The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized 450 olive, plum, grape, and almond trees near Turmus ‘Ayya. 7 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 returning to the West Bank from Jerusalem at the Qalandia checkpoint, 1 crossing from the West Bank to Jordan via the Allenby Bridge, and 1 while working his land in Idhna. (WAFA, WAFA 7/12; PCHR 7/21; UNOCHA 7/22)

Haaretz reported that the World Zionist Organization’s settlement division was finalizing plans to invest $8.5 million to connect settlement outposts in the West Bank to the Israeli electrical grid and preparing plans to have the outposts retroactively authorized by the Israeli government. (HA 7/12)

Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz approved 5,500 Palestinians to be registered with the Palestinian population registry and increased Gaza merchant permits for commerce in Israel from 1,500 to 15,000. Defense Minister Gantz also gave final approval for construction in Hizma and Harmaleh and 1st level approval for construction in Haris, Kisan, and Battir. Additionally, Israel said it would open a new crossing from Israel to the northern part of the West Bank to ease access to Jenin and delayed a meeting to expand Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem. The moves were described by Israel as a result of a meeting between Gantz and PA president Mahmoud Abbas last week and comes 1 day before U.S. president Joe Biden will arrive in Israel for a 4-day tour of Israel, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia. (AP, HA, WAFA 7/12)

4 members of the U.S. senate Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Dick Durban (D-IL), wrote a letter to U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken saying that the U.S. review of the evidence into the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh “hardly constitutes an independent investigation into the overall circumstances of her killing.” In a separate letter, U.S. senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) called on the Biden administration to provide a senior-level classified briefing on the investigation details and the administration’s plan for accountability. (ALM, HA 7/12; MEE, WAFA 7/13)

Citing insufficient evidence, the foreign ministries of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Holland, Spain, and Sweden issued a joint statement saying that the countries have decided to dismiss Israeli claims that 6 Palestinian rights organizations are linked to terrorism and will continue funding them. The rights organizations were designated terrorist organizations by Defense Minister Gantz in October 2021. (AP, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA 7/12; MDW 7/15)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces razed farmland in al-Khader, uprooting 95 olive trees. Israeli forces also seized 4 tents and delivered a stop-work order for a house near Yatta. Elsewhere, 1 Israeli military SUV rammed 1 Palestinian, causing severe injuries. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 6 nautical miles west of Gaza City. In Israel, Israeli authorities demolished 1 Palestinian-owned home in Tira, saying it was built without a permit. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/12; PCHR 6/16; UNOCHA 6/17)

The Washington Post released an investigation into the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh on 5/11, concluding that the shot that killed Abu Akleh was likely fired by Israeli soldiers. The investigation also rejected the Israeli narrative that crossfire between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants was happening at the time of the killing. (MDW, TOI, WP 6/12; WAFA 6/13)

PLO secretary general Hussein al-Sheikh and PA director of general intelligence Majid Faraj met with U.S. secretary of state for Near East affairs Barbara Leaf and her deputy Hady Amr in Ramallah. During the meeting, Secretary General al-Sheikh called on the U.S. to reopen its consulate to Palestinians in Jerusalem and to remove the PLO from the U.S. list of terrorist organizations. (WAFA 6/13)

The Israeli cabinet authorized a compensation program for cultural institutions in Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights, that are excluded from EU Creative Europe funding. Israel had agreed to exclude Israeli settlements from funding from EU’s Creative Europe program when it signed the funding agreement. (HA, JP 6/12)

U.S. president Joe Biden told reporters that his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia, scheduled for the middle of July, relates to national security issues for Saudi Arabia and Israel. (AX, HA, REU 6/12)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers destroyed a memorial for 1 Palestinian rights activist who was killed by Israeli forces on 1/5 in Umm al-Khair. Israeli settlers also assaulted 1 Palestinian farmer in Kisan. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man and injured 3 by live ammunition and 2 with baton rounds during a raid in Halhul. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian with live ammunition during a raid in Nablus. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 3 Palestinians with live ammunition during a raid in Jenin refugee camp. Israeli forces also raided Jayyus, injuring 1 Palestinian with live ammunition and confiscating 1 bulldozer. Meanwhile, Israeli forces demolished an apartment building under construction in Beit Jala. Israeli forces also delivered a punitive demolition notice and took measurements for a separate punitive demolition in Rumana. 7 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Baytin, al-Mazra‘a ash-Sharqiya, Tell, Tammun, Nur Shams refugee camp, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, 9 Palestinians were arrested, and 1 Palestinian was assaulted before being taken to a hospital for treatment during a late-night raid in Isawiya and the Old City. (AJ, AN, AP, HA, MEE, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/9; AA, PCHR 6/10; PCHR 6/16; UNOCHA 6/17)

Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett met with UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. Israeli media speculated if the meeting was part of Israeli and U.S. preparations to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, NYT, REU 6/9; HA 6/10)

Israel announced that Israeli citizens will be able to travel to the Qatar 2022 soccer World Cup, despite Israel and Qatar not having formal relations. Foreign minister Yair Lapid said the development “opens a new door for us to warm ties [with Qatar].” Israel is not qualified for the World Cup in Qatar. (MEE, REU 6/9)

The U.S. state department announced that the Palestinian Affairs Unit at the Israeli embassy will change its name to U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs and start reporting directly to the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau in the State Department “on substantive matters” instead of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. The diplomatic representative to the PA was also changed from U.S. ambassador to Israel Tom Nides to Hady Amr, who was promoted to the state department envoy to Palestinians. The PA has demanded that the Biden administration uphold president Joe Biden’s promises made during his presidential campaign, including to reopen the U.S. consulate to Palestinians in Jerusalem. (AJ, AP, AX, GDN, HA, MEE, REU 6/9; JP 6/12)

A bipartisan group of members of the U.S. house and senate introduced legislation that would require the defense department to submit a strategy for an integrated air and missile defense system for Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman within 180 days. The bill, “the Deterring Enemy Forces and Enabling National Defenses Act of 2022,” was described as an effort to bolster Israeli ties with countries in the Middle East. The senate version of the bill was introduced by Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and James Lankford (R-OK), while the house version was introduced by Brad Schneider (D-IL), David Trone (D-MD), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ann Wagner (R-MO), and Don Bacon (R-NE). (HA 6/9)

The director general of the international atomic energy agency (IAEA) Rafael Grosso warned that Iran is in the process of removing 27 surveillance cameras from the country’s nuclear sites. The Iranian move comes as the progress in talks for the U.S. to renter the Iran nuclear deal has stalled, and Israel has intensified its assassinations of Iranian military personnel and scientists. Director General Grosso said that Iran would leave some 40 surveillance cameras at its nuclear facilities. The announcement came 1 day after 30 members of the IAEA board released a joint statement urging Iran to cooperate with the agency. (AJ, HA, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU 6/8; AJ, AP 6/9; AP 6/10)

A study by the organization AirPressure.info found that Israel has violated Lebanese air space 22,000 times in the past 15 years. (GDN, MEE 6/9)

In the West Bank, PA forces arrested 9 Palestinian protesters during a general strike in Hebron over rising food prices. Food prices have been rising throughout the world due to Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian wheat and global supply chain issues. In Palestine, prices on flour, sugar, and cooking oil have risen up to 30% in the last quarter. 1 Israeli settler opened fire at Palestinians, claiming they had thrown stones at him; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces delivered a demolition notice for part of a Palestinian home in al-Rakiz in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces also raided Nabi Salih, firing tear gas at Palestinians protesting the incursion; no injuries were reported. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed a Palestinian protest in Tubas, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also delivered notices to Palestinians in Tarqumiyah informing them that 600 dunams (148 acres) of agricultural land will be seized by Israel to expand the settlements of Telem and Adora. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided Silwan, firing tear gas at Palestinians and causing injuries. In Jerusalem, Israeli right-wing activists raided the Greek Garden and the Church of Holy Trinity on Mount Zion, damaging property of the Greek Orthodox church. The Greek foreign ministry called on Israel to take “appropriate action” against the perpetrators. (AN, HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/6; WAFA 6/7; HA, MDW, PCHR 6/9; UNOCHA 6/17)

The Israeli Knesset failed to pass the 1st vote on extending the Emergency Regulations – Judea and Samaria, Jurisdiction and Legal Aid, extending Israeli law to Israeli settlers living in the West Bank. 58 voted against and 52 voted for, as the Israeli right-wing opposition voted against the measure to trigger the dissolution of the coalition government. The emergency regulation expires at the end of June. 2 party members in the Israeli coalition, Mazen Ghanaim from the United Arab List and Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi from Meretz, voted against the bill, as did the members of the Joint Arab List. (AJ, AJ, AP, GDN, NYT, POL, TOI 6/6; ALM, HA, HA, JP, MDW, TOI 6/7; AP 6/8; AP, TOI 6/10)

The Palestinian Prisoner Society reported that 1 Palestinian prisoner who has been hunger-striking for 96 days in protest over his administrative detention was in critical condition. (WAFA 6/6)

Amnesty International (AI) called on Israel to “immediately release” Salah Hammouri, a Palestinian-French human rights lawyer who works for Addameer and who has been held in administrative detention since 3/7. AI also demanded that Israel ensure that Hammouri’s East Jerusalem residency status will not be revoked. (AI 6/6)

A survey conducted by the Israeli Democracy Institute found that 60% of Israeli Jews favored segregation from the country’s Palestinian community, up from 45% in last year’s survey. In comparison, about 20% of Palestinian citizens of Israel favored segregation. (HA 6/6)

In Syria, Syrian media reported that the Syrian military had intercepted Israeli missiles targeting Damascus. (HA, REU 6/6; JP, TOI 6/7)

U.S. senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) sent a letter to U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken, urging the Biden administration to ensure a “full and transparent investigation” into the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on 5/11 in Jenin refugee camp. The 2 senators gave the Biden administration 30 days to report on progress related to the investigation. (AJ, HA, MDW, MEE, TOI, WP 6/7)

Haaretz reported on recently released documents at the Israeli State Archive, which details conversations between Israeli and U.S. officials during the 1st Israeli Invasion of Lebanon. In the trove of released documents are conversations between then Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin and U.S. president Ronald Reagan, where President Reagan suggests that Palestinian refugees in Lebanon become Lebanese citizens. Prime Minister Begin responds by suggesting that Palestinians in Lebanon be deported to Libya, Iraq, Syria, or Saudi Arabia. (HA 6/6)

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 forces arrested PA governor of Jerusalem Adnan Ghaith at the Allenby crossing to Jordan, where he was traveling to Saudi Arabia for the 2022 Arab Cities Conference. Governor Ghaith was released on 3/20 and told he was banned from traveling abroad. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 4, including 3 minors, with rubber-coated bullets; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Hebron, injuring 1 Palestinian using live ammunition and others with tear gas. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian man stabbed 1 Israeli settler while he was jogging; Israeli forces shot and seriously injured the Palestinian man. In the days following the incident, Israeli police refused the doctors treating the man from removing his cuffs, despite the doctors saying they were endangering his recovery. Later, on 3/25, an Israeli court ordered police to remove the man’s restraints, citing his level of consciousness given he was in an induced coma. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian agricultural lands east of Abasan and east of Dayr al-Balah; no injuries were reported. (AJ, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/19; WAFA 3/20; MEMO 3/21; HA 3/22; PCHR 3/24; HA, UNOCHA 3/25)