The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler stabbed and killed 1 Palestinian man in Iskaka after the Palestinian man, along with others, confronted Israeli settlers erecting a settlement outpost near the Ariel settlement. According to eyewitnesses, there were Israeli soldiers at the scene when the man was stabbed, and they were said to have prevented Palestinians from providing the victim aid. Israeli forces arrested 1 Israeli settler on 6/22, suspected of having carried out the stabbing. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian herders in Kisan. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians during a raid in Qabatiya. Israeli forces also delivered 1 demolition notice against 1 house under construction and stop-work orders for 8 other homes in Jalbun. 18 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Surda, Kobar, Jalazun refugee camp, Qabatiya, Bir al-Basha, Beit Furik, Tubas, al-Ram, and Tuqu‘. In East Jerusalem, 5 Palestinians were arrested at the Damascus Gate plaza. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEE, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/21; HA, MDW, MEMO, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/22; HA, MEMO, PCHR, TOI 6/23; UNOCHA 7/2)

1 Palestinian held in administrative detention suspended his hunger strike after 111 days, following promises by Israeli authorities to release him at the end of his detention period which expires on 6/27. (WAFA 6/21; MEMO 6/22)

Reuters reported that Hamas had decided to restore ties with Syria and that Hamas sources told the news outlet that several “high-profile meetings [had been held] to achieve that goal.” (REU 6/21)

Israeli interior minister Ayelet Shaked met with Moroccan officials, including foreign minister Nasser Bourita, In Rabat. During Interior Minister Shaked’s trip, she expressed support for Morocco’s sovereignty claims to Western Sahara and worked on negotiations to allow Moroccan construction workers and nurses to work in Israel to bolster the 2 countries’ normalization deal. (ALM, MEMO 6/22; MEMO 6/23)

A U.S. official at the U.S. embassy to Israel said that including Israel in the U.S. visa waiver program and securing access for Palestinian Americans to the West Bank are 2 separate issues, implying that negotiations over the 2 issues are done on separate tracks. (HA 6/22)

Iranian media reported that Iran had arrested 3 Mossad-linked agents in April who were planning on assassinating Iranian scientists. (HA, REU 6/21)

Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt signed an agreement to transfer 650 million cubic meters of gas from Egypt to Lebanon via Syria, adding around 4 extra hours of power to the electric grid per day. (AP, HA, REU 6/21)

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler attempted ramming 1 Palestinian photojournalist working for Agency France Presse with their car at the Huwwara checkpoint. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian man who had allegedly attempted to stab Israeli soldiers near the Shomron Regional Brigade military base by Nablus; the Palestinian man was taken to a hospital while none of the Israeli soldiers were injured. Israeli forces also notified Palestinians in Wadi Fukin that Israel is seizing 40 dunams (10 acres) of Palestinian-owned land near the village. 26 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Dura al-Qari, Husan, Misilyah, Barta‘a, Silat al-Harithiya, al-Fara‘a refugee camp, Qalqilya, Qarawat Bani Hassan, Dheisheh refugee camp, Halhul, Beit Umar, and Qabatiya. In Jerusalem, Israeli forces assaulted the family of 1 Palestinian who was seriously injured on 5/16 during a funeral procession in East Jerusalem at a hospital while trying to arrest their seriously injured relative. 1 of the family members was beaten unconscious by the Israeli police and treated at the hospital. Later, Israeli police informed the family that the seriously injured man was not under arrest and they were still allowed to visit him. Israeli forces also razed 1 dunam (0.25 acres) of Palestinian land and demolished 1 fence in Shu‘fat refugee camp. 1 Palestinian was arrested at the Damascus Gate plaza. In Israel, Israel said it had shot down a drone entering Israeli air space from Lebanon, claiming it was operated by Hezbollah. (HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/17; HA, WAFA 5/18; PCHR 5/19; UNOCHA 6/4)

Israel’s prime minister Naftali Bennett visited the Elkana settlement in the West Bank a week after his government approved 500 new settlement units there. It was Prime Minister Bennett’s 1st visit to an Israeli settlement outside of East Jerusalem since he took office. The PA denounced Bennett’s trip. (HA 5/17)

PA civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh met with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow. Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov met with a Hamas delegation in Moscow earlier this month. (WAFA 5/18)

Israel’s public security minister Omer Bar-Lev decided to allow Israeli settlers and right-wing activists to march through the Damascus Gate plaza and the Muslim quarter of the Old City on “Jerusalem Day” on 5/29. The march will close off parts of the city to Palestinians. (AJ, AP, HA, WAFA, WAFA 5/18; HA 5/19; HA 5/20)

Prime Minister Bennett spoke to French president Emmanuel Macron. According to the official French readout of the conversation, President Macron expressed concern about Israel’s decision to advance 4,000 settlement units and urged Israel to swiftly investigate the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on 5/11. The Israeli readout did not mention the French concern about the Israeli settlement expansion. (AJ, HA, REU 5/17)

The Lebanese interior ministry released results from the 6/15 Lebanese parliamentary elections, showing that the Hezbollah-led bloc had lost the majority in the parliament. (AJ, HA, REU, REU, REU 5/17; AJ, REU 5/18; AJ, REU 5/19; AJ 5/20)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian who was shot by Israeli forces during a protest in Burqa on 3/1 succumbed to his wounds. Israeli settlers uprooted and stole grape saplings and damaged a stone wall and barbed wire fence in Kafr ad-Dik. Israeli settlers also razed a plot of land near Battir. Israeli forces violently dispersed a memorial service held for a Palestinian killed by Israeli forces on 3/1 at the Khadouri Technical University campus north of Hebron, injuring 3 with rubber-coated bullets and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also confiscated 2 water pumps and electric cables in Birin. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 1 Palestinian-owned home in Khallet al-Eideh near Hebron and assaulted 2 Palestinians resisting the demolition. Israeli forces also delivered a demolition order for a residential structure in the Abu al-Nuwwar Bedouin community east of Jerusalem. 20 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jalazun refugee camp, al-Ram, Deir Abu Mash‘al, Tuqu‘, Hebron, Yatta, al-Zawiya, Jenin, and Fahma. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 Palestinian house under construction in Shu‘fat refugee camp. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen west of Beit Lahiya; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian famers east of Beit Hanun and Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. In Israel, anti-Palestinian graffiti was sprayed on 1 Palestinian vehicle and the tires of 30 vehicles were slashed in Jaljulia. (HA, HA, MEMO, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/9; MEMO, PCHR 3/10; UNOCHA 3/11; UNOCHA 3/25)

Israel’s police commissioner Kobi Shabtai instructed the Israeli police to halt Palestinian home evictions and demolitions in East Jerusalem and the Naqab during the month of Ramadan. (HA 3/9)

The Israeli civil administration said, after having to respond to a freedom of information petition from HaMoked, that during 2021 it had banned 10,594 Palestinians from the West Bank from traveling abroad. According to a source in the civil administration, travel bans can be applied to Palestinians by Israel automatically, for example, in cases where the person is a relative of someone deemed by Israel to be involved with terrorism. (HA, MEE 3/9; MEMO 3/10)

PA civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh met with Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid. Civil Affairs Minister al-Sheikh said he stressed to Lapid the need for a political horizon and an end to Israeli settlement expansion. (WAFA 3/9)

The Jewish Agency said that “[i]f all goes well, we will bring tens of thousands [of Ukrainians] to Israel in the coming year,” referring to the refugee crisis in Ukraine as Russia has declared war on the country. (HA 3/9)

Israeli president Isaac Herzog met with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara. President Erdoğan told reporters after the meeting that he believes the 2 countries are entering an era of mutual ties. (AJ, ALM, AP, AX, HA, NYT, REU 3/9; HA, TOI 3/10)

Former U.S. vice president Mike Pence toured Hebron, including al-Ibrahimi Mosque, with Israeli settler activists MK Itamar Ben-Gvir and Baruch Marzel, who were both leaders of the Kach movement. Vice President Pence also received an honorary degree from the settler university in Ariel and met with former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, current prime minister Naftali Bennett, president Isaac Herzog, and foreign minister Yair Lapid. (AX 3/9; AP, HA, WAFA, WP 3/10; MEMO 3/11)

Belgium signed a cooperation agreement with the PA worth $77 million over 5 years. The funding is earmarked for education, vocational training, job creation, and climate issues in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. (WAFA 3/9; MEMO 3/10)

China donated 200,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines to UNRWA to help inoculate Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. (WAFA 3/9)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up tents and a mobile home on Palestinian-owned land in Battir. Israeli forces assaulted and arrested 1 Palestinian in Hebron. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian with a rubber-coated bullet and others suffered tear-gas related injuries during a raid in Abu Dis; 7 were arrested. 25 other Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids ‘Azzun, Silat al-Harithiya, Nur Shams refugee camp, Nablus, Beitunia, al-Bireh, Dayr Abu Mash‘al, al-Khader, Hebron, and Dura. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man who allegedly had stabbed 2 Israeli soldiers in the Old City; the man was shot by Israeli forces while he was lying on the ground. Israeli police removed 10 checkpoints in Sheikh Jarrah after Adalah petitioned the Israeli supreme court to have the checkpoints removed. The checkpoints were erected to help protect Israeli settlers that have been harassing Palestinians threatened by eviction in the neighborhood. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Bayt Hanina, displacing 5. 1 other Palestinian was arrested in Kafr ‘Aqab. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire east of Khuza‘a and Maghazi, damaging a vehicle; no injuries were reported. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/7; AJ, AP 3/8; PCHR 3/9 MEE, PCHR 3/10; UNOCHA 3/11; PCN 3/14)

Israel charged 4 Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah with throwing a Molotov cocktail at the home of 1 Israeli settler family’s residence in the neighborhood, causing a fire that destroyed the house and a vehicle in January. (HA 3/7)

In Syria, Israeli fighter jets, flying from Lebanese air space, fired missiles at the Damascus area, killing 2 and causing damage. Iran later said that the 2 killed were members of the Revolutionary Guard Corps. (AJ, HA, JP, MEMO, TOI 3/7; HA 3/8; AP, MEMO, REU 3/9; MEMO 3/10)

Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid met with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken in Latvia, briefing him on Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett’s efforts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine. (HA 3/7)

In the West Bank, up to 70 Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian shepherds with stones and clubs in Sa‘ir, causing fractures and bruises to an elderly man and his nephew. Israeli forces traveling in a minibus with Palestinian license plates assassinated 3 Palestinians during a raid in Nablus. The forces blocked a vehicle carrying the 3 Palestinians and jumped out of the minibus, shooting dozens of bullets at their car. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said the 3 men, Ashraf al-Mubaslat, Adham Mabrukeh, and Mohammed al-Dakheel, were members or their organization. A 4th person in the car was arrested. Israel claimed that the men had “tried to open fire” but had not fired at the Israeli forces ambushing them. Israeli forces also sealed off the main entrance to ‘Azzun. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished a water cistern near Bayt Dajan. 7 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jalazun refugee camp, Bethlehem, Beit Umar, Kafr Qalil, and al-Yamun. (AJ, AP, CNN, HA, JP, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, PCHR, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/8; MEMO, MEMO, WAFA 2/9; PCHR 2/10; HA, UNOCHA 2/11; HA 2/17; HA 2/18; UNOCHA 2/28)

Israeli forces fired a missile at Syria from a fighter jet flying over Lebanese air space. Syria then fired an anti-aircraft missile at the fighter jet, missing it. The anti-aircraft missile fell near Jenin, causing neither injuries nor damage. Israel subsequently attacked a Syrian radar facility and anti-aircraft battery, killing 1 Syrian soldier and wounding 5 others. (REU 2/8; AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEE, TOI 2/9; HA 2/11)

Turkish foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that Turkey would not abandon its commitments to Palestine if the country normalizes its relations to Israel. Israeli president Isaac Herzog is expected to meet with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in March. Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu said, “[a]ny step we take with Israel regarding our relations, any normalisation, will not be at the expense of the Palestinian cause, like some other countries.” (REU 2/8; WAFA 2/10; ALM 2/11; MEE 2/15)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized some 100 olive trees east of Bethlehem. Israeli forces delivered demolition orders against 2 Palestinian-owned homes in al-Twana. 26 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jericho, Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, Ein as-Sultan, Jiftlik, Jalazun refugee camp, Qatanna, Beit ‘Anan, Deir Sammit, Qarawat Bani Hassan, and Jenin. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Jabel Mukaber. Israeli forces also delivered a notice to a family in Isawiya ordering them to demolish an extension to their house under construction. (MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/31; MEMO 2/1; PCHR 2/3)

An Israeli court ordered the Salem family in Sheikh Jarrah to leave their home between 1 March and 1 April. The eviction will displace 10 Palestinians, including 4 children. (WAFA 1/31; MEMO 2/1)

The Israeli military said it had sent its findings relating to the death of an 80-year-old Palestinian American man who died while being detained by Israeli forces on 1/12 to the U.S. A statement said that the military’s investigation had found wrongdoing, moral failure, and failure of judgement in relation to the death. The commander of the Netzeh Israel unit was rebuked, and 2 company and platoon commanders were dismissed, but no one was held directly responsible for the killing of the Palestinian man. U.S. state department spokesperson Ned Price said on 2/1 that the U.S. “expects a thorough criminal investigation and full accountability in this case.” PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh called the military investigation a “sham” and pointed out that Israel only conducted the investigation due to the man’s American citizenship. (HA 1/31; AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEMO, NYT, TOI 2/1; HA, HA, WAFA 2/2)

An Israeli military court convicted 1 member of Hamas for attempted manslaughter in relation to the killing of 1 Israeli soldier in on 8/7/2019. The Palestinian man was not at the scene of the murder. (HA 2/1)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken in a phone call. According to a state department readout of the conversation, the 2 spoke about “the importance of strengthening the U.S. relationship with the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people, as well as the need to improve quality of life for Palestinians in tangible ways . . . [and] challenges facing the Palestinian Authority and the need for reform.” Secretary Blinken also spoke with Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid. (REU, WAFA 1/31; HA, JP, MEMO, WAFA 2/1)

Israel’s defense minister Benny Gantz defended his meeting with PA president Mahmoud Abbas during a session at the Knesset, saying that it is in Israel’s interest to strengthen the PA. Gantz further stated, “[w]hether we like it or not, the Palestinian Authority is the legitimate and recognized leadership of our neighbors and has been for years.” (HA 1/31; MEMO 2/1)

Lebanon said it had arrested 35 people claiming to be Israeli spies working to infiltrate Palestinian organizations in Lebanon, Hezbollah, and the Lebanese intelligence agency. 15 had since been released, as Lebanon found that they were not spies working for Israel, and Lebanese intelligence confirmed that at least 12 were connected to Israel. (HA, MEMO 1/31)

Israeli forces fired several missiles at Damascus. Syrian air defense intercepted the missiles; however, material damage occurred during the interceptions. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEMO, TOI 1/31)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized some 70 olive trees in Khillat al-Dabe in Masafer Yatta. The Hebron Rehabilitation Committee said Israeli forces prevented its workers from renovating 12 Palestinian-owned homes in the al-Jabari area of Hebron. 12 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Bethlehem, Tuqu‘, Beit Fajjar, Beit Sahour, al-Am‘ari refugee camp, Beita, Bayt Dajan, and Rujeib. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian minor, facing eviction by Israeli settlers, allegedly stabbed an Israeli settler in her neighborhood in Sheikh Jarrah; the settler was lightly injured. The Palestinian girl was found in a nearby school 1 hour later and was arrested by Israeli forces; she denied involvement. Israeli forces also arrested 3 other people at the school and raided the girl’s home, arresting her mother. Israeli settlers toured Sheikh Jarrah, chanting “death to Arabs.” Israeli forces later closed off Sheikh Jarrah, preventing activists and journalists from entering the neighborhood. 5 Palestinians were arrested in Isawiya. In Israel, Israeli right-wing activists vandalized a mosque in Umm al-Fahm by spraying racist graffiti and drawing the Star of David on it. (AJ, HA, MEMO, MEMO, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/8; ALM, HA 12/9; HA 12/10; PCHR 12/16)

The Israeli Jerusalem municipality advanced early-stage plans for a new Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem near Bayt Safafa, to be called Givat Shaked. The plans for the new settlement include 473 settler units, 2 schools, and synagogues. The settlement was 1st proposed by former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, but shelved after international outrage, including from the U.S. (HA, MEE 12/6; MEMO 12/7; TOI 12/8)

Members of the Hamas political bureau visited Moscow for meetings with Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov. (MEMO 12/8)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Tunisian president Kais Saied in Tunis. (WAFA 12/7; WAFA, WAFA 12/8)

Jordan rescinded its submission to the Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, and apologized after pressure from Palestinians who called the film Amira offensive. The film depicts a Palestinian girl who is ostracized from her community after she discovers that she was conceived by sperm from an Israeli prison guard and not the Palestinian prisoners she thought was her father. The PA and Hamas were among those lobbying against the movie. (HA, MEE, MEMO 12/9)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz claimed, in response to a formal query by members of the Meretz party, that the 6 rights organizations he had declared terrorist organizations on 10/22 had PFLP members who did not work for them on their payroll. He also claimed that PFLP members controlled the organizations. (HA 12/8)

Lebanon’s labor minister Mustafa Bayram said Lebanon would ease restrictions on what professions Palestinian refugees in the country are allowed to work. Labor Minister Bayram’s office quickly sought to clarify that the changes would be within the confines of the current Lebanese legislation. The legislation does not allow much leeway for substantial changes to the rules banning Palestinians from certain jobs. Bayram, who is from the Amal party, was quickly shunned by Lebanese politicians from other parties, who said he does not have the authority to make any changes on the issue. Gebran Bassil of the Free Patriotic Movement called the comments “‘naturalization in disguise’ of the Palestinians . . . there shouldn’t be any stealing of jobs from Lebanese under the current circumstances.” Bayram eventually completely retracted his initial statement, saying that there will be no changes. (AA, JP 12/9; HA 12/13)