The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assaulted 1 Palestinian farmer tending his land near Artas. Israeli settlers also threw stones at a school in ‘Urif, damaging solar panels. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian homes near Huwwara, causing damage. Israeli forces demolished 1 house under construction and 1 water well in Farsh al-Hawa. Israeli forces also issued stop-work orders for 6 homes under construction in Kafr ad-Dik. Elsewhere, Israeli forces sealed 1 water pipeline serving al-‘Awja. 24 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Beit Umar, Hebron, Beitunia, Askar refugee camp, al-Mudawwar, Ya‘bad, and Huwwara. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/15; PCHR, UNOCHA 12/22)

Members of Nizar Banat’s family called on the ICC to investigate the killing of Banat by PA security forces in June 2021. Banat was killed while being arrested by PA security officers. 14 security officers were later arrested but none of them have been convicted in relation to the killing. (AP, BBC, HA, MEE 12/15; ALM 12/20)

In an interview with NPR, Israeli prime-minister elect Benjamin Netanyahu said that he will not agree to a Palestinian state with full sovereignty. “[M]y formula is very simple . . . . The only peace that will hold is one that we can defend. And the one that we can defend is one in which the Palestinians have all the powers to govern themselves, but none of the powers to threaten our life, which means that security, in whatever political arrangements we'll have realistically will have to remain in Israel's hands.” The PA called Netanyahu’s remarks unacceptable. (NPR 12/15; MEMO, WAFA 12/17 MEMO 12/18)

Unilever said the legal dispute between it and its subsidiary Ben & Jerry’s over the sale of the license to manufacture and sell the ice cream company’s products in Israel had been resolved but did not offer any details. Ben & Jerry’s recently updated its website, removing Israel as one of the countries where consumers can buy its ice cream. (GDN 12/15; EI, MEE, MEMO 12/16)

The UN General Assembly passed the resolution, “The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination,” with 167 votes in favor, 6 against, and 9 abstentions. (UN 12/15; WAFA 12/16)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assaulted 1 Palestinian minor with metal clubs in Hebron. Israeli settlers also stole 30 bee hives and olive harvesting equipment in Deir Sharaf. Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians during a late-night raid in Jenin refugee camp; 3 were arrested. Israeli forces also demolished 2 Palestinian homes under construction in al-Ramadin and 2 commercial structures in Qalandia. Elsewhere, Israeli forces issued stop-work orders for 2 homes and 1 agricultural structure in Umm Lasfa in the Masafer Yatta area. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Kobar, Dura, and Beit Furik. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Isawiya and Silwan. (AJ, AP, F24, HA, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/1; MEMO, WAFA 12/2; PCHR 12/8; UNOCHA 12/16)

Israel’s interior minister Ayelet Shaked ordered the deportation of Palestinian human rights lawyer Salah Hamouri to France. Hamouri, who is from East Jerusalem and held Israeli residency status until it was revoked in October 2021, is a French citizen. He has been held on administrative detention since March 2022. Interior Minister Shaked said Hamouri would be deported due to his alleged senior position in the PFLP. Amnesty International said that the deportation, scheduled for 12/4, would constitute a war crime. It was reported on 12/2 that Israel had postponed the deportation of Hamouri. (AI, ALM, AP, GDN, HA, IN, MDW, MEMO, TOI, WAFA 12/1; AJ, BBC 12/2; WAFA 12/3; MEMO 12/4; AP 12/6)

The UN said it had filed a complaint with Hamas authorities after finding a “man-made cavity” underneath an UNRWA school in Gaza. (F24, TOI 12/1)

Israeli prime minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu made an agreement with the Religious Zionism Party leader Bezalel Smotrich, putting his party in charge of the settlement construction in the West Bank. (AJ, AP, IN, MEMO, REU, TOI 12/1)

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli soldier attacked 1 Israeli activist in Hebron, hitting him in the face after forcing him to the ground in Hebron; the activist was later sentenced to 5 days of house arrest and banned from entering Hebron for 2 weeks while the soldier was placed in detention for 28 days. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 3 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, injuring 10 with tear gas. In Israel, Israelis set fire to 8 vehicles and sprayed racist graffiti in Abu Ghosh and Ein Naqquba; 1 suspect was later arrested and put in administrative detention for 4 months for the torching of cars in Abu Ghosh. (HA, HA, MEE, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/25; HA 11/27; HA, HA 11/28; HA 11/29; PCHR 12/1; UNOCHA 12/16)

Israeli prime minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu signed a coalition agreement with Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir which will see the party gain 3 ministerial positions, including public security minister. The position will also be renamed to national security minister and will have its powers extended, including oversight of the Border Police in the West Bank. A 2nd ministry set to be granted to Otzma Yehudit is the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee, which will also be expanded to include oversight of settlement outposts in the West Bank. Several PA officials warned about the consequences of the Netanyahu-Ben-Gvir coalition. (AJ, HA, MEE, MEMO, REU 11/25; AP, MEMO, WAFA 11/26; MDW, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/27; WAFA, WAFA 11/28)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian minor succumbed to his injuries after 74 days in intensive care after being shot by Israeli forces in the neck near Ramallah on 5/14. Israeli settlers began construction work around a spring in Wadi al-Malih. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters during a raid in Nablus, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces seized electric cables and an excavator in as-Samu. 10 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Deir Balut, Silwad, Sur Baher, al-Ubeidiya, Wadi Abu Freiha, Hebron, Qabatiya, Meithalun, and Tammun. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces dispersed Palestinian protesters in Sheikh Jarrah. 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silwan. (AP, HA, WAFA, WAFA 7/26; WAFA 7/27; PCHR 7/29)

Kahanist Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir of the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party called the Palestinian Israeli deputy speaker of the Knesset Ahmad Tibi a terrorist before being forcefully removed from the Knesset podium he was speaking from. Ben-Gvir’s smear happened after he refused to address Tibi as “Mr. Speaker.” (HA 7/26; MEMO, TOI 7/27)

Tunisian president Kais Saied ousted the Tunisian government and froze the parliament in what was said to be a coup. Tunisian forces also stormed the Al Jazeera offices in Tunis and expelled the staff from the premises. Tunisians had taken to the street on 7/25 to protest the government after a new COVID-19 spike and continued economic difficulties. (AJ 7/25; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, MEMO, REU, REU 7/26)

In Lebanon, Najib Mikati secured 72 of 118 votes in the Lebanese parliament to be approved as the new prime minister-elect. Saad Hariri resigned as prime minister-elect on 7/15 after failing to form a government 9 months after being picked to do so. Mikati has been Lebanon’s prime minister twice before, in 2005 and 2011-14. (AJ, REU 7/25; AJ, AJ, AP, F24, MEMO, MEMO, REU, REU 7/26)

U.S. president Joe Biden and Iraqi prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi agreed, during a meeting at the White House, that all U.S. combat troops would leave Iraq by the end of 2021, leaving only U.S. personnel for advisory roles. (HA, MEMO 7/26; MEE, REU 7/27)

4 members of congress, Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), Katie Porter (D-CA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), and Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), urged the Biden administration to speak out against companies that sell cyber intrusion tools, such as NSO Group, and to consider sanctioning such companies and the regimes that use their tools. The members’ call follows reporting from 7/18 that NSO Group, with approval from the Israeli government, sold its Pegasus spyware to foreign governments, which have used the spyware on journalists, activists, and heads of other countries. (Tom Malinowski 7/26; HA, MEE 7/27)

Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R) urged the Florida State Board of Administration to place Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company Unilever on the state’s list of companies to be examined in relation to boycotts of Israel. The move comes as Ben & Jerry’s announced on 7/19 that it will stop selling its ice cream in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and end its licensing to an Israeli-based franchise. (HA, HILL 7/26)