The Palestine Chronology

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops detect and dismantle an explosive device lashed to a balloon in an open area near the border fence. Separately, 2 Palestinians cut through the border fence near Jabaliya refugee camp, throw an incendiary device at an IDF post, and return to Gaza. The attack causes no reported damage. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a water pipeline in Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinians; 1 Palestinian is lightly injured. IDF troops conduct raids in al-Walaja near Bethlehem, sparking minor clashes; there are no reported injuries. They arrest 12 Palestinians during further raids in and around Hebron, Bethlehem, and Tulkarm; and patrol near Nablus, Bethlehem, Tulkarm, Salfit, and Qalqilya. Israeli settlers harass Palestinian farmers working near Nablus; there are no reported injuries. A settler assaults a Palestinian in Hebron’s Old City, breaking he man’s jaw. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 4 Palestinians during late-night raids in al-Ram, sparking clashes; there are no reported injuries. They arrest 1 more Palestinian during a raid in Silwan. (MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/13; MNA 10/14; PCHR 10/18) 

Israeli defense minister Avigdor Lieberman says that he will not allow any more Qatari-funded fuel transfers to Gaza until all violence along Gaza’s border is “entirely” over. “As long as the violent protests continue on the Gaza border, including the launching of incendiary balloons and kites and the burning of tires near Israeli towns, the fuel and gas for the Gaza Strip will not be renewed.” Lieberman ordered the transfers to stop on 10/12. Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh says that the protests and other resistance activities along Gaza’s border will continue until the “siege on Jerusalem, [Haram al-Sharif] and all the lands of Palestine is lifted.” (TOI 10/13)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on 40 small Palestinian boats sailing from a port near Jabaliya refugee camp in a symbolic effort to break the Israeli blockade; there are no reported injuries. The ships return to shore after shots are fired. In East Jerusalem, the Israeli authorities re-open Haram al-Sharif, having kept the sanctuary closed for 15 hours in the wake of the shooting of a Palestinian minor in the Old City on 8/17. Israeli settlers puncture the tires of 15 Palestinian-owned vehicles and leave racist graffiti on nearby walls in Issawiyya. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uproot approximately 350 olive trees in a Palestinian grove near Jenin. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians and international activists protesting the Israeli occupation in Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya; 1 Norwegian activist is injured. They also arrest 3 Palestinians during a late night raid near Bethlehem and patrol near Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Jenin. (MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/18; MNA, MNA, MNA 8/19; PCHR 8/30)

Thousands of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border to continue the Great March of Return. Some young protesters launch incendiary kites and balloons across the border fence, causing minor damage. IDF troops open fire on the demonstrations near Jabaliya refugee camp, Rafah, Khan Yunis, Gaza City, and al-Bureij refugee camp; 2 Palestinians are killed and at least 270 are injured. The killings bring the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 147. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian minor in the Old City after he allegedly attempts to stab one of them. The Israeli authorities then shut down access to Haram al-Sharif indefinitely, sparking minor clashes in the Old City; there are no reported injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Friday protests against the Israeli occupation in Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya; there are no serious injuries. They also patrol near Tulkarm, Nablus, and Salfit. Israeli forces confiscate a bulldozer and issue stop-work orders to a Palestinian construction site near Jericho. (EI, HA, JP, MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 8/17; MNA 8/18; PCHR 8/30)

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)

More than 10,000 Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border to continue the Great March of Return. The march’s organizing committee called for increased participation today to mark Naksa Day. Some protesters fly incendiary kites across the border fence into Israel, sparking small fires. IDF troops violently disperse the demonstrations near Gaza City, Rafah, Jabaliya refugee camp, Khan Yunis, and al-Bureij refugee camp; 4 Palestinians are killed and at least 100 are injured, including 2 paramedics. The killings bring the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 121. Earlier, IDF drones drop firebombs on protest tent camps and piles of tires along the border fence, sparking a number of minor fires and causing moderate damage. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp on 2 separate occasions, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians protesting the Israeli occupation in Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya (1 Palestinian is injured); arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids near Salfit and Bethlehem; and patrol near Hebron. Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian farmer’s supplies outside Burin near Nablus and leave racist graffiti on the walls nearby. In East Jerusalem, tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers pray at Haram al-Sharif, marking the final Friday of Ramadan. Israeli forces arrest 1 Palestinian minor during a late-night raid in al-Jadira village. (EI, HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, YA 6/8; PCHR 6/14)

For the 6th consecutive Friday, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists at protests against U.S. pres. Trump’s 12/6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, as well as the killing of 2 Palestinians on 1/11, Israel’s settlements, separation wall, and occupation in Abu Dis, al-Bireh, Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya, Budrus village near Ramallah, central Hebron, northern Bethlehem, 2 villages near Nablus (Beita and Bayt Furik), and along Gaza’s border near Gaza City, Khan Yunis, al-Bureij refugee camp, and Jabaliya refugee camp; 65 Palestinians are injured and at least 2 are arrested. Also along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on Palestinian workers collecting plastic and other scraps from a landfill near Juhur al-Dik, causing no injuries. Meanwhile, IDF troops arrest 4 Palestinians during latenight raids in and around Hebron, Nablus, and Jenin; and patrol near Tulkarm and Nablus. Israeli forces raze a tract of land near the site of the 1/9 deadly shooting. They also arrest 5 Palestinians as they exit Haram al-Sharif. Israeli settlers throw stones at a Palestinian home south of Nablus, breaking a number of windows. Thousands of Palestinian mourners march through Iraq Burin and al-Maghazi refugee camp in funeral processions for the 2 Palestinians killed on 1/11. (MNA, WAFA 1/12; HA, MNA 1/13; PCHR 1/18)

U.S. pres. Trump announces that he is formally extending the waivers on U.S. sanctions on Iran, upholding the U.S. obligations under the 7/14/2015 nuclear agreement one last time. This last extension, he says, will give the U.S. time to negotiate a “follow on” agreement with its European allies before the next deadline for extending sanctions relief, 120 days hence. “In the absence of such an agreement, the U.S. will not again waive sanctions to stay in the Iran nuclear deal,” he says. “And if at any time I judge that such an agreement is not within reach, I will withdraw from the deal immediately,” At the same time, the U.S. Treasury imposes sanctions on 14 Iranian individuals, including the head of Iran’s judiciary, Sadeq Larijani. (AP, BBC, NYT, TOI 1/12)