The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man, saying he had rammed and injured 5 Israeli soldiers near Hebron. Israeli forces also shot and killed a Palestinian man during a raid in al-Eizariya. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man after he allegedly tried to stab Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Israeli forces also shot and injured 3 Palestinians and arrested 5 others during a raid in al-Fara’a refugee camp. Meanwhile, Israeli forces shot and injured 4 Palestinians, including a child, in at-Tayiba, Fawwar refugee camp, al-Arroub refugee camp, and Tuqu. Israeli forces also assaulted 2 Al Jazeera journalists in Dura, stealing all their equipment and mobile phones. Separately, Israeli forces assaulted 2 Palestinian shepherds in Jinba. 11 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Qiffin, Ein as-Sultan, Deir Abu Masha’al, al-Am’ari refugee camp, and Surif. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians trying to reach the Haram al-Sharif compound with skunk water and baton rounds. In Gaza, Israeli forces bombed Khan Yunis, Maghazi, Dayr al-Balah, Gaza City, Rafah, and Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 187 people, including 3 at the Jordanian Field Hospital near Khan Yunis. Israeli forces also opened fire at an aid convoy despite coordination with the Israeli military, damaging a truck. In Lebanon, Islamic Jihad said 2 of its members were killed in Israeli assaults. Israel attacked sites around 10 miles north of the Blue Line. Hezbollah said it had attacked 6 Israeli positions. In Syria, Israeli forces attacked several places, saying rockets fired from Syria landed in the Golan Heights. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/29; UNOCHA 12/30)

More than 21,507 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 8,800 children and 6,300 women, and around 55,915 have been injured since 10/7. At least 7,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 311 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 79 children. More than 3,812 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured since 10/7. 165 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 898 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. As of 12/23, at least 65,000 housing units had been destroyed and 290,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting over 60% of all housing units. (AJ, UNOCHA 12/29; UNOCHA 12/30)

The WHO said it had recorded 180,000 cases of upper respiratory infections, 136,400 cases of diarrhea, half of which were in children under the age of 5, 55,400 cases of lice and scabies, and 5,330 cases of chickenpox in Gaza. (AJ 12/29; UNOCHA 12/30)

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor said Israeli forces systematically loot Palestinian homes in Gaza, stealing money and valuables worth more than tens of millions of dollars. Healthcare Workers Watch-Palestine said it had collected testimonies from 10 medical workers arrested by Israel who all say they were tortured while detained.  (WAFA 12/28; AJ 12/29; WAFA 12/30)

The PA foreign ministry said Israel was preventing sufficient aid from entering Gaza, deliberately depriving Palestinians of their basic needs. PA ambassador to the UN Majed Bamya told the UN Security Council that Israel was giving Palestinians in Gaza the option to die or be displaced. UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini said Israel was “creating a stream of baseless misinformation” about UNRWA’s responsibility for the lack of aid deliveries to Gaza, saying it is Israel that is impeding aid deliveries. (AJ 12/29; AJ 12/30)

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel will not transfer the PA its tax revenue while he is finance minister. It has been reported that U.S. president Joe Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel should hand over the withheld PA funds to Norway, which will keep them until an arrangement is made to safeguard against the funds going to Hamas, a proposal Netanyahu made himself and that the PA reportedly accepted. (AX 12/28; AJ, HA 12/29)

South Africa invoked the Genocide Convention calling on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to expedite hearings on the issue of Israel committing genocide and to order Israel to immediately stop the killing of Palestinians in Gaza. In its report delivered to the ICJ, South Africa described Israel’s actions as “genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial, and ethnical group.” The Israeli Foreign Ministry called the South African action “blood libel.” The PA welcomed the South African action. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU, WAFA 12/29; AJ 12/30; HA 1/1)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken approved the sale of M107 155mm projectiles worth $147.5 million to Israel, bypassing congressional approval. It was the second time the Biden administration bypassed congressional approval for weapons transfers to Israel since 10/7. Relatedly, unnamed Israeli officials told Al-Monitor that the U.S. had started to scale down its military support to Israel due to Israel’s failure to discuss its plans for Gaza after the war. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the Biden administration for forcing through the military aid and said Israel would continue with its war “for many more months.” Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) condemned the congressional bypass, saying it was “keeping the American public in the dark.” (AJ, AX, HA, REU 12/29; AJ, AJ, HA, NYT 12/30)

Walla News reported that Qatari officials have told Israel that Hamas is ready to resume negotiations. Hamas officials have continuedly stated that they will not negotiate while under attack. (AJ, AX 12/29)

Israel claimed the Colombian foreign minister Alvaro Leyva had accepted an invitation by its foreign minister Eli Cohen to discuss repairing ties after Colombia recalled its ambassador to Israel and Colombian president Gustavo Petro called Israeli attacks on Gaza “genocidal.” (AJ 12/29)

Berlin police banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration planned for 12/31. (HA 12/29)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole around 30 cows in ‘Ain al-Hilweh. Israeli settlers also erected a large menorah on Palestinian-owned land in Tal Ma’in in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces raided Jenin for the majority of the day and into 12/13, killing 6 Palestinians, including 4 in a drone strike, and arresting at least 100; 1 ill Palestinian child died in an ambulance that was unable to reach a hospital that was under Israeli siege. Israeli forces also shot and injured 3 Palestinians, including a child, during raids in Ni’lin and Kobar. Israeli forces also demolished 2 agricultural structures in ‘Anata. In addition to the 100 people detained and arrested in Jenin, 50 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus, and Tubas. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers toured the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bombed Khan Yunis, Dayr al-Balah, Rafah, Nuseirat refugee camp, and Gaza City, killing at least 217 Palestinians and injuring 455. Israeli forces raided the Kamal Adwan Hospital, arresting 71 medical staffers and bombed an UNRWA school in Beit Hanun; there were reports that medical staff had been shot and killed in the hospital. 10 Israeli soldiers were killed in combat, including 9 in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood of Gaza City. In Lebanon, Israeli forces attacked a site they claimed was used by Hezbollah. Hezbollah said it attacked 2 Israeli military positions. In Syria, Israeli forces attacked several places, saying 3 missiles were fired at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. In the Red Sea, Israel deployed 4 warships. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/12; AJ, AP, HA, HA, NYT, REU 12/13; NYT 12/14)

More than 18,412 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 7,729 children and 5,153 women, and around 50,100 have been injured since 10/7. At least 8,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 274 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 70 children. More than 3,387 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured since 10/7. 115 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 600 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. As of 12/3, at least 52,000 housing units had been destroyed and 253,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 60% of all housing units. 107 trucks carrying aid, including fuel, entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Israel said it had inspected aid trucks at the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing and the trucks sent to the Rafah crossing in Egypt before entering Gaza. An injured Palestinian and 399 dual nationals were evacuated to Egypt. Israel said it found the bodies of 2 Israeli captives in Gaza, including a soldier and a civilian. The Gaza Ministry of Health said it has document 360,000 cases of infectious diseases in shelters. The WHO said it has recorded cases of meningitis, jaundice, impetigo, chickenpox, and upper respiratory infections. (AJ, AJ, AX, NYT, UNOCHA, UNOCHA 12/12)

The Israeli military released data showing at least 20 out of 115 soldiers killed in Gaza have been killed in friendly fire and in accidents, including 13 that were mistaken for Palestinians. Israel said it believed that 19 of the remaining 135 Hamas-held captives were dead (AJ, HA, HA, YNET 12/12; HA 12/13)

Hamas called on the PA to end its security coordination with Israel, saying Israel does not want a political settlement but to consolidate the occupation. (AJ 12/12)

The UN General Assembly adopted an Egyptian-drafted resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate and unconditional release of all captives with 153 votes in favor, 10 against, and 23 abstentions. Austria, Czechia, Guatemala, Israel, Liberia, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and the U.S. voted against the non-binding resolution. Amendments put forward by the U.S. and Austria failed to reach the 2/3 threshold with 84 voting in favor of the U.S. amendment and 89 voting in favor of the Austrian amendment. Hamas welcomed the resolution. U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. opposed the “one-sided” resolution because it did not condemn Hamas (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, HA, NYT, REU, REU 12/12; AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, WAFA 12/13)

U.S. president Joe Biden gave a speech at a campaign reception, reiterating narratives that have proven to be false, including that Hamas militants beheaded babies on 10/7 and calling Hamas animals. Biden also said Israel has to strengthen the PA and said Israel was “starting to lose that support [from the EU] by the indiscriminate bombing that takes place” in Gaza. He further complained about Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition partners, naming National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Lastly, he said “I believe, without Israel as a freestanding state, not a Jew in the world is safe,” despite more than a quarter of the world’s Jewry living in the U.S. In response to Biden’s speech, PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh said the U.S. should call for an immediate ceasefire and put forward a comprehensive peace plan. Israeli minister of communications Shlomo Karhi said in response to Biden’s call for a 2-state solution that Israel would not accept a Palestinian state. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU WAFA, White House 12/12; AJ, HA 12/13)

Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a statement that “Gaza will be neither a Hamas-stan nor Fatah-stan.” Netanyahu also told the Israeli Public Broadcasting Cooperation that the Gaza “Strip will be under Israeli military control. After the war, a civilian administration will operate in Gaza and the Strip will be rehabilitated under the leadership of the Gulf states. We will not give in to international pressure.” He added he will not “let Israel repeat the mistake of Oslo.” (AJ, HA 12/12; NYT 12/13)

Haaretz reported that the Israeli military’s Influencing Department was operating a Telegram channel called 72 Virgins – Uncensored where Israelis share footage and videos of Israelis attacking Palestinians and of dead Palestinians. The channel had 5,300 followers. (AJ, HA, HA 12/12)

The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had begun pumping seawater into the tunnel system under Gaza, citing multiple U.S. officials. (AJ, HA 12/12; HA 12/13)

The World Bank said it expected the Palestinian economy to contract by 3.7% in 2023 and 6% in 2024 due to the impact of the Israeli war on Gaza. The World Bank had expected the economy to grow by 3% in 2024. (AJ 12/12)

The lower house of the Swiss parliament moved to cut the government’s aid to UNRWA. The decision was overturned by the upper house on 12/14 (AJ, HA 12/12; REU 12/13)

German sports brand Puma announced it was ending its sponsorship of the Israeli national soccer team in 2024, saying the move was decided last year and was unrelated to the war on Gaza. BDS activists have targeted Puma for its sponsorship of Israel’s national team since it was announced in 2018. (AJ, WAFA 12/12)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers with a military escort assaulted 3 Palestinians in Khallet al-Daba in the Masafer Yatta area and stole their mobile phones. Israeli settlers also vandalized 8 olive trees in Burin. Israeli forces shot and killed 6 Palestinians, including a child, during a raid in al-Fara’a refugee camp. Israeli forces also shot and injured 8 Palestinians, including a child, during raids in Fawwar refugee camp, Kafr Ni’ma, Beit Umar, and Hizma. Elsewhere, Israeli forces arrested the deputy director of the Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem, Sheikh Najeh Bkerat, in Dar Salah. Israeli forces also raided Qarawat Bani Hassan, destroying a memorial erected for a Palestinian killed by Israeli forces on 12/2. An Israeli soldier was shot and injured during a raid in Ya’bad. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians heading for the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces bombed Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza City, Nuseirat refugee camp, Khan Yunis, Rafah, and Dayr al-Balah, killing around 350 people. Israeli airstrikes targeted the Yaffa Hospital in Dayr al-Balah, Al Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, and Palestinians queuing for water in Khan Yunis. Rockets were fired at Israel; no damage was reported. 4 Israeli soldiers were killed in combat. In Lebanon, Israeli forces attacked a military hospital in Ain Ebel, causing damage. Israeli forces also injured 3 Lebanese soldiers in Naqoura. In Syria, Israel said it attacked several targets near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. 4 people were reportedly killed in an airstrike on a car in Madinat al-Baath. (AJ, AP, HA, REU, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/8; AJ, HA, REU 12/9)

More than 17,487 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 7,729 children and 5,153 women, and around 46,480 have been injured since 10/7. At least 7,000 people were missing in rubble, including 1,700 children. 264 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 68 children. More than 3,387 people have been injured. Israel reported that 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured since 10/7. 97 Israeli soldiers have been killed 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. As of 12/3, at least 52,000 housing units had been destroyed and 253,000 had been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7, constituting 60% of all housing units. UNRWA said that at least 273 Palestinians sheltering at its shelters have been killed and 966 injured in Israeli attacks since 10/7. Rafah remained the only governate to receive aid. 4 injured Palestinians and 585 foreign nationals were evacuated to Egypt while 13 humanitarian staff and 11 ambulances donated by Turkey entered Gaza. (AJ, HA, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA 12/8; UNOCHA 12/9)

Hamas said an Israeli attempt to free a captive failed, leading to the death of the captive, Israeli solider Sa’ar Baruch. Israel said 2 Israeli soldiers were seriously injured in the rescue attempt. (AJ, HA, NYT, REU 12/8; AJ, HA 12/9)

Al Jazeera said a number of the Palestinians taken by Israeli forces from UN schools in Beit Lahiya on 12/7 and stripped to their underwear were released, while others were taken to a military base in Israel, including Al-Araby Al-Jadeed journalist Diaa al-Kahlout. (AJ, AP, NYT 12/8)

The Israeli Education Ministry ordered school principals in East Jerusalem to suspend Palestinian students who were released as part of the prisoner exchange last week until 2024. (HA 12/8)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant signed an order to place an Israeli settler in administrative detention for attacks on Palestinians. Gallant also spoke with U.S. secretary of defense Lloyd Austin, who urged him to “increase efforts to protect civilians in Gaza, increase delivery of humanitarian assistance, and curb extremist settler violence in the West Bank.” Israel said an Israeli military helicopter killed an Israeli soldier during an attack on a building in Gaza last week. (HA, HA 12/8)

A UN Security Council resolution calling for ceasefire and the unconditional release of the Hamas-held captives was vetoed by the U.S., with the UK abstaining and the remaining 13 members voting in favor. Before the vote, PA UN envoy Riyad Mansour said the objective of the Israeli campaign was to ethnically cleanse Gaza, adding Israeli representatives were publicly admitting it. U.S. UN ambassador Robert Wood said the Hamas attack on 10/7 was the “worst attack on our people” in decades. After the vote Wood explained the veto, calling the resolution imbalanced for not condemning Hamas’ operation on 10/7. UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini said the constant Israeli bombings have made UNRWA’s ability to operate extremely limited. After the vote, Mansour called the U.S. vote a disaster. Hamas called the veto “unethical and inhumane.” Israeli UN ambassador Gilad Erdan thanked the U.S. for “standing firmly by our side.” Human Rights Watch UN director Louis Charbonneau said that the U.S. risks being complicit in Israeli war crimes by continuing to provide weapons and diplomatic cover. Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf called the UK’s abstention “incomprehensible.” (AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/8; AJ, AJ, HA, NYT, NYT, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/9)

During an interview with Reuters, PA president Mahmoud Abbas called for an international conference to end the war in Gaza and to create the foundations for a lasting end to the Israeli occupation. Abbas said he was for “peaceful resistance” that led to a 2-state solution with a sovereign Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Abbas also said he would accept a future election result if Hamas won. Later, Abbas’ office released a statement saying the U.S. veto at the UN Security Council made it complicit in war crimes against Palestinians. (HA, REU, WAFA, WAFA 12/8; REU 12/9)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to the PA governing Gaza after Bloomberg News ran an interview with PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh on 12/7, where he said the PA was working with the U.S. in preparation for taking over the governing of Gaza. (AJ, HA 12/8)

French president Emmanuel Macron spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu, urging him to open the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing and calling on Israel to protect civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. (AJ, HA 12/8)

The Arab-Islamic Summit Ministerial Committee met with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken, discussing the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The committee expressed their disappointment with the U.S. veto at the UN Security Council. The committee was represented by foreign ministers from the PA, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also met with Blinken separately, calling for a ceasefire. (AJ, HA, NYT, WAFA 12/8; AJ, HA, NYT 12/9)

The Biden administration bypassed congressional review of the sale of 14,000 tank shells to Israel worth $106.5m. The Biden administration had asked Congress to approve the sale of 45,000 shells with the sale of the remaining 31,000 pending congressional approval. (AJ 12/8; AJ, AJ, HA, NYT, REU 12/9)

The European Commission announced that the EU will provide Palestine with at least $135 million in humanitarian aid through 2024. (HA 12/8)

In the West Bank, 1 Palestinian man succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces in Tell on 11/1. Israeli settlers shot and injured 1 Palestinian in Shu’fat refugee camp. Israeli settlers also destroyed a water pipeline to Beit Lid, cutting off the town’s access to water. Israeli forces shot and killed 9 Palestinians during raids in Jenin refugee camp, Budrus, Qalandia refugee camp, Hebron, and Fawwar refugee camp, including 1 child and 2 others in a drone strike on Jenin refugee camp. Israeli forces also shot and injured 19 people during raids in Jenin refugee camp, Fawwar refugee camp, and Qalandia refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces used tear gas and water cannons to prevent Palestinians from entering the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, at least 196 Palestinians were killed and 605 injured in Israeli airstrikes. Israeli forces attacked an ambulance outside of al-Shifa Hospital, killing at least 15 and injuring 60 others. Israel also attacked the Indonesian and al-Quds hospitals and the office of Agence France-Presse in Gaza City, causing significant damage. Israel said it assassinated Hamas member Mustafa Dalul in an airstrike. 4 Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza. U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones circled Gaza, reportedly gathering intelligence on the whereabouts of the captives held by Hamas. The New York Times said the U.S. drones have been flying over Gaza since 10/28. Rockets were fired at Israel, causing damage. In Lebanon, Israel killed 1 person it said was a member of Hezbollah and attacked several areas in South Lebanon. 2 Israeli soldiers were injured in a drone attack in the Golan Heights. (NYT 11/2; AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/3; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, WAFA 11/4)

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said at least 9,257 Palestinians have been killed, including 3,826 children and 2,405 women, and 23,516 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. At least 1,800 people, including 940 children, have been reported missing. 144 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 40 children. More than 2,300 people have been injured. Around 1,400 Israelis, including foreign nationals, have been killed and 5,431 injured since 10/7. Over 1.5 million Palestinians, more than half 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 Israel blockade. As of 10/23, at least 27,781 housing units have been destroyed and 150,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. The number is likely much higher given the lack of recent data. 17 wounded Palestinians were transferred to Egyptian hospitals via the Rafah crossing. Between 300 and 400 foreign passport holders left via the Rafah crossing. The evacuation efforts were halted after the Israeli attack on the ambulance outside of al-Shifa Hospital. 47 truckloads of aid entered Gaza. Israel reconnected 2 water pipelines to Gaza. (AJ, AJ, AP, HA, UNOCHA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 11/3)

3,026 Palestinians from Gaza employed in Israel prior to 10/7 were expelled to Gaza via the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing. Palestinian laborers from Gaza have been held in internment camps in Israel and some were deported to the West Bank. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, HA, HA, REU 11/3)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued to invoke biblical history, referring to Palestinians as Amalek and the “sons of darkness,” in a letter to Israeli soldiers. (HA 11/3)

An Israeli soldier accused of shooting and killing a Palestinian harvesting olives was released to house arrest. (HA 11/3)

Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah gave a televised speech saying a wider escalation could not be ruled out if Israel continues attacking Gaza. Nasrallah said he did not know about Operation al-Aqsa Flood before 10/7.  (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, HA, NYT, REU 11/3; HA, HA 11/4)

U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken arrived in Israel, saying he would push the Israeli government to agree to humanitarian pauses to allow aid into Gaza and to facilitate a release of the captives. After the meeting, Netanyahu issued a statement saying Israel will continue to attack Gaza with “all of its power” and not agree to a temporary ceasefire that does not include a return of all of the captives. U.S. officials told Axios that Blinken expressed concern over the Israeli decision to withhold PA tax revenue. (AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU 11/3; AJ, AX, NYT 11/4)

Honduras recalled its ambassador to Israel. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 11/3; WAFA 11/4)

Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar told the Irish radio station RTE, “[w]hat I am seeing unfolding at the moment is not self-defense. It looks, resembles something more approaching revenge,” in referencing Israeli attacks on Gaza. (AJ, HA, REU 11/3)

Dozens of U.S. activists were arrested at U.S. Senate office buildings after holding sit-ins at 8 senators’ offices, demanding a ceasefire. (AJ 11/3)

The New York Times reported that Israel used 2 2,000-pound bombs to attack Jabalia refugee camp on 10/31. (NYT 6/3)

CNN reported that the U.S. expects Israel will reduce its airstrikes on Gaza in the coming days and focus on the ground operation. (AJ, HA 11/4)

French officials said France will host an international conference on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza on 11/9. (REU 11/3)

Bloomberg News reported that Israel no longer gives Russia advanced warning about its airstrikes in Syria. (HA 11/3)

The UK charged 2 women with terrorism offenses for allegedly displaying pro-Hamas imagery at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in London on 10/14. The 2 women reportedly wore stickers with paragliders on them. (REU 11/3)

Japan said it would donate $65 million in humanitarian aid to Palestine after a meeting with PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki. (REU, WAFA 11/3)

In the West Bank, a Palestinian teenager succumbed to injuries sustained from Israeli forces last week in Anabta. Israeli settlers assaulted a Palestinian man and threatened to demolish his family’s home in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli settlers also rammed a Palestinian vehicle in Ras Karkar, opening fire at the driver and passengers, injuring 3, including 2 with live ammunition. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian home in Talfit and vandalized 10 vehicles in Beit Iksa. Israeli forces shot and injured 3 Palestinians in Ras Karkar. 51 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, and Jenin, including Hamas member Adnan Hamarsheh. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities closed the Haram al-Sharif compound for Muslim worshippers, allowing Israeli settlers to tour the compound. Israeli forces also demolished a house in Jabel Mukaber and a commercial structure in Sur Baher. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes killed 704 Palestinians, including 305 children. Israel said that its military has attacked 400 sites in Gaza and assassinated 3 members of Hamas. Rockets were fired at Israel, causing damage. Israel said it killed 10 militants who had tried to enter Zikim by sea. In Syria, Israeli forces fired artillery at what it said were militants near the Golan Heights. (AJ 10/23; AJ, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/24; WAFA 10/25)

The Gaza Ministry of Health said as of 5.pm. at least 5,791 Palestinians had been killed, including at least 3,600 women and children, and 16,297 had been injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 10/7. It is estimated that 1,500 were trapped in rubble. In addition, Israeli media reported that 1,500 Palestinian militants have been killed near Gaza. 95 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7, including 27 children. More than 1,833 have been injured, including at least 360 with live ammunition. Israeli officials recorded no new fatalities, leaving the Israeli death toll at around 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals; 5,431 have been injured since 10/7. The UN reported that over 1.4 million Palestinians, more than half the population in Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7 and that since 11 p.m. on 10/12 there has been a complete electricity blackout due to the Israeli blockade. At least 27,781 housing units have been destroyed and 150,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7. At least 45% of all housing units have been either destroyed or damaged in Israeli airstrikes. The Indonesian Hospital, the largest hospital in northern Gaza, lost power for a period of time overnight. 8 trucks carrying aid, including 5 with water, 2 with food, and 1 with medical supplies, entered Gaza (AJ 10/23; AJ, AJ, HA, UNOCHA, WAFA, WAFA 10/24; AJ 10/25)

25-year-old Palestinian Arafat Hamdan died in the Ofer Prison, a day after Omar Daraghmeh died at the Megiddo Prison. Hamdan was arrested by Israeli forces on 10/22. The Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council urged the Red Cross to visit the 2 Israeli prisons and investigate the deaths. (AJ 10/23; HA, WAFA 10/24; WAFA, WAFA 10/25)

PA health minister Mai al-Kaila said hospitals in Gaza were no longer able to receive new patients, saying 12 hospitals were no longer operational due to Israeli airstrikes or lack of fuel and that 65 doctors and nurses have been killed by Israel since 10/7. (AJ 10/23)

Israel dropped leaflets in Gaza saying Israel will provide security and monetary rewards for information on where Israeli and foreign captives are being kept. (AJ 10/23; HA 10/24)

Israeli attorney general Galia Baharav-Miara approved an emergency regulation to allow Israel to detain members of Hamas for 90 days without access to a lawyer. (HA 10/24)

The New York Times published an investigation into what Israel called evidence that an errant rocket caused the explosion at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City on 10/17, finding that the Israeli-presented video did not prove that a rocket fired by Islamic Jihad caused the explosion. The Times suggested that the video footage pointed to a projectile fired from the Nahal Oz area of Israel at Gaza as the cause. (NYT 10/24)

French president Emmanuel Macron visited PA president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, who called for an immediate end to the Israeli aggression. Macron had visited Israel earlier in the day, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Macron called for the international coalition fighting ISIS to also fight Hamas and said that 30 French nationals were killed by militants during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. (AJ 10/23; AJ, AP, HA, WAFA 10/24; AP 10/25; HA 10/26)

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi spoke with PA foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki and Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen, urging steps be undertaken to prevent further escalation and establish a lasting peace. (AJ, WAFA 10/24)

U.S. president Joe Biden spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu, urging him to not interfere with humanitarian aid for Gaza. Biden also spoke with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. is not calling for a ceasefire as a “ceasefire right now really only benefits Hamas.” (AJ, HA 10/23; HA, NYT, REU 10/24)

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the Hamas operation did not happen in a vacuum, referring to “56 years of suffocating occupation” and that the Hamas operation did not justify Israeli “collective punishment of the Palestinian people.” Israeli UN ambassador Gilad Erdan called on Guterres to resign. Foreign Minister Cohen canceled a meeting with Guterres. Israel also said it would refuse visas to UN officials. (AJ 10/23; AJ, AJ, HA, HA, NYT, WAFA 10/24; AJ, REU, WAFA 10/25; AP, WAFA 10/26)

At the UN Security Council, Foreign Minister al-Maliki called on the council to act to stop Israeli massacres of Palestinians, labelling them savage and systematic. Iranian UN ambassador Saeed Iravani said the U.S. was exacerbating the conflict by providing “unwavering support for the [Israeli] occupation.” Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry said the governments that remain silent on Israeli attacks on civilians are “participating in the crimes.” Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud called for an immediate ceasefire and for Israel to lift its siege on Gaza. Foreign Minister Cohen rejected calls for a ceasefire. (AJ 10/23; HA, NYT, WAFA, WAFA 10/24; AP, AP 10/25)

NBC News reported that 24 U.S. soldiers suffered minor injuries in attacks on U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq on 10/18. (AJ 10/24)

Florida governor, and republican presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis, banned the group Students for Justice in Palestine, falsely claiming it supports terrorism. (HA 10/24; AJ 10/25)

The Council on American-Islamic Relations called the Biden administration’s refusal to call for a ceasefire “unacceptable.” (AJ 10/23; HA 10/25)

Palestine Legal said it has responded to 260 incidents of people in the U.S. being targeted for supporting Palestine, including people being fired and losing job opportunities. (AJ 10/24)

Japan donated $10 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza, including $7 million to UNRWA and $3 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross. (WAFA 10/24)

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 settlers raided Burqa, throwing stones at homes and vandalizing 2 vehicles. Israeli forces raided a girl’s school in al-Eizariya, causing damage to school property. In East Jerusalem, 1 Israeli settler was injured in a ramming incident near Qalandia. 1 Palestinian suspect was arrested. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian at a light rail station in the French Hill neighborhood, claiming he had stabbed a settler. Israeli authorities forced 1 Palestinian family to demolish parts of their own home in Jabel Mukaber. In Gaza, Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinians near the Gaza fence, claiming that 1 of them had opened fire at Israeli soldiers; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. (AP, HA, HA, QDS, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/21; PCHR 9/27)

Israel assassinated 2 people in a drone strike in Beit Jann west of Damascus. The 2 were reported to be members of Islamic Jihad, which Islamic Jihad denied. Israeli tanks also attacked 2 temporary structures erected by the Syrian army near the Golan Heights. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 9/21)

The UN release a report saying that Israeli settler violence had displaced more than 1,100 Palestinians in the West Bank since 2022. The report also said that the UN had counted an average of 3 settler attacks a day. (AP, HA, UNOCHA 9/21)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly at its annual meeting, warning that peace in the region is impossible without the “Palestinian people enjoying full legitimate and national rights.” Abbas criticized world leaders for not holding Israel accountable for its atrocities and called on UN members to recognize the State of Palestine. It was reported that Palestinian officials had trouble getting meetings for Abbas on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly due to the publication on 9/7 of Abbas’ remarks at the Fatah Revolutionary Council in August that were said to be anti-Semitic. President Abbas met with UN secretary general Antonio Guterres. (HA 9/20; AJ, AP, HA, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA 9/21; WAFA 9/22)

PA prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh met with U.S. state department special representative for Palestinian affairs Hady Amr in New York. (WAFA 9/21)

PA ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said in an interview that the Palestinian leadership is confident that Saudi Arabia would protect Palestinian interests in a potential normalization deal with Israel and that the Saudis have accepted the Palestinian position on the negotiations, including restarting peace talks and protecting Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Haaretz reported that the Palestinian demands includes a settlement freeze, expanding Areas B and C, full membership at the UN, reopening the PLO office in Washington, and reopening the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem. Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen told Israel’s Army Radio that there is a likelihood that a normalization deal can be finalized in the first quarter of 2024. (HA, REU 9/21)

The Ad Hoc Liaison Committee held a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly annual meeting in New York. Prime Minister Shtayyeh called on representatives from some 30 countries at the meeting to help the PA overcome its political and financial challenges. (WAFA, WAFA 9/21)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Democratic Republic of Congo will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and that Israel will open an embassy in Kinshasa after meeting Congolese president Felix Tshisekedi at the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly meeting. (REU, TOI 9/21; AJ 9/22)

The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. has proposed that the potential Saudi nuclear program, which is part of the Saudi-Israeli normalization negotiations, will be run by the U.S. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid called reports that the Netanyahu government is open to uranium enrichment in Saudi Arabia “reckless and irresponsible.” (HA, HA, MEE, WSJ 9/21)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in al-Mufaqra. Israeli forces detained journalist Basel Adra, who was covering the attack, for several hours and confiscated his phone. Israeli settlers also assaulted 1 Palestinian man at the Otniel settlement before he was arrested by Israeli forces. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian home in Sebastia, before Israeli forces arrested 2 Palestinians defending the home. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting a raid in ‘Askar refugee camp, causing tear-gas related injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinians protesting house demolitions in Silwan. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/15; HA 7/16; PCHR 7/19; UNOCHA 7/29)

The Palestinian Water Authority said that the Israeli water company Mekorot had reduced the daily supply of water to Hebron and Bethlehem provinces to 6,000 cups. (WAFA 7/15; QDS 7/17)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was hospitalized after fainting and fitted with a heart monitor. Netanyahu was released on 7/16 and said he was hospitalized due to dehydration. (AJ, ALM, HA, NYT, REU, SKY 7/15; AJ, GDN, HA, NYT, REU 7/16; HA 7/17)

In Lebanon, a group of Lebanese people, reported to be MP Kasem Hashem and journalists, entered an area claimed by Israel on border of Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights before being shot at by Israeli forces; no injuries were reported. (HA, WAFA 7/15)

Congressional Progressive Caucus leader Pramila Jayapal (D-CA) called Israel “a racist state” during a speech in Chicago. Later in a statement Jayapal clarified that she thinks the Netanyahu-led government is racist after criticism from Democratic leaders. (HA 7/15; WAFA 7/16; AX, HA, MDW, MEE 7/17; MDW 7/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed 2 Palestinians during a late-night raid in Jenin refugee camp. 1 of the Palestinians was killed by an Israeli sniper while providing first aid to the other person who was shot. 3 Palestinians were injured by live ammunition and 1 Israeli soldier was reportedly injured by an explosive device. 15 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Yatta, Beit Umar, Tuqu’, Jenin refugee camp, and Tubas. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in the Old City. 7 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Ras al-Amud and Shu‘fat refugee camp. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, MDW, MEE, MEMO, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/19; BBC, MEMO, PCHR 1/20; PCHR 1/26; UNOCHA 2/3)

Israel released Maher Younis, the second-longest serving Palestinian prisoner, from the Eshel prison. Younis was convicted in 1983 for killing an Israeli soldier in the Golan Heights in 1980 and is a cousin of Karim Younis who was released two weeks ago. Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had ordered Israeli police to disperse the celebration of his release if Palestinian flags were waived. (AJ, AN, HA, JP, MEE, MEMO, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 1/19)

U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan met PA president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. President Abbas urged National Security Advisor Sullivan to intervene against Israeli unilateral actions that hinder the prospects for peace and stability. Earlier in the day, Sullivan met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during the second day of his 2-day trip to Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu said he and Sullivan discussed efforts to make a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said that Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel without an agreement to create a Palestinian state. (HA 1/18; AJ, ALM, AP, AX, AX, HA, MEE, MEMO, REU, REU, WAFA 1/19; ALM, MEE, MEE, MEMO 1/20; JP, MEMO 1/21; HA, TOI 1/22; AX, AX 1/25)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers in Lasayfer in the Masafer Yatta area, forcing them to leave the area. Israeli settlers also fenced off Palestinian farmland near Khirbet as-Samra in the Jordan Valley. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian during a raid in Beit Umar. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian during a raid in Jaba‘. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian with a baton round during a late-night raid in Dheisheh refugee camp. 6 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Am‘ari refugee camp, Dheisheh refugee camp, Bethlehem, and Tuqu’. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian farmers east of Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen northwest of Rafah; no injuries were reported. (MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/28; MEMO, PCHR 12/29; UNOCHA 1/16)

The Knesset passed the so-called Ben-Gvir law, granting incoming National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of the Otzma Yehudit party more authority over the Israeli police when he is sworn in. The law broadens the national security minister’s authority over police policy and police investigations. The coalition agreement between Benjamin Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir will see the Border Police become an independent entity under Ben-Gvir’s authority. The incoming government coalition also published a text laying out some policies, including that “[t]he Jewish people have an exclusive and inalienable right to all parts of the Land of Israel. The government will promote and develop settlements in all parts of the Land of Israel - - in the Galilee, the Negev, the Golan, Judea and Samaria [the West Bank].” (AJ, AP, GDN, HA, HA, IN, MEE, MEMO, NYT, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 12/28; TOI 12/29)

Jordanian king Abdullah II told CNN that he is prepared for conflict with Israel if the incoming government crosses his red lines regarding the Haram al-Sharif compound. (HA, MEE 12/28; MEMO, WAFA 12/29)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles driving on Route 60 near the Yitzhar settlement, causing damage. Israeli settlers also started construction on a pool near a water spring in Khirbet al-Farisiya. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Beita, killing 1 Palestinian man with a shot to his head; 68 others were injured, including 4 with rubber-coated bullets. The PA foreign ministry called in the ICC to take action against Israel’s killing of Palestinian protesters. The man was the 9th victim of Israeli gunfire related to the weekly anti-settlement protest in Beita since May. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 6 with rubber-coated bullets, including 2 minors. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Beitunia and al-Bireh. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested in Isawiya and Jabel Mukaber. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 Palestinian fishermen and confiscated their boat. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian bird hunters near the Gaza fence; no injuries were reported. (AJ, AP, HA, MEE, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/10; MEMO, PCHR 12/11; WAFA 12/12; HA, MDW 12/13; PCHR 12/16; HA 12/24)

In Lebanon, an explosion killed 1 and injured 4 others in the Burj el-Shamali refugee camp. Sources in the camp said the explosion happened in a Hamas weapons depot; however, Hamas denied the claim, saying the explosion was due to an electrical fault in a warehouse storing oxygen and gas cylinders for COVID-19 patients. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 12/10; AP, MEMO 12/12)

The New York Times reported that Israel consulted with the Biden administration before it struck 2 targets in Iran in June and September this year. (NYT 12/10; HA 12/11)

In promotional material for the upcoming book Trump’s Peace: The Abraham Accords and the Reshaping of the Middle East by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, it was revealed that former U.S. president and likely candidate for the Republican presidential ticket in 2024, Donald Trump, made significant U.S. policy changes to help former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu win elections in Israel. Former President Trump told Ravid that he recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel and, separately, announced plans to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem to help Netanyahu, who was struggling in the Israeli elections. Trump also told Ravid that he left the Iran Nuclear deal because of Israel and dismissed the idea that it was due to Israeli intelligence, mocking the idea that Israel had presented anything new at the time. Ravid further reports in his book that Trump believes that Netanyahu never had any interest in making peace with the Palestinians. Trump explained to Ravid that PA president Mahmoud Abbas “was almost like a father” and that he thought Abbas wanted to make peace more than Netanyahu. Trump acknowledged to Ravid that his strategy of pressuring the Palestinian leadership back to negotiations after recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel had failed, saying “[t]hese are hardened people.” Netanyahu and Trump had a significant personal fallout due to Israel’s push to annex most of the West Bank, outside of the framework of the Trump administration’s plan for a peace deal. It was also revealed that Trump now holds a grudge against Netanyahu because Netanyahu congratulated U.S. president Joe Biden on his election win in 2020, which Trump has falsely claimed to be fraudulent and has never officially conceded. Trump said he had not talked to Netanyahu since losing the election and said to Ravid during the interview, “fuck him [Netanyahu].” (AP, AX, AX, HA 12/10; FWD, HA, HA 12/12; AX, HA, IN, MEE, MEMO 12/13; TOI 12/14; GDN 12/20)

In Ravid’s book Trump’s Peace, new details about the normalization agreement between Israel and the UAE are also revealed. According to Ravid, Avi Berkowitz, aide to senior advisor to the president Jared Kushner, suggested to Netanyahu on 6/30/2020 that he normalize relations with the UAE instead of moving ahead with annexation of parts of the West Bank. The UAE ambassador to the U.S. Yousef Otaiba had been in talks with the U.S. about normalization since March 2019 and had been pushing normalization with Israel. Ravid also writes in his book that UK ambassador to the UN Karen Elizabeth Pierce warned Berkowitz and U.S. special envoy to Iran Brian Hook that the UK and other countries would recognize the State of Palestine if Israel moved forward with annexing parts of the West Bank. (FWD 12/12; AX, HA 12/13; MEMO 1/4)

Germany contributed with $23.75 million to the UNRWA. (WAFA 12/10)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers and Israeli forces attacked Palestinian journalists filming in the vicinity of the Ariel settlement. Israeli settlers also began construction on a tract of land in ‘Ayn Bus. Israeli forces seized and demolished residential tents in Khirbet Humsa provided by humanitarian agencies to displaced residents after Israeli forces demolished and confiscated and demolished 46 residential structures on 2/1 and 2/3. Israeli forces also demolished 1 water well in al-Mughayyir and 2 residential structures in Khirbet Yarza. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters demonstrating against stop-work orders delivered in al-Twana, leading to tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also shot and injured 1 Palestinian with live ammunition during a late-night raid near Jenin. Meanwhile, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian trying to enter Israel for work near the separation barrier in Barta‘a. 14 Palestinians were arrested, including 13 during late-night raids in and around Jalazun refugee camp, Hebron, Nablus, Qabatiya, and al-Bireh, and 1 was arrested at a checkpoint near Nablus. In East Jerusalem, 4 Palestinian citizens of Israel were arrested at the Haram al-Sharif compound. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian famers east of Gaza City and Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/8; CNN 2/10 PCHR 2/11)

PA and Hamas officials and members of 12 other Palestinian factions met in Cairo to discuss reconciliation and the Palestinian elections. (AJ, REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/8)

A Palestinian court in Nablus sentenced 1 Palestinian man to 5 years in prison for selling Israeli settlement products. (WAFA 2/8)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded not guilty in response to the corruption charges against him in an Israeli court. Prime Minister Netanyahu was forced to appear in court but left after 30 minutes as the judges excused his absence. (REU 2/7; AJ, AP, AX, CBS, CNN, HA, WP 2/8)

The U.S. said it will rejoin the UN Human Rights Council as an observer after the Donald Trump administration left the UN body, citing anti-Israel bias in 2018. The Biden administration wants to rejoin as a full member at an unset date. (NYT 2/7; TOI 2/8)

In an interview with CNN, U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken said he applauded the normalization deals between Israel, the U.S., the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, and said that peace between Palestine and Israel is far away, saying the 2 need to engage in peace before the U.S. can get involved. Secretary Blinken also said the Biden administration supported a 2-state solution but when asked about whether a Palestinian state would have East Jerusalem as its capital, he said it was part of final status issues, despite saying the U.S. considers Israel’s capital Jerusalem. Former secretary of state John Kerry said the U.S. supports East Jerusalem as a future capital of Palestine during the Barack Obama administration. Lastly, Secretary Blinken said that the Biden administration would consider supporting the return of the Golan Heights to Syria if Bashar al-Asad was no longer in power. (HA, REU, State Department 2/8; HA 2/9; AJ 2/11)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers raided Silat al-Dahir, vandalizing Palestinian-owned houses and vehicles. Israeli settlers also razed Palestinian-owned land and planted their own crops in ‘Urif. Israeli forces delivered 1 demolition order for 1 agricultural shed in al-Walaja and 1 commercial barrack in Qalqilya, and delivered 1 stop-work order for 1 house under construction in Bayt Awa. Israeli forces also clashed with Palestinians in Bayt Umar, leading to tear-gas related injuries. 3 Palestinians were arrested, including 1 during a late-night raid in Yatta and 2 at checkpoints near Nablus and Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were arrested during raids in the Old City and Bayt Hanina. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/19; PCHR 11/26)

PA civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh said, after a meeting with Israeli officials, that Israel has agreed to pay the PA the money it owes in tax revenue, about $890 million. (NYT, WAFA 11/19; HA 11/20)

The U.S. state department issued new guidelines of how to refer to products produced in Gaza and the West Bank as secretary of state Mike Pompeo was visiting Israel and Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Under the new guidelines, products imported to the U.S. from Area C of the West Bank would have to be labeled “Made in Israel.” Products can no longer be labeled “Made in West Bank/Gaza,” so products made in Gaza should be labeled “product of Gaza” and products made in Area A and B of the West Bank should be labeled “product of West Bank.” In a statement by Secretary Pompeo, he said that the U.S. is adhering to a “reality-based” approach, which would indicate that the new guidelines are a way for the U.S. administration to recognize Israel’s annexation of Area C. The statement also stipulated that “Gaza and the West Bank are politically and administratively separate and should be treated accordingly.” Secretary Pompeo also made another policy announcement during a press conference with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At the press conference, Pompeo announced that the State Department regards the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement as anti-Semitic and that the U.S. would start identifying organizations that support BDS to penalize them. The BDS movement released a statement reiterating that it rejects “all forms of racism, including anti-Jewish racism” and said it would resist “these McCarthyite attempts to intimidate and bully Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights defenders into accepting Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism as fate.” The American Civil Liberties Union responded to Pompeo’s announcement that “[c]riticism of Israel, or any government, is fully protected by the First Amendment. Threatening to block government funds to groups that criticize Israel is blatantly unconstitutional.” Secretary Pompeo also visited the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and was the 1st secretary of state to do so. Pompeo’s visit to Israeli settlements in the West Bank was also a 1st for a U.S. secretary of state. Pompeo also tweeted, “Anti-Zionism is Anti-Semitism” (AJ, AJ, Amnesty, AX, BBC, BBC, DT, DW, HA, IN, IN, MDN, MEE, NYT, REU, REU, SKY, TOI, TOI, Twitter, Twitter, Twitter, U.S. State Department, WAFA, WAFA, WP 11/19; AJ, BBC, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WP 11/20)

The EU told Serbia and Kosovo that if the countries still desire to become member states of the EU, they will have to follow EU policy, including not moving their Israeli embassies to Jerusalem as this would undermine EU policy and international law. A statement released conveying the message referenced the White House meetings held on 9/5-9/7 in which U.S. president Donald Trump announced the embassy moves. (EU Commission 11/19)

At the UN general assembly, 163 countries voted for a resolution recognizing “the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine.” 5 countries—Israel, the U.S., Micronesia, Nauru, and the Marshall Islands—voted against. (HA 11/20)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked 1 Palestinian minor and his father in Hebron. Israeli settlers also set up tents in Battir near Bethlehem. Israeli forces delivered demolition orders for 1 residential structure and 1 garden in Sabastiyya, 1 pool used for irrigation in Bayt Dajan, and a number of structures east of Yatta. Israeli forces also demolished 1 residential structure near Tubas and dismantled and seized 1 wooden shed in Umm al-Jamal. Israeli forces also shot and injured 6 Palestinians using rubber-coated bullets during raids in Qalandia refugee camp; 1 Israeli soldier was also injured during the clashes, which lasted some 2 hours; 9 Palestinian-owned vehicles were damaged. 12 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Nablus, Birzeit, Bayt Umar, Qalandia, Hebron, and Jenin. 7 Palestinians were arrested in the Old City and Issawiyya. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and razed farmland east of Khan Yunis. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/17, PCHR 11/19)

The PA civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh announced that the PA would resume coordination with Israel, including security coordination, after suspending ties in May. Civil Affairs Minister al-Sheikh said that Israel had promised to respect its agreements with the PA during “international negotiations conducted by the president [Mahmoud Abbas].” Hamas and Islamic Jihad condemned the PA’s move, saying it undermines reconciliation efforts. PA prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said during a Zoom conference organized by the Council of Foreign Relations that the COVID-19 pandemic played a part in the decision as the PA have struggled to find the resources to fight it. (AJ, HA, HA, REU, TOI, WAFA 11/17; HA, TOI 11/18; HA 11/19)

Israeli said it defused explosive devices in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights near the de facto border of Syria. Israel later attacked Syria, striking 8 targets. According to the Syrian state media SANA, 3 were killed, 1 wounded, and Syria intercepted Israeli missiles over Damascus. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 10 people were killed in the strikes. Israel acknowledged to have attacked Syria, saying it was responding to the explosive devices and claiming that it had hit Iranian and Syrian forces in Syria. (HA, REU 11/17; AJ, HA 11/18; BBC 11/19)

Both Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and president Reuven Rivlin congratulated U.S. president-elect Joe Biden via phone. (HA 11/17)

1 Jewish-Israeli was given a 7-year prison sentence for smuggling metals into Gaza and selling them to Hamas. He was also fined $60,000. (TOI, HA 11/17)

41 Democrats in congress cosigned a letter to U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo, expressing concern about Israel’s demolition of the village Khirbet Humsa on 11/3, demanding that Secretary Pompeo condemn Israel’s actions. (Mark Pocan’s Office 11/17; HA, WAFA 11/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot 1 Palestinian near al-Fawar refugee camp; Israeli forces alleged that the man was wielding a knife when he was shot. Israeli forces also assaulted 1 minor near Jenin; he was taken to a hospital for treatment. 3 Palestinians were arrested trying to enter Israel near Jenin. In East Jerusalem, 6 Palestinians were arrested in al-Tur and the Old City. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian bird hunters northeast of al-Bureij; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces also opened fire on agricultural lads east of Abasan; no injuries were reported. (HA, WAFA 11/8; PCHR 11/12)

1 Palestinian sued 1 Israeli settler for vandalizing his property in a Nablus court. The suit against an Israeli settler in a Palestinian court is the 1st of its kind. (WAFA 11/8)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas congratulated president-elect Joe Biden on his victory in the 2020 U.S. presidential elections. In a statement, President Abbas said, “I look forward to working with the President-elect and his administration to strengthen the Palestinian-American relations and to achieve freedom, independence, justice and dignity for our people, as well as to work for peace, stability and security for all in our region and the world.” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu also congratulated President-elect Biden in a tweet and immediately after, in another tweet, thanked President Donald Trump for “recognizing Jerusalem and the Golan, for standing up to Iran, for the historic peace accords and for bringing the American-Israeli alliance to unprecedented heights.” (HA, REU, Twitter, Twitter, WAFA, WAFA 11/8; HA, WAFA 11/9)

A delegation of Israeli settlers led by Yossi Dagan of the Samaria Regional Council met with Emirati businesspeople to promote their settler businesses. The settler business trip in the UAE is set to commence on 11/12. An aide to President Abbas called it “painful to witness Arab cooperation with one of the worst manifestations of aggression against the Palestinian people, which is the Israeli settlements on our land.” (AP, HA 11/11)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces attacked Palestinian worshippers in al-Ibrahimi Mosque during morning prayers at the advent of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. 5 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Bayt Sahour, and Dura. In East Jerusalem, 4 Palestinians were arrested during raids in the Old City. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands east of Khuza‘a; no injuries were reported. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen within 2 nautical miles west of Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA 10/29; PCHR 11/5)

The PA requested help from the UN to get a baptismal font back that was seized by Israel near Bethlehem on 7/20 this year. The baptismal font dates back to the 5th century. (WAFA 10/29)

A large Israeli military drill in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights caused massive damage with some 1,500 dunams (400 acres) burned by fires sparked from the drill. (TOI 10/29; HA 10/30)

U.S. secretary of defense Mark Esper visited Israel, meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz. Haaretz reported on 10/27 that Israel has requested F-22 fighter jets from the U.S., which are currently only used by the U.S. military. Meanwhile, the White House notified Congress of its intent to sell 50 F-35 fighter jets to the UAE as part of the normalization deal between Israel and the UAE. (AJ, HA, HA 10/29; LT 10/30)

The CEO of Golan Heights Winery in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights said in a statement that his wines will be sold in the UAE starting this week. The UAE does not recognize Israeli sovereignty in the occupied Golan Heights. (HA, REU 10/29)

U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo announced that U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem will be able to list Israel as the place of birth. The spokesperson for PA president Mahmoud Abbas condemned the U.S. decision. (HA 10/28; HA, REU, WAFA 10/29; AJ, IN, REU 10/30)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole ladders, cloth, and saws used for olive harvesting in Jalud. Israeli forces demolished 3 residential structures near Abu Dis. 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Kafr Malik and Bethlehem; during raids in Kafr Malik, Tammun, and Jab‘a, confrontations with Palestinians erupted, leading to tear-gas related injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 store and 1 apartment in Sur Bahir. 3 Palestinians were arrested in and around the Old City, al-Tur, and Shu‘fat refugee camp. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands east of al-Qarara; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/28; PCHR 10/29)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter to UN secretary-general António Guterres urging him to convene an international conference for Middle East peace. (WAFA 10/29)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman signed an agreement on scientific cooperation, which extends the area that the U.S. considers Israel to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the Golan Heights. In a statement, Ambassador Friedman said that the agreement “remove[s] geographic restrictions . . . These geographic restrictions are no longer consistent with U.S. policy.” According to Haaretz, the American casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who is a major donor for U.S. president Donald Trump and the Ariel University in the Ariel settlement, where the signing ceremony was held, has been pressuring the U.S. administration to fast-track the agreement. Member of the executive committee of the PLO Hanan Ashrawi said that President Trump is seeking to bolster his position in the presidential race by making “a clear recognition of Israel’s annexation of Palestinian territory,” calling the U.S. an active participant in war crimes. (AX, JNS, JP, REU 10/27; HA, REU, U.S. Embassy in Israel, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/28)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters during the weekly anti-settlement protest in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 2 by live ammunition, 1 minor by a rubber-coated bullet, and others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also opened fire on Palestinians near Qalqilya; no injuries were reported. Elsewhere, Israeli forces delivered stop-work orders for 3 houses south of Bethlehem. 4 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Tubas and al-‘Izzariya. In East Jerusalem, Israel extended the detention for PA governor of Jerusalem Adnan Gheith for another 7 days. Gheith was arrested during a late-night raid on 7/19. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/24; PCHR 7/29)

In Israel, thousands of protesters demonstrated against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside of his official residence for the 4th time in a week. Protesters are demanding his resignation over his corruption charges and the government’s handling of the economy. (HA 7/24)

In the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 1 rocket or mortar fired from Syria damaged 1 house and 1 vehicle in Majdal Shams. According to the Lebanese network Al Mayadeen, the incident was a response to an Israeli drone flying in Syrian territory. Israel subsequently fired missiles from helicopters at 3 different locations in southwestern Syria, injuring 2 and causing damage. (HA, HA, REU, REU 7/24)

In the West Bank, PA governors imposed lockdowns of several governates and cities, including Hebron city, Abu Falah village, and Nablus governate for 5 days, and several towns and villages in the Bethlehem governate for 7 days, to curb the spread of COVID-19. Later, the PA said it would impose a 5-day lockdown in the West Bank starting 7/3. Palestinians protested in Ramallah against Israel’s plans to annex parts of the West Bank. Israeli settlers razed land in ‘Ayn Bus and southeast of Qalqilya. 13 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Ramallah, Jalazun refugee camp, Birzeit, Kafr al-Dik, and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 house in Jabal Mukabir and 1 residential shack in Issawiyya. 11 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around al-Tur, Silwan and Bayt Hanina. In Gaza, Palestinians in Gaza City protested the planned Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank. (AJ, HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/1)

According to Haaretz sources in Gaza, Hamas’s military wing tested long-range missiles. (HA 7/1)

Israel’s foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi told Israel’s Army Radio that, “[i]t seems unlikely to me that this [announcement of plans for annexation of parts of the West Bank] will happen today . . . I reckon there will be nothing today.” Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously announced that annexation of parts of the West Bank would begin on 7/1. (AJ, HA, REU 7/1)

The Syrian, Russian, and Turkish president issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s attacks on Syria and U.S. president Donald Trump’s decision to recognize the occupied Golan Heights as part of Israel. (AJ, HA 7/1)

In an op-ed in the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, UK prime minister Boris Johnson warned Israel against annexation of parts of the West Bank, saying that it would be a violation of international law and that the “UK will not recognize any changes to the 1967 lines, except those agreed between both parties.” (HA, YNET, REU, WAFA 7/1)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uprooted some 40 olive trees in Yatma. 6 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Yatta, and Bethlehem; 1 was arrested at a checkpoint between Nablus and Tubas. In East Jerusalem, Israel’s outgoing public security minister Gilad Erdan ordered 1 nonprofit organization helping Palestinian children from single-family homes with schoolwork to close because of alleged ties to the PA. The institution in charge of the organization, Volunteer for Hope, denies that the organization received any funds from the PA. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen west of Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands east of al-Bureij and al-Maghazi; no injuries were reported. In the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 person crossing from Lebanon. (HA, WAFA 5/17; PCHR 5/21; HA 5/22)

The new Israeli government was sworn in. The new government is headed by Benjamin Netanyahu and has 36 ministers and 16 deputy ministers from 9 different parties. Benny Gantz will be deputy prime minister and defense minister for 18 months, when the coalition deal stipulates that Gantz will become the prime minister for the 2d half of the government term. During his speech to the Knesset, Netanyahu said of annexing Israeli settlements in the West Bank, “[i]t’s time to apply the Israeli law and write another glorious chapter in the history of Zionism.” (AJ, HA, REU 5/17; NPR 5/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers sprayed racist graffiti on several structures, including a mosque, and punctured the tires of 3 vehicles in Kafr Malik near Ramallah. Israeli settlers also uprooted 30 olive trees near Bani Na‘im. Israeli forces arrested 16 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus, and Ramallah. Israeli authorities also approved cutting down around 2,000 olive trees south of Bethlehem. In Gaza, 5 Palestinians were hospitalized after suffering from tear gas inhalation east of Rafah. In the Israeli city of Afula, local Jewish Israelis, including the city’s mayor, protested the sale of a home to a Palestinian-Israeli family. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/16; HA, WAFA, WAFA 6/17)

The Israeli Jerusalem municipality approved naming streets in the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem after Jewish rabbis. (HA 6/17)

The chairman of Qatar’s National Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza Mohammed al-Emadi met Israeli and Palestinian officials in Israel and Gaza to discuss the implementation of the cease-fire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in May. The Qatari delegation also delivered $20 million for vulnerable Palestinians in Gaza and for humanitarian projects. Some 108,000 families will receive $400 in 4 $100 payments. (HA 6/16; HA 6/17)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a sign for a planned community in the Golan Heights called Trump Heights, named after U.S. president Donald Trump. Netanyahu decided to dedicate a settlement construction project to President Trump after Trump unilaterally recognized Israel’s annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights. (HA 6/16)

U.S. special representative for international negotiations Jason Greenblatt told The Jerusalem Post that the U.S. administration may delay the unveiling of the U.S. peace plan until November 2019 because of the upcoming Israeli elections in September. In the interview, Greenblatt also said that he supports U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman’s statement from 6/8 that Israel has a right to annex parts of the West Bank. (AJ, HA 6/16)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished 2 residential tents, a barn, and a fodder storage belonging to 1 Palestinian family in the northern Jordan Valley. In a similar but separate incident also in the northern part of the Jordan Valley, 1 Palestinian family had 2 residential tents and 3 barns demolished by Israeli forces. (WAFA, WAFA 5/30)

Prefabricated classrooms donated to Palestinian schoolchildren in the West Bank by the EU that were seized by Israel in October 2018 were announced to be auctioned by the Israeli civil administration. (Guardian 5/31)

The Israeli housing ministry published tenders for the construction of 805 housing units in East Jerusalem. (PeaceNow 5/30; HA 6/1)

Despite receiving a 2-week extension by the Israeli president Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a government, prompting a 2d round of elections to be held in September. (HA 5/30)

The 2 Trump administration officials leading the Middle East peace team, Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 3d day of their trip rallying support for the U.S. peace plan and the upcoming summit in Bahrain. The U.S. delegation brought Netanyahu a gift from U.S. president Donald Trump: an updated State Department map with the Golan Heights incorporated into Israel proper. Trump made an arrow pointing at the Golan Heights, wrote the word “nice,” and signed the map. (HA 5/28; HA 5/30; QUDS 5/31)

The EU contributed $17 million to the PA to help pay for civil servant and pensioners salaries. The EU contribution was given as Israel continues to withhold tax revenue from the PA. (WAFA 5/30)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces gave evacuation notices for land seizure to several Palestinians in Bittir near Bethlehem and Halhul and Bayt Umar near Hebron. Israeli forces also gave notice to Palestinians in 7 villages in the Nablus area that 406 dunams (100 acres) will be seized by Israel for a settler-only road and 384 dunams (94 acres) for a military road in the northern Jordan Valley. In Hebron, several Palestinian students, a teacher, and a janitor suffered from tear gas inhalation when Israeli forces fired tear gas into the school yard. The teacher and janitor were taken to a hospital for treatment. Israeli forces also halted construction of a road west of Yatta near Hebron. South of Bethlehem, a Palestinian was hospitalized after an Israeli settler rammed his car. In East Jerusalem, 2 Palestinians were injured and 3 arrested by Israeli police after a confrontation with Israeli settlers. Israeli settlers also sealed the door to the Shaykh Makki Mosque in the Old City for a 3d time (2 previous sealings happened in March). An Israeli court released 5 Palestinians who had been detained since March but banned them from returning to their homes in Silwan for 30 days. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces fired at Palestinian fishermen 3 nautical miles offshore from al-Sudaniyya. Israeli forces also razed farmland and fired at Palestinians near Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. (HA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/8)

After the postponement of the Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike reported on 4/7, Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails started an open-ended hunger strike to protest their treatment by the Israelis. (HA, WAFA 4/8)

A French employee at the French consulate in Jerusalem was sentenced to 7 years in prison by an Israeli court for smuggling arms from Gaza to the West Bank. He confessed to having smuggled 30 guns, receiving $7,200 for his services. (HA 4/8; MEMO 4/9)

Russian president Vladimir Putin said weeks after U.S. president Donald Trump’s recognition of Israeli sovereignty of the Golan Heights that the U.S. change of policy is “a violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions.” (MNA 4/9)

In response to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comment on 4/6 that he would extend Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank, the Arab League’s assistant secretary-general Saeed Abu Ali said that such actions would lead to “dangerous repercussions” and called for an “immediate official investigation” by the International Criminal Court of “the ongoing settlement crimes in the Palestinian territories.” (MEMO 4/9)

In a White House statement, President Trump announced that the U.S had decided to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization. Prime Minister Netanyahu later tweeted on his Hebrew language account, “Thank you for the answer to another important request that serves the interests of our country and the region,” implying that the terror designation was made upon request by Netanyahu. On Netanyahu’s English language Twitter account, the word “request” was omitted. (NPR 4/8; HILL 4/9; HA 4/10)

Unidentified persons launch a rocket from Gaza into central Israel. It strikes an Israeli home north of Tel Aviv, injuring 7 Jewish Israelis and causing damage. The Israeli Air Force then retaliates with dozens of air strikes on Hamas sites all across Gaza, causing extensive damage and injuring at least 3 Palestinians. Palestinians in Gaza respond, firing at least 50 projectiles into southern Israel and setting of hours of cross-border attacks. An hour after an Egyptian- and UN-backed cease-fire is supposed to go into effect, 30 projectiles are fired into Israel from Gaza. Most are intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. The rest land in open areas, causing no damage or injuries. The Israeli Air Force then continues its air strikes across Gaza, bombing at least 15 targets in and around Jabaliya refugee camp and causing extensive damage. (EI, HA, HA, HA, JP, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, TOI, TOI, WAFA, YA, YA 3/25; HA, MNA, YA 3/26; PCHR 3/28)

After a rocket from Gaza strikes an Israeli home near Tel Aviv (see above), Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces that he is cutting his trip to the U.S. short. He still meets with President Donald Trump at the White House, but he skips his planned address at the annual AIPAC conference. At their meeting, Trump signs a formal declaration conveying U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, codifying his 3/21 pledge. Meanwhile, the Israeli authorities decide to indefinitely shut down the Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings, blocking all traffic of persons and good in and out of Gaza. (EI, HA, HA, HA, JP, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, TOI, TOI, WAFA, YA, YA 3/25; HA, MNA, YA 3/26)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers spray-paint racist anti-Palestinian graffiti on Palestinian vehicles and buildings near Jerusalem. They also puncture the tires of 28 Palestinian vehicles. Separately, settlers chop down a number of olive and almond trees in a Palestinian grove near Hebron. Israeli forces deliver stop-work orders to 2 Palestinian homes under construction near Hebron and a water well under construction near Tubas. IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron and Ramallah; and patrol near Salfit and Qalqilya. An unexploded piece of Israeli ordnance detonates near Bethlehem, injuring 3 Palestinian minors. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 9 Palestinians during late-night raids in al-Tur, Jabal Mukabir, Hizma, and Silwan. (MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/25; PCHR 3/28)

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops open fire on a group of Palestinian minors congregating near al-Bureij refugee camp; 1 Palestinian is injured. The Israeli press reports that the Palestinians were launching incendiary balloons into southern Israel. Later in the day, an Israeli tank shells a Hamas post in southern Gaza, injuring 7 Palestinians. The IDF says that the strike was retaliation for the launching of incendiary balloons into Gaza earlier in the day. In the West Bank, an Israeli settler driver rams and moderately injures a Palestinian in central Hebron. The settler then flees the scene. Separately, settlers throw stones at Palestinian homes in Urif near Nablus, causing damage and sparking a minor confrontation with residents of the village. Unidentified assailants throw a firebomb at an Israeli vehicle near Nablus, lightly injuring the 2 settler occupants and damaging the vehicle. Meanwhile, IDF troops patrol near Nablus, Hebron, and Ramallah. Israeli forces shut down a number of streets in central Hebron to make room for Israeli settlers to celebrate Purim. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces disperse an event at the French Cultural Center on the grounds that it was co-sponsored by the PA. They also arrest 2 Palestinians during late-night raids in Ras al-Amud. (HA, MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 3/21; MNA 3/22; PCHR 3/28)

U.S. president Donald Trump tweets, “After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” His tweet reverses decades of U.S. policy and runs counter to several UN Security Council resolutions and international law. It comes in response to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for the international community to recognize Israeli control over the Golan Heights, and it is widely seen as a boon for Netanyahu’s chances the upcoming Israeli election on 4/9. Trump later says, in an interview with Fox Business Network, that his tweet was not an effort to support Netanyahu’s re-election campaign. “I hear [Netanyahu] is doing okay,” he says. “Whoever’s against him is also in favor of what I just did.” In response to Trump’s tweet, an EU spokesperson says that the EU has no plans to change its position on the Golan Heights. “The EU, in line with international law, does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and does not consider them to be part of Israel’s territory.” (HA, JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, YA 3/21; HA 3/22)

Hundreds of right-wing Jewish activists visit Joseph’s Tomb near Nablus overnight, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and Palestinians in the area; 2 Palestinians are killed and 12 more are injured. The IDF later says that an explosive device was thrown at a patrol, prompting the fatal shooting. Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops open fire on Palestinians in a vehicle outside al-Khadir near Bethlehem; 1 Palestinian is killed and another is injured. The IDF later says that the men were throwing stones at Israeli vehicles. The local authorities in Bethlehem declare a general strike in protest of the killing. Meanwhile, IDF troops also shoot and injure a Palestinian youth in Bayt Sira village near Ramallah; arrest 3 Palestinians during late-night raids near Jenin; patrol in and around Tulkarm and Hebron; and violently disperse Palestinian students gathering in al-Bireh to protest the Israeli occupation (there are no serious injuries reported). Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian home and dismantle 3 Palestinian makeshift residential structures south of Hebron. Unidentified assailants open fire on an Israeli settler bus near Salfit, causing minor damage. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Nablus, damaging several. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest a Muslim worshipper and an Islamic Waqf guard at Haram al-Sharif. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries (2 fishermen are detained). Along Gaza’s border, hundreds of Gazans gather near al-Bureij refugee camp to set tires on fire, throw stones, and otherwise continue the Great March of Return late at night. After unidentified Gazans fly an incendiary balloon into southern Israel, the Israeli Air Force conducts an air strike near the protesters near al-Bureij refugee camp, causing damage. Meanwhile, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Gaza City and open fire on Palestinian farmlands near Khan Yunis, causing no major damage. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. (EI, HA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 3/20; MNA, MNA, WAFA 3/21; PCHR 3/28)

U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo meets with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. They discuss a range of issues, and in a press conference after the meeting Netanyahu calls on the international community to recognize Israel’s control over the Golan Heights. (HA, JP, TOI 3/20)

Approximately 1,000 Palestinians gather along Gaza’s northern shore to continue the Great March of Return and to cheer on 20 Palestinian boats sailing in a symbolic challenge to the Israeli blockade. IDF troops and Israeli naval forces violently disperse the demonstrations; 23 Palestinians are injured (1 critically). The Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza states that the critically injured Palestinian was a farmer working in the area, and not a protester. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers chase a number of Palestinian shepherds off their land near Jericho. IDF troops arrest 11 Palestinians during late-night raids near Jenin, Hebron, Ramallah, and Nablus; and patrol near Hebron and Bethlehem. Israeli forces dismantle and confiscate 2 makeshift Palestinian residential structures near Bethlehem. (WAFA 1/29; PCHR 1/31)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when IDF troops opened fire on protesters along Gaza’s border fence on 1/25. This brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 200. (MNA, WAFA 1/29; PCHR 1/31)

PA prime minister Rami Hamdallah submits on behalf of his government his resignation to PA president Mahmoud Abbas. “[Hamdallah and his government] will continue to serve our people wherever they are and shoulder all its responsibilities until a new government is formed,” according to a PA statement. Abbas later accepts Hamdallah’s resignation, requesting that he continue to serve until a new government is formed. It’s unclear when that will be. (JP, MNA, NYT, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 1/29; MNA 1/30)

The Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing for passage in both directions for the first of 2 planned days. They have largely kept the crossing closed since 1/5. (ALM 1/31)

One day after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention not to renew the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH)’s mandate, PLO secretary-general Saeb Erakat calls on the UN to deploy a permanent international force in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UN should “guarantee the safety and protection of the people of Palestine” until “the end of Israel’s belligerent occupation,” he says. Separately, Norway’s Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide says that Netanyahu’s “one-sided” decision to not renew the TIPH’s mandate is “worrying” and that if could “mean that the implementation of an important part of the Oslo Accords is discontinued.” (AP, YA 1/29; TOI 1/30)

Widely seen as one of the greatest challenges to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former head of the IDF Benny Gantz officially launches his campaign ahead of the 4/9 Israeli elections. “Under my leadership, the government will strive for peace and will not miss an opportunity to bring about regional change,” he says, pledging to strengthen the “settlement blocs and Golan Heights” and build a “united Jerusalem.” Netanyahu later criticizes Gantz’s speech as just “another speech by [Yesh Atid leader Yair] Lapid. Whoever says he’s neither right nor left, is left.” (HA 1/29; YA 1/30)

A senior Japanese official pledges $341,348 in support of 4 humanitarian projects in Gaza. (MNA 1/31)

In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians and issue 4 arrest summons during late-night raids near Tulkarm, Hebron, Bethlehem, and in Nablus; and patrol near Qalqilya and Hebron. They also arrest 2 Palestinian laborers and issue stop-work orders for a building under construction in Hebron. Israeli settlers assault Palestinian construction crews repairing a home on Shuhada Street in central Hebron, causing no major injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assault a number of Palestinian children and eventually arrest 2 in the Old City. They arrest 5 more Palestinians during a raid in Silwan and Abu Dis. (WAFA 2/10; PCHR 2/15)

Weeks after receiving Israeli PM Netanyahu in India, Indian PM Narendra Modi arrives in Ramallah for a visit to the oPt. His arrival marks the first time a sitting Indian PM has visited the oPt. PA pres. Abbas asks Modi to help mediate Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. (TOI, WAFA 2/10)

An IDF helicopter destroys an Iranian drone flying from Syria into the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, according to an IDF spokesperson (Syrian and Iranian officials deny sending a drone into Israel). The IAF then conducts a number of air strikes on a Syrian airbase near Palmyra, where the drone allegedly took off. During the Israeli sortie, Syrian aerial defense systems shoot down an Israeli F-16, injuring 1 pilot seriously (this marks the first time they have downed an Israeli aircraft since the IDF started flying missions into Syria). The IAF then conducts the “biggest and most significant attack . . . against Syrian air defenses” since the 1982 war in Lebanon, according to a senior IAF official. Israeli jets strike 12 Syrian and Iranian targets in southern Syria, killing 6 people. (AJ, HA, MNA, NYT, REU, TOI, WAFA, YA 2/10; HA, WAFA 2/11)

The Gaza-based Ministry of Health announces that a Hamas fighter died this morning during a “training accident” in southern Gaza. (MNA, TOI 9/19)

The Israeli authorities shut down the border crossings into the West Bank and Gaza at midnight ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year (they are set to reopen at midnight on 9/23, “depending on a situational assessment,” according to the IDF). Israeli forces level 2 dunams (approximately 0.5 acres) of Palestinian land near Tulkarm, destroying about 50 fig and lemon trees. They also arrest 13 Palestinians and issue 2 arrest summons during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah, and Bethlehem, and patrol near Jenin and Hebron throughout the day. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian car wash in Bayt Hanina and arrest 1 Palestinian during a raid in Sur Bahir. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 9/19; MNA 9/20; PCHR 9/21; PCHR 9/28)

Addressing the UNGA in New York, U.S. pres. Trump threatens North Korea and criticizes the 7/14/2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He does not mention the Palestinians or the peace process. Later, Israeli PM Netanyahu takes the podium and echoes Trump’s comments on Iran, criticizing the “sunset” clause in the JCPOA, and calling on the international community to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. In his speech to the UNGA, Egyptian pres. al-Sisi calls on the people of Israel to “stand behind your political leadership and support [the peace process]” and on the Palestinian people to “unite behind” the common goal of peace. (HA, TOI 9/19; MNA, REU, WAFA, YA 9/20)

IDF troops shoot down an allegedly Iranianmade, Hezbollah-operated drone as it flies into the demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights. The drone falls inside Syrian-controlled territory. (HA, TOI, YA 9/19)

In the West Bank, IDF troops patrol in 2 villages and al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, and in Tulkarm; conduct late-night house searches and raids in 2 villages nr. Ramallah and 1 nr. Hebron, arresting 5 Palestinians and assaulting 1. On raids in n. Israel, Israeli police arrest 9 Druze allegedly responsible for the 6/22 attacks on ambulances in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. (HA, MNA, TOI 6/24; PCHR 6/25; PCHR 7/2)

In response to the rocket fire on 6/23, Israel’s COGAT office announces that Palestinians will be barred from exiting Gaza on 6/25 to pray at Haram al-Sharif. (HA, JTA, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA, YA 6/24)

Israeli PM Netanyahu meets with several leaders of the Druze community in Israel in an effort to ease tensions surrounding the 6/22 Druze attack on IDF ambulances carrying Syrian fighters to hospital. (HA 6/25)

Cypriot pres. Anastasiades meets with EU pres. Donald Tusk to discuss his idea of inviting Netanyahu and PA pres. Abbas to separately address upcoming EU meetings in Brussels. Tusk reportedly agrees to the deal in advance. (HA 6/29)