The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, IDF troops patrol in 1 village nr. Hebron during the day, and later escort dozens of Israeli settlers into Nablus, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian youths; 2 Palestinians are injured. The IDF also conducts late-night raids in 1 village each nr. Nablus and Tulkarm, arresting 2 Palestinians. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces seize a stockpile of explosives and fireworks during a raid on a Palestinian-owned home in Jabal Mukabir; demolish a home in Bayt Hanina; assault a Palestinian in Silwan. Overnight in n. Israel, 16 Israeli settlers from the West Bank set fire to a Christian church on the Sea of Galilee, causing extensive damage. (JP 6/17; AFP, JP, MNA, PCHR, YA 6/18; PCHR 6/25)

In response to PA pres. Abbas’s 6/16 announcement that he would dissolve the PA consensus govt., Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri says that “no one consulted with us about any change in the consensus govt. Fatah acted on its own in all regards.” Hamas official Ziad al-Zaza calls on Abbas to form a new govt. “with all national and Islamic factions.” Later, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Palestinian People’s Party meet in Gaza to discuss the consensus govt.’s dissolution. (AFP, HA, JP, MNA 6/17; YA 6/18)

Iranian lawmakers introduce a bill that would establish parliament’s formal advisory role and set out 3 criteria for any final agreement between Iran and the P5+1, including “complete and unified lifting” of sanctions on the day of the agreement. The bill has 225 signatories out of the 290-mbr. parliament. It is set for a vote on 6/21, and needs Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s approval before it becomes law. (AFP 6/17)

In the West Bank, an Israeli man from Beersheba goes missing nr. Hebron. IDF troops conduct a number of searches in surrounding villages and set up numerous mobile checkpoints in an effort to find the man and his alleged kidnappers. The man is found alive 10 hours later nr. Hebron, having staged the kidnapping for “romantic purposes.” Nr. Salfit, Israeli forces demolish 120 olive trees. The IDF conducts house searches and raids in 2 villages nr. Jenin, arresting 1; patrols in 6 villages nr. Hebron, 2 nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Qalqilya. They also arrest Palestine Legislative Council (PLC) member and PFLP activist Khalida Jarrar in al-Bireh nr. Ramallah for allegedly violating restrictions on her movement. (She will be ordered to serve 6 mos. administrative detention on 4/5) A Palestinian man stabs an Israeli soldier nr. Nablus after IDF troops detain him and 5 other Palestinians attempting to cross over the separation wall. Israeli settlers throw stones at 2 Palestinian houses in a village nr. Nablus, then Israeli troops arrive and arrest the 2 homeowners. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 4/2; JP, MNA 4/3; EI, MNA 4/5; HA 4/6; PCHR 4/9)

On a visit to Hebron, PA PM Hamdallah says that Israel has still not transferred the recently unfrozen tax revenues to the PA as the Israeli PM’s office announced it would on 3/27. PA Pres. Abbas threatens to lodge a complaint with the ICC if the Israeli govt. does not transfer the funds. (MNA 4/2; TOI 4/3)

Israel’s Supreme Court rules in favor of Palestinian petitioners hoping to avert an Israeli plan to extend the separation wall through their land nr. Jerusalem. The plan, which has been contested since the IDF ordered it in 2006, would have expropriated of 3,000 dunams of private Palestinian and Vaticanowned land. (AP, MNA, TOI, YA 4/2)

Israeli PM Netanyahu and Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom authorize a $500 m. deal between the Delek Group and Noble Energy (energy companies in control of Israel’s offshore Tamar natural gas field) and 2 Jordanian companies that would ship 1.87 b. m3 of natural gas to Jordan over the next 15 years. (TOI 4/3)

In Lausanne, Switzerland, reps. of the P5+1 and Iran extend their 3/31 deadline, then agree on “key parameters” for a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in their negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. They will continue to negotiate on technical details ahead of their 6/30 deadline for a JCPOA. Pres. Obama says he will begin talks with congressional leaders to find a way for Congress to play a constructive oversight role in the implementation of the agreement. (AFP, BB, GDN, HA, NYT, POL 4/2; HA, TOI, YA 4/3)

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops e. of al-Bureij arrest 3 Palestinians as they attempt to cross the border fence into Israel. Late at night, Israeli soldiers stationed nr. Jabaliya open fire on a group of stone-throwing Palestinians, injuring 5. Off the n. coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces open fire on several Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage but no injuries. Meanwhile, the union of hospital sanitation workers suspends its strike after PA ministers agree to pay the salaries of 750 mbrs. who had not received full wages since 6/2. Overnight, 1 Palestinian is killed and 4 are injured in an explosion at a Hamas military facility in s. Gaza. In the West Bank, IDF troops clash with around 30 stonethrowing Palestinians nr. Nablus, lightly injuring 1 with rubber-coated metal bullets. Israeli soldiers also assault and arrest 1 Palestinian at a checkpoint nr. Jenin. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Jenin and Hebron; patrols nr. Hebron and Tubas. Dozens of Israeli settlers clash with Palestinians nr. Burin village, s. of Nablus, after the settlers cut down an electricity line that leads to a Palestinian home. In East Jerusalem, municipal officials accompanied by security forces deliver 11 demolition orders to residences in Silwan. Elsewhere, 140 right-wing Jewish activists enter Haram al-Sharif, sparking verbal confrontations with Palestinian worshippers. Israeli forces detain 3 Palestinian photographers during the incident. (HA, MNA, WAFA 12/18; PCHR 12/25)

Reps. of the major Palestinian political parties meet in Gaza and discuss a 5-point initiative jointly presented by the PFLP and Islamic Jihad to kick-start the national reconciliation process. Meanwhile, 1,000s of supporters of Mohammad Dahlan, the exiled former PA and Fatah official, gather in a Hamas-approved demonstration as a corruption trial against him opens in the West Bank. Pres. Abbas orders several Fatah officials to be fired from the PA for helping organize the demonstration. (AHR, AP, MEMO, MNA 12/18; FT 2/4)

The U.S. announces that it will oppose the proposed UNSC res. submitted by the Palestinians on 12/17. Meanwhile, a senior Palestinian official says that the Palestinian res. lacks the support of 9 mbrs. of the UNSC, which would be required for the res. to pass, and is vulnerable to a veto by a permanent mbr. state. (AP, HA, MDW 12/18; AFP 12/19)

The IDF strikes targets across the Gaza Strip on the 2d day of OPE, killing 39 Palestinians. Fatal strikes take place in al-Maghazi r.c., Bayt Hanun, Gaza City, Nussayrat r.c. and Bayt Lahiya. Among the dead is an Islamic Jihad commander, killed in a strike on his home in Bayt Hanun along with 5 civilians. Palestinians fire 82 rockets and mortar shells into Israel, with 48 rockets striking Israel and 21 intercepted by Iron Dome batteries. There are no injuries directly caused by projectile fire, but there is some damage to property. Rockets land in and around Dimona, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem. M-75 rockets are fired at Tel Aviv, as well as Nevatim military airport, 44 mi. away from Gaza City. Al-Qassam Brigades, al-Quds Brigades, and Ali Abu Mustafa Brigades (PFLP) all claim responsibility for rocket and mortar fire. Al-Qassam Brigades fighters attempt an attack via the sea, emerging close to Kibbutz Zikim for the 2d day in a row. (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, YA, WAFA 7/9; PCHR 7/10)

Israeli PM Netanyahu says that “we have decided to further intensify the attacks on Hamas and the terror organizations in Gaza” and that “Hamas will pay a heavy price for the firing of rockets at Israeli civilians.” Hamas leader Khalid Mish‘al, in a press conference in Doha, Qatar, says that calm can be achieved through “an immediate halt to the aggression and bombings.” He also reiterates that he does not know who carried out the killing of the 3 Israeli settler teenagers in the West Bank. Meanwhile, PA Pres. Abbas accuses Israel of a “genocide” in Gaza and “a war against the Palestinian people as a whole.” He also describes diplomatic efforts at avoiding further hostilities, saying that Palestinian officials are talking to Egypt’s Pres. al-Sisi and UN Secy.-Gen. Ban. Egyptian foreign ministry spokesperson Badr Abdelatty says that “there is no mediation, in the common sense of the word,” but that Cairo is making “diplomatic efforts” aimed “at immediately stopping Israeli aggression and ending all mutual violence.” (AFP, AP, HA, JP, MNA, YA, WAFA 7/9)

PLO Executive Comm. mbr. Hanan Ashrawi urges the EU to go beyond verbal condemnation of Israeli violations and to take action—such as a full ban on the import of settlement products and reconsidering the EU-Israel Association Agreement—in light of Israel’s persistent human rights abuses. (WAFA 12/6)

Canadian FM John Baird says that PM Stephen Harper has relayed to Israeli PM Netanyahu Canada’s opposition to the recent settlement expansion plans. Netanyahu dismisses international anger and says that Israel will keep the area in question under any future peace deal. (AP 12/5; Globe and Mail 12/6)

Jordan’s King Abdallah II visits Ramallah for talks with Pres. Mahmud Abbas and other senior officials, in a high-profile show of support following the successful UN statehood bid (11/29). (AFP 12/6)

In the West Bank, Jewish settlers attack a Palestinian man during an olive harvest s. of Nablus, while IDF forces invade Barqa village nr. Nablus and ransack 36 homes. In c. Hebron, Israeli soldiers injure 20 Palestinians in clashes provoked when soldiers tried to arrest a Palestinian police officer, who resisted (it is unclear why he is wanted). The IDF patrols in Salfit and 1 village each nr. Jenin and Ramallah in the morning; 1 village each nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, and Salfit in the afternoon; 2 villages nr. Jericho and 1 village each nr. Jenin, Ramallah, and Salfit at night. The IDF also conducts house searches and arrest raids in 1 village nr. Bethlehem at night. (MNA 12/6; PCHR 12/13)

Speaking after a visit to Damascus, Filippo Grandi, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), says that parties in Syria’s civil war must respect the neutrality of Palestinian refugees. He expresses particular concern over the role of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine–General Command (PFLP–GC), a pro-Asad faction that is strong in the Yarmuk r.c. nr. Damascus. (AP 12/6; AFP 12/7)

Overnight, the IDF stages scores of arrest raids across the West Bank detaining 64 senior Hamas political officials, including 8 PA cabinet mbrs. and 26 PC mbrs., plus 23 senior Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades mbrs. Haniyeh, Siyam, PA FM Mahmud Zahhar remain free. (100s of Palestinians in Jenin, Ramallah, Tulkarm hold marches, sit-ins to protest the Israeli arrest of PA legislators.) Israel says the arrest campaign has been planned for wks., with the government securing Atty. Gen. Menachem Mazuz’s authorization and arrest warrants far in advance of the Kerem Shalom attack on 6/25. In Gaza, the IDF shells 2 electricity transformers and open areas of n. Gaza, cutting all electricity to n. Gaza and wounding 1 Palestinian civilian; makes air strikes on 2 electrical shops in Khan Yunis, a Hamas training camp outside Khan Yunis, a car carrying 4 Islamic Jihad mbrs. in Gaza City, wounding 3 bystanders in the Gaza City incident; fires at least 30 shells at areas around Khan Yunis, wounding 1 Palestinian farmer; conducts house searches in al-Shuka nr. Rafah; intermittently breaks the sound barrier to harass the Gaza population. In response to Israel’s military escalation, the PRC mbrs. overnight kill a Jewish settler teenager they reported they kidnapped on 6/27; the IDF finds his body buried nr. Ramallah. During the day, the IDF makes an air strikes on targets in s. Gaza and on a car driving in Gaza City in an attempt to assassinate an Islamic Jihad mbr., who escapes lightly wounded; shells n. and s. Gaza, lightly wounding at least 3 Palestinians. AMB, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) mbrs. also fire at least 6 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing light damage to a farm. Palestinian militants (thought to be Hamas) blow a hole in the Gaza-Egypt border fence; cordons of PA security forces,Egyptian border guards prevent most Palestinians fr. crossing through, though the militants who set the bomb reportedly escape into Egypt. In the evening, Olmert, Peretz order the IDF to suspend plans to send the Givati Brigade into n. Gaza overnight as planned in light of requests fr. Egypt to allow its envoys in Gaza more time to secure Shalit’s release. Meanwhile in the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches (unrelated to the arrest of PA officials) in Hebron, and in and around Ramallah, Salfit; raids 6 Islamic charities and schools nr. Hebron, Jenin and in Bethlehem, Tulkarm, confiscating computers, files; issues military orders confiscating 25 d. of Palestinian land nr. Hebron for construction of the separation wall. (HA, IFM, IMEMC, JAZ, MM, NYT, WP, WT, YA 6/29; AFP, MENA, OSC, PSCT, VOI, VOP 6/29 in WNC 6/30; CSM, HA, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 6/30; OSC, PSCT, YA 6/30 in WNC 7/1; al-Ayyam 7/1 in WNC 7/2; HA, PCHR 7/6; PCHR 7/27) 

The IDF places its tightest seal on the Gaza Strip since the al-Aqsa intifada began, barring everyone except diplomats and aid workers fr. entering or exiting (though 9 international aid workers are denied entry for no reason; see 5/10), requiring journalists to apply for entry and to coordinate their trips with the IDF. International medical relief organization Medecins du Monde permanently ends its operations in Gaza, saying IDF measures make it impossible to continue work; numerous other international aid groups suspend Gaza operations. The IDF demolishes at least 3 Palestinian homes in Rafah, also bulldozing 40 dunams of land; conducts arrest raids in Jenin. Palestinian gunmen fire on a vehicle nr. Ofra settlement, killing 1 Jewish settler; the AMB, PFLP each claim responsibility. (XIN 5/11; AIDA, HA, MM, NYT 5/12; AYM 5/13 in WNC 5/15; PR 5/14; PCHR 5/15)

Sharon presents Powell with a plan for a series of limited measures to ease restrictions on Palestinians, releases 63 Palestinian prisoners as a gesture. Powell asks Israel to accept the road map, but Sharon refuses. Powell then meets with Abbas and PC speaker Ahmad Qurai‘, presses the PA to disarm Palestinian militant groups. Abbas says he will start with dialogue, not force; criticizes Sharon’s proposed gestures as mostly symbolic. (MENA, VOI 5/11 in WNC 5/12; SA 5/11, JP, QA 5/12 in WNC 5/13; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/12; AFP 5/13; AYM 5/12 in WNC 5/15; MM, PR 5/14; MEI 5/16)

Inside Israel, Arafat holds 3 hrs. of secret talks with Barak. After mtg. is leaked to the Israeli press, Barak's office says that the PM wants to establish a pattern of regular mtgs. with Arafat so that the 2 leaders can closely monitor negotiations. FM Levy, who heads Israel's final status team, is reportedly angry that he was not told about Arafat's visit in advance. (MM 9/17; NYT, WP, WT 9/18; WJW 9/23; JP, MEI 10/1)

Arafat appoints PA Culture and Information M `Abid Rabbuh to lead final status talks with Israel. Arafat adviser Mahmud Abbas will oversee both the final status and interim negotiating teams, liaise btwn. teams and Arafat. Israel reportedly is not happy with the choice of `Abid Rabbuh, thinks he is an "extremist." (AFP 9/16 in WNC 9/17; WP 9/21, 9/22; MM 10/6, 10/26)

In Amman, Arafat, King Abdallah hold their 1st mtg. since the resumption of bilateral negotiations, agree to forge a common position on finals status issues. (JT 9/19 in WNC 9/21)

Barak's adviser for settlement affairs, Shilo Gal, says that some Jewish settlers in the West Bank may be forced to relocate some settlements may be dismantled under a final peace agmt. with the PA. For 20 yrs., Gal headed the Gush Etzion settlement council, which is opposed to Israeli withdrawals fr. the occupied territories. (MM, WP, WT 9/17; MEI 10/1)

Israel approves PA request to allow Ali Abu Mustafa, the dep. secy. gen. of the PFLP, to return to the occupied territories to live. (MM 9/16; WP 9/17; JP 9/24)

In Amman, Jordanian PM Rawabida, Israeli Regional Cooperation M Shimon Peres for talks on joint projects, promoting the economic objectives of the Jordan-Israel peace treaty and the greater peace process. (Petra-JNA 9/16 in WNC 9/17)

In Amman, Jordanian, Israeli communications Ms discuss bilateral ties, agree to link fiberoptic networks. (Petra-JNA 9/16 in WNC 9/17; JT 9/18 in WNC 9/21) (see 9/14)

In Beirut, retired Lebanese gen. Yasin Suwayd announces the formation of the National Comm. to Resist Normalization with Israel. (RL 9/16 in WNC 9/17)

An explosive charges goes off at a car parts store in `Ayn al-Hilwa refugee camp in s. Lebanon, causing damage but no injuries. (VOL 9/16 in WNC 9/17)

In s. Lebanon, 1 IDF soldier, 1 civilian IDF employee are injured by Hizballah shelling. (AFP 9/16 in WNC 9/17)

PM Netanyahu arrives in Washington for AIPAC conference, holds talks with Pres. Clinton, Secy. of State Albright (MM 4/7; MM, NYT, WP, WT 4/8; ITV 4/8 in WNC 4/9; CSM, NYT 4/9; MA, La Repubblica [Rome] 4/9 in WNC 4/10; al-Thawra [Damascus] 4/9, RE, RL 4/10 in WNC 4/11; PR 4/11; al-Ahram [Cairo] 4/11 in WNC 4/17; WJW 4/17; MEI 4/18; MM 4/28)

In Amman, Jordan's Crown Prince Hassan, Arafat dep. Mahmud Abbas discuss Jordanian-PA coordination on political, economic issues. (RJ 4/7 in WNC 4/8)

In preparation for trial, Jordanian military team visits Israel to interview victims of the 3/13 Daqamsa shooting. (JT 4/9 in WNC 4/10) (see 3/27)

Vatican says that it has reached a critical stage in its relations with Israel, that Israel should renew its commitment to peace for normalization to progress further. (WJW 4/17)

In Moscow, Lebanese PM Hariri, Russian PM Viktor Chernomyrdin, Dep. FM Yevgeny Primakov discuss peace process, bilateral relations. (RL 4/7 in WNC 4/8; RL 4/8 in WNC 4/9)

In Manhattan, federal prosecutors for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) open exclusion proceedings against Hamas political leader Abu Marzuq. Abu Marzuq is willing to withdraw his application to reenter the U.S. and agree to exclusion (i.e., immediate deportation), but INS says he cannot do so without either conceding or contesting the terrorism charge, otherwise he could be detained indefinitely. Abu Marzuq refuses to concede; contesting the charge could take yrs. The exclusion proceeding is closed; the INS does not have to reveal the sources of its evidence. (MM 4/8; NYT 4/13; WJW 4/17; MEI 4/18) (see 4/3)

The Knesset Finance Comm. agrees (by vote of 6-5) to demand that the PA detail the use of funds in its Bank Leumi account. Some MKs suspect the account is a secret petty cash fund. (Globes [Internet] 4/7 in WNC 4/9)

In Kharbata village nr. Ramallah, a Jewish settler opens fire with an M-16, handgun on Palestinians who stone his car, wounding 2. Villagers say the settler is known for intimidating local Palestinians, driving through the village instead of using the Jewish-only bypass road. (MM 4/7; WT 4/8)

Islamic University of Hebron holds student council elections. Hamas-Islamic Jihad list wins 19 of 35 seats; pro-Arafat Fatah lists wins 15 seats; PFLP 1 seat. (WT 4/8; MEI, PR 4/18; JP 4/19)

The Kuwaiti government denies the Comm. for the Defense of Islamic Issues permission to stage a rally outside parliament to protest Israel's policies on Jerusalem, U.S. support for Israeli actions. (AFP 4/7 in WNC 4/8)

SLA exchanges 3 Hizballah mbrs. being held at al-Khiyam prison in s. Lebanon for 1 SLA soldier held by Hizballah. (RL 4/7 in WNC 4/8)