The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished 4 residential structures and a solar panel south of Hebron; 1 Palestinian protesting the demolition was injured. Israeli settlers sprayed graffiti and slashed the tires of 23 cars in Dayr Istya near the Ariel settlement. In East Jerusalem, the Israeli high court of justice approved the demolition of 13 large Palestinian-owned buildings in Sur al-Bahir containing 100 apartments. In Israel, a Palestinian from the West Bank died in a work-related accident in Arugot. So far in 2019, 41 people have died from work-related accidents in Israel. (HA, HA, WAFA 6/17; HA, WAFA 6/18)

An Israeli official said that the Israeli government decided to postpone the evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar due to pressure from the U.S. The official said that the U.S. wants Israel to hold off on evacuating Khan al-Ahmar until the U.S. peace plan is presented. (HA 6/18)

A U.S. White House official said that Israeli official representatives would not be invited to the Bahrain workshop on the economic part of the U.S. peace plan to keep the event from being “political.” (Axios, HA 6/17)

The former president of Egypt Mohamed Morsi died shortly after collapsing in a courtroom in Egypt. Mohamed Morsi had been imprisoned since the Egyptian military ousted him in a coup in 2013. (BBC 6/17; HA, HA 6/18)

U.S. acting secretary of defense Patrick Shanahan announced that the U.S. will deploy 1,000 more troops to the Middle East. Shanahan cited threats from Iran as a reason for the deployment. (HA 6/18)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers using bulldozers razed Palestinian-owned land in Madama south of Nablus. Israel arrested 9 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Hebron, Bayt Safafa, Qalqilya, and Jenin. In Gaza, 2 bodies were found under the rubble of an apartment building destroyed by Israeli missiles in Bayt Hanun; this brings the comprehensive death toll to 32 Palestinians from the weekend’s violence. (MNA, WAFA, WAFA 5/6; MNA, WAFA 5/7)

The Israeli army announced that all Gaza and West Bank crossings into Israel will be closed from midnight (Israeli time) 5/6 to midnight 5/9 for the Israeli celebrations of Memorial Day and Independence Day. Palestinians will be prohibited from entering Israel except for medical and other emergencies. (HA 5/6)

After the cease-fire reached between Hamas and Israel in the late hours of 5/5, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, “the battle is not over and requires patience and level-headedness. We are prepared to carry on.” The comment indicates that the Israeli bombing campaign is not over. A Hamas spokesperson said in response to Netanyahu’s statement: “Netanyahu’s declarations are ridiculous. The resistance factions have succeeded in deterring and humiliating his military. Our message is that this round is over, but the conflict will not be until we get our rights.” (HA 5/6)

The Israeli supreme court overturned Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to prevent 181 Palestinians from the West Bank to partake in a joint Memorial Day ceremony in Tel Aviv. However, only 100 Palestinians will be allowed to attend the Memorial Day ceremony. The event is organized by Combatants for Peace, a group of Israelis and Palestinians working for reconciliation. Netanyahu’s decision was 1st made public on 5/1. (HA 5/6)

U.S. acting secretary of defense Patrick Shanahan said that the U.S. was sending an aircraft carrier to the Middle East because of indications of a “credible threat by Iranian regime forces.” (AJ 5/6)