The Palestine Chronology

Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces open fire on Palestinian farmland near Gaza City and Bayt Hanun, causing minor damage. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians and issue 3 arrest summons during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Hebron, and Nablus; and patrol in and around Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct a raid in Anata village, sparking clashes with stone throwing Palestinians; there are no serious injuries. They arrest 2 Palestinians during another raid in Qalandia refugee camp. (MNA 12/27; WAFA 12/28; PCHR 12/28; PCHR 1/4)

IDF troops violently disperse a Palestinian protest against U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in Hebron; 3 Palestinians are injured. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts raids in al-‘Arub refugee camp and nearby Sa‘ir village, sparking further clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 4 are injured. IDF troops arrest 1 Palestinian during late-night raids near Hebron, Qalqilya, and Salfit; and patrol near Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Jabaliya refugee camp and Khan Yunis. For a 2d day in a row, the IAF fires flare bombs on Palestinian property outside Khan Yunis, causing no serious damage. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA, WAFA 12/26)

For the first time since U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, there are no major Palestinian demonstrations in the oPt. In the West Bank, the IDF shoots and injures 2 Palestinians, arrests 14, and issues arrest summons to 1 during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Jenin, Nablus, and Ramallah; and patrols near Hebron and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Anata refugee camp, Issawiyya, and Silwan. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Rafah and open fire on Palestinian agricultural areas near Bayt Hanun, causing no damage. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Gaza City, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA 12/18; PCHR 12/21)

The UNSC votes on a resolution that Egyptian diplomats circulated on 12/16. The resolution states that any decisions about Jerusalem’s status have no legitimacy under international law. Every member votes in favor, except the U.S., which exercises its veto. U.S. ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley calls the resolution an “insult” that won’t be forgotten. Israeli PM Netanyahu thanks Haley on Twitter: “You lit a candle of truth. You dispel the darkness. One defeated the many.” (AP, HA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/18; HA, TOI, YA 12/19)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for the 3d of 4 planned days, allowing passage in both directions. (WAFA 12/18)

For a 10th day in a row, Palestinians across the oPt gather to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. After attendance spiked on 12/15, the size and number of these protests decreases substantially. Israeli forces violently disperse protestors along Gaza’s border and in Tulkarm and East Jerusalem; at least 8 Palestinians are injured, including 3 journalists. Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinian mourners march through Anata refugee camp and Gaza City in funeral processions for 2 of the Palestinians killed in the clashes on 12/15. IDF troops arrest 5 Palestinians during late-night raids near Ramallah, Jenin, and Tulkarm; and patrol near Hebron. Off Gaza’s coast late at night, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, MNA, WAFA 12/16; PCHR 12/21)

Egyptian diplomats circulate a draft resolution to the UNSC that “affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void, and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the [UNSC]” and “calls upon all states to refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions in the Holy City of Jerusalem.” The U.S. is expected to veto the resolution. (HA, REU, YA 12/17)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for passage in both directions for the 1st of 4 planned days. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/16)

Two PIJ engineers are killed and tens of bystanders are injured in an explosion in Umm al-Nasr village near Bayt Lahiya in northern Gaza. PIJ initially accuses Israel of targeting the engineers with a drone strike. An IDF spokesperson denies any Israeli involvement, and PIJ later says that the explosion was an accident and that the 2 men mishandled explosives. Separately, unidentified parties fire 2 rockets from Gaza toward Israel late at night; 1 falls short of the border and the other lands in an open area in southern Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IAF conducts air strikes on 2 Hamas military sites, injuring 3 Palestinians and causing major damage. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/12; HA, MNA, WAFA 12/13)

For a 6th day in a row, Palestinians across the oPt and Israel gather to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital (protests have steadily declined in size since 12/8). IDF troops violently disperse them in Tulkarm, Bethlehem and nearby al-‘Arub refugee camp, and along Gaza’s border near Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and Rafah; 14 Palestinians are injured. Meanwhile, an elderly Palestinian woman suffers a fatal heart attack late at night when Israeli soldiers raid her home near Jericho. They also shoot and seriously injure a Palestinian they claim was attempting to stab Israeli soldiers outside the Ariel settlement. An IDF spokesperson later states that the Palestinian was not carrying a knife, but was among a group that was “suspected of an attempt to attack on the border.” Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian youth in central Hebron, allegedly after he is found to be carrying a knife; arrest 34 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus, Tubas, Jenin, and Tulkarm; and patrol near Tulkarm, Salfit, and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 19 Palestinians during late-night raids in Issawiyya and Silwan. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian agricultural areas near Bayt Hanun, causing no damage. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/12; MNA, WAFA 12/13; PCHR 12/14)

For a 5th day in a row, Palestinians across the oPt gather to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Israeli troops violently disperse them in Tulkarm, Ramallah, Hebron, Jericho, and along Gaza’s border near Bayt Hanun, Jabaliya refugee camp, Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Yunis, and al-Bureij refugee camp; at least 45 Palestinians are injured and 3 are arrested. Meanwhile, the IDF uses cement blocks to seal the main road connecting Ramallah and Jalazun refugee camp; arrests 16 Palestinians during raids in and around Nablus, Hebron, Qalqilya, Bethlehem, Tulkarm; and patrols near Tulkarm and Tubas. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian land and other property near Khan Yunis, causing no damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 3 Palestinian youths on the way home from school in Ras al-Amud and 4 during raids in Shu‘fat refugee camp and Silwan. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 12/11; HA 12/12; PCHR 12/14)

Unidentified parties launch a rocket from Gaza into southern Israel. It lands in an open area, causing no damage or injuries. The IAF conducts air strikes on 2 Hamas positions in southern Gaza. Later, unidentified parties fire another rocket from Gaza, into Israel near Ashqelon. It is intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. Late at night the IDF shells Hamas sites in northern Gaza, causing minor damage. (HA, YA 12/11; HA, TOI 12/12; PCHR 12/14)

Thousands of Palestinians gather across the oPt to protest U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The IDF deploys additional battalions in the West Bank to quell the protests, and Israeli forces violently disperse them in Tulkarm, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jenin, Shu‘fat refugee camp, at a checkpoint near Ramallah, in the Old City of Jerusalem, and along Gaza’s border near Khan Yunis and al-Bureij refugee camp; at least 30 Palestinians are injured, including 9 with live ammunition, and 16 are arrested. Palestinians also observe a general strike throughout most of the oPt. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 14 Palestinians during raids in Issawiyya, Ras al-Amud, and Wadi al-Juz. (HA, MNA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/7; PCHR 12/14)

Unidentified parties fire 3 rockets from Gaza toward Israel; 2 fall short of the border, and 1 lands in an open area in southern Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF targets 2 Hamas positions in Gaza with artillery shelling and air strikes. (HA, MNA, WAFA 12/7)

In response to U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the Palestinian delegation at the UN files a formal complaint, requesting that the UN Security Council (UNSC) work toward reversing Trump’s decision. Senior PA official Jibril Rajoub says that U.S. VP Mike Pence, who is set to visit Israel and the oPt later this month, is “unwelcome in Palestine.” He says the Palestinians “will not welcome Trump’s deputy in the [oPt].” The response from the international community is near-universal condemnation, with few exceptions. Israeli PM Netanyahu says that some countries have reached out to discuss similar recognitions of Jerusalem. “I have no doubt than when the U.S. embassy will move there, and even before that, many embassies will relocate to Jerusalem,” he adds. Czech Republic pres. Miloš Zeman says Trump’s announcement made him “truly happy.”(HA, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/7; HA 12/8)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up a mobile home on Palestinian land east of Nablus. IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Tubas, and Bethlehem; and patrol near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish the foundation of a building under construction in Shu‘fat refugee camp. They also arrest 3 Palestinians during raids in Bayt Hanina and al-Tur. (WAFA 12/5; PCHR 12/7)

After days of speculation and rumors, U.S. pres. Trump calls PA pres. Abbas to tell him that he plans to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and to invite the Palestinian leader for a meeting at the White House before the end of the month. According to a PA spokesperson, Abbas warns Trump of the “dangerous repercussions.” Trump also calls Israeli PM Netanyahu, Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz, Jordanian king Abdullah, Russian pres. Vladimir Putin, and Egyptian pres. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to inform them of his decision. (AP, HA, MNA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA 12/5)

In response to Pres. Trump’s plan to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to move the U.S. embassy there, several Palestinian factions and Islamist groups jointly declare 3 “days of rage” to begin on 12/6. Later, the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem issues a travel warning calling on U.S. citizens to avoid the West Bank and the Old City of Jerusalem. (HA, TOI 12/5)

Lebanese PM Saad Hariri formally rescinds his resignation, which threw Lebanon and much of the Middle East into turmoil when he announced it on Saudi television on 11/4 (see JPS 47 [2]). (AA, REU, TOI 12/5)