The Palestine Chronology

Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them to return to shore. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Ramallah, Salfit. Jewish settlers level 7 d. of land nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. Havat Gilad settlement nr. Qalqilya harvest and steal the olives fr. a nearby Palestinian grove. (PCHR 10/14; OCHA 10/15)

The Israeli cabinet approves (22-8) submission of a bill to the Knesset that would require a loyalty oath as Netanyahu proposed on 10/6, but clarifying that Israeli Palestinians would not be required to make the pledge to maintain citizenship. (NYT, WP 10/11; NYT 10/19; JPI 10/22)

David Makovsky, director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, leaks details of the significant inducements currently offered by the White House to Israel if it would extend its partial settlement freeze for 60 days (to avoid a crisis before U.S. midterm elections). The U.S. goal would be to reach an agreement on borders within the 60-day time period. (NYT, WP 10/1; al-Sharq al-Awsat 10/4; JAZ, NYT 10/7; WT 10/13; JPI 10/22)

Mitchell returns to the region for meetings with Abbas and Netanyahu. (NYT, WP 10/1)

For the 2d day in a row, IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials in evacuated settlement sites nr. the border, wounding 1. In the West Bank, the IDF raids several Palestinian homes in the bedouin community of al-Hadidiyya in the Jordan Valley after complaints by local Jewish settlers that the bedouin were stealing water from Ro’i settlement. (PCHR 9/30; OCHA 10/1; PCHR 10/7; OCHA 10/8)

Israeli DM Ehud Barak comes to the U.S. with a backchannel proposal for Israel to extend its temporary settlement freeze (set to expire on 9/26) for a short period in exchange for rewards and guarantees from the U.S. He shuttles between New York and Washington discussing the proposal with various senior U.S. officials. Separately, Israel’s chief negotiator Yitzhak Molcho, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat arrive in the U.S. for their own meetings with U.S. officials regarding the upcoming expiration of the settlement freeze and the consequences for peace talks. (NYT 9/21; WT 9/22; JPI 10/1)

Israel for the 1st time since 6/07 allows 20 used cars to be imported to Gaza. Israeli naval vessels fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the n. Gaza coast, forcing them back to shore. Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts morning patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, randomly checking Palestinian IDs, but making no arrests; late-night patrols in a village nr. Tulkarm, making no arrests. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Gilad settlement nr. Qalqilya begin working a Palestinian olive grove near the settlement, telling local Palestinians who challenge them that they purchased the land; they leave when the Palestinian owner arrives. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities stage a predawn raid on several houses in Silwan village, arresting 4 Palestinians. In addition, Jewish settlers seize a Palestinian house in the suburb of Bayt Safafa (home to 20 people), sparking fights between settlers and the Palestinian owners. Israeli police and municipal officials intervene, arresting 2 Palestinians, and issuing an order to demolish the house (not immediately implemented). (JP 9/20; NYT 9/21; PCHR 9/23; OCHA 9/24)

In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night patrols in Tulkarm town and r.c. and in 3 villages nr. Qalqilya, 2 nr. Ramallah, 2 nr. Salfit, facing stone-throwing youths in 1 instance (firing rubber-coated steel bullets at them, causing no injuries) and making no arrests; conducts synchronized late-night arrest raids, house searches in Jenin town and r.c. and 3 neighboring villages; conducts additional late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. Harsina settlement nr. Hebron uproot 70 grapevines from nearby Palestinian land. In Gaza, 25 unidentified gunmen (suspected Salafists) set fire to a popular water park, completely destroying it, and beat the 2 night watchmen. (PCHR 9/23; OCHA 9/24; JPI 10/1)

The 2d round of direct talks opens in Sharm al-Shaykh, Egypt, with Mubarak hosting Abbas, Netanyahu, and Clinton for the first day of meetings with talks now set to continue in Jerusalem on 9/15 and Ramallah on 9/16, and thereafter alternating between Jerusalem and Jericho. The U.S. tries but is unable to secure Israeli-Palestinian agreement on the agenda for the talks. (YA 9/14; NYT, WP, WT 9/15; JPI 9/24)

As Abbas and Netanyahu meet in Egypt, Israel’s Jerusalem city planners schedule a meeting for 10/7/2010 to debate construction of 1,362 new settlement housing units in Givat HaMatos s. of the Old City btwn. Gilo and Talpiot settlements. In addition, the Israeli construction company Na’out HaPisga, citing business losses, resumes construction of 2,400 settlement housing units in Mod’in Ilit settlement west of Ramallah that had been halted under the settlement freeze. In Gaza, IDF troops make a brief incursion into c. Gaza e. of Gaza Valley village to level land in the no-go zone to clear lines of sight, firing 4 artillery shells at armed Palestinians in the area, seriously wounding 1 and cutting electricity to nearby areas. Late in the evening, armed Palestinians on the n. Gaza border fire an antitank missile at IDF troops operating inside Israel, causing no damage or injuries; IDF troops fire back, killing 1 armed Palestinian, seriously wounding at least 1 other. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches, patrols in 5 villages nr. Qalqilya between late afternoon and late evening; also conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. In Tel Aviv, Israeli police fatally shoot an East Jerusalem Palestinian who is handcuffed and in custody on charges of car theft, claiming that the Palestinian attacked an officer, who accidentally shot him. OCHA reports that since 9/1, 1 Palestinian was fatally electrocuted in a tunnel accident on the Rafah border. (HA 9/14; PCHR 9/16; OCHA 9/17; JPI 9/24)

The Israeli human rights group Peace Now issues an 8-mo. assessment of Israel’s temporary settlement construction freeze documenting that: (1) construction of at least 600 housing units in over 60 different settlements has begun during the freeze, with at least 492 of those units being constructed in direct violation of the freeze; (2) some 2,000 housing units started before the freeze was implemented on 11/26/09 are currently under construction; and (3) new construction starts during the freeze constitute approximately half of the normal settlement construction pace. (Peace Now press release 8/2)

Unidentified assailants fire 5–7 modified Grad-type rockets apparently fr. the Egyptian desert toward the Aqaba-Elat resort; 1 rocket lands harmlessly nr. the entrance to the Israeli resort town, 2 land inside Jordan (1 harmlessly, the other striking a taxi outside the InterContinental hotel in Aqaba, killing 1 Jordanian and wounding 3), 2 land in the Red Sea. Israel believes the rockets were all intended to strike Elat and calls Hamas “responsible” for the rocket fire; Hamas denies involvement. (JP 8/2; YT 8/3; WT 8/4; KUNA 8/5; HA 8/6; JPI, OCHA 8/13)

Israel’s Jerusalem municipal authority approves construction of 40 settlement housing units in Pisgat Ze’ev settlement in East Jerusalem. In the West Bank, the IDF dismantles and confiscates a Palestinian irrigation network nr. Hebron; patrols in 2 villages nr. Salfit at midday, making no arrests; arrests 3 Palestinian children (ages 13–14) nr. the separation wall nr. Bil‘in; sends undercover units in Jafna village nr. Ramallah late in the evening, raiding 2 Internet cafes and arresting 1 Palestinian; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron, Qalqilya. In Gaza, unidentified Palestinians apparently mishandle explosives in a home in Dayr al-Balah, triggering an explosion that injures 58 Palestinians (including 13 children, 9 women) and damages several surrounding homes. (AP 8/3; PCHR 8/5)

IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials inside the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. The IDF sends troops into the former settlement sites inside the n. Gaza border to patrol the area to keep scavengers away; troops fire on the area but no injuries are reported. IDF troops make a brief incursion into s. Gaza to level land along the border e. of al-Qarara to clear lines of sight, shooting and wounding a farmer working his land 700 m fr. the border. In the West Bank, the IDF sends troops into Bidya village nr. Salfit at midday to search several stores, making no arrests; makes an incursion in Hijja village nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon, patrolling streets and photographing homes before withdrawing without incident; patrols in Shaqba village nr. Ramallah in the evening, making no arrests; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya and nr. Ramallah, Salfit, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers escorted by IDF troops enter Awarta village nr. Nablus to hold religious ceremonies. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba nr. Hebron severely beat a 65-yr.-old Palestinian man. (PCHR 7/15; OCHA 7/16)

IDF Maj. Gen. (ret.) Giora Eiland, who headed the Israeli military’s internal inquiry into the 5/31 Gaza flotilla incident, releases brief excerpts of his classified 100-page final report to the IDF chief of staff concluding that overall the “the entire operation is estimable,” praising soldiers for their “professionalism, bravery, and resourcefulness.” While the report faults planning for the operation as inadequate (relying “excessively on a single course of action . . . while no alternative courses of action were prepared”), it deems the use of live fire on the passengers “justified.” (IFM 7/12; NYT, WP 7/13; JPI 7/23)

In East Jerusalem, some 200 Palestinians protesting the settler incident in Silwan on 6/26 and the Jerusalem Planning Commission’s 6/21 preliminary approval for the rezoning and demolition of 22 Palestinian homes demonstrate outside the settlers’ Beit Yonatan apartment building. The Palestinians throw stones, bricks, and Molotov cocktails at Israeli police who attempt to disperse them, leaving 6 policemen injured. In the evening, 10s of Jewish settlers break into the al-Rajabi quarter of Silwan, clashing with local Palestinians and opening fire indiscriminately, causing no serious injuries; IDF troops intervene, firing rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas at the Palestinians, seriously injuring 1 and lightly injuring 10. Meanwhile, Israel begins construction of 20 new housing units for Jews at the Shepherd Hotel site in East Jerusalem’s Shaykh Jarrah neighborhood. In the West Bank, the IDF fires rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas at Palestinians and international activists staging a weekly nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall nr. Bethlehem (10s suffer tear gas inhalation); conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, nr. Nablus. In the 2d such incident in Gaza since 3/2010 (see Quarterly Update in JPS 156), Hamas-affiliated police raid the Palestine Islamic Bank, presenting a warrant for the seizure of all the money ($16,000) fr. the account of a Hamas-affiliated educational organization whose assets had been frozen by the PA, taking the money at gunpoint when the teller refuses. Officials of the acting Hamas government say a court had ruled that the PA action freezing the organization’s assets was illegal. (ITV 6/27; NYT 6/28; PCHR 7/1; OCHA 7/2; JPI 7/9)

In the morning, Netanyahu tours Capitol Hill, where he is greeted warmly. He then meets for 2 hrs. at the White House with Pres. Obama, who reportedly makes tough demands of Israel to put the peace process back on track. After a 90-min. sidebar with his advisors, Netanyahu makes a counterproposal that is rejected by Obama. (NYT, WP, WT 3/24; NYT, WP 3/25; JPI, NYT 3/26)

Unidentified Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In retaliation, the IDF carries out an air strike on a suspected weapons depot nr. Jabaliya r.c., damaging a nearby home but causing no injuries. The IDF makes a brief incursion into the Erez industrial zone to level land and clear lines of sight. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. Jewish settlers fr. several settlements beat Palestinian farmers working their land in Sinjil village n. of Ramallah; the IDF intervenes, declaring the area a closed military zone and forcing settlers and Palestinians to leave. (JP, YA 3/23; JP 3/24; OCHA, PCHR 3/25)

Biden spends the 1st full day of his visit in Israel meeting with Israeli pres. Shimon Peres, visiting Yad Vashem (the Holocaust memorial museum) and Mount Herzl national cemetery, and giving addresses highlighting the U.S.’s “absolute, total, unvarnished commitment to Israel’s security” and admiration of the Israeli people. Late in the afternoon, Israel’s interior M Eliyahu Yishai (Shas) announces approval of 1,600 new settlement housing units in Ramat Shlomo in East Jerusalem, in a move that threatens to scuttle the new peace initiative announced on 3/8. Initially unsure of how to react, Biden ultimately issues a statement “condemning” Israel’s move for undermining the peace process. (IFM, JTA 3/9; NYT, WP, WT 3/10; IFM 3/11; JPI 3/19)

No Israeli-Palestinian violence is reported. The UN reports that since 3/3, 2 Palestinians have been killed in tunnel incidents (1 collapse, 1 electrocution). (OCHA, PCHR 3/11)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on Palestinians scavenging material from destroyed buildings 400 m fr. the border, forcing them to flee; no injuries are reported. Shortly after, the same IDF unit shells the area where the Palestinians had been scavenging as well as a Palestinian home in Bayt Lahiya, causing damage but no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Bayt Rima nr. Ramallah during the day; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron. Some 50 Jewish settlers break into the ancient Na’aran synagogue in Palestinian-controlled area A in Jericho to hold religious services, declaring their hopes of “renewing Jewish settlement in Jericho”; the IDF removes the settlers, arresting at least 35. Jewish settlers escorted by IDF troops enter Kafr Haris village n. of Salfit to perform Jewish prayers at monuments in the village. (HA 2/22; PCHR 2/24; OCHA 2/25)

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu adds 2 key West Bank Jewish shrines, the Tomb of the Patriarchs (known as alIbrahimi Mosque to Palestinians) in the center of Hebron and Rachel’s Tomb just inside Bethlehem, to Israel’s national heritage sites, allocating $1 m. for their maintenance and repair as part of a $100 m. project to refurbish and link 150 national heritage sites, creating a “historical biblical trail [to] educate the next generation about Jewish and Zionist history.” The PA condemns the action. (IFM 2/21; PCHR, WT 2/22; NYT 2/23; JPI 3/4)