The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces raided Balata refugee camp, injuring 7 with live ammunition and 85 with tear gas and demolished 1 home and the local headquarters of Fatah using explosives. Israeli forces demolished part of a Palestinian-owned home in Maon in the Masafer Yatta area. Elsewhere, Israeli forces issued stop-work orders for 3 houses and a water well near Yatta and a road in Khallet al-Mayah. 10 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jenin, Nur Shams refugee camp, Balaa, Beit Fajjar, and Surda. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/16; PCHR 8/17; UNOCHA 8/28)

Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir toured the Ofer prison, saying his policy of “reducing as much as possible the indulgences for Hamas terrorists” was being implemented by the Israel Prison Service. (HA 8/17; WAFA 8/18)

Palestinians in Burqa petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice through the human rights group Yesh Din to have the court cancel the transfer of the land the Homesh outpost sits on to the Samaria Regional Council, saying the legalization of the outpost will prevent Palestinian landowners from accessing their land. (HA 8/17)

Amnesty International issued a statement calling on Israel to release Walid Daqqa from prison so he can get treatment for his bone marrow cancer at a civilian hospital. (AI, WAFA 8/16)

The Biden administration sanctioned the environmental group Green Without Borders and its director Zuhair Subhi Nahla for allegedly allowing Hezbollah to use their sites near the Blue Line. (AP, HA 8/16)

UNIFIL said senior members of the Israeli and Lebanese militaries held a meeting at a UN position on the Blue Line to discuss the situation, including recent air and ground violations. (HA 8/16)

China donated $1 million for UNRWA educational programs in Gaza. (WAFA 8/16)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to olive trees in Burin. Israeli forces shot and injured 4 Palestinians with live ammunition and injured 9 others with shrapnel during a raid in Nur Shams refugee camp, Israeli bulldozers also razed streets and damaged electricity and sewage networks during the raid. Israeli forces also shot and injured 2 Palestinians, including a medic, during a raid in ‘Askar refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished a house in Khirbet Humsa and a mobile home in Battir. 14 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Beita, Nablus, Bethlehem, al-Mughayyir, Beit Kahil, Beit Umar, Nur Shams refugee camp, Qatanna, and Shu’fat. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat around 3 nautical miles northwest of Gaza City. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled land east of Khan Yunis (HA, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/24; PCHR 7/27; UNOCHA 7/29)

The Israeli Be’er Sheva Magistrate Court ruled that 500 Palestinians living in Ras Jrabah must demolish and leave their homes by March 2024 to make way for expansion of Dimona. The Palestinians will also have to pay $31,700 in legal fees. The residents of Ras Jrabah had requested that they remain in the area they have lived in since before the Nakba by being absorbed into Dimona, a request the court denied. (Adalah 7/27; HA, MEE 7/28; WAFA 7/29; WAFA 7/30)

PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki submitted a written statement to the ICJ regarding the Israeli occupation. (QDS, WAFA 7/24)

The Knesset passed the third and final reading of the bill that overturns the reasonableness standard, which has allowed the Israeli High Court of Justice to void government decisions that it deems unreasonable. The bill is a component of the Israeli government’s judicial overhaul plans. Israeli police used water cannons to disperse Israeli protesters outside of the Knesset and 1 Israeli man rammed 3 protesters with his car in Kfar Sava. More than 11,000 Israeli reserve soldiers said on 7/21 and 7/22 that they would not report for voluntary reserve duty if the law passed. The EU expressed concern about the passage of the bill and the U.S. called it “unfortunate.” (+972, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, ALM, ALM, AX, AX, AX, F24, HA, HA, HA, HA, MDW, MEE, MEE, NYT, NYT, NYT, TOI, WAFA 7/24; +972, AJ, ALM, ALM, BBC, HA, HA, MEE, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU 7/25; AJ, ALM, HA, HA, HA, MEE, NA, NYT, REU, REU 7/26; REU 7/27)

The American Anthropological Association voted to adopt a boycott of Israeli academic institutions, citing discrimination against Palestinians. 71% of the votes cast between 6/15 and 7/14 were in favor of the pro-BDS vote. (MDW, MEE 7/24; WAFA 7/26)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor and injured 6 others during a raid in Aqabat Jaber refugee camp; 2 were arrested. Israeli forces also shot and critically wounded 1 Palestinian during a raid in Bayt Jala. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian during a raid in Nur Shams refugee camp. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Arroub refugee camp, injuring 1 with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Rumana, causing tear-gas related injuries; 1 was arrested. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Beitunia, Tammun, and Hebron. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces shot and injured 4 Palestinian fishermen with baton rounds west of al-Sudaniyya, arresting 2 of them. (AP, HA, MEE, QDS, QDS, QDS, PCHR, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/1; PCHR 5/4; UNOCHA 5/5)

Israeli finance minister and minister in charge of settlement policy at the Israeli Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich told members of his Religious Zionist Party that Khan al-Ahmar needs to be demolished because of its strategic location and not because it is unrecognized by Israel, as has been the official Israeli line so far. Smotrich said “[i]t is the area that will decide if heavens forbid there will be territorial contiguity that will connect Bethlehem with Nablus and Ramallah.” (HA 5/1)

In Syria, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes at Aleppo Airport, killing 1 soldier and injuring 7 others, including 2 civilians. Aleppo Airport was forced to close due to the damage. (AJ, ALM, AP, REU 5/1; HA 5/2)

U.S. senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) urged U.S secretary of state Antony Blinken not to edit the new report by the U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the PA Michael Fenzel on the Israeli killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh before it is shared with Congress. Van Hollen said that individuals in the State Department had contacted his office about proposed changes to the report before it is handed over to Congress. (AJ, AX 5/2; HA 5/3)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man during a late-night raid in Jaba‘; the PA called the killing a “summary execution.” Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian during a raid in Jenin refugee camp. Elsewhere, Israeli forces held military drills in the Masafer Yatta area, hitting 1 home with live ammunition. 42 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Silwad, Ni‘lin, Tarqumiyah, Hebron, Jayyus, Nur Shams refugee camp, and Jenin refugee camp. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Jabaliya; no injuries were reported. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/6; PCHR 7/7; HA 7/13; UNOCHA 7/22)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken spoke to Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid in a phone call. According to Axios, Secretary Blinken told Prime Minister Lapid that the Biden administration expects to see accountability in the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. (AX 7/7)

In Syria, 1 person was killed in an Israeli air strike on Hader near the Quneitra province. (HA 7/6)

In the West Bank, the Shin Bet arrested 3 Palestinian relatives of the Palestinian man who was stabbed to death by an Israeli settler on 6/21 near the Ariel settlement. The 3 were also eyewitnesses to the killing and had given their testimony to Israeli police before being arrested. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians at the Taibe checkpoint near Tulkarm. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian using a baton round during a raid in Nur Shams refugee camp. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Nur Shams refugee camp, Qaryut, Beit Umar, and al-Khader. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Wadi al-Juz, displacing 2. 2 Fatah activists were arrested. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen; no injuries were reported. (HA, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/26; HA, HA 6/27; PCHR 6/30; UNOCHA 7/2)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Jordan’s king Abdullah II in Amman. (WAFA, WAFA 6/26)

Israel’s economy ministry said the Israeli cabinet had approved issuing 3,500 additional permits for Palestinians to work in manufacturing and services to relieve an Israeli shortage of skilled workers. (REU 6/26)

The Wall Street Journal reported that senior Israeli military officials partook in a meeting in March this year with top officials from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the U.S., and representatives from Bahrain and the UAE in Sharm El Sheikh. At the secretive meeting, the officials were reported to have discussed efforts to combat Iranian missile and drone capabilities. The reporting comes 1 week after Israel’s defense minister Benny Gantz said that Israel is working with Arab partners in what he called “Middle East Air Defense Alliance.” (HA, WSJ 6/26; HA, MEMO 6/27)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces raided Jenin, attempting to arrest the brothers of 1 Palestinian man who was shot and killed in Jaffa after he allegedly killed 3 Israelis and wounded 10 others in Tel Aviv on 4/7; Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian minor who was selling hot drinks near the raid. Israeli forces also clashed with Palestinians in Ya‘bad, injuring 6. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian in al-Khader, who they claimed had thrown a Molotov cocktail at the Israeli forces during a raid on the town. Israeli forces also shot and killed 1 Palestinian woman who allegedly stabbed 1 Israeli soldier in Hebron. Meanwhile, Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian widower and mother of 6 who the forces claimed had acted in a “suspicious manner” in Husan. The woman was unarmed. 20 were arrested during raids in Ya‘bad, Jenin, and Nur Shams refugee camp. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen west of al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. (ABC, AJ, AP, CNN, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, MEE, PCHR, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/10; AA, AJ, AP, CBS, HA, HA, MDW, MEE, MEMO, PCHR, WAFA 4/11; HA 4/12; CNN, MEE 4/13; HA, PCHR 4/14; UNOCHA 4/23)

The Israeli supreme court ruled that the PA may by liable for damages to Israeli victims of attacks by Palestinians, citing payments to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and their families by the PA. The PA called the supreme court decision “piracy.” (HA, TOI 4/10; MEMO, WAFA 4/11; AN, MEMO 4/12)

The Israeli cabinet voted to form a committee to study the possibility of revoking social benefits from Palestinian citizens and residents of Israel who are related to Palestinians charged with committed terror activity. The proposal was made by prime minister Naftali Bennett, foreign minister Yair Lapid, and labor minister Meir Cohen. (HA 4/10)

In a video recorded at the Damascus Gate plaza, MK and leader of the Joint List Ayman Odeh called on Palestinian citizens of Israel in the Israeli forces to lay down their arms and leave their posts in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. (ALM, HA, MEMO 4/11; HA 4/12)