The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces handed demolition notices for 4 Palestinian-owned homes in al-Tuwani south of Hebron; delivered notices for land seizures near Bethlehem; and confiscated 2 residential tents near Nablus. Elsewhere, Israeli forces set up roadblocks on roads to several villages north of Ramallah. 6 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 during raids in and around Ramallah, Hebron, and Kafr Qaddum; 1 was arrested at a checkpoint near Jenin. During a raid in Ramallah, Israeli forces seized a vehicle. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian farmland east of Khan Yunis; no injuries were reported. In Israel, 1 Palestinian was arrested for working without a work permit. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/12; PCHR 2/13)

The Lebanese army opened fire at Israeli drones flying over Lebanese territory, causing the Israeli drones to vacate Lebanese air space. (HA 2/12)

The UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner released the UN database of companies with ties to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The long-awaited list included 112 business, 94 in Israel and 18 in 6 other countries. Among the companies are Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, Motorola Solutions, and Tripadvisor. (HA, OHCHR (see A/HRC/43/71), REU, WAFA, WAFA 2/12)

Japan announced that it was providing $33 million in aid to Palestinians via a number of UN institutions and through the International Committee of the Red Cross. (WAFA 2/12)

In the West Bank, 14 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Jenin, and Salfit. Israeli forces also raided houses in the Hebron area and set up flying checkpoints around Hebron. A Palestinian demolished his own home in Bir Oneh, west of Bethlehem, to avoid Israeli demolition fees. For the 3d day in a row, Palestinian schoolchildren suffered tear gas inhalation in Hebron after Israeli forces fired tear gas grenades into the yards of 4 different schools. In the West Bank village of ‘Ayn Yabrud, 25 Palestinian-owned cars were vandalized by Israeli settlers. The cars were punctured and sprayed with graffiti spelling “revenge” accompanied by a Star of David. In East Jerusalem, dozens of Israeli settlers protected by Israeli forces stormed Haram al-Sharif through the Moroccan Gate to perform prayers. Seven Palestinian minors were arrested in East Jerusalem during late-night raids, including the son of the PA governor of Jerusalem Adnan Ghaith. (MNA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA 4/9; HA, MNA, MNA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, 4/10)

The Israeli Prison Service started relocating hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners in the Naqab and Ramon prisons in order to obstruct their hunger strike that began 4/8. (WAFA 4/9)

Airbnb announced that it was reversing its policy of removing West Bank settlement listings from its website (Airbnb announced that policy in November 2018) after settling a lawsuit against the company by Jewish American plaintiffs. (HA, Airbnb 4/9; MNA 4/10)

As citizens of Israel went to vote in the Israeli general elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party handed out around 1,200 small cameras to Israeli right-wing activists so that they could film at polling stations in predominantly Palestinian areas of Israel to intimidate Palestinian voters. Israeli police confiscated dozens of these cameras at polling stations. The Hadash-Ta’al list filed an urgent complaint to the Central Elections Committee to have the cameras removed immediately. (HA, MNA, +972 4/9; HA 4/15)

Thousands of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s border to continue the Great March of Return. IDF troops violently disperse the demonstrations near Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Yunis, Jabaliya refugee camp, and al-Bureij refugee camp; at least 17 Palestinians are injured. In East Jerusalem, the Israeli authorities order a Palestinian restaurant in the Old City to close for 10 days as punishment for hiring a West Bank resident who did not have permission to enter East Jerusalem. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian minor amid clashes sparked by a raid in Balata refugee camp near Nablus. They also patrol near Hebron, Salfit, and Tulkarm. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/1; MNA, MNA 3/2; PCHR 3/7)

Texas comptroller of public accounts Glenn Hegar places the U.S.-based home-sharing company Airbnb on Texas’s “List of Companies that Boycott Israel,” triggering a suspension of all state dealings with the company. The move is reportedly an implementation of the law Texas passed in 2017 barring state contracts with companies that boycott Israel. (HA, JTA 3/4)

A Palestinian stabs and injures an Israeli settler outside the Bethlehem-area settlement Gilo. Israeli forces then seal the entrances to nearby Bayt Jala and conduct extensive raids and searches for the alleged attacker. The alleged attacker turns himself in to the Israeli authorities later in the day. Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalize a Palestinian playground under construction outside Burqa village near Nablus. Israeli forces raze a small swath of Palestinian land near Jericho and uproot approximately 500 palm trees in the area. IDF troops arrest 8 Palestinians during raids near Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus, and Tulkarm; and patrol near Hebron. Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near Gaza City. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishermen near Jabaliya refugee camp, causing no damage or injuries. (MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, TOI, WAFA 11/20; MNA, WAFA 11/21; PCHR 11/22)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when Israeli forces shot him outside a police station in Jabal Mukabir on 11/14. (MNA, WAFA 11/20)

One day after the U.S.-based home-share company Airbnb announced it would no longer offer listings in Israel’s West Bank settlements, Israel’s Tourism Minister Yariv Levin says that the Israeli government intends to “act on several levels” to get the decision reversed. “First, we have turned to the management of the company, demanding that the decision be canceled,” he says. “We will help apartment owners to file claims in the U.S. in order to reach a situation that at least the company will have to compensate them for the damage it causes them.” (HA, TOI 11/21)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attempt to set a Palestinian vehicle on fire and throw rocks at Palestinian homes in Urif village near Nablus, causing minor damage. After some Palestinian residents confront the settlers, IDF troops enter the village, sparking clashes with stone-throwing residents; 8 Palestinians are injured. Separately, IDF troops arrest a Palestinian at Qalandia checkpoint when she is found with a knife on her person; arrest 6 Palestinians during further raids near Bethlehem, Hebron, and Qalqilya; and patrol near Hebron, Tulkarm, and Salfit. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian mobile home in Qalandia refugee camp near Jerusalem. The Palestinian owner was living in the mobile home since Israeli forces demolished his previous home on 6/20. Israeli forces raze a plot of Palestinian land and confiscate a vehicle, demolish 2 car washes, a food shop, several storage buildings and offices in Silwan and Jabal Mukabir; and arrest 5 Palestinians during late-night raids in Issawiyya. Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians gather along Gaza’s northern coast to continue the Great March of Return and to cheer on a number of Palestinian boats sailing in a symbolic challenge to the Israeli blockade. IDF troops and Israeli naval forces violently disperse the protests; 10 Palestinians are injured. Earlier in the day, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land near the site of the planned protest. (MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, MNA, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/19; MNA 11/20; PCHR 11/22)

Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, both of the Jewish Home Party, announce that they intend to remain in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ruling coalition and that they are dropping their demand for Bennett to take over the Defense Ministry. “There’s no apocalypse on the way. There are enemies, but not an enemy that worries me,” Bennett says. (HA, JP, YA 11/19)

Haaretz reports that Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority last week increased by 1,500 the number of permits awarded to West Bank Palestinians hoping to work as dishwashers and cleaners in Israeli restaurants, bars, and cafes. The increase is reportedly designed to ease the strain on restaurant owners who are struggling to find enough low-cost labor. Before this increase, approximately 30,000 West Bank Palestinians were permitted to come into Israel to work such jobs. (HA 11/19)

UNRWA commissioner general Pierre Krähenbühl tells reporters that the agency’s budget shortfall, which was created by U.S. president Trump’s decision to slash U.S. aid to UNRWA earlier this year, has been cut to $21 million, following another round of pledges from the EU and several Gulf countries. The deficit was reportedly $64 million as recently as last week. “This is a very encouraging result at the end of a lot of work,” Krähenbühl says. (AFP, TOI 11/19)

Airbnb, a U.S.-based home-share company with listings all over the world, announces that it is removing all 200-some of its listings in Israel’s West Bank settlements. “We concluded that we should remove listings in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank that are at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians,” a statement from the company reads. In response, Israel’s Tourism Minister Yariv Levin instructs his deputies to restrict the company’s operations across Israel. Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan calls on the settler-hosts who used Airbnb to sue the company using Israel’s anti-boycott law. “National conflicts exist throughout the world,” he argues. “Airbnb will need to explain why they chose a racist political stance against some Israeli citizens.” (EI, HA, JP, YA, YA 11/19; AJ, BBC, CNN 11/20)

Marking the second major BDS victory of the day, the Canadian Federation of Students, Canada’s largest and oldest students’ association, endorses the BDS movement and condemns the “ongoing occupation of Palestine.” Marking the third, the Quakers in Britain Church, a group 17,000 strong, announces that it is divesting from companies that profit from the Israeli occupation. “This includes companies—whichever country they are based in—involved for example in the illegal exploitation of natural resources in occupied Palestine, and the construction and servicing of the separation barrier and Israeli settlements,” a senior church official explains. (TOI, TOI 11/19; JP, JP, JTA, TOI 11/20; EI 11/21)