In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raid Burin, setting fire to a vehicle and vandalizing 2 others. Israeli forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinians, including a child, and injure 3 others in al-Jib....
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March 12, 2024
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February 5, 2024
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attack a Palestinian vehicle traveling near Nahalin, causing damage. Israeli settlers also set fire to an agricultural structure in Ya’bad. Israeli forces shoot...
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October 10, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian family in their home in the Masafer Yatta area, causing bruises. Israeli settlers also opened fire at Palestinians harvesting olives in...
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September 8, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 3 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided the Bab...
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September 7, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to 3 olive trees in Tel Rumeida in Hebron. 14 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Dheisheh refugee camp, ad-Doha, al-Asakra, Bil’in,...
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August 12, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 2 with baton rounds; 1 of the victims, a minor, underwent surgery to have his eye removed after...
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August 10, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized water pipelines in Kisan. Israeli forces shot and...
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August 8, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli forces punitively demolished the family home in Askar refugee camp of a Palestinian accused of killing 2 Israelis on 2/26 before being shot dead a week later. 2...
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August 3, 2023
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July 29, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to agricultural fields near Burin. Armed Israeli settlers also raided Arab al-Mleihat, intimidating Palestinians. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers also...
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June 14, 2023
In the West Bank, 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jenin, Jalbun, and ‘Anata. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 5 Palestinian fishermen and seized their...
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June 13, 2023
In the West Bank, 1 unidentified person shot and injured 1 Israeli settler and 4 Israeli soldiers near Ya’bad. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian and injured 8 others during a raid in...
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April 17, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian woman, claiming she had stabbed and injured 1 settler near Beit Umar. Israeli forces also assaulted 1 Palestinian after forcing him...
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February 22, 2023
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized 4 Palestinian-owned vehicles and wrote racist graffiti a building in Beit Iksa. Israeli forces made a large-scale midday raid on Nablus, killing 11...
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December 9, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Huwwara; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian and arrested 1 other near...
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November 1, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in Qaryut. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting the siege of Nablus at the Huwwara checkpoint,...
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September 23, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli forces fired a tear gas canister into a hospital in Hebron, causing tear-gas related injuries among patients and staff. Israeli forces also violently dispersed...
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August 16, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 5 Palestinians with live ammunition during a raid in Dheisheh refugee camp. Israeli forces also ordered Palestinian farmers near Jenin to stop...
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July 24, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians using live ammunition during a late-night raid in Nablus; 19 others were injured and 1 house was severely damaged. The PA condemned...
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June 26, 2022
In the West Bank, the Shin Bet arrested 3 Palestinian relatives of the Palestinian man who was stabbed to death by an Israeli settler on 6/21 near the Ariel settlement. The 3 were also...
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June 8, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers re-erected a settlement outpost near al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya; the settlement outpost was dismantled by Israeli forces on 6/7. 18 Palestinians were arrested during...
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June 4, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Rakiz in the Masafer Yatta area, causing injuries from assault and tear gas. Israeli forces also shot and injured...
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May 31, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Halhul, vandalizing 1 mosque; Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians with live ammunition and others with baton rounds and...
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May 24, 2022
In the West Bank, 3 Israeli settlers, including 2 minors, were injured by Palestinians throwing stones at their vehicle near Huwwara. Israeli settlers vandalized 140 olive and almond trees and...
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April 27, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian homes in Kafl Haris, injuring 2. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian and wounded 4 others during a raid in Jenin refugee...
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April 7, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near al-Bireh. 13 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Bayt Rima, Jalazun refugee camp, Kafr Ni‘...
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April 5, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli forces delivered a stop-work order for a house in Fasayil. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces handed demolition orders for 1 house, 1 canopy, and 1 house stable in Isawiya...
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March 31, 2022
In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler shot and killed 1 Palestinian man after he had stabbed and injured 1 other Israeli settler with a screwdriver in a bus near the Efrat settlement south of...
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March 27, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up caravans near Qusra. Israeli settlers also threw stones at commercial structures and vehicles in Burqa, causing damage. Israeli forces delivered stop-work...
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January 17, 2022
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers blocked the main entrance to al-Naqura. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man, alleging that he had tried to stab a soldier at the Gush Etzion...
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raid Burin, setting fire to a vehicle and vandalizing 2 others. Israeli forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinians, including a child, and injure 3 others in al-Jib. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and kill a 12-year-old boy in Shu’fat refugee camp, seizing his body to withhold it from his family in order to dictate the size and location of the funeral as conditions for the return of the body. A video of the incident shows that the boy and his friends are playing with fireworks when he is killed by a sniper. Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir praises the soldier who shot the child, saying he deserves an award. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Jabalia refugee camp, Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City, Nuseirat refugee camp, al-Bureij refugee camp, Maghazi, Rafah, and Khan Yunis, killing at least 72 people. Israeli forces also shoot and kill at least 9 people and injure 20 others waiting for aid at the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces shoot and kill 2 Palestinian fishermen west of Dayr al-Balah. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb Bint Jbeil and the Beqaa Valley, killing 2 people near Baalbek. Hezbollah forces attack Israeli forces in Zar’it, Barakat Risha, Hadab Yarin, and Jal al-Alam. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/12; HA, HA, NYT, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA 3/13; AJ, HA, UNOCHA 3/14)
More than 31,184 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 13,400 children and 8,900 women, and around 72,889 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 7,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 422 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 110 children. More than 4,665 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured in Israel since 10/7/2023, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 247 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,475 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27/2023. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7/2023. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12/2023 due to the Israeli blockade. At least 70,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023, constituting over 60% of all housing units. 134 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza. The U.S. and Jordan airdrop aid into Gaza. The World Food Programme delivers meals for 25,000 people in Gaza City. (AJ, REU, UNOCHA 3/12; NYT, NYT, UNOCHA 3/13)
The Gaza Media Office says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while waiting for aid since the Flour Massacre on 2/29. (AJ 3/12)
Haaretz reports that, based on testimonies from Israeli officials who have visited a medical facility for Palestinian captives from Gaza held at the Sde Teiman military base, the wounded Palestinians are shackled to their hospital beds and blindfolded 24 hours a day. There are no nurses at the facility and the Israeli soldiers refuse to feed the prisoners, so they are forced to drink liquid formula. (HA 3/12)
PA Supreme Judicial Council president Issa Abu Sharar resigns. PA president Mahmoud Abbas and Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki meet with Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly in Ramallah. Abbas also speaks with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/12)
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says via video-link to the AIPAC conference in Washington D.C. that Israel “will finish the job in Rafah while enabling the civilian population to get out of harm’s way.” (AJ, HA, REU 3/12)
EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borrell tells the UN Security Council that Israel is using starvation as a “weapon of war.” (AJ 3/13)
U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan urges Hamas to accept a 6-week ceasefire and release women, wounded people, and elderly captives in order to build a more enduring ceasefire. Sullivan also says that Biden does not have any “red lines” for Israel’s conduct in Gaza. (HA, NYT, REU 3/12; NYT 3/13)
Hebrew University in Jerusalem suspends Palestinian law professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian because she called for a ceasefire and said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. (HA 3/12; HA 3/13)
The New York branch of the American Civil Liberties Union and Palestine Legal sue Columbia University for unlawful suspension of its chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. (AJ, AP, HA 3/12)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attack a Palestinian vehicle traveling near Nahalin, causing damage. Israeli settlers also set fire to an agricultural structure in Ya’bad. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian child, claiming he tried to stab soldiers at a checkpoint near al-Eizariya. Israeli forces also demolish a Palestinian home in al-Burj, displacing 7 people. Elsewhere, Israeli forces erect a surveillance tower and place caravans near Beit Umar. Israeli forces also arrest 28 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Silwad, Ramallah, Tulkarm, Hebron, Jenin, Tubas, and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers tour the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Dayr al-Balah, Khan Yunis, Gaza City, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 113 people. Israeli naval forces bomb an UNRWA aid truck. Israeli forces abduct al-Amal Hospital general manager Haider al-Qaddura and administrative director Maher Atallah as 8,000 people are evacuated from the hospital in Khan Yunis, which has been under an Israeli siege for 2 weeks. In Beershaba, Israeli police shoot and kill a Palestinian citizen of Israel after he allegedly tries to grab an Israeli police officer’s weapon. In Lebanon, Hezbollah attacks 2 Israeli military positions in Shebaa Farms and 1 in Yiftah. Israeli forces kill 3 members of the Amal Movement in an airstrike. In Yemen, U.S. forces bomb a drone launch site. (AJ, HA, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/5; UNOCHA, WAFA 2/6)
More than 27,478 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 11,500 children and 7,200 women, and around 66,835 have been injured since 10/7. At least 8,000 people are missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 375 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 95 children. More than 4,415 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured in Israel since 10/7, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 223 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 1,300 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12 due to the Israeli blockade. At least 70,000 housing units have been destroyed and 290,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting over 60% of all housing units. UNOCHA says Palestinians sheltering in and around Khan Yunis and Rafah need 50,000 cold weather tents, 200,000 bedding sets, 200,000 sealing kits, and 200,000 winter clothing kits. 218 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza via the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossings. Jordanian and Dutch forces airdrop aid to the Jordanian Field Hospital in Gaza for the second day in a row. (AJ, UNOCHA, UNOCHA 2/5; AJ, UNOCHA 2/6)
The Israeli military issues evacuation orders for parts of Gaza City and Rafah. The military also says at least 540 Israeli soldiers have been injured in friendly fire since the ground invasion of Gaza began. (AJ, UNOCHA 2/5)
PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh says Israel has not transferred the PA tax funds to Norway and that the PA has not received any of the money. President Mahmoud Abbas meets with French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne in Ramallah, calling on France to recognize the state of Palestine. Sejourne meets Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz earlier in the day, with Katz thanking Sejourne for suspending UNRWA funding. (AJ, WAFA, WAFA 2/5)
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid says he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would enter the emergency government to provide a safety net in favor of a ceasefire deal to get the remaining captives released. A no confidence motion against the government at the Knesset gets 21 votes in favor, failing to obtain the 61 votes required. (HA 2/5)
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres appoints an independent review group led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colanna to assess UNRWA’s neutrality and Israeli allegations against the agency. UK’s Channel 4 reports, after seeing the 6-page dossier Israel used to accuse 12 UNRWA staffers of taking part in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, that Israel “provides no evidence” to back its claim. Instead, the dossier states that “from intelligence information, documents, and identity cards seized during the course of the fighting, it is now possible to flag around 190 Hamas and PIJ terrorist operatives who serve as UNRWA employees. More than 10 UNRWA staffers took part in the seventh of October.” The New York Times reports that UNRWA will lose $65 million by the end of February due to funding suspensions by Germany, Japan, and Sweden. Spain says it will donate $3.8 million in aid to UNRWA. (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA 2/5; NYT 2/6; HA 2/7)
U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken meets with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, discussing humanitarian aid to Gaza and regional diplomacy. After the meeting, Blinken says that Saudi Arabia has a strong interest in pursuing normalization with Israel but that it requires “an end to the conflict in Gaza, and a clear, credible, time-bound path to the establishment of a Palestinian state.” Blinken also announces that the U.S. will cancel visas for employees of companies that provide spyware that is used against political activists, human rights defenders, and journalists. (AJ, AX, HA, HA, NYT, REU 2/5; AJ, HA, NYT 2/6)
At the UN Security Council, China and Russia criticize the U.S. for its airstrikes on Iraq and Syria on 2/3. (AJ 2/6)
Amnesty International says Israeli killings of Palestinians in the West Bank since 10/7/2023 show “a chilling disregard for Palestinian lives” and “are in blatant violation of international human rights law.” (AI, AJ 2/5)
A man on a motorbike attacks a Palestinian American man driving in Austin, Texas, stabbing and wounding him and pulling a Palestinian flag from the car. (AJ 2/6)
The Japanese company Itochu Corporation’s aviation unit announces it will end its strategic cooperation with the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems, citing the ICJ ruling from January. (AJ, REU, WAFA 2/5)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian family in their home in the Masafer Yatta area, causing bruises. Israeli settlers also opened fire at Palestinians harvesting olives in Kafr Ni’ma; no injuries were reported. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers opened fire at Palestinian homes in Hebron; no injuries were reported. Israeli settlers, reportedly disguised as soldiers, also attacked Palestinians west of Jericho with stones and clubs, causing injuries and damage. Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian during a funeral procession in Beit Umar, injured 1 other with live ammunition; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters at al-Jalamah checkpoint, killing 2 and injuring 2 others. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, injuring 3 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bethlehem, injuring a minor with a baton round. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters near Far’un, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also shot and injured 3 Palestinians near the separation wall west of Attil. Separately, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Bireh, injuring 2 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also demolished 2 agricultural structures in Mughayyir al-Abeed in the Masafer Yatta area. Additionally, Israeli forces fired tear gas near a hospital in Dura, causing tear-gas related injuries. A rocket, either launched from Gaza or an Iron Dome interceptor, hit Baqa ash-Sharqiya, killing 1 Palestinian and injuring 6 others. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians in Silwan after they allegedly fired fireworks at Israeli forces. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians in Isawiya and Ras al-Amud. Elsewhere, Israeli forces arrested 13 Palestinians on suspicion of incitement and supporting Hamas. In Gaza, Israeli naval forces fired shells at a port west of Gaza City and Khan Yunis, damaging the port and fishing boats. Israeli airstrikes also killed hundreds of Palestinians and caused damage, especially to the Rimal, al-Karama, and al-Furqan neighbourhoods and Jabaliya. Gaza economy minister Juad Abu Smallah was reportedly assassinated by Israel. It was reported that white phosphorus bombs were dropped on al-Karama. UNRWA said its headquarters in Gaza was hit by Israeli bombs. Hundreds of rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza. Near Gaza, Israel said it had killed 4 militants at a beach north of Gaza and 2 in Kibbutz Re’im. Militants were also reported to have attacked Mefalsim, causing casualties. In Lebanon, militants fired anti-tank missiles at an Israeli vehicle and Israeli forces attacked militants with a helicopter and artillery. Rockets were also fired toward Israel. In Syria, rockets were launched at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Israel fired artillery and mortar shells at Syria. (AP 10/7; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/10; AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, REU 10/11)
Israel claimed to have regained full control of the area around Gaza, saying the bodies of approximately 1,500 Palestinian militants were found in the area. The Gaza Ministry of Health said 830 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli airstrikes and 4,250 wounded since 10/7 as of 5.30 p.m. 22 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 4 children; 332 have been injured. Israeli media reported that as of 9 p.m. more than 1,000 Israelis and foreign nationals had been killed and 2,806 injured since 10/7. The UN said 263,934 Palestinians have been displaced, with 175,486 people sheltering at UN facilities. All but 1 mobile communications tower was destroyed in Israeli strikes. More than 610,000 people in Gaza were disconnected from the water supply due to Israeli actions. The Gaza Power Plant was reported to run out of fuel by noon on 10/11, with electricity currently limited to 3-4 hours per day. (AJ 10/9; AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, AP, AP, AP, HA, HA, HA, REU, REU, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/10; AJ, AP, AP, REU 10/11)
The Gaza Ministry of Health called for the opening of a “safe corridor” to allow medical aid as hospitals are overwhelmed. 4 ambulances and 1 hospital in Beit Hanun were targeted by Israeli airstrikes, closing the hospital. PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh said Israel was refusing to allow aid from the West Bank to enter Gaza. (AJ, AJ 10/10; WAFA 10/11)
Israeli military spokesperson Richard Hecht said Israel may not use the same “level of fidelity” in warning civilians before striking homes and apartment buildings. It had been reported that Israel no longer used smaller munitions to “knock” on the roofs of apartment buildings or call building managers before demolishing them with larger bombs. Hecht also called the parliament and ministries in Gaza legitimate targets. Hecht further said Palestinians in Gaza should flee to Egypt via the Rafah crossing, first saying that it is open and later tweeting that he did not know if it was open. Israel bombed the crossing on 10/9 after which it was closed. Israel also hit the crossing today. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the Israeli military would release “all constraints” on its attacks on Gaza and is “transitioning to a full-scale offensive.” The Israeli military said it had dropped hundreds of tons of bombs on Gaza and is emphasizing “damage, not precision.” (AJ 10/9; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, REU, REU 10/10)
The Israeli military began sending planes to Europe to collect reservists that have been called up. More than 300,000 Israeli military reservists were called in to participate in the Israeli assault on Gaza. (REU 10/9; AJ, HA, REU 10/10)
Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Israel would hand out 10,000 rifles to volunteers in Israeli border communities and in Israeli settlements. (AJ, REU 10/10)
A plane carrying U.S. ammunition arrived in Israel. The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier reached the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized the U.S. for moving the carrier near Israel, warning of a massacre in Gaza. (AJ, HA, REU 10/10; AP 10/12)
Thousands of Jordanians protested in Amman against the Israeli attacks on Gaza, demanding the Israeli embassy be closed and that Jordan end its peace treaty with Israel. (REU 10/11)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre about the Israeli attack on Gaza. PA envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour wrote a letter to the UN Security Council calling Israeli actions, including intentional starvation of Gaza, “genocidal.” (REU, WAFA 10/10)
The Likud Party said the leaders of the parties in the Israeli government coalition have agreed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can form an emergency unity government. Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman said on 10/8 that he will only join the unity government if the Israeli leadership commits to ending the policy of constraining Hamas and eliminates the organization. (HA, REU 10/10)
U.S. president Joe Biden gave a televised speech calling the Hamas operation on 10/7 “pure, unadulterated evil,” recounting unconfirmed Israeli narratives of militants committing rapes. Biden also compared Hamas to ISIS, attributed the operation to anti-Semitism, rather than resistance, and reiterated his stance in support of Israel, saying Israel has a “duty to respond,” despite the mass civilian casualties in Gaza. Biden further stated that the U.S. is sending ammunition and interceptors for the Iron dome to Israel. Lastly, Biden warned other countries and organizations against getting involved against Israel. Hamas called Biden’s speech deplorable and inflammatory, saying Hamas launched its operation to defend the Palestinian people and put an end to the occupation. Biden also spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about U.S. assistance. 392 members of the U.S. House of Representatives co-sponsored a resolution in support of Israel, calling the Hamas operation “barbaric.” It is unknown if the resolution will pass, as it is unclear if the acting speaker of the House Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has the authority to bring the resolution to the floor. (AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, HA, HA 10/10; FWD, HA, REU, REU 10/11)
U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan said the U.S. was in talks with Egypt and Israel to create a humanitarian corridor for residents of Gaza. (HA, REU 10/10)
The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Antony Blinken will arrive in Israel on 10/12 for meetings with Israeli leaders. Blinken will also travel to Jordan. UK foreign secretary James Cleverly is also scheduled to arrive in Israel on 10/11. (AJ, HA, REU 10/10; REU 10/11)
U.S. homeland security advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall said the U.S. is working on different options to ensure that all U.S. citizens can leave Israel by air, sea, and land. There are currently no direct flights from Israel to the U.S. Many other countries, including France, Germany, and Canada, said they are planning on offering their citizens flights out of Israel. (AJ, HA 10/10)
President Erdoğan spoke with Russian president Vladimir Putin about measures to halt the Hamas-Israel conflict and deliver humanitarian aid. Erdoğan also said he is having talks with regional leaders to negotiate a halt to the war. Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and Qatari emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke about protecting civilians in Gaza. (AJ, HA, HA, REU, REU, REU 10/10; AJ, AJ 10/11)
Houthi leader Abdel Malek al-Houthi said that if the U.S. intervened in the attack on Gaza it would respond with drones and missiles. (AJ, HA 10/10)
Berlin police banned pro-Palestinian demonstrations planned for 10/11, saying expressions of solidarity with Palestine pose a threat to public order. Australian police said a planned pro-Palestinian protest scheduled for 10/15 will be an unauthorized activity. (HA 10/10; REU 10/11)
UK home secretary Suella Braverman sent a letter to English and Welsh police, saying that waiving Palestinian flags may in some instances be illegal in cases where it is “intended to glorify acts of terrorism.” (AJ 10/10)
EU high commissioner for foreign affairs Josep Borell said he had invited PA and Israeli foreign ministers Riyad al-Maliki and Eli Cohen to an EU foreign ministers meeting to discuss the situation in Palestine and Israel. Borell also said that Israel must adhere to international law, saying Israel violates the law by imposing a total blockade on Gaza. Borell further said that the “overwhelming majority” of EU states are against cutting aid to Palestinians, as suggested by some EU officials. (AJ, HA, REU 10/10)
The UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk said the total siege of Gaza imposed by Israel was illegal under international law as it deprives civilians of goods essential to their survival. Turk also said Israeli airstrikes had struck residential and UN buildings as well as UN schools. (AJ, REU 10/10)
The UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel said that there was clear evidence that war crimes had been committed in Israel and Gaza. (AJ, UN, WAFA 10/10)
The office of the ICC prosecutor said the court mandate to investigate “the situation in the State of Palestine” extends to the current attacks. (REU 10/10)
Sweden and Denmark suspended aid to Palestinians. (AJ, HA, REU 10/10)
The UAE donated $20 million in aid to Palestinians via UNRWA. (AJ 10/10)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 3 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided the Bab al-Rahma prayer hall, confiscating items and causing damage. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen northwest of Rafah; no injuries were reported. (QDS, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/8; PCHR 9/14; UNOCHA 9/26)
At least 20 people were wounded in clashes between Palestinian factions in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon. Fighting reignited on 9/7 after a month of relative calm. (AJ, AP 9/8; HA 9/9)
Palestinian officials said Israel would reopen the Karim Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing from 9/10. Israel closed the crossing on 9/4. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 9/8)
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Morocco southwest of Marrakesh, killing more than 2,000 people and causing extensive damage in the south of the country. PA president Mahmoud Abbas extended condolences to King Mohammed VI and offered to send PA rescue teams to the country. (AJ 9/8; AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/9; WAFA 9/10)
Apple Inc. made an urgent security update for iPhone operating systems after researchers at The Citizen Lab discovered that the Israeli NSO Group had found a new way of infecting iPhone users with its Pegasus spyware. The Citizen Lab said an iPhone belonging to “an individual employed by a Washington D.C.-based civil society organization with international offices” was targeted by NSO. (CitizenLab 9/7; REU 9/8; HA 9/10)
15 Democrats in the U.S. Senate, led by Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), wrote a letter to U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken urging the Biden administration not to accept Israel into the U.S. Visa Waiver program, saying Israel does not grant equal treatment to Palestinian Americans. (AX, MEE 9/8; HA, WAFA 9/9; TOI 9/10)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to 3 olive trees in Tel Rumeida in Hebron. 14 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Dheisheh refugee camp, ad-Doha, al-Asakra, Bil’in, Turmus ‘Ayya, Jalazun refugee camp, Ya’bad, Burqin, and Bardala; Israeli forces injured 1 with live ammunition and others with tear gas during the raid in Dheisheh refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, Israel forced 1 Palestinian man to demolish his commercial structure in Silwan. Israeli authorities also issued 3 demolition orders for homes in Silwan. 4 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Silwan. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen west of Gaza City; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/7; PCHR 9/14; UNOCHA 9/26)
Fighting broke out in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon after Palestinian Islamist groups launched attacks, injuring 6. A committee of Palestinian factions in the camp had announced on 9/5 that security forces would begin raids to find the accused killers of Fatah general Mohammad al-Armoushi who was killed on 7/30. The security forces also said that on 9/8 they would begin clearing militants who have been occupying UNRWA-run schools in the camp. (AP 9/8)
The Israeli Ministry of Education sent letters to schools in East Jerusalem threatening to revoke their licenses if they teach the Palestinian curriculum printed by the PA. (PCHR 9/14)
The Israeli Civil Administration advanced plans for creating 22 solar power plants in West Bank settlements. Haaretz reported that the plans were approved 2 weeks ago. A source in the Civil Administration told the newspaper that Palestinians will not be able to decide not to purchase electricity generated in the settlements. (HA 9/7)
The U.S., Germany, the UK, and the EU condemned remarks by PA president Mahmoud Abbas, who said in a speech at the Fatah Revolutionary Council that Adolf Hitler killed European Jews over ‘social functions’ such as usury, rather than out of anti-Semitism. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo also stripped Abbas of the Grand Vermeil de Paris medal which he received from her in 2015. Abbas’ remarks were published by the pro-Israel group Middle East Media Research Institute which is known for distorting statements by critics of Israel. Spokesperson for Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said Abbas was quoting American and Jewish historians and that he “full[ly] condemn[ed]” the Holocaust and anti-Semitism. On 9/10, an open-letter by leading Palestinian intellectuals condemned Abbas’ statements (ALM, AP, HA, HA, NYT, QDS, REU, REU, WAFA 9/7; REU 9/8; ABC, AP, HA 9/9; Letter 9/10; HA, HA 9/11; AP, HA 9/13)
U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that “[m]any of the elements of a pathway to normalization [between Israel and Saudi Arabia] are now on the table. We do not have a framework, we do not have the terms ready to be signed. There is still work to do,” further stating that there is a “broad understanding of many of the key elements.” (HA, REU 9/8)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 2 with baton rounds; 1 of the victims, a minor, underwent surgery to have his eye removed after being shot in the eye. Israeli forces also issued a punitive demolition order for the family home of 1 Palestinian in ‘Urif, who was killed on 7/20 after he allegedly killed 4 Israeli settlers. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian was arrested in Silwan. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen, including a minor, and seized their boat 3 nautical miles west of the coast. (PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/12; WAFA 8/13; PCHR 8/17; UNOCHA 8/28)
Saudi Arabia appointed its ambassador to Jordan, Nayef bin Bander al-Sudairi, as its non-resident ambassador to the PA and consul general in Jerusalem. Al-Sudairi presented his credentials to PA president Mahmoud Abbas’ diplomatic adviser Majdi al-Khalidi during a ceremony in Amman. Israeli officials said that they had not been informed of the Saudi decision and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that Israel “will not allow the opening of any kind of diplomatic mission” in Jerusalem. (AJ, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA 8/12; AJ, HA, MEE, NYT, QDS, WAFA 8/13; CNN, HA, WAFA 8/14)
King Abdullah II of Jordan approved a bill that human rights groups say targets free speech in the country. The bill makes online speech, including comments “promoting, instigating, aiding, or inciting immorality,” demonstrating “contempt for religion” or “undermining national unity” punishable by months in prison or fines. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE 8/12; NYT 9/2)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized water pipelines in Kisan. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian during a raid in Zawata. Israeli forces also seized 2 Palestinian-owned vehicles in al-Hadidya in the Jordan Valley. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers assaulted 3 Palestinians in a public park. Israeli settlers also toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli authorities forced 1 Palestinian family to demolish their own home in Bayt Hanina. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen west of al-Sudaniya, causing damage to boats. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, QDS, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/10; HA, UNOCHA 8/11; PCHR 8/17; UNOCHA 8/28)
An Israeli military court released 4 Palestinians arrested in relation to the Israeli settler attack on Burqa on 8/4. The 4 were released on condition that they stay in Burqa for 1 week and pay bail of $550 as they remained charged with aggravated assault. MK Ahmad Tibi was present at the hearing, saying the 4 Palestinians were victims of an invasion and should not be on trial. (HA, REU 8/10)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the PA governors of Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Bethlehem, Tubas, Hebron, Jericho, Gaza City, North Gaza, Khan Yunis, and Rafah, leaving only the governors of Ramallah, al-Bireh, and Salfit in their positions. Abbas also issued a decree to form a committee to select candidates for the vacant governorships. (AP, HA, QDS, WAFA 8/10; AJ, ALM, MEMO 8/11; MEMO 8/14; HA 8/20)
President Abbas also spoke with Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh on the phone. The 2 leaders agreed to speed up the establishment of committees for political reconciliation that was agreed during the reconciliation conference on 7/30 in Egypt. (MEMO 8/11)
Director of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Dorothee Klaus, said fighting in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp had destroyed 400 homes and left half of the camp off-limits as the Lebanese military is barring access. (AP 8/10)
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid told a delegation of U.S. Democrats that he opposes a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia that would see the country enrich uranium. Saudi Arabia is reportedly demanding a nuclear program in exchange for normalizing ties with Israel. Lapid later said in an interview with Channel 12 that he does not have a problem with Saudi Arabia having a nuclear program, but that Israel cannot allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on their own soil. (HA 8/10; ALM 8/11)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces punitively demolished the family home in Askar refugee camp of a Palestinian accused of killing 2 Israelis on 2/26 before being shot dead a week later. 2 Palestinians were wounded by live ammunition, 5 by baton rounds, and 185 by tear gas during the raid, while 60 were forced to leave their homes and were detained at a nearby mosque during the demolition. 3 homes in the same building as the demolished apartment were damaged along with 2 nearby buildings. Israeli forces issued 2 demolition orders for homes in al-Khader and 7 stop-work orders for homes in Sarta. 22 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Kobar, Abu Dis, Zababdeh, Siris, Aida refugee camp, al-Azza refugee camp, and Beit Umar. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 3 Palestinians were arrested during raids in the Old City. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen west of al-Sudaniya; no injuries were reported. (AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/8; PCHR 8/10; UNOCHA 8/28)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah of Jordan. (WAFA 8/8)
The Israeli Education Ministry accepted Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s refusal to fund a program that prepares Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem for higher education in Israel, canceling the program. (HA, REU 8/8; ALM 8/9)
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said during a tour of the Lebanese border with Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that if Hezbollah escalates tensions with Israel “we will send Lebanon back to the Stone Age.” (HA, REU 8/8; AJ, ALM 8/9)
Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir met with the Cypriot justice and public order minister Anna Koukkides-Procopiou in Cyprus, marking the first time an EU member-state minister has met with Ben-Gvir. (HA 8/8)
Australian foreign minister Penny Wong announced that Australia has reinstated the term “Occupied Palestinian Territories” for the West Bank and East Jerusalem and defined Israeli settlements as illegal, reversing a 2014 decision to call Israeli-occupied areas “disputed territory.” (HA, MEE, WAFA 8/8; WAFA 8/9)
Austria signed a 3-year agreement to donate $10 million to UNRWA’s health program. (WAFA 8/8)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Burqa, causing damage. Israeli forces razed farmland in Battir, uprooting dozens of olive tree saplings. 26 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Qalqilya, Jenin, Nablus, and Hebron. PA forces assaulted 4 journalists covering a sit-in protest at Hebron University against the arrest of the university’s students by PA forces. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen, injuring 1 with a baton round. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/3; PCHR 8/5 PCHR 8/10; UNOCHA 8/11)
HaMoked and the Center for Defense of the Individual obtained data from the Israel Prison Service showing that a quarter of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel are in administrative detention. 1,201 Palestinians are held in administrative detention, the highest number since at least 2001. Less than half of the 5,014 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel have received a prison sentence. (AP 8/1; ALM 8/2; HA 8/3)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with acting Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati, who told him that Lebanese troops may intervene in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp if the violence that broke out on 7/29 does not stop. The situation was reportedly improving before Mikati and Abbas spoke. (AJ, AP, HA, WAFA 8/3)
PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki criticized the Biden administration to members of the Foreign Press Association, calling it weak on Palestine for not reversing Trump administration measures to undermine Palestinians’ right to statehood and inadequately addressing Israeli violations against Palestinians. Al-Maliki also said he is open to peace talks that include China as the mediator and hoped that Saudi Arabia would not “yield to any kind of pressure or intimidation coming from the Biden administration” regarding normalizing ties with Israel. (AP, MEE 8/3)
A Palestinian American man visiting family in Gaza told Reuters that Israel rejected his request to return to the U.S. via Ben Gurion Airport. Another Palestinian American said Israel denied him entry at Ben Gurion Airport forcing him to return to Dubai, despite being told by the Israeli embassy in the UAE that he would be allowed to enter Israel with his Gaza ID. Israel has said that new procedures relevant to Palestinians with Gaza ID cards will be published on 9/15 as part of the country’s trial to become part of the U.S. Visa Waiver program. The trial period ends on 9/30. (MEE, REU 8/3)
Haaretz reported that Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency and police units in the country have used UFED hacking tools made by the Israeli company Cellebrite. Pakistan’s use of Cellebrite spyware technology was first reported in 2012. (HA, MEE 8/3)
Germany donated $30 million to UNRWA through the KfW Development Bank. (WAFA 8/3)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set fire to agricultural fields near Burin. Armed Israeli settlers also raided Arab al-Mleihat, intimidating Palestinians. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers also assaulted 2 Palestinians and attempted to set fire to their tent in Tuqu’. In East Jerusalem, Israel forced 1 Palestinian family to demolish their own home in Bayt Hanina. Off the coast, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen west of al-Sudaniyya and Rafah; no injuries were reported. In Tamra, Palestinian citizens of Israel protested the Israeli government’s failure to address the rising murder rate in Palestinian communities. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/29; PCHR 8/3; UNOCHA 8/11)
An unknown gunman tried to assassinate Mahmoud Khalil from al-Shabab al-Muslim, killing his companion in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon. (MEE 7/29; AJ, F24, GDN, HA, MEE, REU 7/30; ALM, BBC, MEE, NYT 7/31; MDW 8/2)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with members of the PFLP ahead of a reconciliation meeting of most Palestinian parties on 7/30 in Egypt. (HA 7/30)
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the U.S. and Canada adopted a resolution labelling Israel an apartheid state. (MDW 7/30)
In the West Bank, 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jenin, Jalbun, and ‘Anata. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 5 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat west of al-Waha. (PCHR, WAFA, WAFA 6/14; PCHR 6/15; UNOCHA 7/8)
The Israeli military claimed that Israeli soldiers had shot and killed a 2-year-old Palestinian on 6/1 by mistake, as Israeli soldiers mistook Israeli fire elsewhere for emanating from the vehicle the 2-year-old and his father were in. (AP, REU 6/14; AJ, BBC 6/15)
A report released by the Israeli organizations Kerem Navot and Haqel found that half of the privately owned Palestinian land Israel has seized in the West Bank is used for Israeli settlers only. Of 74,000 dunams (18,285 acres) seized in 313 expropriation orders since 1967, around 37,000 dunams (9,142 acres) is accessible to both Palestinians and settlers while 36,000 (8,895 acres) is accessible only to settlers. (HA 6/15)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing. Xi told Abbas that China “have always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights.” Xi also said that China would work for a comprehensive and just solution to the Israeli occupation. The 2 sides announced a strategic partnership and signed a number of cooperative agreements. (AJ, AP, ALM, AX, QDS, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/14; HA 6/18)
Islamic Jihad secretary-general Ziyad al-Nakhalah met with Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. (MEMO 6/15; ALM 6/19)
In Syria, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes from the Golan Heights at Damascus, injuring 1 soldier and causing damage. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE 6/14; REU 6/15)
Axios reported that the Negev Forum normalization summit scheduled to be held in Morocco this month was postponed for the 4th time. (AX 6/14)
In the West Bank, 1 unidentified person shot and injured 1 Israeli settler and 4 Israeli soldiers near Ya’bad. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian and injured 8 others during a raid in Balata refugee camp. Israeli forces also demolished a car scrap yard in Ein ad-Duyuk al-Tahta. Elsewhere, Israeli forces issued notifications that it will seize 70 dunams (17.3 acres) of land in Azzun ‘Atma and Masha. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Ya’bad, Dheisheh refugee camp, ad-Doha, Askar refugee camp, and Seida. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 car wash shop in Shu’fat. 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Jabel Mukaber and Silwan. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian fisherman with a baton round west of al-Sudaniyya. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/13; PCHR, WAFA 6/14; PCHR 6/15; UNOCHA 6/18; UNOCHA 7/8)
Israel’s military advocate general said that the soldiers responsible for the death of Palestinian American Omar As’ad on 1/12/22 will not be criminally prosecuted. 78-year-old As’ad died of heart failure after being arbitrarily detained and left on his stomach on the floor in a yard of an abandoned house while handcuffed, blindfolded, and gagged. The U.S. State Department said on 6/14 that it is seeking more information from Israel about the decision not to charge the soldiers. (AP, HA, REU 6/13; AJ, AJ, AP, BBC, HA, MDW, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA 6/14)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas began his 4-day official visit to China. (AJ, AP, HA, REU, WAFA 6/13)
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill creating an ambassador-level position at the State Department focused on creating normalization deals for Israel. The bill, which passed 413-13, was co-sponsored by Democrat Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Republican Mike Lawler (R-NY). (HA 6/13; MDW 6/14)
The Lebanese parliament failed to elect a president for the 12th time. Lebanon has not had a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022. (AJ, AP, HA 6/14)
Amnesty International released a report on the Israeli attacks on Gaza between May 9 and May 13, calling on the ICC “to consider the applicability of the crime against humanity of apartheid within its current formal investigation.” Amnesty found that 31 Palestinians had been killed, including in unlawful killings and possible war crimes. Amnesty also found that 3 Palestinians in Gaza were possibly killed by rockets misfired by Palestinian armed groups. (AI 6/13; MEE 6/14)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian woman, claiming she had stabbed and injured 1 settler near Beit Umar. Israeli forces also assaulted 1 Palestinian after forcing him to stop his vehicle near Jericho. 10 were arrested during late-night raids in al-Bireh, Bayt Rima, Dura, Bethlehem, Aida refugee camp, Tulkarm, and Asira. In East Jerusalem, 2 were arrested during raids. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boats. (HA, WAFA, WAFA 4/17; WAFA 4/18; UNOCHA 4/20; PCHR 4/27)
The Israeli Border Control Administration denied entry to a Palestinian German teenager at Ben Gurion International Airport. She said she was verbally abused and threatened with violence before she was returned on a plane to Germany after being detained for 32 hours. The German ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert condemned the incident. (HA 4/27)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Jeddah for a visit where he will be meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on 4/18. Abbas was traveling with PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh and the head of the PA intelligence service Majed Faraj. (MEMO 4/16; ALM, HA, MEE, WAFA, WAFA 4/17; AJ 4/18)
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh led a delegation of Hamas officials to Riyadh. The group was expected to meet with Saudi officials despite the visit being unofficial. (MEE, MEMO 4/16; HA, MEE 4/17)
It was reported that the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities instructed the PA to investigate the incarceration of 2 Israelis held by Hamas in Gaza, saying that both suffer from psychiatric problems, and to present its actions to the committee within 6 months. (HA 4/17)
Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang spoke to PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki and Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen in separate calls, informing them that China is ready to support the resumption of peace talks. Qin also expressed concern over the heightened tension between Israelis and Palestinians. (WAFA 4/17; AP, GDN, HA, MEE 4/18)
The EU, France, and Spain donated $29 million for payments to vulnerable families in Palestine through the National Cash Transfer Program. (WAFA 4/17)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized 4 Palestinian-owned vehicles and wrote racist graffiti a building in Beit Iksa. Israeli forces made a large-scale midday raid on Nablus, killing 11 Palestinians, including 1 minor and a 72-year old man, more than 100 were injured by Israeli gunfire, including 6 critically. At least 2 anti-tank missiles were fired by Israeli soldiers at Palestinian buildings. Israeli forces also demolished 3 houses and 2 agricultural structures in al-Walaja. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 1 house and issued demolition notices for 20 others in Ein ad-Duyuk al-Foqa. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen and confiscated their boat west of Beit Lahiya. (AJ, AJ, ALM, AP, AX, BBC, HA, HA, HA, MDW, MEE, NYT, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/22; AJ, AJ, AX, GDN, HA, IN, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, PCHR, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/23; MDW 2/24; NYT 3/1; UNOCHA 3/4)
The Israeli Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Council advanced plans for 3,144 new settlement housing units, including 956 that received final approval. (HA, JP 2/22; AP, PCN, PCN, WAFA 2/23; ALM 2/24)
The PA requested emergency meetings at the UN Security Council, Arab League, and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to address the Israeli raid on Nablus (see above). U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the U.S. was “deeply concerned that the impact of today's raid could set back efforts aimed at restoring calm for both Israelis and Palestinians.” (WAFA 2/22)
Former Palestinian prime minister Ahmad Qurei, also known as Abu Alaa, died at the age of 85. An official state funeral was held for Qurei on 2/23 with participation of PA president Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. (AP, HA, WAFA 2/23)
Papua New Guinea said it would open an embassy to Israel in Jerusalem following a conversation between the foreign ministers of the two countries. (HA 2/26)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Huwwara; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian and arrested 1 other near Salem. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Nabi Salih, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in ‘Usarin, injuring 1 with live ammunition, 5 with baton rounds, and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beit Umar, injuring 1 with live ammunition and others with tear gas. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 3 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Bayt Dajan, injuring 1 minor with a baton round and 10 others with tear gas. 4 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Bayt Rima and Bayt Dajan. In East Jerusalem, Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan led a tour for foreign diplomats at the Western Wall. The Romanian, Italian, Slovenian, and Moldovan ambassadors to Israel canceled their participation in the tour after the EU voiced concerns. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen west of Beit Lahiya and al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/9; MEMO 12/10; PCHR 12/15; UNOCHA 12/22)
Leaders at the Arab-China Summit in Riyadh called for a just and lasting solution, based on the 2-state solution, to the Israeli occupation of Palestine in their final communique of the summit. In a speech at the summit PA president Mahmoud Abbas called for the international community to not work with any Israeli government that refused to work within the framework of international law. Chinese president Xi Jinping said in a speech that he supports Palestine’s effort to gain full membership at the UN. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/9; MEMO 12/10)
Palestinian member of the Knesset and leader of the Hadash party Ayman Odeh met with UN secretary-general António Guterres in New York, briefing Guterres on his concerns about the government Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to present within a couple of weeks. Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan called the meeting “cowardly and shameful.” Israeli media reported that the meeting was made in coordination with the PA rather than with the Israeli foreign ministry. (ALM, HA 12/9; MEMO 12/12)
Egypt’s foreign ministry issued a statement warning Israel against continuing its attacks on Palestinians, noting that more than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in 2022. The ministry warned that the situation will continue to deteriorate if Israel continues its current practices. (HA 12/9)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in Qaryut. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting the siege of Nablus at the Huwwara checkpoint, causing tear-gas related injuries. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat within 6 nautical miles off the coast. (MEMO, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/1; PCHR 11/3; UNOCHA 11/13)
An Israeli court approved the demolition of a school in al-Samiya. The school was inaugurated in January and built with EU funding. (WAFA 11/1; MEMO 11/2)
Israel held general elections for the 5th time since 2019. The right-wing bloc led by Benjamin Netanyahu won a majority of the seats and is expected to form a government in the coming weeks. The Likud Party won the most seats with 32. Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid gained 24 seats while the third largest party was the Religious Zionism alliance, made up of the Zionist National Union-Tkuma and the Otzma Yehudit party and led by Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, which won 14 seats. The Palestinian parties Hadash-Ta‘al and the United Arab List each gained 5 seats. Balad, Meretz and the Ayelet Shaked-led Habayit Hayehudi did not make the electoral threshold. It was reported that the U.S. was considering a “no-contact” policy in dealing with a potential minister Ben-Gvir given his extremist ideology and actions. The voter turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel was 55%. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, ALM, AX, MEE, NYT, NYT 11/1; AJ, AJ, ALM, ALM, AX, AX, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU 11/2; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, ALM, ALM, AP, AP, AX, BBC, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, MEMO, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU 11/3; AJ, ALM, GDN, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, TOI 11/4; HA, HA, MDW 11/6)
Algeria hosted the 1st summit of the Arab League since 2019. The leaders of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco did not attend the summit. PA president Mahmoud Abbas held a meeting with acting U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs Yael Lambert on the sidelines of the summit. (WAFA 10/31; AJ, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA 11/1)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces fired a tear gas canister into a hospital in Hebron, causing tear-gas related injuries among patients and staff. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 1 with live ammunition and 10 with baton rounds. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian near Silat ad-Dhahr. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen northwest of Rafah; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian farmlands north of Beit Hanun; no injuries were reported. (MEMO, WAFA, WAFA 9/23; MEMO, WAFA 9/24; PCHR 9/29; UNOCHA 9/30)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UNGA, saying that Israel is not a partner in peace and that the country is working to undermine the 2-state solution. President Abbas called on the international community to deal with Israel as an occupying state. Abbas also lambasted Israel’s impunity in continuing its settlement enterprise, in not dealing with settler attacks, and in killing Palestinians, mentioning Shireen Abu Akleh, saying that since Israel is not abiding by the Oslo Accords, that the PA will not either and will instead seek justice at international courts. Furthermore, Abbas said that Israel is establishing apartheid, asking the audience why it is not holding Israel accountable for its crimes and to implement UN resolutions on Palestine. Lastly, Abbas said the PA will seek full membership at the UN and called on UK, the U.S., and Israel to recognize their responsibility in the Nakba. (AJ, AP, AX, HA, MEE, WAFA 9/23; MEMO, MEMO, WAFA 9/24; WAFA 9/25)
Australia announced that it will double its contribution to UNRWA for 2022, from $6.5 million to $13 million. (WAFA 9/23)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 5 Palestinians with live ammunition during a raid in Dheisheh refugee camp. Israeli forces also ordered Palestinian farmers near Jenin to stop drilling water wells for irrigation, delivered stop-work orders for 4 houses under construction in al-Karmel, and demolished 4 residential structures in al-Jiftlik. 17 Palestinians were arrested, including 16 during late-night raids in Silwad, Ras Karkar, Deir Jarir, Dheisheh refugee camp, and Hebron, and 1 was arrested at a checkpoint near Jericho. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 banquet hall in Isawiya and delivered a demolition notice against 1 apartment building in the neighborhood. 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Isawiya. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat west of al-Sudaniyya. (MEMO, MEMO, PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/16; PCHR 8/18; UNOCHA 8/19; UNOCHA 9/2)
An Israeli court extended the solitary confinement of Palestinian prisoner Ahmad Manasra to November. Manasra, who is now 21 years old, has been held in Israeli prison since he was 13 and suffers from mental health issues. Manasra was arrested in 2015 after his cousin allegedly stabbed 2 Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem while with Manasra. (AJ, MEMO, WAFA 8/16; MDW 8/17; WAFA 8/18)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. During a press conference, President Abbas responded to a question of whether he would apologize for the 1972 Munich Olympics killing of Israeli hostages by remarking that “[f]rom 1947 to the present day, Israel has committed 50 massacres in Palestinian villages and cities. 50 massacres, 50 Holocausts, and until today, and every day there are casualties killed by the Israeli military.” Abbas’s Holocaust remark drew widespread condemnation, including from Chancellor Scholz, who issued a statement on the matter after the press conference. On 8/17, the PA released a statement saying that Abbas’s remarks were “not intended to deny the singularity of the Holocaust,” and that Abbas condemns the Holocaust “in the strongest possible terms,” calling it the “most heinous crime in modern human history.” (AP, HA, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/16; AP, AX, MEE, NYT, REU, WAFA 8/17; AJ, AP, CNN, HA, HA, HA, MEMO, MEMO 8/18; AP, WAFA 8/19; WAFA 8/20)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians using live ammunition during a late-night raid in Nablus; 19 others were injured and 1 house was severely damaged. The PA condemned the killings. Israeli forces also arrested 1 Palestinian man near the Tapuah Junction, claiming he had approached a soldier with a knife; no injuries were reported in relation to the incident. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian child during a raid in Qabatiya; 3 were arrested. Israeli forces delivered stop-work orders for 3 homes and 1 agricultural structure south of Hebron. In East Jerusalem, 3 Palestinians were assaulted and arrested in the Old City. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen, causing 1 boat to catch fire. (AJ, AP, GDN, HA, HA, JP, JP, MEE, PCHR, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/24; MDW, MEE, TOI 7/25; PCHR 7/28; UNOCHA 8/5)
Kan News reported that a unit of the Israeli military spent the weekend at an Israeli settlement outpost in the Jordan Valley. (TOI 7/24)
75 Palestinian prisoners started hunger-striking in solidarity with 2 Palestinian prisoners who have been hunger-striking for more than 100 days in protest over their administrative detention. (WAFA 7/23; WAFA 7/24)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Jordanian king Abdullah II in Amman. (WAFA 7/24)
The Intercept reported that Google is offering the Israeli government advanced artificial intelligence products as part of its Project Nimbus contract with Israel. (INT 7/24)
It was reported that Bahrain’s head of Authority for Culture and Antiquities Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa was fired for refusing to shake hands with the Israeli ambassador to the country during a social gathering at a U.S. envoy’s home on 6/16. (JP 7/23; DN, MEE, MEMO 7/24)
In the West Bank, the Shin Bet arrested 3 Palestinian relatives of the Palestinian man who was stabbed to death by an Israeli settler on 6/21 near the Ariel settlement. The 3 were also eyewitnesses to the killing and had given their testimony to Israeli police before being arrested. Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians at the Taibe checkpoint near Tulkarm. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian using a baton round during a raid in Nur Shams refugee camp. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Nur Shams refugee camp, Qaryut, Beit Umar, and al-Khader. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Wadi al-Juz, displacing 2. 2 Fatah activists were arrested. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen; no injuries were reported. (HA, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/26; HA, HA 6/27; PCHR 6/30; UNOCHA 7/2)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Jordan’s king Abdullah II in Amman. (WAFA, WAFA 6/26)
Israel’s economy ministry said the Israeli cabinet had approved issuing 3,500 additional permits for Palestinians to work in manufacturing and services to relieve an Israeli shortage of skilled workers. (REU 6/26)
The Wall Street Journal reported that senior Israeli military officials partook in a meeting in March this year with top officials from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the U.S., and representatives from Bahrain and the UAE in Sharm El Sheikh. At the secretive meeting, the officials were reported to have discussed efforts to combat Iranian missile and drone capabilities. The reporting comes 1 week after Israel’s defense minister Benny Gantz said that Israel is working with Arab partners in what he called “Middle East Air Defense Alliance.” (HA, WSJ 6/26; HA, MEMO 6/27)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers re-erected a settlement outpost near al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya; the settlement outpost was dismantled by Israeli forces on 6/7. 18 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Ni‘lin, al-Mughayyir, Bayt Rima, Balata refugee camp, Rujeib, Bayt Dajan, Ya‘bad, Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, Fawwar refugee camp, and Beit Fajjar. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities took measurements for the demolition of a 4-story apartment building in Silwan. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen and seized their boat within the fishing zone. (PCHR, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/8; PCHR 6/9; UNOCHA 6/17)
The Israeli supreme court rejected a petition for a retrial in a case where the Israeli settler group Ateret Cohanim allegedly purchased 3 buildings in the Old City from the Greek Orthodox church, allowing the settler organization to evict the Palestinian tenants. The Greek Orthodox church called the ruling “unfair” and without “any legal logical basis.” The EU voiced concern about the supreme court ruling. (HA, YNET 6/9; MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/10; MEMO, WAFA 6/11)
Israel extended its antiquities authority to the West Bank. The Israel Antiquities Authority will replace the Coordinator on Government Activities in the Territories in managing archeological sites in the West Bank. (HA 6/8)
Speaking, via phone link at a conference on the holy sites in Jerusalem, dubbed “Property Documentation and the Historical Status of the Holy al-Aqsa Mosque,” PA president Mahmoud Abbas said that the PA would not accept any changes to the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, saying all Islamic and Christian holy sites are Palestinian. (WAFA, WAFA 6/8; WAFA 6/9)
Israeli media reported that members of a Liberian delegation in Israel headed by minister of state for presidential affairs Nathaniel McGill told Israeli journalists that Liberia will open a trade office in Jerusalem that eventually will become Liberia’s embassy to Israel. The delegation was meeting Israeli officials, including president Isaac Herzog. (ALM 6/9)
Axios reported that last week, Israel refused a proposal for a White House summit with the PA, U.S., Egypt, and Jordan to create a political horizon for ending the occupation. (AX 6/8)
Axios also reported that the White House is sending the newly appointed assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, Barbara Leaf, to Israel and Ramallah for meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials. (AX 6/8)
Haaretz reported that the EU commission’s anti-fraud office will not open an investigation into the 6 Palestinian rights organizations Israel deemed terrorist organizations in October 2021, saying that it had not seen sufficient evidence from Israel against the 6 organizations. EU diplomats told Haaretz that the evidence handed to EU countries by Israel was not compelling and did not meet the threshold of proof. (HA 6/8)
In a visit to the Buraq Wall/Western Wall, Bosnia and Herzegovina parliament speaker Dragan Čović told reporters that the Old City is part of Israel. (JP 6/10)
The World Bank approved a grant of $30 million for PA reforms in transparency, inclusion, and green economy and a $7 million grant for social services and online employment oppounities for Palestinians in Gaza. (WAFA 6/8)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in al-Rakiz in the Masafer Yatta area, causing injuries from assault and tear gas. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian minor during a raid in Hebron. 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Arroub refugee camp, Bethlehem, and Jaba‘. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at 2 Palestinian fishermen, injuring both with baton rounds and seizing their boat; both were transferred to a hospital for treatment. Israeli naval forces also arrested 2 fishermen within 2 nautical miles and confiscated their boat; neither was injured. Meanwhile, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen 550 yards from the shore, damaging 2 boats and 15 searchlights. In Gaza, 2 Palestinians were arrested near the Gaza fence. (MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/4; PCHR 6/5; PCHR 6/9; UNOCHA 6/17)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with French president Emmanuel Macron via phone. (WAFA 6/4)
Meretz MK Michal Rozin said at an event that her party will support Emergency Regulations – Judea and Samaria, Jurisdiction and Legal Aid, extending Israeli law to Israeli settlers living in the West Bank. Rozin explained that her party is doing so to ensure that the government coalition does not dissolve. The regulation is set to expire at the end of June and Israeli justice minister Gideon Sa’ar is seeking to extend it for 5 years. Former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his party Likud will abstain on voting to extend the regulation. (HA 5/31; HA 6/2; ALM, HA, HA 6/3; HA 6/4; AP, HA 6/6)
A UK-based Iranian opposition group, Iran International, reported that an Iranian engineer, Ayoob Entezari, was assassinated by poison at a dinner in Yazd. Iran denied the reporting, saying Entezari died of a disease. It was reported that Entezari was working on drone and missile technology. Entezari’s death followed 3 incidents in the last 2 weeks, in which 2 colonels and 1 other engineer were killed in Iran. (HA, TOI 6/4; HA, TOI 6/5; HA, JP 6/6)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with military escort raided Halhul, vandalizing 1 mosque; Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians with live ammunition and others with baton rounds and tear gas when the Palestinians confronted the settlers. Israeli settlers also assaulted Palestinian farmers in Shufa, causing injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers chased Palestinian herders off their land in al-Juwaya in the Masafer Yatta area and let their cattle graze on Palestinian crops. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers with Israeli police escort attacked 3 Palestinians in Silwan, causing hospitalizations, and vandalized 1 vehicle. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 8 Palestinian fishermen and seized 2 boats within 3 nautical miles northwest of the Rafah seaport; 6 of the 8 fishermen were released on 6/1. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/31; PCHR 6/1)
Hamas’s military judicial authority sentenced 2 Palestinians for spying for Israel. 1 of the Palestinians was sentenced to life in prison while the other received a 7-year sentence. (JP 5/31)
An Israeli military court sentenced 1 Palestinian man to life in prison plus 25 years for the killing of an Israeli soldier in the West Bank on 8/2019 and ordered him to pay $450,000 to the family of the soldier. The Palestinian man was not present at the killing, but the court claimed that he had formed a cell that incited the murder of the Israeli man. (HA 5/31)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken in a phone call. According to Axios reporting, President Abbas pressed Secretary Blinken on Israeli attempts to change the Status Quo at the Haram al-Sharif compound, the lack of a political horizon, the Israeli settler march on 5/29, and the Biden administration’s failure to act on its campaign promises on Palestine. Abbas also asked the U.S. to remove the PLO from the U.S. list of terror organizations and to reopen the PLO mission in Washington D.C. Abbas also met with Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi in Ramallah. (WAFA 5/31; AX, WAFA 6/1)
Haaretz reported that an Israeli plan to reduce the economic gaps between Palestinians and Israeli Jews living in Israeli cities had been postponed due to failure to fund the program. The plan was finalized in October 2021 in response to tensions between Palestinians and Israeli Jews in cities in which both populations reside. Additionally, some local governments have opposed earmarking funds exclusively for Palestinian communities in the cities they govern. (HA 5/31)
Israel and the UAE signed a free trade agreement removing tariffs on food, agriculture, cosmetics, medical equipment, and medicine. The agreement also defines tax rates, imports and intellectual property. The free trade agreement was part of the Israeli-UAE-U.S. normalization agreement. (REU 5/30; ABC, AJ, ALM, BB, HA, JP, MEMO, NBC, REU, TOI, WSJ 5/31; CNN 6/1; ALM, HA 6/2)
U.S. state department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that the Biden administration remains committed to reopening the U.S. consulate to Palestinians in Jerusalem. The statement comes after reporting in the Times of Israel that the U.S. had given up on its plans due to the instability in the Israeli government coalition. (REU 5/31; MEMO 6/1; AX 6/4)
15 Democratic members of the U.S. house of representatives, led by Cori Bush (D-MO), wrote a letter to Secretary Blinken urging him to send the “strongest message possible” to prevent Israel from evicting more than 1,000 Palestinians from the Masafer Yatta area, calling the displacement of Palestinians “a war crime.” (HA, MEE 5/31; WAFA 6/1)
Lebanese parliament reelected Nabih Berri of the Amal Movement as speaker at the 1st parliamentary session of the newly elected parliament. Speaker Berri, who received 65 of 128 votes, has been the speaker of the parliament since 1992. (AJ, HA, MEMO, REU, REU 5/31)
In the West Bank, 3 Israeli settlers, including 2 minors, were injured by Palestinians throwing stones at their vehicle near Huwwara. Israeli settlers vandalized 140 olive and almond trees and water tanks in Qaryut. Israeli forces shot and injured 3 Palestinians, including a minor during a raid in Jenin; 1 Palestinian security officer was also arrested during the raid. Israeli forces also demolished 2 agricultural structures in the Masafer Yatta villages of al-Twana and al-Juwaya. Elsewhere, Israeli forces erected a watchtower in Hebron. Israeli forces also demolished 1 mosque under construction in Arab al-Ramadin, leading to a confrontation with Palestinians; 3 were injured with live ammunition and baton rounds, and others suffered tear-gas related injuries. 11 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Abu Dis, Ras Karkar, Harmala, Surif, Dura, and Aqabat Jaber refugee camp. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen and confiscated their boats within 6 nautical miles northwest of Rafah; the 2 were released through the Erez crossing on 5/25. (JP, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/24; AJ, HA, PCHR, TOI 5/25; PCHR 5/26; UNOCHA 6/4)
A CNN investigation confirmed eyewitness reports and other independent investigations that Israeli forces shot and killed Palestinian American Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on 5/11 in Jenin refugee camp and that her killing was likely deliberate. CNN’s investigation was based on 11 video clips, forensic findings at the scene of the murder, audio analysis of the gunshots, and 8 eyewitness testimonies. Explosive weapons expert Chris Cobb-Smith found in his analysis that the markings from the shots near the body of Abu Akleh indicated that the murder was deliberate as they did not suggest they were a result of a burst of automatic fire, but intentionally targeted. CNN further confirmed through eyewitness accounts that there was no crossfire in the area where Abu Akleh was killed, as Israel continues to claim. Israel has refused to open a criminal investigation into the killing. (AP, CNN, HA, MDW, TOI 5/24; HA, JP, MEMO, WAFA 5/25)
Israel’s civil administration retroactively legalized the Mitzpe Lachish settlement outpost and approved construction of 158 new settlement units near Dura. (WAFA 5/24; MEMO 5/25)
The U.S. announced sanctions against 1 individual alleged to have raised money for Hamas and on Hamas’s Investment Office, which holds assets in Sudan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, and the UAE. (ALM, HA, MEE, MEMO, REU 5/24)
Referencing the U.S. decision to delist Kahane Chai from its list of foreign terrorist organizations on 5/13, the PA called on the U.S. Biden administration to remove the PLO from the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations. (WAFA 5/24; MEMO 5/25)
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) slammed the EU for withholding aid from the PA due to 1 Hungarian Commissioner’s dissatisfaction with PA school textbooks. The NRC said the withholding of aid is jeopardizing the life of more than 500 cancer patients that have been unable to access proper treatment at the Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem and have led to salary cuts and cuts in aid to the most vulnerable Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The EU is withholding some $230 million in aid. (AJ, WAFA 5/24; MEMO 5/25)
Former Israeli foreign minister and prominent MK of the Likud party Israel Katz boasted that he had threatened Palestinian students in Israel with a 2d Nakba if they continue to wave Palestinian flags at universities. Katz said, “Remember our independence war and your Nakba, don’t stretch the rope too much. [. . .] If you don’t calm down, we’ll teach you a lesson that won’t be forgotten.” (MDW 5/24; HA 5/26)
Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu arrived in Israel for a 2-day visit to Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Turkey’s and Israel’s normalization efforts were reported as a way for Turkey to strengthen its relations with the UAE and Egypt, for Israel and Turkey to cooperate in Syria to build a gas pipeline between the 2 countries, and for Israel to incentivize Turkey to take a tougher stance on Hamas. During the 1st day of his trip, Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu met with PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki in Ramallah, voicing support for a 2-state solution and criticizing Israeli settlements. Çavuşoğlu also met with PA president Mahmoud Abbas. The Turkish and Palestinian officials signed 9 cooperation agreements, including on economics, trade and infrastructure, and for developing an industrial area in Jenin. (AJ, ALM, AP, F24, HA, REU, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 5/24; HA, HA 5/25)
President Abbas met with president of the EU parliament Roberta Metsola in Ramallah. (WAFA 5/24)
Politico reported that U.S. president Joe Biden, in a 4/24 phone call to Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, had assured him that the U.S. administration would not take Iran’s Revolutionary Guard off the U.S. list of terrorist organizations. President Biden’s decision was seen as an obstruction in finding common ground between the U.S. and Iran with the U.S.’s reentering the Iran Nuclear Deal. Prime Minister Bennett’s office confirmed the reporting. (HA, JP, POL 5/24; AX, MEMO 5/25; HA 5/26)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian homes in Kafl Haris, injuring 2. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian and wounded 4 others during a raid in Jenin refugee camp. 6 were arrested during the raid and a punitive demolition notice was posted on the family home of 1 Palestinian who allegedly killed 3 Israelis on 4/7 in Tel Aviv. 8 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Ramallah, Hebron, and Beit Duqqu. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen northwest of Rafah, arrested 6, and seized 1 boat. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, MEE, PCHR, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/27; MEMO, PCHR 4/28; UNOCHA 5/13)
1 Palestinian citizen of Israel was sentenced to 14 years in prison for allegedly planning an attack in Jerusalem in November 2020. According to the Israeli prosecutor, the man admitted that he wanted to harm Israeli soldiers but not civilians. (HA 4/27)
A 97-page Israeli document called “Procedure for Entry and Residence for Foreigners in Judea and Samaria Area,” originally published in February, surfaced in the media. The document, which will replace a 4-page ordinance on entry to the West Bank on 5/22, further complicates travel to the West Bank, especially for Palestinians. Palestinians holding foreign citizenship must, according to the new ordinance, include names and ID numbers of all relatives and people they might stay with while traveling to the West Bank. Palestinians must also declare if they own property in the West Bank or stand to inherit. Foreigners visiting Palestinians in the West Bank must also be given prior permission while those visiting settlers do not have to. Israel will also limit the number of foreign students at West Bank universities to 150; this will not apply to settlement universities. (AJ 4/27; AP 5/5)
In Syria, 9 people were killed, including 5 Syrian soldiers, during an Israeli air attack near Damascus. The 4 other victims were described as soldiers of other nationalities. (AP 4/26; AJ, AP, HA, MEMO 4/27; MEMO 4/28)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with Jordanian king Abdullah II in Amman. The 2 discussed the recent events at the Haram al-Sharif compound. (WAFA 4/27)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near al-Bireh. 13 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Bayt Rima, Jalazun refugee camp, Kafr Ni‘ma, al-Ama‘ari refugee camp, al-Bireh, Nablus, Jaba‘, and Surif. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians at the Damascus Gate plaza, arresting 3. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 8 nautical miles northwest of Rafah, injuring 4 Palestinians before arresting them. The 4 were released on 4/8, but their 2 boats were confiscated. In Israel, 1 person shot and killed 2 people and injured 10 others at a bar in Tel Aviv. A Palestinian man from Jenin, suspected of having carried out the attack, was killed 9 hours after the incident in Jaffa. Israel also subsequently closed off many roads in Jenin, claiming to be looking for accomplices. PA president Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack. (AJ, CNN, HA, HA, JP, MEE, NYT, REU, WAFA, WSJ 4/7; ABC, AP, AP, HA, HA, REU, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 4/8; NYT 4/9; UNOCHA 4/10; PCHR 4/14; UNOCHA 4/23)
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society said that Israel has issued administrative detention orders against more than 400 Palestinians since the beginning of 2022. (WAFA 4/7)
Axios reported that Israel had rejected a U.S. proposal to host Israeli and Palestinian national security advisors at the White House for talks about security coordination and economic issues. (AX, HA 4/7; MEE 4/8)
In the wake of Idit Sliman leaving the Israeli government coalition on 4/6, another Yamina MK Nir Orbach said that he would leave the coalition if it did not make more “right-wing steps.” Along with demands for concessions to the Ultra-Orthodox community, Orbach said he wanted the government to focus on more settlement construction, which coalition sources said they would be working on in the coming days to appease Orbach. (HA 4/7)
In the West Bank, Israeli forces delivered a stop-work order for a house in Fasayil. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces handed demolition orders for 1 house, 1 canopy, and 1 house stable in Isawiya. Israeli forces detained PA governor of Jerusalem Adnan Ghaith before handing him orders not to enter the West Bank for 6 months. Meanwhile, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians gathered at the Damascus Gate plaza with baton rounds and stun grenades; at least 1 was injured. 12 were arrested in the Old City and 2 in Bayt Hanina. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of al-Sudaniyya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/5; WAFA, WAFA 4/6; PCHR 4/7; UNOCHA 4/23)
PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke with Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz on a phone call. The 2 spoke about efforts to facilitate calm for the Ramadan and Passover holy days. (TOI 4/5; ALM 4/6)
1 Palestinian citizen of Israel was sentenced to death in the UAE for possessing 0.5 kilo of cocaine. Joint List chairperson Ayman Odeh said he had been in contact with Israeli president Isaac Herzog and foreign minister Yair Lapid to have them help save her life. (AP, CNN, HA 4/5)
Palestinian-French lawyer and activist Salah Hamouri, who is currently held by Israel in administrative detention, filed a complaint to the prosecutor of the Paris judicial court in France against the NSO Group for illegally hacking his phone using Pegasus spyware. (AJ, WAFA 4/5; WAFA 4/6)
Front Line Defenders and Citizen Lab published an investigation, saying that 4 Jordanian activists and journalists had been targeted with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware between August 2019 and December 2021. (AP, HA, HA 4/5)
The World Bank approved an $8 million grant to the PA to help reform its public financial management. (WAFA 4/5)
In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler shot and killed 1 Palestinian man after he had stabbed and injured 1 other Israeli settler with a screwdriver in a bus near the Efrat settlement south of Bethlehem. Israeli settlers threw an incendiary device at 1 Palestinian minor in Jinba, causing burns to his face and hands. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers attacked 1 Palestinian herder near Fasayil, throwing stones and releasing a dog on him, causing injuries. Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians and injured 14 others during a daytime arrest raid in Jenin refugee camp. Israel said that the arrest raid was related to the attack on 3/29 in Bnei Brak in which 5 were killed; 31 were arrested during the raid. PA president Mahmoud Abbas condemned the raid, saying Israel wants to escalate tensions ahead of the start of Ramadan. During the raid, Palestinian patients at a nearby hospital suffered tear-gas related injuries. 24 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Aida refugee camp, Bayt Jala, Husan, al-Ubeidiya, Wadi Abu Freiha, Hebron, al-Ramadin, Dura, Qalandia refugee camp, al-Zawiya, Salem, al-Far‘a refugee camp, Jenin, Ya‘bad, Nabi Elias, and Azzun. In East Jerusalem, far-right Israeli MK Itamar Ben-Gvir toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. The Joint List party and PA president Mahmoud Abbas criticized the Israeli government for allowing Ben-Gvir to tour the compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian farmlands east of Abasan; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen; no injuries were reported. (AJ, HA, HA, HA, HA, MEE, MEE, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/31; WAFA 4/1; HA 4/2; MEMO 4/5; PCHR 4/7; UNOCHA 4/10)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers set up caravans near Qusra. Israeli settlers also threw stones at commercial structures and vehicles in Burqa, causing damage. Israeli forces delivered stop-work orders for 1 house and electricity cables in al-Twana. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen northwest of Rafah; no injuries were reported. In Israel, 2 Palestinian citizens of Israel opened fire on Israelis in Hadera, killing 2 Israeli soldiers and wounding 5 others, including 1 soldier, before being shot and killed by Israeli undercover police. Israel said that the 2 attackers were affiliated of ISIS. 5 Palestinian citizens of Israel were arrested during subsequent raids in Umm al-Fahm under suspicion of having prior knowledge of the attack. (AJ, AP, DW, HA, HILL, MEE, NYT, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 3/27; ABC, AP, AX, CNN, GDN, HA, HA, HA, JP, MEMO, NPR, REU, SKY, TOI, WSJ 3/28; ALM, ALM 3/29; F24, PCHR 3/31; UNOCHA 4/10)
Members of the settler organization Ateret Cohanim entered the 1st floor of the Little Petra Hotel in East Jerusalem with Israeli police escort in an effort to cement the organization’s hold of the building. The ownership of the building is part of an ongoing legal case at the Israeli supreme court between the Greek Orthodox patriarchate in Jerusalem and Ateret Cohanim. The lawyers of the Palestinian family that runs the hotel were attacked with pepper spray by the Israeli settlers when they entered the building and Israeli police detained 1 of the 2 lawyers present at the site. (HA 3/27; MEE, WAFA 3/28; WAFA 3/29; WAFA, WAFA 3/30; PCHR 3/31)
The Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories announced that Israel will approve up to 20,000 work permits for Palestinians in Gaza for workers in construction and agriculture. The International Committee of the Red Cross in Israel also announced that Israel will allow family visits by Palestinians in Gaza to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisoners, for the 1st time since March 2020. (ALM 3/31)
U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken met with PA president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. During the meeting, President Abbas called on the U.S. to help curb settler violence and end settlement expansion. Abbas warned Blinken that the PA may rescind its recognition of Israel and end security cooperation if Israeli unilateral actions are not curbed. Abbas also criticized the U.S. and its allies for its double standards in not applying sanctions against Israel for its violations of international law as they have done against Russia. (HA, MEE, WAFA 3/27; JP 3/28; AX 3/30)
The foreign ministers of the U.S., UAE, Morocco, Egypt, Bahrain, and Israel met in Sde Boker for the 1st day of a 2-day summit comprised of countries that have normalized ties with Israel with U.S. support. Among the subjects discussed at the summit were the perceived threat from Iran and the U.S.’s efforts to reenter the Iran Nuclear deal. The 1st day of the summit coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Arab Peace Initiative. Secretary Blinken also met with Israel’s prime minister Naftali Bennett, who shortly after, tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. (AJ, AP, GDN, HA, HA, HA, HA, JP, JP, REU, TOI, WP 3/27; HA, MEMO 3/28; AX, AX 3/30)
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers blocked the main entrance to al-Naqura. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man, alleging that he had tried to stab a soldier at the Gush Etzion Junction between Bethlehem and Hebron. The PA called it an extrajudicial execution. 9 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Kobar, Kafr Ni‘ma, Ni‘lin, Beita, Izbat al-Tabib, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces evicted the 18-member Salhiya family from their home in Sheikh Jarrah, leading to a standoff where members of the family threatened to blow up a gas container on top of the house if the Israeli forces proceeded to demolish their home. A large crowd protested in support of the family. Several European representatives to Palestine and Israel, with some present at the scene, also condemned the eviction and called on Israel to stop it immediately. 1 Palestinian demolished his own commercial structure in Sheikh Jarrah. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Gaza; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled land north of Beit Lahiya. Israeli forces also opened fire at agricultural lands east of al-Qarara; no injuries were reported. (+972, AJ, AJ, F24, HA, HA, MEMO, MEMO, MEMO, REU, Twitter, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WP 1/17; EI, MEMO, MEMO 1/18; MEMO 1/19; PCHR 1/20)
Palestinian news outlet Safa and Israeli Channel 12 reported that the PA had frozen its work on preparing material for the ICC as a result of agreements made between PA president Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz. (MEMO 1/18)
Israeli media reported that Libyan warlord and presidential contender Khalifa Haftar’s plane landed at Ben Gurion airport for a couple of hours before taking off again. In November it was reported that Haftar’s son and advisor Saddam Haftar had visited Israel for meetings with Israeli officials. (MEMO 1/17)
A possible drone attack in the UAE killed 3 Indian and Pakistani nationals and wounded 6 others at an oil facility and started a fire at the airport in Abu Dhabi. The Yemeni Houthi group said it was behind the attack. In a letter by Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, Israel offered the UAE “security and intelligence support” after the attack, saying “Israel stands with the UAE.” The UAE has been conducting air strikes with its coalition partner Saudi Arabia for years in Houthi-held areas of Yemen, causing many civilian deaths. (AJ, HA, MEMO 1/17; AJ, AJ, ALM, HA, MEMO, REU, REU 1/18; AJ, AP, MEMO 1/19; HA 1/20)