Settlement Time Line

May 28

Israel’s military court approves orders to remove settlers squatting in two shops in Hebron that belong to Palestinians who had fled the area. (Ha’aretz)

May 30

Settlers from Efrata, Har Homa, Kiryat Arba, and Teqoa march to the old military base east of Beit Sahour that was vacated in 2006. (OCHA)

May 31

Settlers escorted by the IDF enter Nablus to visit Joseph’s Tomb, near the Balata refugee camp. (OCHA)

June 1

For the second time in two years, religious-Zionist rabbis enter the Haram al-Sharif [Temple Mount]. (Ha’aretz)

Construction and Housing Minister Ze’ev Boim announces the issuance of tenders to build 763 units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev and 121 units in Har Homa. (Jerusalem Post)

June 2

The Israel Land Administration publishes tenders for 47 housing units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev. (Ha’aretz)

June 4

The human rights groups Yesh Din and B’tselem submit a petition to Israel’s High Court of Justice opposing the construction of nine housing units in the settlement of Ofra on private Palestinian land. (Ha’aretz)

Construction of the separation barrier near the Palestinian village of Ni’lin restarts following the High Court of Justice’s rejection on May 20 of an appeal by village residents. (OCHA)

Israel conducts extensive land leveling in the vicinity of the Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem. (OCHA)

June 6

Settlers from the Ha’shmonaim settlement fire bullets at Israeli, Palestinian, and international activists demonstrating in Ni’lin against the construction of the separation barrier. IDF soldiers firing rubber-coated bullets injure three Palestinian males. (OCHA) 

June 8

Using iron pipes, settlers attack and injure a Palestinian family from Yatta as they graze their sheep. (OCHA)

Settlers cut down four trees in the Ibrahimi Mosque garden in preparation for a wedding. (OCHA)

In response to a petition by Yesh Din and B’tselem, leaders of the Ofra settlement confirm to the High Court of Justice that residents occupy the nine buildings whose construction is opposed by the two groups. (Ha’aretz)

June 10

Ha’aretz reports the removal of ten West Bank roadblocks by the IDF to ease Palestinian traffic. 

Settlers from Kiryat Arba take control of land in the Wadi al-Hussein neighborhood in Hebron. (OCHA) 

June 11

Palestinians threw stones at an Israeli settler’s bus travelling on Road 443 near At Tira village. No injuries reported. The bus sustained some damage. (OCHA)

Settlers from Itamar settlement stopped leveling land for a road to the settlement near Beit Furik following IDF intervention. (OCHA)

June 13 A group of Palestinians threw stones at an Israeli settler’s vehicle travelling near Abud village. No injuries were reported. (OCHA)

The IDF evacuated and then arrested nine settlers after they entered Joseph’s Tomb near Balata refugee camp without prior coordination. (OCHA) 

Plowing work continued in Sinsana settlement to allow for further settlement expansion. The area being plowed is known by the name Tur Al Nasrani and is located in the village of Al Ramadin. (OCHA)

June 15

The Jerusalem Planning Commit−tee approves the construction of 40,000 housing units across the city, including in East Jerusalem settlements, and for the first time, in Palestinian neighborhoods, among them al-Sawiya, Shu’afat, and al-Tur. (Ha’aretz)

June 16

Settlers from Yitzhar settlement physically attacked three Palestinian shepherds in Burin village. After the three Palestinians managed to escape, the settlers stabbed and killed three donkeys. The incident is under investigation by the Israeli Police. (OCHA)

June 17

Forty Knesset members sign a proposal by MK Aryeh Eldad to allow settlers to reestablish settlements evacuated in 2005 in the northern West Bank as part of the “disengagement” from the Gaza Strip. (Arutz 7) 

June 19

Nine Israeli police and 11 settlers are injured in clashes during an attempted evacuation of unauthorized buildings in Yitzhar. (Yediot Aharonot)

Israel’s High Court of Justice issues a ruling banning further construction on nine houses in the settlement of Ofra and orders the police and civil administration to enforce its ruling. (Arutz 7)

Settlers from Yitzhar settlement set fire to agricultural land belonging to Palestinian farmers from Burin, ‘Asira al Qibliya and ‘Urif villages. More than 800 dunums of olive groves were burnt. (OCHA)

Settlers from Yitzhar settlement throw stones at Palestinian vehicles and houses in Burin causing damage to windows of two houses. The IDF closed a segment of Road 60 between Yitzhar and Jit partial checkpoints for seven hours. (OCHA)

Settlers from Tappuah settlement set fire to agricultural land belonging to farmers from Yasuf village. About 48 dunums were burnt. (OCHA)

Settlers escorted by the IDF entered Nablus City and Joseph’s Tomb near Balata refugee camp. (OCHA)

June 20

Palestinians shoot and injure three settlers hiking near Ramallah. (Arutz 7)

Ma’ariv reports on students from the Od Yosef Hai Yeshiva, in the Yitzhar settlement, firing a homemade rocket in the direction of a Palestinian village. 

The IDF distributed a military order to requisition 1,500 dunums belonging to Palestinians from Beit Hanina al Balad to construct the Barrier between the village and Ramot settlement. Palestinians from Beit Hanina al Balad demonstrate against the requisition. (OCHA)

June 21

The IDF announces the removal of ten roadblocks in Ramallah. The action brings to 100 the number of roadblocks removed in June in the West Bank as part of a plan authorized by Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Israeli settlers from Nehli’el settlement burned one olive tree and destroyed two greenhouses belonging to a farmer from Beitillu. This took place following a shooting incident that resulted in the injury of three settlers on 20 June. (OCHA) 

June 30 

Arutz 7 reports the creation of a new settlement, authorized by the Israeli government, near the settlement of Kiryat Arba, in Hebron. It houses 10 families.