The Palestine Chronology

In light of Jewish settler violence against the IDF on 12/12, the Israeli cabinet approves several measures against right-wing Jewish extremists, including permitting their detention without trial (administrative detention) and trial in military courts, allowing soldiers in the West Bank to arrest them, and banning them fr. entering the West Bank; it does not label them “terrorists,” which would have allowed security forces even greater leeway to act against them. Hrs. later, Israeli police raid a Jerusalem apartment and arrest 6 Israelis for involvement in “recent events” targeting Palestinians and the IDF. In apparent “price-tag” attacks to protest the government moves: Jewish extremists set fire to the Nabi Ukasha mosque in West Jerusalem (Israeli authorities have barred Palestinians fr. using the mosque but have allowed Jewish settlers affiliated with the extremist Kach party to use the courtyard as a playground); Jewish settlers fr. Burkan settlement set fire to 2 Palestinian cars in nearby Salfit; and Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar set fire to 2 Palestinian cars in nearby Douma village nr. Nablus. (NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 12/15; PCHR 12/22; OCHA 12/23)

Under pressure fr. PA and Jordanian officials, Israel reopens the Mughrabi footbridge to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount (closed on 12/12/11), saying it will reinforce rather than rebuild it. Meanwhile, IDF troops on the Gaza border e. of Gaza City fire on a Palestinian who strays too nr. the border fence while hunting birds, moderately wounding him. IDF troops in the West Bank conduct late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-Fawar r.c. and Bayt Umar, both nr. Hebron. (NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 12/15; PCHR 12/22; OCHA 12/23)

Addressing 10,000s of Hamas supporters in Gaza City to mark Hamas’s 24th anniversary, Hamas acting PM Ismail Haniyeh says that “Today we say it clearly: Armed resistance and armed struggle are the strategic way to liberate the Palestinian land from the sea to the river,” but that if Israel were to turn over the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, Hamas could take a “temporary” respite “without Israel being recognized and without any concession being made.” Of note: at the rally, the flags of the Arab states are displayed except for Syria’s. (NYT 12/15)

The New York Times runs a long special report on a 6-yr. U.S. investigation of Lebanese Canadian Bank and its suspected role providing financial support to “terrorists.” U.S. officials allege—but refuse to release their evidence—that the investigation revealed that the bank laundered hundreds of millions of dollars fr. Hizballah criminal enterprises and that Hizballah had significant ties to Latin American drug cartels. U.S. investigators say the transactions also revealed a pattern “in which entities tied to Hezbollah have been buying up militarily strategic pieces of property in largely Christian areas” of Lebanon. Hizballah calls the claims “politically motivated propaganda.” U.S. admin. sources say that when the connections first came to their attention in fall 2010, some argued that the Hizballah link should be left unstated, but the admin. changed course (1) after Hizballah forced out Saad Hariri as PM and secured appointment of an ally in his place and (2) when the UN tribunal accused Hizballah of involvement in Rafiq Hariri’s assassination. (NYT 12/14)

After meeting with the PLO Exec. Comm. in Ramallah, Abbas says that the 9/23 Quartet proposal for resuming talks has “encouraging elements,” but can only be viable if Israel “clearly commits” to 1967 lines with agreed swaps as the basis of talks and imposes a settlement freeze (which Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected). (WP 9/30)

Unidentified Palestinians fire a rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, damaging an empty building; the IDF responds with 2 late-night air strikes on a Hamas training site nr. al-Maghazi r.c. in c. Gaza, causing heavy damage but no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 1 village nr. Qalqilya in the afternoon; conducts synchronized late-night patrols in Jenin town and r.c. and 5 nearby villages. The IDF also announces plans to confiscate 800 d. of Palestinian land in Bayt Umar for a new settler-only bypass road linking Hebron and Bethlehem. Jewish settlers fr. Hebron uproot 50 olive trees and spray paint Stars of David on rocks on Palestinian agricultural land in nearby al-Zahiriyya village. (IDFS 9/30; PCHR 10/6; OCHA 10/7)

After meetings with the U.S. and EU envoys and Arab FMs, Abbas declares in a televised address that the Palestinians will ask for full member-state status at the UN, not simply observerstate status. Insiders say Abbas was debating which tack to take until he met again with Ross and Hale who offered no incentives and only threats to get him to drop the plan; outraged by the U.S. posturing, he decided to go for full membership. (NYT 9/17)

The IDF patrols in 9 villages between morning and late evening (4 nr. Ramallah, 2 nr. Tulkarm, 1 each nr. Jenin, Jericho, and Salfit). A Hamas mbr. dies of injuries received in a 1/8/09 IDF drone missile strike on his vehicle in Khan Yunis, during Operation Cast Lead. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bayt Umar, Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and al-Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers beat and fire rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, moderately injuring 1 Palestinian; 1 Palestinian is arrested and 2 Palestinian journalists are forcibly removed. Armed Jewish settlers fr. Esh Kodesh outpost nr. Nablus attempt to swim in a pond on nearby Palestinian land in Qusra-Jaloud village and open fire on villagers who confront them, wounding 1 before the IDF intervenes, firing tear gas at the Palestinians to disperse them. (PCHR 9/22; OCHA 9/23)

IDF troops on the c. Gaza border e. of Juhur al-Dik fire on a Palestinian shepherd who strays nr. the border fence, wounding her and killing 8 sheep. Israeli bulldozers working nr. the fmr. Nahal Oz crossing sever fiber-optic lines providing all mobile, landline, and Internet service to Gaza; Hamas authorities blame the IDF, but the IDF says it was not responsible. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in al-‘Arub r.c. and Bayt Umar. Jewish settlers escorted by the IDF enter Palestinian areas nr. Bethlehem and in Hebron to hold religious services. (Press TV [Tehran] 8/10; PCHR 8/11; OCHA 8/12)

The U.S. says it is “deeply concerned” by Israel’s 8/4 approval of 930 new settlement housing units in Har Homa/Jabal Abu Ghunaym in East Jerusalem, stating “such unilateral actions work against efforts to resume direct negotiations.” (WT 8/10)

In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in Tulkarm and several nearby villages repeatedly during the day; patrols in a major show of force in Nabi Salih late at night, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades in the streets to harass residents and temporarily occupying the local council headquarters as an observation post. Palestinians and international activists demonstrate in Bayt Umar against settlement expansion; the IDF fires stun grenades and beats several demonstrators, injuring 4 Palestinians (including 1 child). In Gaza City, Hamas authorities break up a demonstration by 10s of Salafists protesting the U.S. assassination of Osama Bin Laden. (WP 5/8; OCHA, PCHR 5/12)

In Syria, troops and tanks surround, cut off, and raid Baniyas and Zabadani village outside Damascus. (NYT, WP 5/8)

Early in the morning, Hamas authorities in Gaza storm a house in Gaza City where they believe Italian peace activist Vittorio Arrigoni is being held by Tawhid and Jihad, only to find that he had already been hung; 5 suspects are arrested in the raid. During the day, Palestinians fire 2 Grad rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Hamas sends a message to Israel stating that it is doing everything possible to prevent rocket fire. The IDF makes 2 latenight air strikes on empty Hamas training sites in Gaza City and Shati’ r.c., causing no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Ramallah; makes a latenight raid into Bayt Umar, harassing and beating the family of an organizer of the weekly demonstrations against the separation wall for 2 hrs. before leaving; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron and nr. Qalqilya. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, injuring 2 Palestinians (including a child). (IsRN, NYT 4/15; JP, NYT, WP 4/16; PCHR 4/21; OCHA 4/29)

An IDF drone makes an air strike on a motorcycle in Rafah, assassinating Islamic Jihad mbr. Muhammad Abu Mu‘ammar and seriously wounding Islamic Jihad’s ‘Abdullah al-Ghalban; Israel alleges the men were responsible for the 3/29 rocket fire toward Israel. The IDF also makes a brief incursion into n. Gaza nr. Bayt Lahiya, firing warning shots at farmers to force them to leave the area, then leveling land to clear lines of sight. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Umar (first blocking off all entrances to the village), Dahaysha r.c., and Hebron. Hamas authorities in Gaza break up a small national unity rally. (JP 3/30; NYT, PCHR 3/31; PCHR 4/7; OCHA 4/15)

Early in the morning Palestinians fire 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Later in the day, Hamas announces it has secured the agreement of other factions to renew observance of a cease-fire against Israel except in cases in which Israeli forces initiate aggression or cross into Gaza. In the evening, however, unidentified Palestinians fire a 3d rocket that lands harmlessly in Israel, but raises questions over whether the cease-fire is secure. In the West Bank, the IDF patrols in 3 villages nr. Qalqilya and 1 nr. Ramallah. Palestinians, with Israeli and international activists, conduct a nonviolent march through Bayt Umar to protest recent IDF raids on the town; the IDF fires tear gas and stun grenades at them, causing no serious injuries; 1 Palestinian, 1 Israeli, and 1 international activist are arrested. (AFP, IsRN, JP 3/26; NYT 3/27; PCHR 3/31; OCHA 4/1)

Abbas holds talks with 7 West Bank Hamas officials in Ramallah, proposing creation of a temporary unity govt. with the sole mandate of organizing legislative and presidential elections within 6 mos., after which the 1st priority would be to rebuild Gaza. The meeting marks the 1st of a series of Fatah-Hamas reconciliation talks that take place over the next month in the West Bank, Gaza, Egypt, and Syria. (MNA, NYT, WP 3/27)

Palestinians fire a rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Israel responds with at least 3 air strikes on Hamas training sites in Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City, and Khan Yunis, causing collateral damage to 6 homes but no reported injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts patrols in Jericho and 3 villages nr. Qalqilya and Tulkarm; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Nabi Salih, arresting an organizer of the weekly demonstrations against the separation wall. Palestinians and international activists demonstrate against construction of settlements and the separation wall at the Qalandia crossing and in Bayt Umar. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, injuring 4 Palestinians (including 2 journalists) and 1 international activist. Jewish settlers fr. Taffuh settlement s. of Nablus attempt to seize Palestinian agricultural lands e. of Salfit but are removed by the IDF. Jewish settlers fr. Karnei Shomron settlement nr. Qalqilya stone Palestinian vehicles. (AFP 3/5; IsRN 3/6; PCHR 3/10; OCHA 3/18)