted before being taken to a hospital for treatment during a late-night raid in Isawiya and the Old City. (AJ, AN, AP, HA, MEE, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/9; AA, PCHR 6/10; PCHR 6/16; UNOCHA 6/17)

Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett met with UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. Israeli media speculated if the meeting was part of Israeli and U.S. preparations to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, NYT, REU 6/9; HA 6/10)

Israel announced that Israeli citizens will be able to travel to the Qatar 2022 soccer World Cup, despite Israel and Qatar not having formal relations. Foreign minister Yair Lapid said the development “opens a new door for us to warm ties [with Qatar].” Israel is not qualified for the World Cup in Qatar. (MEE, REU 6/9)

The U.S. state department announced that the Palestinian Affairs Unit at the Israeli embassy will change its name to U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs and start reporting directly to the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau in the State Department “on substantive matters” instead of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. The diplomatic representative to the PA was also changed from U.S. ambassador to Israel Tom Nides to Hady Amr, who was promoted to the state department envoy to Palestinians. The PA has demanded that the Biden administration uphold president Joe Biden’s promises made during his presidential campaign, including to reopen the U.S. consulate to Palestinians in Jerusalem. (AJ, AP, AX, GDN, HA, MEE, REU 6/9; JP 6/12)

A bipartisan group of members of the U.S. house and senate introduced legislation that would require the defense department to submit a strategy for an integrated air and missile defense system for Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman within 180 days. The bill, “the Deterring Enemy Forces and Enabling National Defenses Act of 2022,” was described as an effort to bolster Israeli ties with countries in the Middle East. The senate version of the bill was introduced by Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and James Lankford (R-OK), while the house version was introduced by Brad Schneider (D-IL), David Trone (D-MD), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ann Wagner (R-MO), and Don Bacon (R-NE). (HA 6/9)

The director general of the international atomic energy agency (IAEA) Rafael Grosso warned that Iran is in the process of removing 27 surveillance cameras from the country’s nuclear sites. The Iranian move comes as the progress in talks for the U.S. to renter the Iran nuclear deal has stalled, and Israel has intensified its assassinations of Iranian military personnel and scientists. Director General Grosso said that Iran would leave some 40 surveillance cameras at its nuclear facilities. The announcement came 1 day after 30 members of the IAEA board released a joint statement urging Iran to cooperate with the agency. (AJ, HA, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU 6/8; AJ, AP 6/9; AP 6/10)

A study by the organization AirPressure.info found that Israel has violated Lebanese air space 22,000 times in the past 15 years. (GDN, MEE 6/9)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Joseph’s Tomb, leading to clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces; several Palestinians suffered injuries from rubber-coated bullets and tear gas. Israeli forces fired tear gas at Palestinian olive harvesters and 1 South African diplomat who had accompanied them in Tuqu‘, trying to force them to leave the area; 1 was arrested. Israeli forces also demolished 1 Palestinian house—displacing 10—east of Yatta, 2 stores in Hizma, and delivered demolition notices for 5 houses in Kafr ad-Dik. 6 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Birzeit, Umm Ash-Sharayet, Yatta, and Jiftlik. In East Jerusalem, 130 Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces demolished 1 house in Jabal Mukaber, displacing 8. 1 Palestinian was arrested in Kafr ‘Aqab during a raid. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Gaza; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/3; PCHR 11/4)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Italian prime minister Mario Draghi in Rome. (WAFA 11/3)

Israel’s and Jordan’s economy ministers Orna Barbivai and Yousef Alshamali met in Jordan. The 2 signed an agreement raising the Israeli-imposed cap on Jordanian exports to the PA. (ALM, AP, HA 11/3)

In Syria, Israel conducted air strikes in Zakia, west of Damascus. There were no reports of casualties. (AJ, AP, HA 11/3)

The U.S. commerce department said in a statement that the Israeli spyware companies Candiru and NSO Group were added to its Entities List for activities contrary to the U.S.’ national security or foreign policy interest. The statement said the 2 companies were added based on evidence that they developed and supplied spyware to foreign governments that are used “to maliciously target government officials, journalists, businesspeople, activists, academics, and embassy workers,” in order to conduct transnational repression. The U.S. state department later said that it would not be pursuing action against Israel. The Pegasus Project and Citizens Lab have previously revealed how the 2 companies’ spyware is sold to governments, with the Israeli government’s approval, and used against prime ministers, presidents, activists, and journalists. (AJ, ALM, AP, AX, GDN, HA, MEMO 11/3; HA, HA 11/4; HA 11/5; HA, HA, HILL 11/7)

Thomas Nides was confirmed by the Senate as the new U.S. ambassador to Israel. (AP, HA, HILL, MEMO, REU 11/4)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized 47 olive trees near Burin. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting in East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, al-Ram, and al-Arub refugee camp against the planned settler march, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Bireh; no injuries were reported. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian with live ammunition by the separation wall in Jalama village. Israeli forces also delivered stop-work notices for 5 structures in Burqin and for a road near Sabastiyya. 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Mirka and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, the new Israeli government allowed far-right Israelis and Israeli settlers, including MKs Itamar Ben-Gvir of Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) and Bezalel Smotrich of HaTzionut HaDatit (the Religious Zionist Party) to march through the Old City of Jerusalem, yelling “Death to Arabs” and “May your village burn down.” Israeli forces had forced Palestinian-owned stores in the Old City to close for the march. Member of the newly formed government coalition, Mansour Abbas Ra’am (United Arab List), said that the march was an “unrestrained provocation” and “incitement to violence.” In a tweet, the new Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid condemned the racist slogans targeting Palestinians. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting the march, injuring 33, including 6 who were hospitalized, and arresting 17. Israel had also sealed parts of the Old City for entry of Palestinians. Prior to the march, Israeli settlers also toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, in response to Israel allowing the provocative march through the Old City, incendiary balloons sent from Gaza started some 20 fires in Israel. Israeli forces shot and injured 3 Palestinians protesting at the Gaza fence by Khuza‘a with live ammunition and arrested 3 who attempted to cross into Israel. Israeli forces also violently dispersed a Palestinian protester by the Gaza fence east of al-Showka, leading to tear-gas related injuries. 1 Palestinian succumbed to injuries sustained during the Israeli attacks in Bayt Hanun on 5/13 during the Israeli attacks on Gaza in mid-May, raising the comprehensive death toll since 5/10 from 265 to 266, including 67 children and 3 pregnant women. (AP 6/14; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, F24, HA, MEE, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/15; ALM, HA, TOI 6/16; PCHR 6/17)

The Israeli military said it would scale back its late-night house raids in the West Bank. (AP, TOI 6/16; HA, HA 6/17)

The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research said a new poll found that 535 Palestinians believe that Hamas is “most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people” and that 145 believed the same about Fatah. The poll was sourced from 1,200 Palestinians in face-to-face surveys in the West Bank and Gaza. (HA, TOI 6/15)

Iran said it had made 6.5 kilos (14 lbs.) of uranium enriched to 60%. Iran’s announcement seemed to be a way of asserting pressure on the U.S. as indirect talks about the U.S. reentering the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement are ongoing. (AP, HA 6/15)

U.S president Joe Biden picked Tom Nides, a former Obama administration official and current Morgan Stanley vice chairman of investment, as the new ambassador to Israel. Nides will need to be confirmed by the U.S. senate before assuming the role. (AJ, HA, IN, REU 6/15; HA 6/16)