The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, 9 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Bayt Awa, Beit Umar, al-Twana, Nablus, and Birin. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians at the Damascus Gate plaza, detaining and assaulting 2 and arresting 3 others. Former MK Yehuda Glick led a group of Israeli settlers touring the Haram al-Sharif compound. (WAFA 4/6; PCHR, WAFA 4/7; UNOCHA 4/23)

An Israeli court ordered a punitive demolition against the family home of 1 Palestinian in Silat ad-Dhahr accused of killing 1 Israeli settler on 20 December 2021. (WAFA 4/7)

3 Palestinian citizens of Israel were indicted on charges of smuggling pistols and hashish from Lebanon into Israel. According to the indictment, the 3 were going to sell the pistols to a man in Hebron. (HA 4/6)

PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh met with 15 conservative members of the UK Parliament in Ramallah. Prime Minister Shtayyeh called on the MP to recognize the State of Palestine, citing the UK’s historical responsibility for the current situation. Shtayyeh also asked the politicians to help facilitate elections being held in Jerusalem. (WAFA 4/6)

The 6 Palestinian rights organizations deemed terrorist organizations by Israel in October 2021—al-Haq, Addameer, Bisan Center for Research and Development, Defence for Children International – Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees—issued a joint statement calling for international help to have their terror designations rescinded. The organizations said that verbal condemnation of the designations had not helped their situation. (AHQ 4/6; MDW 4/12)

Idit Sliman of Yamina said she would leave the Israeli government coalition after striking a deal with former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sliman’s departure from the coalition ended the coalition’s majority in the Knesset that is now split 60-60. Sliman commented that “the time has come to form a national, Jewish and Zionist government.” Sliman was promised, by Netanyahu, the role of health minister if he wins the next election. Joint List chairperson Ayman Odeh rejected calls for him and his party to join the government to restore the majority, saying that “we will not be a lifeline for [Prime Minister Naftali] Bennett and [Interior Minister Ayelet] Shaked.” (AJ, ALM, AX, CNN, GDN, HA, HA, HA, WSJ 4/6; MDW, TOI 4/7)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers razed Palestinian-owned land around the Yitzhar settlement. Israeli settlers with military escort also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near al-Bireh, causing damage. Israeli forces clashed with Israeli settlers as they evacuated the Oz Zion settlement outpost north of Jerusalem. Israeli undercover forces raided Birzeit University campus, forcing 5 students into a van with Palestinian license plates; 2 other students attempting to aid the 5 were shot and injured. The 5 students were released hours later. The PA condemned the raid. Israeli forces also demolished 2 residential structures and 1 agricultural structure near Idhna. 17 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Beit Fajjar, al-Khader, Jalazun refugee camp, al-Am’ari refugee camp, Beita, and Anzah. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers led by deputy mayor of Jerusalem Aryeh King and MK from the Religious Zionist party Itamar Ben-Gvir made a provocative tour in Sheikh Jarrah. Israeli forces assaulted 1 Palestinian and confiscated his flag during the settler tour in Sheikh Jarrah. Israeli forces also demolished a car wash in Isawiya and a cemetery under construction in Umm Tuba. 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids. In the Naqab desert, as the Jewish National Fund began a forestation project near Sawa in defiance of protest from local Palestinian Bedouins of the al-Atrash tribe who use the land for agriculture, Israeli police violently dispersed Palestinian protesters near Hura; leader of the United Arab List Mansour Abbas threatened to boycott Knesset sessions if the work continued. (ALM 1/8; HA, HA, MEE, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/10; PCHR 1/11; HA 1/12; PCHR, WAFA 1/13)

PA foreign ministry summoned the Dutch Head of Mission to Palestine Kees van Baar to protest the Dutch government’s decision, from 1/6, to end funding to the Palestinian Union of Agricultural Work Committees. (HA, WAFA 1/10)

Secretary general of the Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rajoub said at a press conference in Damascus that PA president Mahmoud Abbas would visit Syrian president Bashir al-Asad in Syria soon. The visit would be the 1st since the Syrian civil war. The UAE has lead the rehabilitation of President al-Asad’s government and King Abdullah II of Jordan recently followed suit with a phone call to al-Asad. (MEE 1/11; ALM 1/16)

Members of the U.S. House and Senate formed the Abraham Accords Congressional Caucus to promote normalization deals between Israel and various Arab and Muslim countries. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) said that the bipartisan caucus will work to “strengthen existing partnerships and widen the circle of peace to new countries.” (MEMO, TOI 1/11)

Pro-Palestine activists shut down a facility in Oldham that produces technology for the Israeli weapons manufacture Elbit. Activists have, through different methods of civil disobedience, obstructed the work at the factory over an 18-month period. During that time, 36 activists have been arrested by English police. (MDW, MEMO 1/11)