Chronology

This is part 135 of a chronology begun by the Journal of Palestine Studies in Spring 1984, and covers events from 16 May to 15 August 2017 on the ground in the occupied Palestinian territories and in the diplomatic sphere, regionally and internationally. U.S. pres. Donald Trump continued work on a largely undefined peace initiative without much progress. Violence in the Old City of Jerusalem interrupted U.S. efforts, and the Israeli government imposed new security restrictions at Haram al-Sharif, sparking a wave of unrest across the occupied Palestinian territories and a Muslim boycott of the sanctuary that put the nascent U.S. initiative to the test. Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas increased pressure on Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza to the PA. The 1,500-plus Palestinian prisoners who declared a mass hunger strike last quarter secured key concessions from the Israeli authorities and brought their “Dignity Strike” to a close. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates enacted a diplomatic and economic boycott of Qatar.