"The Taba negotiation began on Sunday evening, January 21, and ended on Saturday afternoon, January 27. At the closing press conference, the parties issued this joint statement: 'The sides declare that they have never been closer to reaching an agreement and it is thus our shared belief that the remaining gaps could be bridged with the resumption of negotiations following the Israeli election...'
...As Taba ended, there was general talk about further steps. One proposal was a meeting of Barak and Arafat, before the election, to achieve an undefined breakthrough or to agree on a framework. Another suggested reconvening the negotiators after the election, with the goal of reaching agreement by April 30."
Feb. 6, 2001
Election of Ariel Sharon
"In a special election held February 6, 2001, Ariel Sharon was elected Prime Minister, decisively defeating Ehud Barak. He presented his government to the Knesset on March 7, 2001. He pursued an uncompromising line against Palestinian terror groups and Yasser Arafat, and insisted that Arafat was an obstacle to peace and personally responsible for much of the violence of the Intifada."
Apr.-May 2001
Mitchell Report
"Former Senator George Mitchell headed an international commission that assessed the causes of the [al-Aqsa] Intifada and made a series of recommendations for transforming the situation. The findings were privately conveyed to the administration on April 30, 2001, and released to the public on May 21. They specified steps that both Palestinians and Israelis needed to take: the Palestinians on security, including specific action against the groups and the infrastructure responsible for terror; and Israelis on restoring normal life to Palestinians, including the removal of barriers to Palestinian movement of people and goods and a freeze on settlement activity."
June 13, 2001
Tenet Plan
"Following the failure of the Mitchell Plan to end the Palestinian-Israeli violence begun in September, 2000, US CIA Director George Tenet worked out a detailed plan for ending the violence and resuming negotiations, with the consent of the parties. The plan went into effect June 13, 2001, but resumption of negotiations was conditional on there being a single week free of violence. No such week occurred. By March 2002, Israeli PM Sharon said he would be willing to forego the week of quiet. However, Israeli forces had invaded Palestinian areas by this time, and Palestinians refused to negotiate until Israel withdrew its forces."
Aug. 27, 2001
Israel Assassinates PFLP Leader
"The leader of the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine has been killed in an Israeli attack. Palestinian sources say Abu Ali Mustafa died when at least two missiles struck his office in the West Bank town of Ramallah, not far from the offices of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Israeli military forces confirmed that they had carried out the attack, saying the missiles were fired by a helicopter gunship. Mustafa is the highest-ranking Palestinian official to be assassinated by the Israelis since the start of the 11-month Palestinian uprising."
Oct. 17, 2001
PFLP Assassinates Israeli Minister
of Tourism
"A rightwing Israeli minister was shot dead in a Jerusalem hotel today [October 17, 2001] by a suspected Palestinian gunman... The Syria-based Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine immediately claimed responsibility for murder of the far-right tourism minister, Rehavam Ze'evi. Mr Ze'evi was shot three times in the head and neck at close range in the Hyatt Hotel, which is close to Palestinian areas in east Jerusalem, police said... In statements to Arab television stations, the group said the shooting was in retaliation for the death of the PFLP leader, Mustafa Zibri, who died in an Israeli rocket attack on August 27."
Jan. 5, 2002
Israel Captures the Karin-A
"The Israeli Army said today [Jan. 5, 2002] that it had seized a ship carrying 50 tons of rockets, mines, antitank missiles and other munitions meant for Yasir Arafat's Palestinian Authority, even as the Bush administration's envoy met with Mr. Arafat in the hope of strengthening his declared cease-fire with Israel. Palestinian officials denied any link to the ship, the Karine A, and dismissed the announcement a day after the seizure as propaganda timed to undermine Mr. Arafat. But Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz, chief of staff of the Israeli Army, said that the Karine A was owned by the Palestinian Authority, which governs Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and that its captain and several of its officers were members of the Palestinian naval police... Most of the military equipment found aboard the ship was from Iran, General Mofaz said."
Mar. 13, 2002
U.S. & U.N. Security Council Officially Call
for
Palestinian
State
"The United States ended years of resistance to Security Council action on the Middle East conflict late tonight [Mar. 13, 2002] when it sponsored and helped pass a resolution formally endorsing the concept of a Palestinian state and calling for 'the immediate cessation of all acts of violence.' The American resolution, which passed by a vote of 14 to 0 with Syria abstaining, affirmed 'a vision of a region where two states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side within secure and recognized borders.' It also called on the Palestinians and Israelis to restart negotiations on a political settlement."
Mar. 28, 2002
Arab Peace Initiative
"The Arab League adopted... the first 'pan-Arab initiative' for peace in the Middle East, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa announced. The plan, offered by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, was adopted in a closed session following hours of wrangling over its final language.
The plan, in its broadest terms, offers Israel security and 'normal relations' in exchange for a withdrawal from occupied Arab territories, creation of an independent Palestinian state with al-Quds al-Shareef (East Jerusalem) as its capital, and the 'return of refugees...' Asked how 'normal relations' are defined, Prince Saud al Faisal, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, said, 'We envision a relationship between the Arab countries and Israel that is exactly like the relationship between the Arab countries and any other state...'"
"In late March 2002, as the Saudi 'peace plan' made headway among the Americans, Europeans and UN delegates (in the form of resolution 1397), and the Arab League adopted it at the Beirut summit, Sharon was once again momentarily cornered. Almost immediately, the revenge attack long expected from the 'camps war' of early March came on March 27, in the form of a Hamas suicide bombing in Netanya in which 29 Israelis were killed at Passover celebrations. The pretext for Operation Defensive Shield, the last but probably not the final round of Sharon's campaign against the PA, was now in place.
In the largest call-up of Israeli reservists since 1967, from March 28 to April 4 all of the major West Bank towns except Hebron and Jericho, as well as a score of villages, were invaded and reoccupied. The ferocity and scale of the invasion was without precedent. But what was also different about Defensive Shield was the different nature of its targets. Three main towns, Ramallah, Nablus and Jenin, suffered the greatest devastation. The latter two had experienced the wrath of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in early March and once again the target was the resistance forces based in their refugee camps. But in Ramallah, the target was openly the infrastructure of the PA.
Prior to Defensive Shield, Israeli destruction of PA institutions had remained limited to security installations, as well as infrastructure that had the trappings of future sovereignty such as the Gaza airport and [sea] port. Now, for the first time, the PA's civilian infrastructure was targeted. From the second week onward, the invasion saw daily rounds of blasting entrances followed by ransacking, aimed at everything from the Legislative Council offices to the Ministries of Education, Finance, Agriculture, Trade and Industry to municipal buildings and Chambers of Commerce. In some cases, the attacks included "expert teams" brought in to find incriminating material -- some of it likely destined for the vaunted "Arafat dossier" Sharon took to his meeting with Bush in Washington in early May...
By April 21, Israeli tanks had pulled out of the cities they had occupied save for two critical sites of standoff: Arafat's compound in Ramallah and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where roughly 30 fighters had taken refuge along with scores of town residents. The siege on Arafat, for the umpteenth time, was a symbol of Sharon's power to impose house arrest on him in full view of the international community... Ostensibly, Sharon's siege on Arafat aimed to compel him to turn over six fugitives being held inside: four men implicated in the assassination of former Minister of Tourism Rehavam Zeevi, plus Ahmad Saadat, secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and Fuad Shobaki, the alleged paymaster for the Karine A weapons ship intercepted by Israel in January [2002]."
July 22, 2002
Israel Assassinates Military Leader
of Hamas
"Israeli F-16 warplanes bombed the house of the military commander of Hamas in Gaza City last night, burying him and at least 11 other Palestinians, including seven children, beneath the rubble of a four-storey block of flats, and wounding 120 others. Last night's assassination of Sheikh Salah Shehadeh is the most serious blow to the military wing of Hamas since the start of the Palestinian uprising nearly two years ago."
Aug. 1, 2002
U.N. Report Disputes Claim
of Jenin "Massacre"
"The United Nations has released its long-awaited report on Israeli- Palestinian fighting in the Jenin refugee camp last spring. The report rejects Palestinian claims of a massacre, but blames both sides for endangering civilians."
Mar. 19, 2003
Arafat Names Mahmoud Abbas Prime Minister
of the
Palestinian Authority
"Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has officially asked his moderate deputy, Mahmud Abbas, to share power with him. His elevation to Prime Minister comes a day after Parliament approved the creation of the post.Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to be the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority."
Apr. 30, 2003
U.S. Publishes "Road Map"
"The United States yesterday [Apr. 30, 2003] released the long-awaited 'road map' towards a Middle East peace settlement with the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state by 2005. The move came hours after a new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, popularly known as Abu Mazen, was sworn in and made a public commitment to curb attacks on Israeli civilians."
June 4, 2003
Bush, Sharon, Abbas Meet at Aqaba, Jordan, Peace Summit
"At a Mideast peace summit [Aqaba, Jordan] convened by President Bush, the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers promised Wednesday [June 4, 2003] to take real, if limited, steps toward ending their bloody conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Sharon promised to immediately begin dismantling unauthorized Jewish outposts on the West Bank, while Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmod Abbas explicitly asserted that the 'armed intefadeh must end,' referring to the Palestinians' 32-month uprising against Israel."
June 19, 2003
Israel Begins Construction of West Bank Security Wall/Fence
"[T]he Israelis have started building a fence that eventually will continue for more than 200 miles -- roughly coinciding with Israel's 1967 border with the West Bank. But there are several major detours to ensure that Ariel, Immanuel and other major Jewish settlement communities on the West Bank are on the Israeli side of the fence. Surveyed from the air, it's a massive project. It's eventual cost: an estimated $220 million."
"... Palestinian PM Mahmoud Abbas, with Egyptian help, has succeeded in getting Islamic Jihad, Hamas andFatah to agree to a ceasefire, or in Arabic, 'Hudna', in order to facilitate implementing the Roadmap peace plan. In response, Israel overnight withdrew forces from an area of the Northern Gaza strip they had been controlling, and handed it over to Palestinian security forces."
Aug. 21, 2003
Palestinian-
Israeli Cease-fire Declared Dead
"A senior Hamas official declared a cease-fire dead on Thursday [Aug. 21, 2003] shortly after Israeli helicopter missiles killed Ismail Abu Shanab, a leader of the militant Islamic group."
Oct. 14, 2003
Geneva Accord Unveiled
"A group of prominent Israeli and Palestinian politicians, working outside official channels, have written a symbolic peace agreement that they hope could be a foundation for future negotiations... The proposal, dubbed the Geneva Accords, will be formally signed at a ceremony planned for next month in that Swiss city. The Israeli delegation was led by Yossi Beilin, a former justice minister. The most prominent Palestinian wasYasir Abed Rabbo, a former information minister. Under the proposal, a Palestinian state would be created that would include the entire Gaza Strip and almost all of the West Bank. The capital would be in the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem."
Nov. 18, 2003
E.U. Formally Condemns Israeli West Bank Wall/Fence
"The European Union is to formally condemn Israel's controversial 'security fence' in the occupied West Bank. With relations strained anew by alleged anti-semitism in Europe, the Israeli foreign minister, Silvan Shalom, yesterday demanded a 'more balanced' EU stance on the Middle East conflict. Meeting EU foreign ministers in Brussels, he insisted the fence was intended to keep out Palestinian suicide bombers and would be dismantled in the event of a peace settlement. But in a strongly worded statement to be issued today [Nov. 18, 2003], the EU says the fence could prevent the creation of a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel. It recognises Israel's right to protect itself from terrorist attacks, but urges it to avoid civilian casualties and to end extra-judicial killings."
Dec. 16, 2003
Sharon Announces Gaza
Plan
"At the Herzliya Conference [Dec. 16, 2003], Sharon announces his 'disengagement plan,' which he says will include 'the redeployment of IDF forces along new security lines and a change in the deployment of settlements ... In the framework of a future agreement, Israel will not remain in all the places where it is today.'"
Ha'aretz, "Disengagement Timeline," (accessed online Sep. 17, 2007)
Feb. 2, 2004
Sharon Announces Complete Gaza Withdrawal
"The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, told his dismayed Likud Party today [Feb. 2, 2004] that he plans to dismantle the Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, his most direct commitment yet on unilateral steps if peace talks fail, participants in the meeting said. Mr Sharon spoke to his fellow party members just hours after telling the Ha'aretz daily he had 'given an order to plan for the evacuation' of the 17 Gaza settlements, which are home to about 7,500 Israelis. 'I don't know if it will be done in one go, or gradually, but over the course of time, it will not be right to continue Jewish settlement in Gaza,' a Likud official quoted him as telling the meeting. Mr Sharon referred to the Jewish settlements in Gaza as 'a security burden and a source of continuous friction,' said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. He had earlier told Ha'aretz that he envisaged a future where there would be 'no Jews in Gaza', but warned that the extraction of so many communities could prove to be a long process."
Mar. 22, 2004
Hamas Founder and Spiritual Leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Killed by
Israeli Airstrike
"Hamas founder and spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was killed in an Israeli airstrike Monday morning [Mar. 22, 2004] as he was leaving a Gaza City mosque. Seven others were killed in the strike, Palestinian officials said. Sixteen people were wounded in the attack, including two of Yassin's sons; seven of the wounded were in critical condition, hospital spokesmen said. Palestinian security sources told CNN that Yassin's car and vehicles carrying his bodyguards were hit by three rockets as he was leaving a mosque after morning prayers."
Apr. 17, 2004
Abdel Aziz al Rantissi, Killed by Israeli Airstrike
"The head of the Hamas militant Islamic movement in Gaza, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, has been killed in a targeted Israeli missile strike on his car [Apr. 17, 2004]... Two other people in Rantissi's car died and several passers-by were hurt."
July 9, 2004
World Court Rules Against West Bank Fence/Wall
"The International Court of Justice ruled Friday [July 9, 2004] in The Hague that the separation fence being built by Israel in the West Bank was in breach of international law, and called on Israel to tear it down and compensate Palestinians harmed by its construction. The court's non-binding advisory on the legality of the fence called on the United Nations Security Council to consider 'further action' to stop the construction of the barrier."
Oct. 26, 2004
Israel's Parliament Votes in Support of Dismantling all Jewish Settlements in Gaza
"Israel's parliament voted Tuesday night [Oct. 26, 2004] to close all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, evacuate their 8,100 residents and withdraw thousands of Israeli troops that protect them, handing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a major political victory on an issue that has created a deep rupture in Israeli politics and society. Sharon's Gaza disengagement plan was approved by a 67 to 45 vote in the 120-member parliament, or Knesset, even though almost half the members of his Likud Party and most of his traditional allies in ultranationalist and religious parties abandoned him. Sharon was supported instead by longtime opponents in more dovish parties who historically have viewed him as their archenemy."
Nov. 11, 2004
Yasser Arafat Dies in Paris
"For the last several years of his [Yasser Arafat] life he was in failing health and rumored to have Parkinson's Disease. His conditioned worsened in October 2004. Israel agreed to allow him to be transferred to a hospital in Paris on October 29 where his wife stayed by his side. He died November 11, 2004, at age 75... After his death, Arafat’s body was flown from Paris to Cairo, where a ceremony was held in his honor attended by numerous foreign dignitaries. Arafat’s remains were then flown to Ramallah where he was interred in a grave near his headquarters."
Jan. 10, 2005
Abbas Elected as Successor to Arafat
"Mahmoud Abbas was elected Palestinian Authority president by a landslide, results showed Monday, giving the pragmatist a mandate to resume peace talks with Israel - but also leaving him with the tough task of reining in powerful armed groups. Israeli leaders welcomed Abbas' victory, but said they will watch closely how hard he tries to subdue militants... Abbas said the Palestinians were 'ready for peace' with Israel, and he was eager to resume talks based on the internationally backed 'road map' peace plan."
Associated Press, "Abbas Wins Palestinian Vote in Landslide," Jan. 10, 2005
Jan. 24, 2005
Palestinian Militants Agree to Ceasefire
"Hamas and Islamic Jihad have agreed to suspend attacks on Israel in order to give the new Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, time to secure international guarantees for a comprehensive ceasefire that would end more than four years of intifada. Mr. Abbas told Palestinian television yesterday that it was 'essential' that Israel reciprocate by ending its targeting of armed Islamist groups. He said he had made 'significant' progress in talks with Hamas and Islamic Jihad and expected to reach a comprehensive agreement with them soon on an array of political and security issues that would effectively end their war on Israel."
Guardian Unlimited, "Islamists Halt Attacks on Israel: Abbas Seeks Pledge from Sharon to Win Lasting Ceasefire," Jan. 24, 2005
Feb. 8, 2005
Sharon and Abbas Agree to Wide-Ranging Ceasefire
"Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and Ariel Sharon, prime minister of Israel, held summit talks at this Egyptian resort on Tuesday -- the highest-level meeting between the sides in four years -- and declared a truce in hostilities. Mr. Abbas said he and Mr. Sharon 'have jointly agreed to cease all acts of violence against Israelis and Palestinians everywhere,' while Mr. Sharon said they 'agreed that all Palestinians will stop all acts of violence against all Israelis everywhere, and in parallel, Israel will cease all its military activity against all Palestinians everywhere.' Officials said Israel would also pull back its troops from five West Bank cities -- Jericho, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Tulkarm and Qalqilya -- in the next three weeks and stop the arrests and assassinations of top militants if they agree to put down their weapons."
New York Times, "Urging New Path, Sharon and Abbas Declare Truce," Feb. 8, 2005
DISENGAGEMENT, HAMAS & OCCUPATION OF GAZA
2005 - PRESENT
Back to Top
DATES
EVENT
Mar. 10, 2005
Sasson Report
"In March of 2005, Talia Sasson prepared a report at the request of the Prime Minister's Office, which identified 24 outposts established after March 2001, 71 established before that date, and ten outposts established at an uncertain date. The report created a sensation by documenting the fact that outposts had been creating [sic] in contravention of the laws, often on land of dubious ownership, both before and after the March 2001 cutoff date. Most of the facts have been known for a long time, but this was the first time they had been admitted in an official report. Sasson's report did not discuss the legality of settlements, though some have tried to claim that the report showed that all settlements are illegal according to Israeli law. Prime Minister Sharon vowed to dismantle the outposts. However, a cabinet meeting, a ministerial committee was appointed to study the report, and no action was taken to evacuate settlements. Sasson prepared a summary of the report, which is the only version made public as of March 18. The translation of the summary that is below is the version posted at the Web site of the Prime Minister's office."
Ami Isseroff, "The Sasson Report about Illegal Outposts," Mar. 2005
Aug. 22, 2005
Gaza Withdrawal
"Israeli soldiers removed the last Jewish settlers and protesters from the Gaza Strip August 22 and have moved on to the final stages of the withdrawal: clearing out four small settlements in the West Bank. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party-led government proceeded with the unilateral withdrawal throughout a week of emotional protests and mostly nonviolent confrontations between settlers and soldiers. Israel has controlled the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since it won the territory during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, also known as the Six-Day War. Some parts of Gaza and the West Bank were under Palestinian control before the withdrawal; after the Israelis leave, the area formerly occupied by the settlements will fall under Palestinian control."
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), "MIDDLE EAST: The Gaza Withdrawal," CFR website (accessed Oct. 18, 2007)
Nov. 21, 2005
Sharon Leaves Likud, Establishes Kadima
"Ariel Sharon caused the biggest upheaval in Israeli politics in nearly three decades by resigning as leader of the ruling Likud party yesterday [Nov. 21, 2005], saying that it was unfit to run the country. The prime minister announced the launch of a new party, National Responsibility [Kadima], to compete in the general election in March. Opinion polls suggest it will drive the once dominant Likud to the margins of Israeli politics, because of infighting in the ruling party over the removal of Jewish settlers from the Gaza strip, and compete with the Labour party for power."
Guardian Unlimited, "Sharon Alters Political Landscape by Leaving Likud," Nov. 22, 2007
Jan. 5, 2006
Sharon Replaced After Stroke
"Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was in 'serious' condition and was expected to undergo several more hours of brain surgery after suffering a major stroke, a hospital official said Thursday [Jan. 5, 2006] morning...
With Sharon in surgery, under anesthesia and on a respirator, his powers were transferred to Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, a key ally who followed Sharon in bolting from the Likud bloc to form a new centrist party and shake up Israeli politics. Sharon's stroke plunged the country into political uncertainty less than three months before a pivotal election."
CNN, "Sharon Fights for Life After Stroke," Jan. 5, 2006 [Editors Note: As of Dec. 26, 2007, Ariel Sharon remains in a coma from this incident]
Jan. 26, 2006
Hamas Wins Palestinian Parliamentary Election
"The radical Islamic movement Hamas won a large majority in the new Palestinian parliament, according to official election results announced Thursday [Jan. 26, 2006], trouncing the governing Fatah party in a contest that could dramatically reshape the Palestinians' relations with Israel and the rest of the world. In Wednesday's voting, Hamas claimed 76 of the 132 parliamentary seats, giving the party at war with Israel the right to form the next cabinet under the Palestinian Authority's president, Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of Fatah."
Washington Post, "Hamas Sweeps Palestinian Elections, Complicating Peace Efforts in Mideast," Jan. 27, 2006
Mar. 28, 2006
New Israeli Centrist Party, Kadima, Wins Israeli Parliamentary Election
"Israelis voted Tuesday [Mar. 28, 2006] to bring to power a new centrist party, Kadima, which is committed to a further pullout from the occupied West Bank. Kadima's leader, Ehud Olmert, will become prime minister, but his support proved tepid and he will find it harder than expected to impose his agenda on a larger coalition. Kadima, founded in November by Ariel Sharon when he broke with the Likud Party, won the most seats in the 120-member Knesset, or Parliament. But with 99.7 percent of the vote counted Wednesday morning, Kadima is expected to win only 28 seats, fewer than voter polls had suggested. At the same time, Israelis turned away from the right, and Mr. Olmert should be able to carry out his plan for another withdrawal, unilaterally if necessary, from the West Bank to reduce the costs of the continuing occupation."
New York Times, "Israeli Voters, by Thin Margin, Support Parties Vowing Pullout," Mar. 29, 2006
July - Aug. 2006
Israel-Lebanon War
July 12, 2006 "Hezbollah fires a pair of rockets into northern Israel from southern Lebanon, and guerrillas capture two Israeli soldiers during an attack along the Lebanese border between the Israeli towns of Zar'it and Shtula. Eight Israeli soldiers also die in fighting that day. In response, Israeli ground, air and naval forces attack at least eight Hezbollah bases and five bridges in southern Lebanon."
July 22, 2006 "Israeli ground forces enter southern Lebanon and take control of Maroun Al-Ras... Hezbollah rockets fall in Haifa, Safed, Nahariya, Carmiel and the area around Avivim."
Aug 14, 2006 "A cease-fire takes effect at 8 a.m. (1 a.m. ET). Israeli forces kill four Hezbollah fighters during four clashes, one in Farun and another near Hadata, the Israeli military says. About 10 rockets are fired inside Lebanon, but land in Lebanese territory. Thousands of displaced residents of southern Lebanon begin returning to their homes, jamming roads and bridges with traffic, despite Israeli military warnings that the region is not safe. More than 908 Lebanese and 159 Israelis have been killed since fighting began July 12, officials say. The IDF says about 4,000 rockets were fired into northern Israel during 34 days of fighting."
CNN, "Special Report: Crisis in the Middle East ('Background: Mideast Conflict Timeline')," (accessed Oct. 23, 2007)
June 10-15, 2007
Hamas Takes Over Gaza Strip
"An uneasy calm has returned to the Gaza Strip where Hamas is in full control following a series of attacks on key strongholds of its rival, Fatah. Hamas militants seized the presidential compound in Gaza City overnight after a week of factional fighting, which has left more than 100 people dead. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sacked the Hamas-led government on Thursday [June 14, 2007] and declared an emergency."
BBC, "Hamas Takes Full Control of Gaza," June 15, 2007
June 17, 2007
Abbas Names New Caretaker Government
"The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, swore in an emergency government Sunday, reasserting his authority over the West Bank days after the rival group Hamas routed his forces in Gaza and seized power there... Under the circumstances, the Palestinian swearing-in ceremony in Ramallah was a somber affair. Salam Fayyad, an internationally respected economist, will serve as prime minister, finance minister and foreign minister in the 12-member cabinet... Hamas has dismissed the emergency government as illegitimate, insisting that the Hamas-dominated unity government, which Abbas dissolved, is still in charge."
International Herald Tribune, "Abbas Names New Cabinet in Bid to Restore Order," June 17, 2007
Nov. 27, 2007
Annapolis Peace Conference
"President Bush today announced an agreement by Israeli and Palestinian leaders to work toward a peace pact by the end of 2008. Flanked by the two leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Mr. Bush congratulated them for agreeing to follow a 'road map to a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...'
The gathering at the United States Naval Academy included delegations representing 49 countries and international organizations, and it brought about the highest-level official contacts between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which do not have diplomatic relations."
New York Times, "Framework for Mideast Peace Talks Set at Conference," Nov. 27, 2007
June 19, 2008
Israel-Gaza Ceasefire
"The start of a six-month truce between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, took effect as scheduled on the Gaza border at 6 a.m. Thursday... If it holds, Israel hopes the cease-fire will halt the recurrent rocket and mortar fire from Gaza that has killed four Israeli civilians this year and caused widespread trauma and disruption of life in Israeli towns and villages close to the Gaza border. For its part, Hamas wants to end the frequent Israeli military strikes and incursions into Gaza. It also wants an easing of the economic blockade that Israel has imposed since Hamas took over the area a year ago."
New York Times, "Gaza Cease-Fire Takes Hold," June 19, 2008
July 16, 2008
Israel-Lebanon Prisoner Swap
"Five Lebanese prisoners have been handed over to the Hezbollah movement by Israel, as part of a swap for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers. The freed men arrived to a heroes' welcome at the Naqoura border crossing on Wednesday, just hours after Israel received coffins containing the remains of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, two Israeli army reservists captured in 2006. The prisoners released were Samir Kuntar, who was jailed for three murders in Israel in 1979, and four men captured during the 34-day war sparked by the capture of Goldwasser and Regev… Hezbollah also received the bodies of almost 200 people, including the body of Dalal al-Maghrebi, a female fighter with the Palestinian Fatah movement…"
Al Jazeera, "Israel Returns Lebanese Prisoners,” July 16, 2008
Dec. 27, 2008
Israeli Bombardment and Occupation of Gaza
"[A]fter seven days of aerial bombardment [that started Dec. 27, 2008]... Following an artillery barrage aimed at detonating buried explosives and mines, Israeli armored columns began moving into Gaza in an apparent attempt to take control of areas used by Palestinian militants to fire rockets into southern Israel. Israeli officials stressed that the objective was to deal further punishing blows to Hamas in the hope of deterring further rocket fire... Although the eight-day air campaign in Gaza has claimed some 450 Palestinian victims, and continues to inflict damage on Hamas fighters — as well as, inevitably, nearby civilians — the attacks have not kept Hamas from launching more missiles. At least 15 rockets fired from Gaza struck southern Israel on Saturday... [Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud] Barak and [Interim Israeli Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert have made clear that their objective is not to wipe out Hamas, but instead to force the radical group to accept a durable cease-fire on Israel's terms. While they hope to weaken Hamas, Israel's leaders are aware that a military campaign is unlikely to destroy the organization that remains the most popular political force in Gaza. Any attempt to do so would require not only a massive invasion of all of Gaza, but also an open-ended reoccupation of a hostile population, a trap Olmert and Barak want to avoid at all costs."
CNN, "Israel Invades Gaza, Hoping to Pummel Hamas into a Truce,” Jan. 3, 2009
Jan. 21, 2009
Israel Announces a
Unilateral Ceasefire and Israeli Troops Leave Gaza
"The Israeli army says it has completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, following a three-week assault against militants from the Hamas group... Earlier, the UN urged Israel to fully open all of Gaza's borders to allow reconstruction work to begin... A temporary ceasefire between Israeli troops and Hamas came into effect on Sunday - but it does not include any agreement on the opening of crossings, which are tightly controlled by Israel...
Overall, Palestinian medical sources in Gaza say at least 1,300 Palestinians were killed during the three-week conflict, which began on 27 December. Thirteen Israelis, including three civilians, were killed, the Israeli army says. Thousands of homes were destroyed, and the territory's infrastructure has been badly damaged."
Close Israeli Elections Results in Netanyahu Forming a Government
"Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the right-leaning Likud party, became Israel's prime minister on March 31, 2009 following unusual parliamentary election results that saw the centrist Kadima party [led by Tzipi Livni] win the most seats but not enough to forge a coalition government.
Netanyahu, however, was able to form a coalition of about 70 seats in the 120-member Knesset and, in the process, created the largest Cabinet in Israel's history when he increased the number of ministers to 30 in order to satisfy his coalition partners' competing demands."
PBS, "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," Apr. 16, 2009
June 4, 2009
Obama Supports Two-State Solution and Opposes Settlements in Cairo Speech
"In his long-anticipated Cairo address to the Muslim world, U.S. President Barack Obama reaffirmed Washington's strong backing for a Palestinian state, using the term 'Palestine' numerous times to highlight his administration's commitment to follow through on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While reaffirming Washington's 'unbreakable bond' with Israel, Obama said that there can be no denying of the right of 'Palestine' to exist, and that he would 'personally pursue' the realization of a Palestinian state 'with all the patience that the task requires.'
''Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's,' Obama said. The president also issued a blunt repudiation of Israel's settlement enterprise in the West Bank, an issue that has strained Washington's ties with Jerusalem.
Ha'aretz, "Obama in Cairo: Israelis Can't Deny Palestine's Right to Exist," June 4, 2009
June 14, 2009
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Conditionally Endorses Palestinian State
"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed a Palestinian state beside Israel for the first time on Sunday, reversing himself under U.S. pressure but attaching conditions such as having no army that the Palestinians swiftly rejected. A week after President Barack Obama's address to the Muslim world, Netanyahu said the Palestinian state would also have to recognize Israel as the Jewish state - essentially saying Palestinian refugees must give up the goal of returning to Israel. With those conditions, he said, he could accept ‘a demilitarized Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state.’”
Huffington Post, "Netanyahu Peace Speech: Israeli Prime Minister Appeals to Arab Leaders for Peace," June 14, 2009
Aug. 4, 2009
Fatah Holds First Party Congress in 20 Years
"Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sought to reinvigorate his Fatah movement Tuesday, launching the party's first congress in 20 years -- and its first ever in the West Bank. More than 2,000 delegates from around the world have gathered here to choose a new party platform and hold elections for Fatah institutions. 'Although peace is our choice, we reserve the right to resistance, legitimate under international law,' Abbas told the delegates in an animated two-hour speech. The Palestinian leader made it clear that by 'resistance,' he meant nonviolent protests rather than armed confrontation, praising peaceful weekly demonstrations against a controversial barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank. Abbas also said that Palestinians remain committed to the goal of establishing an independent state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem as its capital."
Washington Post, "Abbas's Party Holds Convention," Aug. 5, 2009
Aug. 26, 2009
Palestinian Authority Issues Plan to Create Palestinian State within Two Years
"The government of Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority issued a detailed plan to establish a de-facto Palestinian state within two years, outside the framework of the Roadmap and of the Oslo Interim Agreement. The Palestinian Authority had rejected a proviso of the roadmap that would allow them to declare a state within the framework of the second stage of the roadmap. The state program would bring them into direct conflict with Israel, especially since the borders of the state are declared as including all of the land occupied by Israel in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. The Hamas, which rules the Gaza strip, objected. The European Union expressed support for the plan, but Israel's foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman warned that Israel would prevent unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state."
Ami Isseroff, "Palestine: Ending the Occupation, Establishing the State," MidEast Web, Aug. 31, 2009
May. 31, 2010
Israeli Commandos Board a Flotilla of Ships Carrying Aid for Gaza and Kill Nine Activists
"At least nine people died, and 30 were wounded, when Israeli troops boarded a flotilla of ships carrying aid for Gaza on Monday, 31 May 2010. It was the ninth attempt since 2008 to break an Israeli and Egyptian blockade of the Gaza Strip by sea, but the first that has resulted in bloodshed. The six ships were boarded in international waters, about 80 miles from the Israeli coast. Commandos landed on the largest ship, the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara, by descending on ropes from helicopters. They were attacked by the activists on board and opened fire....
The activists say the commandos started shooting as soon as they hit the deck. Israeli officials say the commandos fired in self-defence... There has been widespread condemnation of the violence. The UN Security Council has issued a statement calling for a 'prompt, impartial, credible and transparent' inquiry into the raid."
BBC, "Q&A: Israeli Deadly Raid on Aid Flotilla," June 6, 2010
Jan. 23, 2011
Leaked Documents Show Palestinians Willing to Make Major Concessions to Cut a Peace Deal
On Jan. 23, 2011, Al Jazeera television began leaking hundreds of pages of documents belonging to the Palestinian negotiating team. "For one thing, the documents show that Palestinian leaders appeared to be far more willing to cut a peace deal than most Israelis, and even many Palestinians, believed.
In contrast with Israelis' portrayal of Palestinian leaders as rejectionists, the Palestinians come across in the papers as the side better-prepared, with maps, charts and compromises, even broaching controversial trade-offs that went beyond what their own people were probably ready to accept.
Though publicly Palestinians have insisted on a full right of return for refugees, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas acknowledged in March 2009 that deep concessions would have to be made. 'It is illogical to ask Israel to take 5 million [refugees] or, indeed, 1 million,' Abbas is quoted as telling his team…
As well, the Palestinians offered in 2008 to allow Israel to annex most of the large Jewish housing developments built around Jerusalem on land seized during the 1967 Middle East War. As part of the offer, Israel would have had to give up comparable land around Jerusalem and agree to evacuate several large West Bank settlements."
Los Angeles Times, "Leaked Documents Show Palestinians Ready to Deal," Jan. 26, 2011
May 4, 2011
Palestinian Rivals Fatah and Hamas Sign Reconciliation Pact
"The rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have signed a landmark reconciliation pact aimed at ending their bitter four-year rift.
A ceremony marking the deal, which was mediated by Egypt, took place on Wednesday [May 4, 2011] at the Egyptian intelligence headquarters in Cairo...
The pact provides for the creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government before national elections next year…
The deal calls for the formation of an interim government to run the occupied West Bank, where Abbas is based, and Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections within a year.
Palestinians see this reconciliation as crucial for their drive to establish an independent state in the territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war."
Guardian Unlimited, "Palestinian Rivals Hamas and Fatah Sign Reconciliation Deal," May 4, 2011
May 19, 2011
President Obama Calls for Negotiations to Begin for a Palestinian State Based on Israel's Pre-1967 Borders
In a May 19, 2011 speech at the US State Department, President Obama "pressed Israel, in unusually frank terms, to reach a final peace agreement with the Palestinians, citing the boundaries in place on the eve of the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War as the starting point for negotiation about borders.
The formulation goes beyond principles outlined by President George W. Bush, who stated during his first term that ‘it is unrealistic to expect’ Israel to pull back to the 1967 boundaries, which were based on cease-fire lines established in 1949. Obama said the negotiations about final borders, which he indicated may include land swaps to accommodate Israel’s large settlement blocs, should result in ‘a viable Palestine, a secure Israel.’
The president said a ‘full and phased withdrawal of Israeli military forces’ from the West Bank should be carried out in coordination with Palestinian security forces. He described a future Palestinian state as ‘nonmilitarized,’ a key Israeli demand.”
Washington Post, "Obama Prods Mideast Allies to Embrace Reform, Make Peace," May 19, 2011
Sep. 20, 2011
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas Seeks Full UN Membership for a Palestinian State
"President Mahmoud Abbas told the U.N. chief on Monday he would seek full membership for a Palestinian state at the United Nations, a move the United States and Israel warn could dash hopes of resuming peace talks.
Abbas told U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon he would press ahead with plans to ask for a Security Council vote on Friday on Palestinian membership. Washington has threatened to veto any such move. Ban told Abbas he would send any application submitted to the Security Council and called for the Israelis and the Palestinians to resume talks 'within a legitimate and balanced framework,' U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said...
The White House underscored its threat to veto any Palestinian move at the Security Council and said it would focus on trying to nudge the two sides back to negotiations. 'We've made our position clear, which is that we oppose actions to achieve a Palestinian state through the United Nations,' Obama's deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes told reporters..."
Reuters, "Abbas Presses Palestinian UN Bid, Despite Warnings," Sep. 20, 2011
Oct. 31, 2011
Palestine Becomes 195th Full Member of UNESCO, US Pulls Annual $70 Million Contribution
"Palestine became the 195th full member of Unesco on Monday, as the United Nations organization defied a mandated cutoff of American funds under federal legislation from the 1990s. The vote of Unesco’s full membership was 107 to 14, with 52 abstentions.
The step will cost the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization one-quarter of its yearly budget — the 22 percent contributed by the United States (about $70 million) plus another 3 percent contributed by Israel. Victoria Nuland, a State Department spokeswoman, said that American contributions to Unesco, including $60 million scheduled for this month, would not be paid.
Cheers filled the hall at Unesco’s headquarters here after the vote, with one delegate shouting, 'Long live Palestine!' in French. The Palestinian foreign minister, Riad al-Malki, praised the organization, saying that 'this vote will help erase a tiny part of the injustice done to the Palestinian people' and that it would help protect world heritage sites in Israeli-occupied territory. In a long speech, Mr. Malki said that 'this membership will be the best step toward peace and stability,' insisting that the Palestinian request for membership in Unesco was 'linked in no way to our request to join the United Nations."
New York Times, "Unesco Accepts Palestinians as Full Members," Oct. 31, 2011
Nov. 11, 2011
Palestinian Statehood Bid Stalls after UN Security Council Fails to Vote
"The Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations was effectively stalled Friday after the Security Council approved a report stating its inability 'to make a unanimous recommendation.'
'We knew from the beginning ... that we might not be able to succeed in the Security Council because there is a powerful country that has the veto power,' said Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations. He said that he believed the report was 'objective.' The United States has been vocal about its intention to veto any Palestinian bid for statehood. Last week, France and the United Kingdom said they would abstain from the vote. Those three nations, along with China and Russia, have veto power in the Security Council...
Were a council resolution to pass, the membership bid would be forwarded to the General Assembly, where passage is all but assured. A vote in the near term does not seem likely. But should it take place, diplomats say that the Palestinians are unlikely to get even the nine votes necessary for a resolution to pass, because of a large number of abstentions. The U.S. veto would effectively be moot...
The next step for the Palestinians remains unclear. They could sidestep the Security Council and go straight to the General Assembly, where they would get an upgraded observer status, matching that of the Vatican, but not full membership. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, however, has said that they will not pursue that option."
Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks in Jordan End Without Progress
"The Palestinian Authority president has said the exploratory talks with Israel on resuming full peace negotiations have concluded, without any progress...
Palestinian and Israeli negotiators met five times in recent weeks in the Jordanian capital for what were termed ‘exploratory talks.’… The Quartet of Middle East peace mediators - the US, UN, EU and Russia - said last autumn that they expected both sides to submit detailed proposals on borders and security arrangements, in the hope that the dialogue would encourage the resumption of direct peace talks…
Palestinian negotiators insist that building settlements on occupied land must stop before they agree to reopen talks. Israel says there can be no preconditions to talks and it continues to build in the settlements.”
BBC, "Israel-Palestinian Exploratory Talks 'Over,'" Jan. 25, 2012
May 7, 2012
Israeli PM Netanyahu Forms New Coalition Government With Opposition Leader, Pledging a Renewal of Peace Process
"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the centrist opposition party Kadima formed a surprise unity government Tuesday, extinguishing plans for early elections and cementing Netanyahu’s position as the strongest Israeli leader in years.
The deal gives the governing coalition a vast parliamentary majority, fortifying Netanyahu’s mandate as he presses for possible military action against Iran’s nuclear sites, an idea that has faced growing domestic criticism. It could also shift the hawkish coalition toward the center, granting Netanyahu room to weather threats of revolt by right-wing factions and perhaps leeway to offer concessions to the Palestinian…
The unity deal also included a pledge to ‘renew the political process with the Palestinian Authority.’… New Vice Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz said Tuesday that he had drawn up an interim peace agreement based on borders and security. But he said he would need to discuss it further with Netanyahu, who reiterated his long-held stance that Israel is open to discussions without preconditions, such as a freeze on settlements."
Washington Post, "In Israel, Surprise Unity Government Consolidates Netanyahu's Strength," May 7, 2012
Nov. 12, 2012
Palestinian Authority to Seek Non-Member State Status at United Nations
On Nov. 12, 2012, "the Palestinians distributed a draft resolution to 193 [United Nations] member states in the first practical step of the campaign for international recognition of a future state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. They also seek to upgrade their status to that of a nonmember observer state in the United Nations system…
Israel’s Foreign Ministry has warned foreign governments that a successful Palestinian bid for enhanced status at the United Nations this month could lead Israel to cancel the Oslo peace accords and, possibly, to oust President Mahmoud Abbas and dismantle his Palestinian Authority, according to official documents made available to reporters on Wednesday.
The threats reflect the last-minute brinkmanship under way as the Palestinians forge ahead with plans for a vote on Nov. 29 in the United Nations General Assembly, having rejected a personal plea to hold off from President Obama as they and the Israelis focus their final lobbying efforts on a divided Europe."
New York Times, "Israel Heightens Warnings Over Palestinians' UN Bid," nytimes.com, Nov. 14, 2012
Nov. 14, 2012
Israel Launches Operation Pillar of Defense Against Hamas Militants in the Gaza Strip
"Israel launched its military offensive against Gaza on 14 November, marking the latest eruption in a conflict with Palestinian militants which has raged between the two sides for years. The latest violence has left dozens of people dead, many of them civilians, and shows no sign of ending soon.
Israel's offensive on Gaza began with an air strike that killed the commander of Hamas's military wing, Ahmed Jabari, whom it accused of responsibility for 'all terrorist activities against Israel from Gaza' over the past decade. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) subsequently announced the start of Operation Pillar of Defense, which it said was intended to protect Israeli civilians from rockets and mortars fired by militants in Gaza, as well as cripple Hamas's capability to launch attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was launched because he could no longer ‘accept a situation in which Israeli citizens are threatened by the terror of rockets…' Although Jabari's killing signaled the start of Israel's offensive, it was preceded by spates of deadly cross-border violence which saw Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas's Qassam Brigades, firing hundreds of rockets into southern Israel and the Israeli military shelling Gaza and carrying out air strikes… Mr. Netanyahu has insisted that he is not seeking to topple Hamas.
On 18 November, the prime minister announced that the IDF had attacked more than 1,350 ‘terrorist targets' and had achieved 'significant hits on weapons aimed at Israeli citizens, as well as on those who use the weapons and those who dispatch them.' Israel has said it is doing its utmost to avoid civilian casualties, although more than half of those killed in Gaza have been women and children, according to Hamas officials. The Israeli government has approved the calling up of 75,000 army reservists in apparent preparation for a ground offensive. Some 31,000 have already been summoned…
Since the conflict began, 1128 rockets have been fired towards Israel, the IDF says, with 324 intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. Before the recent offensive, Israel had repeatedly carried out air strikes on Gaza as Palestinian militants fired rockets across the border. But the aerial and naval bombardment is its most intense assault on the territory since Israel launched a full-scale invasion four years ago. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, a year after winning a decisive victory in general elections. Israel withdrew from the strip in 2005 but maintains a blockade around it. Israel, as well as the United States and the European Union, regards Hamas as a terrorist organization."
BBC News, "Q&A: Israel-Gaza Violence," bbc.co.uk, Nov.19, 2012
July 29, 2013
Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks Resume in Washington, DC
"Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will resume peace talks [in Washington, DC] on Monday night, the State Department said in a statement on Sunday afternoon. It will be the first time that the two have held direct talks since 2010. Clearing the last obstacle to resuming peace talks, the Israeli cabinet voted Sunday to approve the release of 104 Palestinian prisoners, an unpopular move with many Israelis. Secretary of State John Kerry then spoke with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to formally invite them to send their negotiating teams to Washington…
The goal of the negotiations will be to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel with agreed-upon borders and security arrangements. Officials said that talks are initially expected to focus on procedural issues, like the location, schedule and format of negotiating sessions, before moving on to tackle the core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Israeli side will be represented by Israel’s justice minister, Tzipi Livni, and Isaac Molho, Mr. Netanyahu’s special envoy. On the Palestinian side will be Saeb Erekat, the chief negotiator, and Mohammed Shtayyeh, a close adviser to Mr. Abbas. The Monday evening session will be a working dinner at the State Department, hosted by Mr. Kerry, who has made an intensive effort to revive the moribund talks. The Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams are to meet again on Tuesday before heading home. The next round of talks would be held in the Middle East. Martin Indyk, the former United States ambassador to Israel, whom Mr. Kerry is expected to name on Monday to manage the talks for the United States, would attend that round."
New York Times, "Israel and Palestinians Set to Resume Peace Talks, US Announces," nytimes.com, July 28, 2013
Apr. 23, 2014
Hamas and Fatah Announce Agreement to Form a Unity Government
"The rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah on Wednesday agreed to form a unity government and hold new elections, making a new attempt to overcome a seven-year split that has left them divided between two governments.
While the announcement was greeted with smiles and celebrations, it remained unclear how the plan would succeed where previous attempts at unity have failed. It also added new complications to U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians...
Earlier Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of sabotaging peace efforts by seeking rapprochement with Hamas...
He said the sides planned to form an interim government within five weeks. Presidential and parliamentary elections should be held on the same date, 'at the earliest six months after forming the government.'"
National Public Radio, "Abbas, Rival Hamas Give Reconciliation Another Try," npr.org, Apr. 23, 2014
July 9, 2014
Israel Launches Operation Protective Edge against Hamas Militants in Gaza Strip
"Israel launched a major air assault on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, bombing hundreds of targets in what Israeli officials said was a bid to halt escalating cross-border attacks from Palestinian militants… who fired a new a salvo of more than 150 rockets toward major Israeli cities…
The Israeli military said it carried out airstrikes against more than 150 sites in Gaza, killing five alleged members of Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the enclave. Ashraf al-Qidrah, a spokesman for Gaza’s Health Ministry, said early Wednesday that 24 Palestinians had been killed in the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip and 152 wounded...
The Israeli operation against Hamas in Gaza… came against a backdrop of weeks of rising Israeli-Palestinian tensions after the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teens in the occupied West Bank — which Israel has blamed on Hamas — and the suspected revenge killing of an Arab youth in East Jerusalem…
In a sign that the cross-border conflict could widen, Israel said Tuesday that it had called up 1,500 reservists and was mobilizing two infantry brigades, artillery, combat bulldozers and tanks along the Gaza border in preparation for a possible ground invasion. The Israeli cabinet subsequently approved the call-up of an additional 40,000 army reservists, according to the Defense Ministry...
Hours after Israel launched what it called 'Operation Protective Edge,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the army to 'take their gloves off' against Hamas and increase attacks on Gaza..."
Washington Post, "Israel Presses Air Assault as Hamas Fires Salvo of Cross-Border Rockets," washingtonpost.com, July 8, 2014
Aug. 26, 2014
Egypt Brokers One-Month Ceasefire to Halt Violence Between Israel and Gaza
"Israel and Gaza's ruling Hamas agreed Tuesday to an open-ended ceasefire after seven weeks of fighting — an uneasy deal that halts the deadliest war the sides have fought in years, with more than 2,200 killed...
In the end, both sides settled for an ambiguous interim agreement in exchange for a period of calm. Hamas, though badly battered, remains in control of Gaza with part of its military arsenal intact. Israel and Egypt will continue to control access to blockaded Gaza, despite Hamas' long-running demand that the border closures imposed in 2007 be lifted…
Under the Egyptian-brokered deal, Israel is to ease imports into Gaza, including aid and material for reconstruction. It also agreed to a largely symbolic gesture, expanding a fishing zone for Gaza fishermen from three to six nautical miles into the Mediterranean…
The cease-fire went into effect at 7 p.m. local time (noon ET) Tuesday [Aug. 26, 2014], and violence persisted until the last minute."
Associated Press, "Israel-Gaza Ceasefire: Negotiators Look to Next Phase for Peace," cbc.ca, Aug. 28, 2014
May 13, 2015
The Vatican Recognizes State of Palestine in New Treaty
"The Vatican officially recognized the state of Palestine in a new treaty finalized Wednesday, immediately sparking Israeli ire and accusations that the move hurt peace prospects.
The treaty, which concerns the activities of the Catholic Church in Palestinian territory, is both deeply symbolic and makes explicit that the Holy See has switched its diplomatic recognition from the Palestine Liberation Organization to the state of Palestine.
The Vatican had welcomed the decision by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012 to recognize a Palestinian state and had referred to the Palestine state since. But the treaty is the first legal document negotiated between the Holy See and the Palestinian state, giving the Vatican's former signs of recognition an unambiguous confirmation in a formal, bilateral treaty.
'Yes, it's a recognition that the state exists,' said the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it was 'disappointed'."
Associated Press, "Vatican Recognizes State of Palestine in New Treaty," ap.org, May 13, 2015
