2008 in Palestine

none 2008 Palestine Template:Year in Palestine: Parameter 1=year required! Flag of Palestine.svg 90px History of Palestine · Timeline of Palestinian history · List of years in Palestine Events in the year 2008 in Palestine. Incumbents Palestinian National Authority (non-state administrative authority) President – Mahmoud Abbas (PLO) Prime Minister – Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority (in the West Bank) – Salam Fayyad (Third Way) (emergency rule) Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority (in the Gaza Strip) – Ismail Haniyeh (Hamas) (in rebellion against the Palestinian National Authority) Government of Palestine – 12th Government of Palestine thumb|200px|right|the loader used in the Jerusalem bulldozer attack on July 2, 2008 and a car which was destroyed during the attack Events January 1 – Israeli settlers from the Efrat and El'eazar settlements ignited a fire in a 700-year-old mosque situated on the lands of Al Khader village, close to the settlements near Bethlehem. January 21 – Gaza’s only power plant shuts down due to an Israeli fuel blockade, plunging parts of the territory into darkness.McCarthy Rory 2008-01-21 Gaza plunged into darkness as Israeli fuel blockade takes effect https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jan/21/israelandthepalestinians.international 2025-10-22 The Guardian en-GB 0261-3077 January 24 – Two Palestinian Arabs infiltrate a religious seminary and stab three students in the West Bank settlement of Kfar Etzion before being shot dead. January 24 – Palestinian Arab gunmen open fire on Israelis outside the Shuafat refugee camp on the outskirts of Jerusalem, killing a border police officer and seriously wounding a female officer. February 4 – 2008 Dimona suicide bombing: A suicide attack carried out by Hamas at a shopping centre in Dimona, Israel. One Israeli elderly woman is killed in the attack while nine other people are wounded (one of them critically). Hamas claims responsibility for the attack.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/feb/06/israelandthepalestinians.international London The Guardian Rory McCarthy Hamas says it was behind suicide blast in Israel February 6, 2008 February 27 – A Palestinian baby less than a year old was killed in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip.O'Loughlin Toni 2008-02-29 Intensified Israeli attacks on Gaza kill child footballers https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/feb/29/israelandthepalestinians 2024-04-28 The Guardian en-GB 0261-3077 Over 46 Qassam rockets were also fired by Palestinian Arab militants into the Western Negev and Israel's Southern Mediterranean coast, many of them hit the city of Ashkelon and the town of Sderot, among other Israeli towns and villages in the area. One of the rockets that landed in a parking lot at the Sapir Academic College killed 47-year-old Israeli student, Ronni Yechia.http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3512267,00.html הפלסטינים: 2 נערים נהרגו בתקיפת צה"ל בעזה Ynet 27 February 2008 ואקד עלי February 28 – March 3 – Operation Hot Winter: Israel Defense Forces military campaign in the Gaza Strip is launched in response to the constant firing of Qassam rockets from the Strip by Hamas militants. Four Palestinian children, aged 10, 12, 13 and 15, playing football in the Gaza Strip were killed by an Israeli strike.al-Mughrabi Nidal 2008-02-29 Four children playing football killed in Gaza https://www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-20056512.html 2024-04-28 Irish Examiner en March 1 – Israel’s deadliest Gaza assault since Hamas took power kills at least 60 Palestinians, and destroys Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh’s office.Erlanger Steven El-Khodary Taghreed 2008-03-01 Israel attacks northern Gaza, killing scores https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/world/africa/01iht-gaza.1.10603781.html 2024-04-28 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331Beaumont Peter 2008-03-02 Scores killed in raids on Gaza https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/mar/02/israelandthepalestinians1 2025-10-22 The Guardian en-GB 0261-3077 March 6 – Mercaz HaRav massacre: Eight Israeli civilians are killed and 9 wounded when a Palestinian Arab attacker opens fire at a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem.https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-03-06-israeli-shooting_N.htm Killing of 8 at Jewish seminary threatens latest truce efforts March 6, 2008 USA Today March 15, 2009 May 14 – A Katyusha rocket is fired at the Israeli city of Ashqelon striking a clinic on the third floor of the Huzot shopping mall, serious wounding three people, moderately wounding two and with eleven other people suffering minor wounds. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claims responsibility.https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/983435.html Gaza rocket hits Ashkelon mall; several people hurt - Haaretz - Israel News 2010-09-20 2009-01-22 https://web.archive.org/web/20090122231724/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/983435.html dead June 6 – An Israeli man is killed and four other people are wounded when Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip fire a mortar shell at kibbutz Nirim in the western Negev desert.https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/palestinian-girl-6-killed-as-israel-retaliates-for-fatal-kibbutz-attack-841405.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/palestinian-girl-6-killed-as-israel-retaliates-for-fatal-kibbutz-attack-841405.html 2022-05-01 subscription live London The Independent Ibrahim Barzak Palestinian girl, 6, killed as Israel retaliates for fatal kibbutz attack June 6, 2008 June 8 – Four masked settlers with clubs attacked three members of a Palestinian family who were grazing their flock on private Palestinian land south of the Susiya settlement, with the victims suffering severe injuries requiring hospitalization.Unprotected: Israeli settler violence against Palestinian civilians and their property - OCHA Special Focus https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-196200/ 2024-04-25 Question of Palestine en-US June 19 – A 6-month Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza goes into effect at 6:00 AM; Israeli forces agree to ease the blockade, and Palestinian militants agree to halt attacks.Peter Walker and agencies 19 June 2008 Gaza militants and Israel begin fragile truce https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/19/israelandthepalestinians live https://web.archive.org/web/20161231080254/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/19/israelandthepalestinians 31 December 2016 13 December 2016 The Guardian July 2 – Jerusalem bulldozer attack: A Palestinian Arab resident of east Jerusalem attacks several cars on the Jaffa Road in Jerusalem using a front-end loader (erroneously referred to as a bulldozer in the media), killing three people and wounding at least 30 other pedestrians, before being shot to death. July 4 – Hamas suspends prisoner swap talks amid disputes over the Israeli blockade and Gaza rocket fire.Cutler David 11 October 2011 Timeline: Gilad Shalit, held for five years https://www.reuters.com/article/world/timeline-gilad-shalit-held-for-five-years-idUSTRE79A6HH/ 22 October 2025 Reuters July 16 – Hezbollah swaps the bodies of 199 Palestinian Arab and Lebanese militants, four Hezbollah prisoners captured during the 2006 Lebanon war and the Lebanese Druze militant Samir Kuntar in exchange for the bodies of the Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. August 12 – President Mahmoud Abbas rejects Israeli PM Ehud Olmert's peace proposal over borders, Jerusalem, and settlements.12 August 2008 Palestinians reject proposal by Israeli PM https://www.reuters.com/article/economy/palestinians-reject-proposal-by-israeli-pm-idUSLC62318/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 22 October 2025 Reuters August 25 – Israel releases 199 Palestinian Arab prisoners as a goodwill gesture to the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, as the United States Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, visits the area.http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jpyT722Opigm_Q4o_kBRSUEUyH1A AFP: Israel to free Palestinian prisoners as Rice arrives 2011-09-09 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110520164045/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jpyT722Opigm_Q4o_kBRSUEUyH1A 2011-05-20 September 22 – At least 19 people are wounded when a Palestinian Arab drives his car into a crowd of IDF soldiers at a busy intersection in Jerusalem.19 hurt as terrorist plows car into Jerusalem crowd https://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1023443.html 2008-09-22 2008-09-22 Haaretz dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080923193708/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1023443.html 2008-09-23 The driver is shot and killed at the scene by an Israeli soldier.Palestinian drives into crowd, injures 15, police say http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/09/22/jerusalem.attack/index.html?eref=rss_topstories 2008-09-22 2008-09-22 CNN News October 28 – Ersal Commercial Center, ground breaking, co-sponsored by the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) and Saudi real estate company, The Land Holding."The Palestine Investment Fund announces the official groundbreaking of Al-Ersal center," October 28 - 2008, AMEinfo.com. November 15 – Palestine celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Palestinian Declaration of Independence. November 23 – 2008 Palestinian presidential election: The PLO Central Council elects Mahmoud Abbas as President of the State of Palestine.PLO body elects Abbas 'president of Palestine' https://web.archive.org/web/20110608080641/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data%2Fmiddleeast%2F2008%2FNovember%2Fmiddleeast_November480.xml§ion=middleeast 2011-06-08 , AFP (23 November 2008): "I announce that the PLO Central Council has elected Mahmud Abbas president of the State of Palestine. He takes on this role from this day, November 23, 2008," the body's chairman Salem al-Zaanun told reporters. 2008 Palestinian presidential inauguration: Mahmoud Abbas assumes office as the second president of the State of Palestine in official capacity, the same day he was elected. Abbas had formally served as acting president of the State of Palestine since 8 May 2005 and informally since 15 January 2005, in addition to his role as president of the Palestinian National Authority since 15 January 2005. December 4 – Israeli settlers in Hebron attack and shoot at Palestinians, also setting fires to Palestinian trees and attacking Palestinian homes.McCarthy Rory 2008-12-05 Jewish settlers in Hebron shoot Palestinian men https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/dec/05/hebron-settlers-shooting-israel-palestinians 2024-04-25 The Guardian en-GB 0261-3077 December 19 – The 6-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expires without agreement on an extension. Fifteen international activists, including two from a Qatari charity, sail from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Gaza delivering medical aid in defiance of the Israeli blockade.Kambas Michele 19 December 2008 Activists defy Israel, sail to Gaza from Cyprus https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gaza-activists/activists-defy-israel-sail-to-gaza-from-cyprus-idUKTRE4BI4K420081219/ 22 October 2025 Reuters December 27, 2008 – January 18, 2009 – Operation Cast Lead: A large-scale three-week IDF military campaign in the Gaza Strip seriously damages the paramilitary infrastructure of Hamas. Israel claims that the strikes are a response to frequent Qassam rocket and mortar fire from the Strip on Israel's southern civilian communities. Political Developments Palestinian National Authority: Mahmoud Abbas served as President, and Salam Fayyad was the Prime Minister in the West Bank, while Ismail Haniyeh was the Prime Minister in the Gaza Strip. Hamas and Fatah: The internal conflict between Hamas and Fatah continued, with Hamas controlling the Gaza Strip and Fatah governing parts of the West Bank. Notable deaths thumb|right|150px|Mahmoud Darwish January 26 – George Habash, 81, Palestinian founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, heart attack.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7211395.stm BBC News Palestinian radical founder dies January 26, 2008 April 16 – Fadel Shana'a, 23, Palestinian Reuters cameraman, flechette shell.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/apr/18/israelandthepalestinians London The Guardian Rory McCarthy Palestinian journalist killed by metal darts from Israeli shell April 18, 2008 August 9 – Mahmoud Darwish, 67, Palestinian poet, complications from open heart surgery.https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/aug/11/poetry.israelandthepalestinians London The Guardian Peter Clark Mahmoud Darwish August 11, 2008 Full date unknown Serene Husseini Shahid, Palestinian writer and teacher.(born 1920)A Jerusalem Childhood: The Early Life of Serene Husseini https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/78260 https://web.archive.org/web/20250429061858/https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/78260 2025-04-29 2026-04-17 Institute for Palestine Studies en See also 2008 in Israel 2007–present blockade of the Gaza Strip Timeline of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 2008 Notes 2008 in Palestine Category:Years of the 21st century in Palestine Category:2000s in Palestine Palestine