The Palestine Chronology

Israeli DM Ehud Barak signs an order banning 36 foreign nonprofits that have given money to charities run by the Islamic Charitable Association (ICA), which Israel alleges is connected to Hamas (see Quarterly Update in JPS 148), initiating what it vows will be an “unprecedented” military campaign to seal “scores” of offices that had received money from the 36 groups, viewing the action as “essential for the disruption of Hamas operations” in the West Bank. Late at night, the IDF raids and seals the first 7 ICA charities in Nablus. During the day, the IDF detains 1 Palestinian at a demonstration against the separation wall in Ni‘lin (see 7/5); a Palestinian girl videotapes soldiers handcuffing, blindfolding, beating the Palestinian, then shooting him at close range with a rubber-coated steel bullet, injuring him; he is treated by a IDF medic and released. Nr. Salfit, an armed Palestinian shoots, wounds a Jewish settler fr. nearby Yaqir settlement, is shot dead by an IDF soldier; the IDF later (7/20) alleges that the gunman, Mahmud ‘Azi fr. Qarawat Bani Hasan, was the head of the ICA. Late in the evening, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in al-Bireh, nr. Bethlehem and Hebron. Meanwhile, Palestinians fire 2 mortars from Gaza toward Israel; both land inside the Strip, causing no damage or injuries. (BBC 7/7; IFM, OCHA 7/9; BBC, IFM, PCHR 7/10; AHR 7/20; PCHR 7/24)

The IDF calls up another 3,000 reservists; shells a building in Tulkarm r.c., killing 1 PSF officer (children nearby reportedly were stoning the tank); imposes 24-hr. curfews on Abu Dis, Anabta, Araqa, Bayt Jibrin r.c., Bayt Wazzan, al-Funduq, Hashimiyya, Kafr Rumman, Yamun, Zawata; conducts arrest raids and house-to-house searches in Jenin town and surrounding villages, fatally shooting a 2d Palestinian in Yamun; directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at the al-Mawasi checkpoint and residential areas in Dahaysha r.c., Khan Yunis; fire live ammunition, rubber bullets at Palestinians approaching al-Bireh, Jawal, Surda checkpoints into Ramallah; bulldozes nearly 100 dunams of agricultural land n. of Bayt Lahia. The PA places Hamas spiritual leader Shaykh Ahmad Yasin under house arrest, arrests 11 Hamas mbrs. in Gaza. An IDF soldier dies of injuries received on 6/15; a Palestinian boy dies of injuries received on 6/21. (HP 6/23; NYT, WP, WT 6/24; RMC 6/24 in WNC 6/25; NYT 6/25; QA 6/25 in WNC 6/26; LAW 6/26; PCHR 6/27)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate, leaving 8 Palestinians dead, including senior Islamic Jihad mbr. Sa'ir al-Khruf, who is assassinated by the IDF. (1 Palestinian dies en route to the hospital when his ambulance is detained by the IDF for over 1 hr.) In Nablus, 20,000 Palestinians attend a funeral for 3 of the dead killed overnight. Israel allows a small number of West Bank, Gaza Palestinians over age 35 to attend Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque. Those that are barred scuffle with Israeli police who respond with rubber bullets, stun grenades, tear gas. The IDF also placed curfews on Salfit, Qasrah to conduct an arrest sweep. IDF directed shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas in Aida, Aqbat Jabir camp, Bayt Jala (damaging an elementary school), al-Bireh, Dayr al-Balah, Nablus, Ramallah (damaging the PA Local Government Min.), Tulkarm; bulldozes Palestinian agricultural land across Gaza, in Qalqilya. In Rafah, the IDF fires a shell at a family protesting the bulldozing of their land, injuring 6 children. Jewish settlers attack Palestinian property around Qalqilya, shoot at Palestinians in Silt al-Thahir (wounding 1). (ADM, LAW 12/15; NYT, WP, WT 12/16; PCHR 12/18; NYT 1/17)

Israel's Ben-Ami meets with Arafat at Erez to discuss resuming peace talks, holds follow-up mtg. with PA Information M `Abid Rabbuh in Tel Aviv. The State Dept. says that midlevel Israeli, PA negotiators may come top Washington the wk. of 12/18. (NYT, WP 12/16) (see 12/10)

In Gaza, over 30,000 Palestinians attend a Hamas rally in support of continuing the al-Aqsa intifada no matter what stand the PA regarding negotiations with Israel. (MEI 12/22)