Chronology: October 16, 2008 – January 15, 2009

Abbreviations

AFP

Agence France Presse

Al-Arabiya

Alarabiya.net

Al-Jazeera

Aljazeera.net

AN

ArabicNews.com

AP

Associated Press

BBC

www.bbc.co.uk

CNN

www.cnn.com

DNE

Daily News Egypt

DPA

Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Economist

FT

Financial Times

The Guardian

GN

Gulf News

Haaretz

Hurriyet

IHT

International Herald Tribune

JP

The Jerusalem Post

KT

Khaleej Times

MNA

Ma’an News Agency

Market Watch

MEO

Middle East Online

MSN Arabia

MSNBC

NYT

New York Times

RFE-RL

Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty

Reuters

TDN

Turkish Daily News

VOA

Voice of America

WP

The Washington Post

YT

Yemen Times

Ynet

Ynet News

Zaman

Arab-Israeli Conflict

See also Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestinian Affairs, Syria, Yemen

Oct. 20: Nine Jews suspected of recent assaults against Arabs in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv were arrested by Israeli police. Six of the accused were charged with the fire-bombing of Arab homes in the Hatikva neighborhood of Tel Aviv five days before, which caused property damage but no injuries. [Haaretz, 10/21]

Nov. 5: More than 35 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel following a clash between Israeli troops and Hamas militants that killed six Palestinians. There were no reported casualties in Israel as a result of the rocket fire. The attacks marked the first outbreak of violence between Israeli troops and Hamas militants since the two parties declared a ceasefire in June 2008. [Al-Jazeera, 11/5]

Four unauthorized Palestinian-owned buildings in East Jerusalem were demolished by Israeli authorities, sparking clashes between police forces and Palestinians at the demolition sites. Palestinian youths protested by throwing stones at the group of Israeli soldiers protecting the demolition teams. [BBC, 11/5]

Nov. 6: Israeli officials voiced their support for the extension of Israel’s ceasefire with Gaza, which was agreed upon in June 2008. The statement was issued despite recent skirmishes between Hamas militants and Israeli forces in the coastal area, including Israeli air raids and Hamas rocket fire. [BBC, 11/6]

Hundreds of Palestinians and Israeli Arabs gathered at a Muslim graveyard in East Jerusalem to protest an Israeli Supreme Court ruling authorizing the renewed construction of the Museum of Tolerance on the site. Palestinian representatives decried the decision, stating that it showed an unacceptable disrespect for Palestinian Arabs’ ancestors buried there and calling on US President-elect Barack Obama to intervene. [Haaretz, 11/6]

An Israeli television channel released footage shot by Israeli soldiers depicting them abusing and humiliating a Palestinian man, shown bound and blindfolded on his knees. Israeli army officials swiftly condemned the troops’ actions. Officials also claimed that they were not aware of the incident until the footage was broadcast, at which time they immediately launched an investigation. [Haaretz, 11/6]

Nov. 10: A clash between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants along the Gaza border killed four Hamas gunmen and wounded one Israeli soldier, further straining the June 2008 ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. [NYT, 11/12]

Nov. 14: Israeli aircraft carried out missile strikes on targets in the northern Gaza Strip in response to Hamas rocket fire near the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon. The exchange of fire continued to strain the Hamas-Israel ceasefire signed five months prior. Israel stated that it would not end its blockade of Gaza until militant rocket fire from the area ceased; meanwhile, widespread shortages of food, medicine, and fuel continued to grow more severe. [BBC, 11/14]

Nov. 17: Israel briefly opened a border crossing with the Gaza Strip to allow limited aid deliveries into the territory. The Israeli government stated that 33 trucks were permitted entry into Gaza, with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) assessing a delivery of less than 33 trucks. [BBC, 11/17]

Nov. 21: Palestinian Authority President Mahmud ‘Abbas placed full-page advertisements for the 2002 Arab peace plan in four Hebrew-language Israeli newspapers in an attempt to communicate to Israeli citizens Fatah’s position regarding an Arab-Israeli peace deal. The advertisements were met with mixed reactions and skepticism from both Israelis and some elements of the Arab media. [Al-Jazeera, 11/21]

Nov. 24...