The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers brought their livestock to graze on Palestinian-owned wheat and barley crops in al-Twana, causing damage. Israeli settlers also stole fencing in Farkha. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers with a military escort toured an archeological site in Jericho. Israeli forces shot and wounded 1 unarmed Palestinian man suffering from physical and cognitive disabilities near the separation wall in Qalqilya. It was reported that the man was injured with Tutu ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 10 with baton rounds and others with tear gas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shot and seriously wounded a Palestinian minor in Silwan, claiming he had thrown a Molotov cocktail at Israeli forces. Israeli forces also shot and wounded 1 Palestinian man driving a car in Shu’fat refugee camp, claiming he was speeding toward them. In the Galilee, Israeli forces prevented thousands of Christians from visiting a church for the celebration of the Feast of the Transfiguration. Church officials said the event was coordinated with Israeli police 2 weeks prior but that Israeli authorities retracted its approval on the day of the event, citing fire risk. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 8/18; HA, HA, HA, WAFA 8/19; PCHR 8/24; UNOCHA 8/28)

UNRWA said it had suspended its services in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon in protest over armed militants operating in its facilities in the camp since violent conflict arose between Fatah and armed Islamist groups on 28 July. UNRWA called on the armed groups to leave its facilities so it can resume its services. (AP 8/17; AJ, AP, REU 8/18)

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán said Israel and Germany had signed an agreement to jointly manufacture combat drones with Hungary. (HA 8/18)

It was reported that the Israeli government had granted de facto recognition to Israeli settlement outposts that had not received official independent status, allowing the government to fund infrastructure and education in the outposts. The decision has already been approved by the Justice Ministry and will be finalized at the cabinet level in the coming weeks. (HA 8/18)

Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, discussing future opportunities for cooperation. (AJ, HA 8/18)

PC Magazine reported that X, formerly known as Twitter, will require its subscription users to verify their identify by sending a selfie and a copy of their ID to the Israeli company AU10TIX. (AJ, MEE 8/21)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized some 600 almond and olive trees in Deir Sharaf. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 2 with rubber-coated bullets. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a late-night raid in Kafr Qalil. In East Jerusalem, 3 Palestinian families demolished their own apartment building in Silwan, displacing 20 Palestinians. 2 Palestinians were arrested in Isawiya. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian bird hunters north of al-Bureij; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA 12/11; PCHR 12/16)

Municipal elections were held for representatives in 154 village councils in Area C of the West Bank. Some 400,000 Palestinians were eligible to vote in the elections. There were no elections held in Gaza, as Hamas boycotted the elections. A Hamas spokesperson said that Hamas refuses to “participate in partial elections that are tailored to Fatah, and conducted by the PA.” The Central Election Committee said the voter turnout was 65%. The 2d phase of the municipal elections is scheduled to take place on 3/26/2022, when Palestinians in towns and cities will vote. It was later reported that Fatah was perceived as a marginal winner of the election. (WAFA 12/10; AJ, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/11; ALM 12/15)

Israeli mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Leon demanded that the Israeli police in Jerusalem stop using skunk water as a protest dispersal method after it was used to disperse pro-settlement activists, marking the 1-year anniversary of the death of a settler minor who died during a car chase with Israeli forces in the West Bank. (HA 12/12)

9 UN special rapporteurs wrote to EU high commissioner for foreign policy Josep Borrell, urging him to set a short and defined time frame for receiving evidence from Israel that the 6 Palestinian rights organizations deemed terrorist by Israel on 10/22 are linked to terrorism. (JP 12/12; MEMO 12/13)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uprooted 25 olive seedlings, stealing 22 of them in Tell. Israeli forces sealed off 8 villages near Ramallah, leading to clashes with Palestinians in 1 of the villages, Dayr Abu Mash‘al, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed an anti-settlement protest in Beita, injuring 1 Palestinian with a rubber-coated bullet to his head, and others suffered tear-gas related injuries. 2 Palestinians were arrested, including 1 during a late-night raid in Anata, and 1 at a checkpoint in Halhul. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 house in Shu‘fat refugee camp. Israeli police physically assaulted and arrested 3 Palestinians in Silwan after stopping their car. 2 others were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya and al-Tur. In Gaza, rockets launched from Gaza landed in an open area near Beersheba, where Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting during his election day campaign; no injuries or damage were reported. Israel subsequently attacked Gaza with fighter jets and helicopters, firing 5 missiles at sites near Gaza City and at 1 site in Dayr al-Balah, causing severe damage. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Gaza; no injuries were reported. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/23; AJ, WAFA, WAFA 3/24; PCHR 3/25)

Israel closed all crossings for the Israeli elections. (WAFA 3/21)

A poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that a single Fatah list would get 43% of the votes for the parliamentary elections while Hamas would win 30%; 18% were undecided. However, within the population of Fatah supports, some 10% would vote for a party headed by Mohammad Dahlan and 7% for a party head by Nasser al-Kidwa. (AP, HA, PCPSR 3/23)

Israelis voted in the general elections for the 4th time in 2 years. This time, there was not an obvious coalition to formed either, as many right-wing parties had promised not to support a government with Benjamin Netanyahu as its prime minister. Netanyahu, who had convinced the Palestinian-Israeli party Ra’am (United Arab List) to break with the Joint Arab List, also relied on religious Zionist parties, to the right of his Likud party, to be able to form a government. Those parties, including a significant majority of Likud, were vocally opposed to being in a governing coalition with Palestinian-Israelis. Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas said after the election that he was not wedded to either the right wing or left wing at that point. Meretz (Vigor) and Labor both had a better election than anticipated and went over the electoral threshold. So did the terrorist-supporting Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), made up by followers of Meir Kahane. The Joint Arab List ended up with 6 mandates, down from 15, partially a result of lower Palestinian-Israeli voter turnout and because Ra’am received 4 mandates that previously would have gone to the Joint Arab List. (REU 3/22; AJ, AP, AP, GDN, HA, HA, HA 3/24; ALM, HA, HA, REU 3/25; AJ 3/26)

The Middle East Quartet members met for the 1st time since 2018 to discuss “meaningful negotiations” between Israelis and Palestinians. PA president Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the statement made by the Quartet. (AP, REU 3/23; HA, WAFA 3/24; WAFA 3/26)

The Dutch foreign ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador to the country for clarification as to why PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki had his VIP travel card confiscated after meeting with ICC personnel in the Hague. The Dutch foreign ministry said that “the ICC must be able to carry out its work without interference.” (HA, MEMO, REU, WAFA 3/23)

Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian youth in the Old City of Jerusalem after she allegedly attempts to stab an Israeli police officer at Damascus Gate, causing no injuries. Palestinian witnesses say that she did not pose a threat to the police, and that she was “executed in cold blood.” Elsewhere in East Jerusalem, the Israeli police open a new station in Shu‘fat r.c. It’s the first of 5 new stations planned across East Jerusalem as part of the NIS 1 b. plan to increase security announced in 8/2016 (see JPS 46 [1]). Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids in Silwan and the Old City. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct limited incursions to level land nr Dayr al-Balah and Khan Yunis. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assault Palestinian farmers protesting the expansion of a settler bypass road nr. Ramallah; there are no serious injuries. IDF troops confiscate surveillance tapes, arrest 8 Palestinians, and issue 2 arrest summons during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Hebron; and patrol nr. Nablus and Hebron during the day. (HA, MNA 5/7; MNA 5/8; PCHR 5/11)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for the 2d of 3 planned days. They also announce that the crossing will be open an additional day on 5/9. (WAFA 5/7)

The IPS releases footage, taken on 4/27 and 5/5, purportedly showing Marwan Barghouti eating cookies and candy in his prison cell. Barghouti, the Fatah leader who organized the Dignity Strike, is currently being held at Kishon Prison. Some IPS sources say that they provided him with the food to see if they could get him to break his strike. Barghouti’s lawyer and various Palestinian leaders dismiss the videos as forgeries. (JP, NYT, TOI 5/7; HA 5/8)

Israel’s Ministerial Comm. for Legislation approves a new version of the so-called nation-state bill, which would cancel Arabic’s status as an “official language” of Israel and codify Israel’s status as the “national home of the Jewish people”. Disagreements over previous drafts of this bill led to the dissolution of the Knesset and national elections in 3/2015 (see JPS 44 [3, 4]). Unlike earlier drafts, the version approved today does not subordinate Israel’s democracy to its Jewish character. (HA, JP, TOI 5/7)

Approximately 100 Israeli settlers smash windows and attempt to break into a home in ‘Urif village nr. Nablus before Palestinian residents of the village force them away. IDF troops then violently disperse the residents of ‘Urif; 4 Palestinians and 1 IDF soldier are injured. Israeli settlers also throw stones at Palestinian homes and vehicles in nearby Huwwara, lightly injuring 1 Palestinian and causing no serious damage. Meanwhile, the IDF arrests 11 Palestinians and issues 4 arrest summons during raids in and around Bethlehem and Tulkarm; and patrols nr. Hebron, Qalqilya, and Nablus during the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces shoot and injure 1 Palestinian during a violent raid in al-Issawiyya late at night. (HA, MNA, TOI, WAFA 4/22; JP, MNA, TOI 4/23; PCHR 4/27)

A group of Fatah-affiliated prisoners in Israel’s Ramon Prison join the Dignity Strike that approx. 1,500 prisoners declared on 4/17. The IPS moves several PFLP leaders to solitary confinement. Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians gather across Gaza, Israel, and the West Bank to demonstrate in solidarity with the prisoners. Israeli police violently suppress protests in Silwan; 1 Palestinian is injured. (EI, HA, MNA, WAFA 4/22; JP, TOI 4/23)

Violence and protests in East Jerusalem continue for a 3d day in a row as Israeli forces enter Haram al-Sharif in the morning, sparking clashes with Palestinians who barricaded themselves inside al-Aqsa Mosque overnight; 2 Palestinians are seriously injured, 5 are arrested, and 5 Israeli police officers are lightly injured. Israeli forces also clash with stonethrowing Palestinians in al-Tur, Shu‘fat r.c., Silwan, Sur al-Bahir, Issawiyya, and al-Suwana, injuring 3 Palestinians and detaining 2. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 9/15; PCHR 9/17)

Amid escalating violence in Jerusalem, Israeli PM Netanyahu calls an emergency meeting of senior security officials. They agree to a number of measures meant to deter the violence, which Netanyahu will announce on 9/16. (AP 9/15; HA 9/16)

In the West Bank, IDF troops conduct latenight raids and house searches in al-‘Arub r.c. and nr. Hebron; patrol in 3 villages nr. Hebron. Unidentified assailants shoot and injure 3 PASF troops during clashes in Jenin r.c. sparked by a PASF raid. A local Fatah official says that the gunmen are affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Along Gaza’s s. border, Israeli forces open fire on a Hamas military jeep, injuring 1 Palestinian. Israeli forces keep the Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings closed for a 2d day. (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA, YA 9/15; HA, MNA 9/16; PCHR 9/17; WAFA 10/1)

Off the coast of Gaza nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF floods an olive grove outside Bethlehem during a drill. The IDF also conducts house searches and raids in 1 village each nr. Tubas, Nablus, and Jenin, arresting 2 Palestinians and sparking clashes nr. Jenin; arrests 5 Palestinians in a village nr. Bethlehem; patrols in 3 villages nr. Hebron, 5 nr. Ramallah, and 2 each nr. Jericho and Qalqilya. A group of Palestinian youth affiliated with Fatah steal a Tnuva milk truck and dump its contents in the middle of al-Manara Square in Ramallah. Tnuva is 1 of the 6 Israeli companies targeted by the boycott initiated by the National Comm. against Israeli Punitive Measures on 2/9. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct raids in the Old City and al-‘Izzariya, arresting 5 Palestinians and issuing summons to 3. In n. Israel, Israeli police arrest 68 Palestinian workers who have been sleeping and laboring in Israel without permits. (MNA, WAFA 3/2; MNA 3/3; PCHR 3/5; HA 3/9)

Israeli state prosecutors tell the High Court of Justice that they are no longer pursuing the punitive demolition of the Silwan home of the Palestinian alleged to have shot and injured right-wing activist Yehuda Glick, leader of the messianic Temple Mount movement, on 10/29/ 2014. The prosecutors argue, instead, for the man’s room to be blocked off. (TOI 3/2)

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry meets with Hamas officials in Gaza and proposes a 3–5-year hudna, or truce. (AFP, HA 3/2; HA 3/9)

In Washington, Israeli PM Netanyahu addresses the AIPAC conference, saying he has a “moral obligation” to warn the U.S. Congress on 3/3 of the dangers of a potential deal with Iran. Hours later, U.S. Pres. Obama tells Reuters that Netanyahu’s trip to the U.S., and the way it was organized, is a distraction, but not “permanently destructive” to the U.S.-Israel relationship. (NYT, YA 3/2; HA 3/3)

U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with Iranian FM Zarif and Iran’s atomic energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi in Montreux, Switzerland, for 3-day negotiations over Iran’s nuclear weapons program. (TOI 3/1; REU 3/2)

While in Switzerland, Kerry speaks in front of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva and urges its mbrs. to end their “unbalanced focus” on Israel. (AP, JP, NYT, TOI 3/2)

In the Gaza Strip, 1,000s of Palestinians attend a Hamas military parade through Gaza City to mark its 27th anniversary. During the festivities, Hamas demonstrates a drone aircraft’s capabilities, prompting the Israeli Air Force (IAF) to fly 2 jets over Gaza. Meanwhile, the pharmacists’ union threatens to stop paying to import medicine after the PA Ministry of Finance decides to collect 2.5% of the total costs as a payment toward the Value Added Tax, which was recently raised from 14.5% to 16%. In the West Bank, Israeli authorities declare 100s of acres of land nr. Salfit as a nature reserve. The IDF delivers demolition notices to 6 Palestinians in a village s. of Hebron; conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Jenin, Tulkarm, and Salfit. Separately, Israeli troops arrest a Palestinian woman at Kisaout prison where she was visiting her incarcerated husband. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police and municipal officials deliver demolition notices to residences in Silwan and the Old City. Separately, Israeli security forces detain 2 Palestinians on raids in Shu‘fat r.c. and the Old City, as well as 3 Palestinian children for throwing stones at a bus. Israeli troops accompany a group of right-wing Jewish activists on a tour of Haram al-Sharif. (AP, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA, YA 12/14; MNA 12/15; PCHR 12/18)

Joining the 70 current participants, 30 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails go on hunger strike against Israel’s use of solitary confinement, its treatment of sick prisoners, and the treatment of Nahar al-Sa‘adi, who has been in solitary confinement and on hunger strike for 1 mo. (IMEMC, WAFA 12/14)

Senior PLO and Fatah leaders meet in Ramallah to discuss possible responses to the death of a senior PA official on 12/10, including ending security coordination with Israel. After the meeting, Pres. Abbas says that reconstruction of Gaza is the PA unity govt.’s primary concern, and the PLO announces that the Palestinian draft UNSC res. will be submitted on 12/17. (JP, MNA 12/14; WAFA 12/15)

In Rome, U.S. Secy. of State Kerry meets with Russian FM Lavrov about the French and Palestinian draft UNSC res. (MNA, REU 12/14)

In the Gaza Strip, the Union of Civil Servants announces that all govt. employees will go on strike on 12/11, and that school workers will strike on 12/14, in protest of the PA unity govt.’s failure to pay civil servants in Gaza who were hired after Hamas came to power in 2007. An IDF tank stationed along the border e. of al-Bureij r.c. fires on agricultural land, causing damage. Hours later, 4 IDF tanks and 3 armored bulldozers cross the border fence in e. Gaza, leveling land and firing live ammunition toward Palestinian property. In the West Bank, IDF troops detain 2 Palestinians as they approach the Tekoa settlement nr. Bethlehem. Israeli forces confiscate 3 Palestinian-owned tractors while patrolling in a bedouin village in the n. Jordan Valley. They also stop work on a UN Development Program project nr. Salfit, detain 2 Palestinian workers, and confiscate 1 tractor. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids nr. Ramallah, Hebron, Tulkarm, and Jenin. Israeli settlers cut the wires to 4 electricity poles and chop down several olive trees nr. Burin village s. of Nablus, clearing the area for the expansion of 2 nearby settlements. In East Jerusalem, Israeli police raid the Silwan home of Ahmad al-Ghoul, head of the Fatah Youth Movement in Jerusalem, and arrest him. He was recently attacked by Israeli settlers on 11/21. Israeli authorities deliver demolition notices to several residences and commercial buildings in Silwan, al-Tur, Issawiyya, and Jabal Mukabir. Israeli police detain 2 Palestinian women at Haram al-Sharif. They also conduct arrest raids around East Jerusalem; deliver demolition notices in Silwan, al-Tur, Issawiyya, and Jabal Mukabir. (IMEMC, JP, MNA, WAFA 12/9; PCHR 12/10)

After threatening a mass action on 12/6, 70 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons launch a hunger strike in protest of Israel’s treatment of a fellow prisoner and its use of solitary confinement. (MNA 12/9; WAFA 12/10)

The Knesset Finance Comm. approves a series of public funds transfers, including PM Netanyahu’s 12/8 request for around $20 m. to support the West Bank settlements. (AFP, TOI, YA 12/9)

The Lower House of the Irish Parliament unanimously passes a nonbinding res. calling on the Irish govt. to recognize Palestinian statehood, similar to the 1 passed by the Upper House on 10/23. (REU 12/9; HA 12/11)