Chronology

This is part 133 of a chronology begun by the Journal of Palestine Studies in Spring 1984, and covers events from 16 November 2016 to 15 February 2017 on the ground in the occupied Palestinian territories and in the diplomatic sphere, regionally and internationally. Neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis made any effort to resume peace negotiations this quarter. The Palestinians opted to work with outgoing U.S. pres. Barack Obama on a new UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements, while the Israelis looked to incoming U.S. pres. Donald Trump for a new regional approach to Middle East peace. Before Trump took office and began backpedaling on his pledge to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, U.S. secy. of state John Kerry presented six principles for a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal, and the French government hosted an international peace conference in Paris. Meanwhile, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu continued his efforts to marginalize the Palestinian minority and his political opponents to placate the right-wing members of his ruling coalition, who were upset about the evacuation of the illegal Amona settlement outpost. The settler leaders used their leverage with Netanyahu to pass a sweeping new bill retroactively authorizing settlement outposts. For a more comprehensive overview of regional and international developments related to the peace process, see the quarterly Update on Conflict and Diplomacy in JPS 46 (3).