The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shut down a major checkpoint nr. Nablus; patrol during the day in 3 villages nr. Hebron, 2 nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Jericho; conduct late-night raids in Hebron and 1 nearby village, as well as 1 village nr. Bethlehem, arresting 4 Palestinians. IDF troops also violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists gathering in Kafr Qaddum village nr. Qalqilya to protest the Israeli occupation; there are no serious injuries. In East Jerusalem, right-wing Jewish activists throw stones at Palestinian vehicles, injuring 1 woman. Palestinian youths in the area clash with the Jewish activists; there are no serious injuries. (MNA 7/4; JP, MNA 7/5; PCHR 7/9)

PA pres. Abbas appoints Saeb Erakat secy.- gen. of the PLO, replacing Yasser Abed Rabbo, who Abbas fired on 6/30. The secy.-gen. is the 2d most powerful position in the PLO. Erakat will take office on 7/13. (JP 7/4)

In Gaza, Hamas police shut down the offices of mobile phone company Jawwal (Hamas ordered the company to close on 6/26). Israeli forces on the Gaza border e. of Khan Yunis conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. the border fence. In the West Bank, IDF troops shoot and injure a Palestinian man at the Qalandia checkpoint. IDF troops later conduct a raid in a nearby village, sparking minor clashes with stonethrowing Palestinian youths. The IDF conducts a late-night raid on offices of the Palestinian Water Authority in a village nr. Ramallah, confiscating 2 computers; patrols during the day in 2 villages nr. Hebron. Israeli settlers assault a Palestinian man with sticks and stones nr. Ramallah, moderately injuring him. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers spray price-tag graffiti on a wall in Bayt Safafa. Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian man on a raid nr. the Old City. (MNA, REU, WAFA, YA 6/30; MNA 7/1; PCHR 7/2)

Following Palestinian attacks on 6/29, Israeli authorities set new restrictions on Palestinians entering Jerusalem, rolling back some of the restrictions loosened for Ramadan on 6/16. Specifically, women between 16 and 30 and men under 50 will need a permit to enter the city on Fridays. (HA, MNA 7/1)

Following a meeting of senior PLO officials in Ramallah, PA pres. Abbas fires PLO secy.-gen. Yasser Abed Rabbo, citing his absence from recent meetings. Abed Rabbo responds to the announcement of his firing by saying, “Abbas does not have the authority to fire me. The only party that is authorized to do so is the PLO Exec. Comm., which has to hold a general meeting.” Senior PLO officials also approve a temporary cabinet “shuffle” as negotiations continue on the formation of a new consensus govt. Abbas assigns PM Hamdallah to make “slight changes” to the govt., reportedly shifting 5 ministers. (JP, MNA, TOI 7/1)

The U.S. State Dept. issues a special statement clarifying that, while the Obama admin.“strongly opposes” BDS efforts targeting Israel, it does not have a similar stance regarding “Israeli-controlled territories,” referring to the anti-BDS provision that became law as part of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 on 6/29. (HA, JTA, MDW, PNN 7/1)

In Vienna, reps. of the P5+1 and Iran agree on a 7-day extension to today’s deadline for a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program. (BB 6/26; JP, NYT, TOI 6/30)

UN Sec. Council votes 12-1 with 2 abstentions to approve resolution 687 outlining strict terms and timetable of cease-fire in Gulf war. Cuba votes against; Yemen and Ecuador abstain. Resolution becomes effective once it is accepted by Iraq [NYT, WP, LAT 4/4; BADS 4/4 in FBIS 4/5; MET 4/16].

Kurdish leaders continue to appeal for international help as failed rebellion causes mass exodus towards Turkish and Iranian borders. Senior State Dep't. official meets with Iraqi dissident intellectuals in Washington in show of sympathy for Kurds; Ankara says it will not permit mass entry of Kurds into Turkey; Iran says it will accept refugees, and asks for international aid [NYT, LAT 4/4].

Jewish Agency head Simcha Dinitz reports Soviet Jewish immigrants to Israel reached almost 15,000 during March and is expected to climb to 25,000 during April [NYT 4/4].

U.S. military officials proclaim emergency relief program for Kuwait nearly complete, but express concerns about Kuwait gov't.'s ability to continue reconstruction after Americans leave [WP 4/4].

Spokesperson for DFLP in Amman states that Sec.-Gen. Nayif Hawatimah has dismissed his deputy, Yasir Abd Rabbo, and replaced him with Taysir Khalid; DFLP wing in Tunis proclaims Abd Rabbo its leader [MEM 4/4; RAY, KUNA, DUT 4/5 in FBIS 4/8].

Yasir Arafat meets with UN Sec. Gen. Javier Perez de Cuellar in Geneva to discuss report submitted by UN envoy Jean-Claude Aime on 7/4 [INA 7/8 in FBIS 7/9; MEM 7/9].

PLO reports it is prepared to discipline Abul Abbas and PLF for 5/30 attempted raid on Israel, but only after U.S. agrees to resume and expand U.S.-PLO dialogue. "We want a real dialogue, not a mailbox to send questions and wait for answers," says Yasir Abd Rabbo [NYT 7/13].

Fateh Central Committee opens meetings in Tunis [INA 7/11 in FBIS 7/ 12].

Israeli police officer is stabbed and seriously wounded while patrolling near Church of Holy Sepulchre in the Old City [NYT, LAT 7/9].

Israeli air force jets destroy Hizballah base in Jarjuh, Lebanon, killing 2 and wounding at least 7; military says base was used for organizing attacks inside Israelicontrolled "security zone" in S.Lebanon [IDF 7/8 in FBIS 7/9; NYT, LAT 7/9].

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Israeli reservist convicted of stealing money from West Bank residents returning from Jordan. Chrmn. of US Joint Chiefs of Staff arrives from mtg. with Pres. Gemayel for 3-day visit with IDF officials. Zionist General Council convenes in Jerusalem to discuss settlement, immigration, Jewish education, as well as crisis in the Zionist movement. Muhammed Amireh, journalist with al-Quds, placed under town arrest for 6 mos. Palestinian journalist, Raymonda Tawil prevented from leaving West Bank to participate in political debate for West German television. Meir Kahane, after stating to press he would turn himself in only if later released on bail, reports to Jerusalem police station; released on IS25,000 bail and ordered to turn over US passport to authorities.

Arab World: 3 PLO Executive Committee members, Abdul Mohsen Abu Maizar (Ind.), Ahmed al-Yamani (PFLP) and Yasser Abed Rabbo (PDFLP), leave talks in Tunis, return to Damascus. Syrian and Lebanese FMs meet in Riyadh with Saudi counterparts for talks on Lebanon security plan; talks focus on Syrian call for repudiation of May 17 agreement.