The Palestine Chronology

The White House announces that U.S. special envoy George Mitchell has submitted his resignation, effective 5/20 (the day Obama is to meet with Netanyahu at the White House). Secy. of State Clinton appoints Mitchell aide David Hale as interim special envoy. (NYT, WP 5/14)

In Jerusalem, Israeli police and settlement security guards outside Beit Yonatan in Silwan fire on stone-throwing Palestinian youths, seriously wounding a Palestinian teenager walking some distance away. Numerous clashes are also reported, particularly around East Jerusalem, as Palestinians demonstrate in commemoration of the Nakba. In the Jordan Valley, a Palestinian boy is injured when he accidentally triggers IDF UXO. Palestinians (sometimes accompanied by Israeli and international activists) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, and Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters, injuring 2 Palestinians (including 1 child) and 1 international activist; 2 Palestinians and 2 Israeli activists are arrested. (WP 5/15; PCHR 5/19; OCHA 5/20)

Heeding calls fr. Palestinian organizers on Facebook, 100s of Jordanians in Amman and 1,000s of Egyptians in Cairo rally after Friday prayers in support of Palestinian rights. (AP, DPA, Huffington Post 5/13)

In Cairo, reps. of 15 small Palestinian factions initial the national unity deal agreed by Fatah and Hamas on 4/27. Fatah and Hamas plan to sign the text on 5/4. (WP, WT 5/4)

In the West Bank, Jewish settlers illegally enter Nablus to pray at Joseph’s Tomb and refuse to leave, barricading themselves inside the tomb and sparking stone-throwing clashes with Palestinians. The IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, arresting Hamas-affiliated fmr. PC mbr. Issa alJabari. Palestinians report the arson of a mosque in Hawara nr. Nablus, blaming Jewish settlers. OCHA reports that since 4/27, 3 Gazan children have been injured when they accidentally triggered unexploded IDF ordnance (UXO). (WP 5/4; PCHR, WJW 5/5; OCHA 5/6)