The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assaulted 2 Palestinian farmers in Khirbet al-Tawil, leading to their hospitalization. Israeli settlers also threw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Turmus ‘Ayya, causing damage. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian at al-Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron; Israeli authorities say the man had pulled a knife on the soldiers, but no injuries were reported among the Israeli forces. Israeli forces also razed farmland and uprooted some 80 olive trees in Bayt Umar. For the 2d time in less than 7 days, 1 Palestinian was injured by an unexploded ordnance left behind by Israeli forces near Hebron; the 1st time was on 1/8. 21 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Jenin refugee camp, Qabatiya, Ya‘bad, Tubas, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Bayt Umar, and Qalqilya; clashes erupted during the raids in Ramallah, leading to tear-gas related injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided al-Tur, leading to tear-gas related injuries; 4 Palestinians were arrested. In Gaza, Israeli forces made incursions and leveled farmland east of Khan Yunis. Israeli forces also shelled several places in the northern part of Gaza after claiming that an Israeli vehicle had been shot at; no injuries were reported. (HA, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/13; PCHR, WAFA 1/14)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at a campaign rally in Nazareth to try to reach out to Palestinian citizens of Israel after demonizing that part of the Israeli population for decades. At the rally, Netanyahu shared the stage with Nazareth mayor Ali Salam, who spoke in favor of the prime minister. 19 people were arrested during a demonstration against Netanyahu and several people were injured by police, including Palestinian-Israeli members of Knesset. (HA 1/13; HA, MEE 1/14; HA 1/15)

The Jerusalem planning commission approved plans to build a permanent U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. Haaretz reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu had been pressuring the city to accelerate the approving process before U.S. president-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. (HA 1/13)

In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian man in c. Hebron after he stabs and injures an Israeli soldier. Late at night, the IDF raids several homes owned by the man’s family in a village nr. Hebron, issuing 2 arrest summons and confiscating property. During the day, IDF troops patrol in 1 village nr. Tulkarm and 2 nr. Ramallah. Nr. Qalqilya, 2 Palestinian children are injured in an explosion of suspected unexploded ordnance. Off the coast of Gaza nr. Gaza City, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats, causing damage to 2 boats. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces clash with stone-throwing residents of al-Tur, Silwan, and Issawiyya hours after the killing of a Palestinian at a checkpoint in the area on 4/24; 26 Palestinians are injured by rubber-coated metal bullets, around 50 suffer tear gas inhalation, and 1 Israeli police officer is hurt. Later in al-Tur, a Palestinian driver rams a car into a group of Israeli police officers, injuring 3. (They will arrest the man early on 4/26.) Israeli forces conduct late-night raids in Silwan and Jabal Mukabir, arresting 2 Palestinians. (HA, MNA, NYT, TOI, WAFA 4/25; MNA, WAFA, YA 4/26; PCHR 4/29)

In the West Bank, a Jewish settler opens fire on a group of Palestinian youths who throw stones at him as he passes nr. Iraq Burin village nr. Nablus, killing 1 Palestinian teenager. Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar nr. Nablus set fire to a Palestinian car and vandalize a Palestinian home in the nearby village of ‘Ayn Abous. The IDF prevents Palestinian farmers guarded by solidarity activists (including PA officials and a rep. of the U.S. consulate) fr. reaching their agricultural land nr. Bet Ayn and Karme Tzur settlements nr. Hebron; patrols in 2 villages nr. Qalqilya, 1 nr. Jenin, and 1 nr. Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem Jewish settlers harass Palestinians in Silwan. In Gaza, 2 Palestinian brothers tending sheep nr. Shuka village accidentally trigger IDF UXO, killing 1 Palestinian boy and 2 sheep. (OCHA, WP 1/28; PCHR 2/3; OCHA 2/4)

More than 10,000 Yemenis rally in Sana’a and 1,000s in other cities around the nation, taking inspiration from antigovernment protests in Tunisia and Egypt. The government deploys riot police, but little violence is reported. Government spokesmen state that the regime “strongly respects the democratic right for a peaceful assembly.” Unlike Tunisia and Egypt, where demonstrations were spontaneous and broad based, those in Yemen seem to be made up mostly of students organized by opposition parties. While all protesters highlight poverty, corruption, and lack of jobs among their grievances, they seem divided on other key goals, with some prioritizing secession for the south and others calling on Pres. Saleh to resign after being in power for more than 30 yrs. (NYT, WP, WT 1/28)

In Tunisia, after a spike in violence in the week following Ben Ali’s departure on 1/14 (mostly involving desperate Ben Ali loyalists making a final attempt to reassert control) and days of low-level demonstrations (1,000 or fewer protesters) denouncing the high number of Ben Ali loyalists in the new interim government, demonstrations taper off. By this date, the interim government has reduced the curfew and released at least 1,800 political prisoners, with more to be freed soon. Today, a reshuffled interim government with the “clear mission” of guiding “a transition to democracy” is announced and begins work to redraft the constitution and prepare for elections in 6 mos. While most mbrs. of Ben Ali’s old cabinet have now stepped down, Ghannouchi retains his post as interim PM but vows he will not run in elections. (NYT 1/27, 1/28; NYT 2/14; see also NYT, WP, WT 1/17; NYT, WP, WT 1/18; NYT 1/19; WP 1/20; WT 1/21; WP 1/26)

In a major speech to the Saban Center in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Clinton says the admin. has concluded that talks on extending the Israeli settlement freeze would come to nothing and opted to revive shuttle missions between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, trying to get them to discuss all core issues simultaneously and offering U.S. bridging proposals when appropriate. She says U.S. special envoy George Mitchell will return to the region within days to begin work. (NYT 12/11; HA 12/14)

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging for construction materials, wounding 3 in 3 separate instances (1 in the demolished Erez industrial zone and 2 in the fmr. Jewish settlement sites). IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire on agricultural areas nr. Khuza‘a village, wounding a Palestinian teenager 800 m fr. the border. In Gaza City’s Shuja‘iya neighborhood, 2 Palestinian teenagers are killed when they accidentally trigger unexploded IDF UXO. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts early morning arrest raids, house searches nr. Hebron; conducts patrols in al-Naqura village twice during the day (mid-morning and late at night) and in 5 villages nr. Qalqilya (late at night). Palestinians (accompanied by Israeli and international activists in some areas) hold weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall, land confiscations, and settlement expansion in Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Bayt Umar, and Dayr Nizam/Nabi Salih. IDF soldiers fire rubbercoated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at the protesters; 2 Palestinians are injured and 1 Israeli, 1 American, and 1 German are arrested. (PCHR 12/16; OCHA 12/17)

Abbas, Netanyahu, Clinton, and Mitchell continue direct talks at Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, meeting for 2 hrs. They allow a joint photo opportunity but do not address the press. (WP 9/15; NYT, WP, WT 9/16; PCHR 9/23; OCHA 9/24)

Just as the Jerusalem talks begin, Gaza’s PRCs fire 1 rocket and 9 mortars fr. Gaza into Israel (the highest 1-day total since 3/09), causing no damage or injuries. Israeli police claim 2 of the mortars contained white phosphorous and that the rocket, which landed in Ashkelon, appeared to be a manufactured Grad type, rather than a homemade Qassam; the IDF, however, calls the rocket a Qassam. (Ashkelon is in range of both Qassams and Grads.) The Israeli daily Yedi’ot Aharonot (9/16) cites an unidentified mbr. of an unnamed Gaza militant group as confirming that 2 mortars contained white phosphorous taken from unexploded IDF ordnance (UXO) from Operation Cast Lead, saying the Gaza factions are experimenting with modifying Israeli UXO for use against Israel. The IDF retaliates with air strikes on a smuggling tunnel on the Rafah border (killing 1 Palestinian civilian, wounding 3), a factory n. of Khan Yunis (destroying it and damaging several surrounding homes, greenhouses, and businesses, but causing no reported injuries), and a vacant home southwest of Khan Yunis (destroying it). IDF troops also make a brief morning incursion 400 m. into s. Gaza e. of Khan Yunis to level land to clear lines of sight. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts separate synchronized late-night patrols in 2 villages e. of Qalqilya and 2 villages nr. Ramallah, making no arrests; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron, nr. Jenin. (HA, JP, YA 9/15; CNN, JP, PCHR, WT, YA 9/16)

In Gaza, 3 unidentified Palestinians are injured when explosives they are handling detonate accidentally. Later, 2 Palestinian children are injured when they accidentally trigger UXO. (OCHA 10/8)

In the West Bank, the IDF raids houses in al-Shuyukh nr. Hebron, arresting 3 Palestinians (2 of whom are quickly released); patrols in Izbat al-Tabib nr. Qalqilya, detaining and violently beating 3 Palestinians; conducts late-night raids, house searches nr. Hebron, Nablus, Jenin, and in ‘Ayn alSultan r.c., arresting 10 Palestinians (including 1 teenager); imposes a half-day curfew in Wadi al-Shajana nr. Hebron. (PCHR 10/8)

The IDF resumes air strikes on rocketlaunching sites in Gaza, citing the need to respond to 15 rockets, 10 mortars fired by Islamic Jihad fr. Gaza into Israel (causing light damage but no injuries) since the IDF assassinations on 3/12. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts daytime arrest raids, house searches in and around Qalqilya and in Tulkarm and neighboring Nur al-Shams r.c.; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Jenin. In Bethlehem, 1,000s of Palestinians from all factions observe a general strike and attend the funeral for 4 Islamic Jihad and AMB mbrs. assassinated on 3/12 in a massive show of unity and protest against Israel’s ongoing attacks since the 11/07 Annapolis conference. A Palestinian shepherd is critically injured when he accidentally triggers IDF UXO nr. Jericho. Jewish settlers fr. Beit Hadasah in Hebron attack a Palestinian elementary school, demolishing a wall and several structures for the ongoing expansion of the school, attempt to occupy the school, beat a Palestinian security guard; the IDF removes the settlers. Israel’s Jerusalem Planning Comm. gives preliminary approval for construction of 2,200 Jewish settler housing units in Givat Hamatos in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Bayt Safafa. In al-Bureij r.c., unidentified assailants kidnap an Islamic Jihad mbr. (BBC 3/13; NYT 3/14; OCHA, PCHR 3/19)

The IDF makes an air strike targeting wanted Hamas mbrs. Arafat al-‘Arayir and Ziad Hillis outside a mosque in Gaza City, seriously wounding both men. An 8- yr.-old Palestinian boy is killed, his father injured when the boy accidentally triggers IDF UXO. In the West Bank, the IDF fires on stone-throwing Palestinians nr. Qalandia crossing, wounding 1; shoots, wounds 5 Palestinians attempting to sneak into Jerusalem to find work. Jewish settlers fr. Keddumim nr. Qalqilya attack, damage 2 Palestinian vehicles driving near the settlement. Jewish settlers in Hebron throw garbage, dirty water at Palestinian worshipers attempting to reach the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs to celebrate Laylat al-Qadr. (OCHA 10/10; PCHR 10/11)

Overnight, the IDF escalates operations in Gaza allegedly targeting rocket-launching sites, sending tanks, bulldozers, undercover units into areas of central Gaza, demolishing 14 Palestinian homes, leveling 90 d. of olive groves, killing 4 Palestinians (1 armed man and 2 civilians, including 1 teenager who is hit by shrapnel from a tank, then run over by an IDF bulldozer), arresting 20. The IDF continues operations in al-Shuka, arresting 20 Palestinians, partially demolishing 3 Palestinian homes, and bulldozing 11 d. of agricultural land before withdrawing in the evening. The Israeli navy fires on Palestinian fishing boats off the Rafah coast, forcing them back to shore. In Nussayrat r.c., IDF UXO explodes, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF continues operations in ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’a r.c., demolishing 2 Palestinian homes and 1 other building, firing on stone-throwing Palestinians who confront them, wounding 12; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Qalqilya, nr. Nablus. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Haniyeh meets again (see 9/18) with Islamic Jihad and other faction leaders to urge a halt to rocket fire on Israel; no agmt. is reached. (NYT, WP 9/21; OCHA 9/26; PCHR 9/27)

The IDF makes air strikes on a suspected Islamic Jihad rocket launch site nr. Rafah airport, sends in troops to occupy and search the area, causing damage but no injuries; fatally shoots an Islamic Jihad mbr. laying a roadside bomb nr. an IDF observation tower at the Nahal Oz crossing. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Qalqilya and in Jenin town and r.c.; seals 8 Palestinian shops in the Old City of Hebron nr. Beit Romano settlement, declaring the area a closed military zone. A 15-yr.-old Palestinian is injured by IDF UXO nr. Jenin. The Hamas-led admin. in Gaza fires Exec. Dir. Hazza’ Abed, Public Relations Dir. Juma‘ al-Saqqa of Gaza City’s al-Shifa hospital, charging them with financial improprieties and corruption, and arresting Saqqa; Fatah claims that the men were removed for political reasons. In Gaza City, unidentified assailants detonate an explosive device outside the Fatal al-Yasir offices, causing damage but no injuries. (NYT 8/10; OCHA 8/15; PCHR 8/16)

In Gaza, the IDF makes an air strike on a suspected rocket launching site nr. Bayt Hanun, causing no injuries. In Dayr al-Balah, 4 Palestinian children are injured by IDF UXO. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in al-Tur nr. Jerusalem; orders the closure of a Palestinian barbershop in Hebron, stating it is too close to Beit Romano settlement; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Jenin. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba beat a 12-yr.-old Palestinian boy. Jewish settlers fr. Otniel uproot another 100 Palestinian olive trees nr. the settlement as part of the expansion begun on 7/14. Jewish settlers beat a Palestinian farmer tending his land nr. Qalqilya. (OCHA 7/18; PCHR 7/19; OCHA 7/25)

Unidentified assailants detonate a roadside bomb targeting a UNIFIL convoy driving through Tyre, causing no injuries. Hizballah condemns the attack. (NYT 7/17) (see 6/24)

During the day, Palestinians fire 9 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, lightly injuring 1 Israeli. Late in the evening, the IDF makes air strikes on 3 Hamas targets, damaging at least 20 Palestinian homes and a mosque but causing no reported injuries; conducting arrest raids and temporarily occupying 2 Palestinian homes in Khan Yunis, exchanging fire with armed Palestinians, leaving 2 Hamas mbrs. dead, 1 bystander seriously wounded. In Bayt Lahiya, 3 Palestinian children are injured by IDF UXO. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in the Old City of Jerusalem, 2 houses just s. of Jerusalem, 2 houses nr. Hebron (for the expansion of Harsina settlement); conducts arrest raids, house searches in Jericho (exchanging fire with wanted AMB mbrs., wounding 1 and arresting 2), in and around Nablus and Ramallah (arresting senior AMB mbr. Khalid Shawish), and nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya. Fatah, ESF mbrs. exchange fire in Gaza City, set up rival road blocks and checkpoints to mark off areas of control; no injuries are reported. (NYT 5/29, 5/30; OCHA 5/30; PCHR 5/31)

The IDF conducts a predawn raid on Jenin, placing the town under curfew, prompting an exchange of gunfire in which 1 IDF soldier is wounded; fires on a Swiss envoy’s diplomatic vehicle at Erez crossing for no apparent reason, causing damage but no injuries (Switzerland files a formal protest.); fires on stone-throwing youths in Tulkarm, killing 1 Palestinian; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Bayt Furik, 1 outside Hebron, 1 in al-Til; confiscates 7 dunams of land in Habla, nr. Qalqilya; fires on residential areas of Bayt Furik, Khan Yunis, Tulkarm r.c.; conducts arrest raids in Abu Dis, Balata r.c., Bethlehem, Kafr Dan, Qalqilya, Tubas, Yamun; tightens roadblocks around Ramallah. In Hebron, 5 Palestinian children are injured when they trigger unexploded munitions while playing. Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets at Sederot, causing no damage or injuries; detonate a roadside bomb underneath an IDF vehicle in Gaza, causing damage but no injuries. Extremist rightwing Jewish settlers affiliated with the “hilltop youth” and the outlawed Kach movement announce plans to launch a “personal incitement campaign” against Sharon in light of his approval of the road map. (HA 5/27; AFP 5/27 in WNC 5/28; NYT, WT 5/28; MA 5/28 in WNC 5/29; LAW, PCHR 5/29)