The Palestine Chronology

Thousands of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border to continue the Great March of Return. IDF troops violently disperse the demonstrations near Khan Yunis, Rafah, al-Bureij refugee camp, Gaza City, and Jabaliya refugee camp; 2 Palestinians are killed and at least 90 are injured. Their deaths bring the Great March of Return death toll to 137. In response to shots allegedly fired at IDF border patrols in the evening, Israeli forces strike a Hamas observation post near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing damage.

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces enter Haram al-Sharif after Friday prayers and fire sound bombs at Palestinian worshippers, clearing them from the sanctuary; 7 Palestinians and 4 Israeli police officers are injured, and 24 Palestinians are arrested. Some witnesses say that the Israelis entered the sanctuary after children threw firecrackers at them. After the clashes, Israeli forces seal the entrances to the sanctuary. The Islamic Waqf then organizes a sit-in protest outside, and the Israeli authorities order the entrances reopened hours later. Separately, Israeli forces arrest 5 Palestinians during late-night raids in Silwan and Wadi al-Juz. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian home under construction and surrounding wheat fields near Nablus, causing extensive damage. The IDF seals off the entrance to Kobar village near Ramallah, the hometown of the Palestinian who allegedly stabbed 3 Israeli settlers on 7/26. IDF troops conduct raids in the village throughout the day, sparking intermittent clashes; 5 Palestinians are injured (1 critically). Israeli soldiers also violently disperse Friday protests at Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya; 5 Palestinians are injured. Dozens of Palestinians gather outside Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin village near Jerusalem, to protest the impending Israeli evacuation and demolition of the village. Throughout the day, the IDF patrols near Hebron, Qalqilya, Tulkarm, and Jenin. (EI, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 7/27; EI, MNA 7/28; PCHR 8/2)

Israeli DM Lieberman pledges to advance the construction of 400 new housing units in the Adam settlement near Ramallah, justifying the settlement growth in response to the stabbing attack on 7/26. The “best response to terrorism is increased settlement,” Lieberman tweets. The 400 units are reportedly part of an existing plan to build 1,000 new units in the settlement. (HA, MNA, TOI 7/27)

The IAF conducts an air strike on a site in Jabaliya refugee camp, targeting a group of Palestinians allegedly preparing to launch balloons fitted with incendiary devices into Israel; 2 Palestinians are injured. Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian minors gathering near al-Bureij refugee camp to continue the Great March of Return; 1 Palestinian is injured. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids near Nablus, Hebron, Tulkarm, Ramallah, and Qalqilya; and patrol near Hebron. In East Jerusalem, approximately 1,440 Israeli settlers tour Haram al-Sharif in the morning; 15 are arrested for praying in the sanctuary. In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct late-night raids in Tulkarm, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents of the area; there are no injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 7/22; JP, TOI, WAFA, YA 7/23; PCHR 7/26)

Hours before an air strike in Jabaliya refugee camp, Israeli DM Lieberman says that Israel will reopen the Kerem Shalom border crossing and expand the fishing zone off Gaza’s coast as early as 7/24 if Hamas enforces a de-escalation of tensions, including an end to rocket fire and incendiary balloon and kite attacks. (HA, MNA, TOI, YA 7/22)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 2 Palestinian homes near Jericho. IDF troops arrest 9 Palestinians and issue 1 arrest summons during late-night raids near Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho, and Hebron; and patrol near Hebron and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, approximately 237 Israeli settlers tour Haram al-Sharif. Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian apartment in al-Tur and arrest 2 Palestinians during raids in Shu‘fat refugee camp. A Palestinian demolishes his own home in Silwan to avoid paying Israeli demolition fees. (MNA, WAFA 7/18; PCHR 7/19)

In East Jerusalem, 3 Israeli MKs—Shuli Moalem-Refaeli (Jewish Home), Yehuda Glick (Likud), and Amir Ohana (Likud)—tour Haram al-Sharif, marking the second such tour since Israeli PM Netanyahu lifted (7/3) his ban on Israeli MKs and ministers visiting the sanctuary. Along Gaza’s border fence, Israeli forces conduct limited incursions to level land near Gaza City and al-Bureij refugee camp. In the West Bank, IDF troops confiscate approximately 10 dunams (2.4 acres) of Palestinian land in central Hebron. They also arrest 12 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron, Salfit, and Qalqilya; and patrol near Hebron. Unidentified assailants open fire on the Beit El settlement near Ramallah, causing minor damage. Israeli troops conduct raids in the area, but they do not apprehend any suspects. (HA, MNA, WAFA 7/9; TOI 7/10; PCHR 7/12)

Netanyahu announces a major reduction in the amount of traffic allowed to pass into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom border crossing, as well as a constriction of the fishing zone off Gaza’s coast. Fuel, food, and medicine are now the only goods allowed through the crossing. The fishing zone is now six nautical miles after temporarily being expanded to nine nautical miles. The IDF and DM Lieberman frame the new restrictions as a direct response to the wave of incendiary kite and balloon attacks from Gaza in recent weeks. (HA, JP, REU, TOI, YA 7/9; NYT 7/10)

In East Jerusalem, Israel’s Minister of Agriculture, Uri Ariel, (Jewish Home) and MK Sharren Haskel (Likud) tour Haram al-Sharif. Their visit comes days after Israeli PM Netanyahu lifted (7/3) his ban on Israeli MKs and ministers touring the sanctuary. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 14 Palestinians during late-night raids near Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Jenin, and Ramallah; and patrol near Hebron. In Israel, Israeli forces demolish 4 homes belonging to Palestinian citizens in Umm al-Fahm, citing “unauthorized construction.” In Gaza, unidentified Gazans fly incendiary kites and balloons across the border fence into Israel, sparking at least 33 fires in Israeli forests and farmland. IDF troops open fire on Palestinian minors allegedly preparing further kite and balloon attacks, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, WAFA 7/8; MNA 7/10; PCHR 7/12)

A Palestinian minor succumbs to injuries sustained in a confrontation with IDF troops near Hebron in 2009. The Palestinian, Yacoub Fayiq Nassar, was partially paralyzed when Israeli soldiers shot him in the back in al-Fawar refugee camp in 2009. He suffered from various other ailments related to the shooting over the years. (MNA 7/8)

Hundreds of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border fence to continue the Great March of Return. IDF troops violently disperse them near Khan Yunis, Rafah, al-Bureij refugee camp, Jabaliya refugee camp, and Gaza City. One Palestinian is killed and at least 141 are injured, bringing the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 130. On the other side of the border fence, approximately 4,000 Israelis gather to call for the return of the remains of the 2 IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians allegedly being held in Gaza. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to dozens of olive and almond trees outside ‘Urif village near Nablus while their IDF escort performs raids in Palestinian homes on the outskirts of the village, sparking clashes with residents; 1 Palestinian is injured. Settlers also start fires in 3 locations outside nearby Burin village, causing moderate damage. The settlers later accuse Palestinians of starting the fires. IDF troops patrol near Salfit and Hebron throughout the day. In East Jerusalem, Islamic Waqf staff perform repair work on an area of Haram al-Sharif that Israeli police reportedly damaged recently. (MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 7/6; MNA, WAFA 7/7; PCHR 7/12)

After Israel’s High Court of Justice froze the demolition orders for Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin village near Jerusalem, on 7/5, hundreds of Palestinians perform Friday prayers in the village in solidarity with the residents. (WAFA 7/6)

The Egyptian army demolishes a tunnel leading from the Sinai Peninsula into Gaza, trapping 8 Palestinian workers, according to eyewitnesses in Rafah. Later, the Egyptian army announces that its troops killed 3 alleged terrorists and destroyed a number of tunnels along the border in recent days. Also along Gaza’s border fence, Israeli forces violently disperse hundreds of Palestinians gathering along the fence near Gaza City to continue the Great March of Return; 18 Palestinians are injured, including 3 journalists. They also conduct a limited incursion to level land along the border fence near Gaza City. On Israel’s side of the border fence, firefighters quell 6 fires allegedly sparked by incendiary kites and balloons flown from Gaza. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Gaza City and Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 3 Palestinians during late-night raids near Qalqilya, Tulkarm, and Jenin; and patrol near Hebron and Tulkarm. (AFP, HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 7/3; PCHR 7/5)

PLO secretary-general Erakat says that the Palestinians are considering a reduction in their political, economic, and security relations with Israel in response to the new Israeli law allowing for deductions to the monthly transfers of tax revenues to the PA. Separately, PA officials say they have no plans to end the stipends to Palestinians imprisoned in Israel in connection with serious crimes against Israelis. (JP, WAFA 7/3)

The IDF declares Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin village near Jerusalem, a closed military zone ahead of planned evacuations and demolitions. Israel’s High Court of Justice approved the government’s plan to demolish the village on 5/24. (EI, WAFA 7/3)

Israeli PM Netanyahu lifts his ban on Israeli MKs and ministers visiting Haram al-Sharif. He temporarily lifted the ban in early 2017 after imposing it amid the habba, which was a surge of Palestinian resistance, random attacks, and protests that began in Jerusalem in 9/2015. (AJ, JP, TOI 7/3)