The Palestine Chronology

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian protesters participating in the Great March of Return near Jabaliya refugee camp, Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and Rafah for a 3d day in a row; 8 Palestinians are injured (1 critically). IDF troops also shoot and injure a Palestinian minor along the border fence near Gaza City and arrest 4 unarmed Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel near Rafah. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during raids in and around Tulkarm, Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, and Qalqilya; and patrol in and around Hebron and Bethlehem. Israeli settlers flood a Palestinian orchard near Hebron with sewage, damaging some crops. Palestinians throw rocks at an Israeli settler bus near Ramallah, lightly injuring the driver. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces patrol in Abu Dis, sparking clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian students; 6 Palestinians are injured. The IDF arrests 9 Palestinians during late-night raids in Issawiyya. (TOI, WAFA 4/1; MNA 4/2; PCHR 4/5)

IDF Maj. Gen. Mordechai confirms international press reports that the Israeli authorities are withholding the corpses of 2 Palestinians killed along Gaza’s border fence on 3/30. He says that they have no intention of returning the corpses until Hamas returns the remains of the 2 IDF soldiers and the 2 Israeli civilians allegedly being held in Gaza. (JP, TOI, YA 4/1)

Israeli DM Avigdor Lieberman rejects calls from the UN and EU for an independent and transparent investigation into in the Israeli killings of peaceful protesters in Gaza on 3/30. Instead, he says that “our troops deserve a commendation.” (JP, MNA 4/1; HA 4/2)

IDF bulldozing operations continue in Rafah. The IDF also reopens the Erez industrial zone to Palestinian workers over age 30; burns a grove of 80 almond trees nr. Tal Rumayda settlement in Hebron; fires on Palestinian farmers tending an orchard nr. Tulkarm, seriously injuring 1; fires on residential areas, demolishes a workshop in Dura nr. Hebron; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids nr. Jenin. In Nablus, 3 Hamas mbrs. are killed when something explodes in or nr. their car in what may be an assassination. The IDF raids the UNRWA offices in Jenin, fires a shot at senior project manager Paul Wolstenholme, handcuffs and blindfolds him, holds him for 3 hrs., threatening him with violence; IDF officials later apologize. (PSCT, VOI, VOP 5/23 in WNC 5/25; NYT 5/24; PR 5/26; PCHR, WP 5/27; MEI 5/28)

Nr. Hebron, the IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian doctor at a checkpoint; Jewish settlers destroy a Palestinian garden, vineyard, orchard. (LAW 5/22; MEI 5/31)