Chronology: January 16, 2009 - April 15, 2009

Abbreviations

ABC, ABC News

AFP, Agence France Presse

Al-Arabiya, Alarabiya.net

Al-Jazeera, Aljazeera.net

AN, ArabicNews.com

Asharq Alawsat

AP, Associated Press

BBC, www.bbc.co.uk

CNN, www.cnn.com

Dawn, www.dawn.com

DT, Daily Times

Echorouk, www.echoroukonline.com

Ennahar, www.ennaharonline.com

FT, Financial Times

The Guardian

GN, Gulf News

Haaretz

Hurriyet

The Independent

IHT, International Herald Tribune

JP, The Jerusalem Post

JT, The Jordan Times

KT, Khaleej Times

MNA, Ma'an News Agency

Magharebia, www.magharebia.com

M&G, Mail and Guardian

McClatchy, www.mcclatchydc.com

The National

NPR, National Public Radio

The News, www.thenews.com.pk

NYT, New York Times

Payvand

RFE-RL, Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty

Reuters

SFC, The San Francisco Chronicle

The Times

VOA, Voice of America

WP, The Washington Post

YT, Yemen Times

Ynet, Ynet News

Zaman

Arab-Israeli Conflict

See also Israel, Palestinian Affairs, Regional Affairs, Sudan

Jan. 17:

After three weeks of heavy fighting in the Gaza Strip, Israel announced an end to operations against Hamas. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared that Operation Cast Lead had been successful. The unilateral ceasefire would go into effect at 2:00 AM on January 18 and Israeli Defense Force (IDF) troops would withdraw gradually. Spokesmen from Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip pledged to continue fighting until Israel fully withdrew and lifted the siege on the Palestinian enclave. [Al-Jazeera, 1/18]

Jan. 18:

Hamas leaders in Damascus declared a cessation of rocket attacks for a week as Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza. Hamas Prime Minister Isma'il Haniya declared victory for the Palestinian people in withstanding the three-week invasion by Israeli forces. In the hours between Israel and Hamas's unilateral ceasefires, almost 20 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel. The rockets landed in the city of Ashdod, injuring one and prompting an Israeli reprisal which killed one Palestinian in the city of Khan Yunus. [BBC, 1/18]

In the midst of clean-up efforts in Gaza, Palestinian sources reported 95 previously uncounted bodies were found in rubble across the Gaza Strip, including both civilians and Islamic Jihad fighters. The findings brought the amount of casualties on the Palestinian side to over 1,300 versus 13 Israelis killed. [Ynet, 1/18]

Jan. 21:

Israel withdrew its last ground troops from the Gaza Strip. The soldiers were redeployed along the border as the IDF announced that it would maintain high alert status, but would gradually begin releasing reservists from duty. The IDF also announced the launch of an internal inquiry into charges that Israel used illegal weapons—such as white phosphorous —during Operation Cast Lead. [NYT, 1/21]

Jan. 22:

US President Barack Obama appointed former Senator George Mitchell as a special envoy to the Middle East. Mitchell had been a top mediator for peace talks in Northern Ireland under the Clinton Administration and chaired a fact-finding mission to the Middle East in 2001. [WP, 1/22]

Jan. 27:

Violence resumed along the Gaza border as Palestinian militants attacked an IDF patrol near the Kissufim border crossing, killing one Israeli soldier. Israel returned fire, leaving one Palestinian farmer dead. Later, a strike in Khan Yunus by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) killed a Hamas member, whom Israeli authorities deemed responsible for the morning's attack. [Al-Jazeera, 1/28]

Feb. 3:

A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip landed in the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon. The attack marked the first rocket attack on a city since the ceasefires were declared in January. Israel retaliated with IAF raids on Hamas targets in Rafah, Khan Yunus, and Beit Lahiya. [Ynet, 2/3]

Feb. 5:

Israeli troops killed an Islamic Jihad commander in the northern West Bank. IDF sources reported they were trying to arrest 'Ala al-Din Abu al-Rub at his home in the village of Qabatiya, but found him fully armed. His family and Islamic Jihad's militant wing, the al-Quds Brigade, claimed the killing was a targeted assassination and vowed revenge. [MNA, 2/5]

Feb. 16:

The mayor of the West Bank Jewish settlement of Efrat...