State of Palestine

State of Palestine
Flag
Location  Middle East
Capital  Jerusalem
Area  14,270 sq km
Population  5,186,790

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder"
(Proverb/Quote of the Week)

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January

January 1 January 2 January 3 January 4 January 5 January 6 January 7 Chile formally recognized an independent state of Palestine on 7 January 2011, becoming the seventh South American country to recognize the State of Palestine. January 8 January 9 January 10 January 11 January 12 Palestinian football team made its debut to the Asian Cup football tournament on 12 January 2015 in Australia. Palestine, who qualified to play in the Asian Cup for the first time despite the restrictions placed on them, lost their match 4-0 against Japan. January 13 January 14 January 15 January 16 Palestinian film Omar was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film award at the 86th Academy Awards on 16 January 2014. With this film the academy listed Palestine as the country of origin for the first time. January 17 Palestinian government in the Israeli-occupied West Bank secured $100m from Saudi Arabia to help alleviate a worsening budget crisis, the Palestinian president's office announced on 17 January 2013. January 18 January 19 On 19 January 2012 Thailand officially recognized Palestine as an independent state. January 20 January 21 January 22 January 23 January 24 Peru recognized State of Palestine "as a free and sovereign state" on January 24, 2011. January 25 Palestine retained the title of Bangabandhu Gold Cup International Football tournament beating Burundi by 3-1 in the final at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka on 25 January 2020. January 26 January 27 January 28 January 29 January 30 January 31

February

February 1 February 2 February 3 February 4 February 5 February 6 February 7 February 8 February 9 February 10 February 11 February 12 February 13 February 14 February 15 February 16 February 17 February 18 February 19 February 20 February 21 February 22 February 23 Palestinian photojournalist Shadi Hatem won the Special Prize by Jury at the 2016 Days Japan photo contest for his image series named Palestinian Unrest 2015. February 24 February 25 Yacoub Shaheen became the second Palestinian to win the popular Arab Idol television song contest on 25 February 2017. Public screenings of movies was resumed in Gaza on 25 February 2016 since political tensions led to the torching of cinemas in the region 20 years ago. February 26 February 27 February 28 February 29

March

March 1 March 2 March 3 March 4 March 5 March 6 March 7 March 8 March 9 March 10 March 11 March 12 Gaza farmers exported fruits and vegetables to Israel on 12 March 2015 for the first time in almost eight years since the Jewish state imposed its blockade on Palestinian, a move that is expected to help the Palestinian economy. March 13 Palestinian teacher Hanan Al Hroub won the Global Teacher Prize on 13 March 2016, a 1 million dollar award that recognizes a teacher who has made outstanding contributions to their community. March 14 Palestine became member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), an international organization based in the Peace Palace, the Netherlands, that assists to resolve disputes among states, on 14 March 2016. March 15 March 16 March 17 March 18 March 19 March 20 March 21 March 22 Palestinian passport holders will no longer require a visa to enter Indonesia, according to an official announcement by the Palestinian foreign ministry on 22 March 2016. March 23 March 24 March 25 March 26 March 27 March 28 March 29 March 30 March 31

April

April 1 April 2 April 3 April 4 April 5 April 6 April 7 April 8 Palestinian poet, writer, translator and anthologist Salma Khadra Jayyusi won the Cultural Personality of the Year Award at the 2020 Sheikh Zayed Book Award. April 9 Arab League foreign ministers on 9 April 2014 renewed their commitment to give $100m in monthly aid to Palestine. April 10 April 11 April 12 April 13 Kuwait on 13 April 2015 announced its contribution of US$15 million to the World Bank administered Palestinian Reform and Development Plan (PRDP) multi-donor Trust Fund. The contribution will help support urgent budgetary needs of Palestine and provide support for ongoing economic reforms. April 14 April 15 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attended a ceremony on 15 April 2013 to open a Palestinian Embassy in Kuwait City. It was for the first time Kuwait hosted a Palestinian leader in more than 20 years after ties were broken over the 1990 Iraq invasion of the Gulf state. April 16 April 17 April 18 April 19 April 20 April 21 April 22 April 23 April 24 April 25 April 26 April 27 April 28 Palestine radio and TV won seven awards at the Arab State Broadcasting Union’s 18th Arab Radio and TV Festival held in Tunis on 28 April 2017. April 29 April 30

May

May 1 May 2 May 3 Internet giant Google has recognized the Palestinians’ upgraded U.N. status (non-member observer state), placing the name “Palestine” on its search engine instead of “Palestinian Territories,” according to an official announcement on 3 May 2013. May 4 May 5 May 6 May 7 May 8 May 9 May 10 May 11 May 12 May 13 The Vatican on 13 may 2015 concluded its first treaty that formally recognized the State of Palestine, with an agreement on Catholic Church activities in areas controlled by Palestine. May 14 May 15 May 16 May 17 Two 19th-century nuns - Mariam Bawardy and Marie Alphonsine Ghattas - on 17 May 2015 became the first Palestinians to gain sainthood, canonized by Pope Francis in St Peter's Square in presence of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. May 18 Raed Zidan became the first Palestinian man to summit Mount Everest on 18 May 2013. May 19 May 20 May 21 May 22 May 23 May 24 May 25 May 26 May 27 May 28 Hundreds of Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip crossed the reopened border of Egypt on May 28, 2011, taking a tangible step out of a four-year blockade. May 29 May 30 May 31

June

June 1 The United Nations Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations on 1 June 2015 recommended London-based Palestinian non-governmental organization The Palestinian Return Centre for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. June 2 Palestine on 2 June 2014 announced a unity government containing members of both Fatah and Hamas after years of harsh political and social division between the two groups. The government is a temporary one and its duty is to prepare for elections soon. June 3 June 4 June 5 June 6 June 7 June 8 June 9 June 10 June 11 June 12 June 13 June 14 June 15 June 16 June 17 June 18 Palestinian journalist Shatha Hammad won the prestigious One World Media New Voice Award 2020 in recognition of her ground-breaking work and ability to illuminate political and social issues in occupied West Bank. June 19 June 20 June 21 June 22 Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf on 22 June 2013 won the TV talent show Arab Idol in Beirut, Lebanon and became the first Palestinian to win the talent show. June 23 June 24 June 25 June 26 June 27 June 28 June 29 The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, along with the Pilgrimage Route, was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List on 29 June 2012. June 30

July

July 1 July 2 July 3 July 4 July 5 July 6 July 7 The UNESCO World Heritage Committee on 7 July 2017 inscribed Hebron / Al Khalil Old town in Palestine as the World Heritage site, a site of pilgrimage for the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. July 8 July 9 July 10 July 11 July 12 July 13 July 14 July 15 On 15 July 2012 Palestinian officials acknowledged and welcomed Saudi Arabia's decision to donate $100 million to the Palestinian Authority to help it overcome its financial crisis after President Mahmoud Abbas's recent visit to the kingdom. July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22 July 23 July 24 Palestine on 24 July 2018 was elected to head Group of 77, the biggest bloc of developing countries at the United Nations which promotes economic interests and represents 80 percent of world population. July 25 July 26 July 27 July 28 July 29 More than 6,200 children in Gaza took part in a summer programme, organised by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), on a beach to fly a kite each on July 29, 2010. It appears to have broken their own world record for the number of kites flown at the same time. The achievement had lifted the spirits of the entire population of Gaza. July 30 July 31

August

August 1 August 2 August 3 Colombia recognised Palestine as a sovereign state, according to an official announcement by the Colombian foreign ministry on 3 August 2018. August 4 August 5 August 6 August 7 August 8 August 9 August 10 August 11 August 12 August 13 August 14 Israel released 26 Palestinian prisoners on 14 August 2013 as part of a deal that is aimed to see direct peace talks between the two countries resume after a three-year hiatus. August 15 August 16 August 17 August 18 August 19 August 20 August 21 August 22 August 23 August 24 August 25 The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) laid foundation for its biggest logistics base in Gaza on 25 August 2016. The base will serve as UNRWA’s main warehouse for the storage of basic food and non-food items. August 26 August 27 August 28 August 29 Palestinian Museum, in Birzeit, which crowns a terraced hill overlooking the Mediterranean, won a 2019 prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines recognized the Palestinian state within 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital on 29 August 2011. August 30 August 31

September

September 1 September 2 September 3 September 4 September 5 September 6 September 7 September 8 September 9 Belize officially recognized Palestine as a sovereign and independent state on 9 September 2011 within its pre-1967 borders. Palestine joined the Arab League, a regional organization of Arab states for creating a closer relation among its members, on 9 September 1976. September 10 The U.N. General Assembly on 10 September 2015 voted to allow the Palestinians to raise their flag at its headquarters. September 11 September 12 September 13 Heba Al-Farra of Palestine won the 2018 UN Young Champions of the Earth Prize for her support to female environmental professionals in the green industry across the Middle East and North Africa. On September 13, 1993 representatives from Palestine and Israel signed the “Declaration of Principles On Interim Self-Government Arrangements”, a document also known as the “Oslo Accords”. Despite continuous limitations and ambiguities this signing of the first peace accord between Israel and Palestine at the White House in Washington gave Palestine limited self-government on the Gaza and in Jericho. September 14 Palestine and Kuwait on 14 September 2014 inked an agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on political cooperation between the two Arab countries. The agreement stipulates for the creation of a joint committee for political cooperation between the two governments and the MoU stipulates for the political consultation between Kuwaiti and Palestinian foreign ministries. September 15 September 16 September 17 September 18 September 19 September 20 September 21 Antigua and Barbuda, as of 21 September 2011, recognized Palestine as an independent and sovereign state. September 22 September 23 The World Bank on 23 September 2013 approved a $10 million grant that will scale up a current Cash Transfer Project and benefit 5,000 Palestinian households living in extreme poverty in the Palestinian territories. Cash transfer programs have been key in providing timely emergency assistance to Palestinian families suffering from economic hardships. September 24 September 25 September 26 Palestinian lawyer Raji Sourani was named as one of the winners of the 2013 Right Livelihood Awards for his unwavering dedication to the rule of law and human rights under exceptionally difficult circumstances in Palestine and the Arab world. It is the first time that a Right Livelihood Award, honoring those who work to improve the lives of others, goes to a Palestinian. September 27 The Interpol General Assembly on 27 September 2017 voted to admit the State of Palestine as a new member country. September 28 September 29 September 30

October

October 1 October 2 October 3 Swedish government announced to recognize the state of Palestine in a move that will make it the first major European country to take the step, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on 3 October 2014. October 4 October 5 October 6 October 7 October 8 October 9 October 10 October 11 October 12 Palestine for the first time clinched the title of Bangabandhu Gold Cup International Football Tournament beating Tajikistan 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a goalless play in the stipulated and extra time in Dhaka on 12 October 2018. Israel and Hamas from Palestine agreed to one of the largest prisoner swaps in modern history on October 12, 2011. Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held in captivity in the Gaza Strip for five years, is set to be freed in coming days in return for the release of up to 1000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. The news was greeted with exultation by both Palestinians and Jews. October 13 The British Parliament on 13 October 2014 passed a non-binding motion recognizing Palestine as a state with a majority of 274 to 12 votes. Palestine was announced as the winner of the 2011 Vettor Giusti Tourism Poster Competition under the Middle East region category at the 19th General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The winning poster depicts Jericho's St. George Orthodox Monastery in Wadi Qelt, a West Bank oasis that is also home to one of the oldest synagogues. October 14 The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize jointly to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli politicians Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East. By concluding the Oslo Accords, and subsequently following them up, Arafat, Peres and Rabin have made substantial contributions to a historic process through which peace and cooperation can replace war and hate. October 15 October 16 A restaurant run and staffed by deaf people opened for business in the Gaza Strip on 16 October 2012, helped by Palestinians seeking to build a more inclusive society where people with disabilities can realize their full potential. October 17 October 18 October 19 Olive trees in the Jerusalem garden revered by Christians as the place where Jesus Christ prayed before he was crucified have been dated to at least 900 years old, among the oldest in the world, according to a study released on 19 October 2012. October 20 October 21 Qatar has agreed to provide $150 million in debt relief to the Palestinian Authority, according to an official announcement on 21 October 2013. October 22 October 23 On 23 October 2012, the emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani became the first head of state to enter the blockaded Gaza Strip since 2007. He was officially visiting the Palestinian enclave to inaugurate reconstruction projects worth over $250 million. October 24 October 25 October 26 October 27 October 28 October 29 October 30 Israel freed 26 Palestinian prisoners on 30 October 2013, the second of four batches to be released as part of a deal that set in motion the current Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. October 31 The United Nations' cultural agency granted the Palestinians full membership on 31 October 2011, a step forward in their long-running efforts to achieve recognition before the world as an independent state.

November

November 1 November 2 November 3 November 4 November 5 November 6 The United States of America on 6 November 2013 announced an additional $75 million in aid to create Palestinian jobs and help them improve roads, schools and other infrastructure. November 7 A Palestinian company named Georgi C opened first fashion house in the West Bank on 7 November 2020, providing hundreds of new job opportunities. November 8 November 9 November 10 November 11 November 12 November 13 November 14 November 15 November 16 November 17 November 18 Palestine cast a United Nations General Assembly vote for the first time on 18 November 2013, which its ambassador called a symbolic step toward full membership in the world body. November 19 November 20 November 21 November 22 November 23 November 24 November 25 November 26 Palestine and South Africa on 26 November 2014 signed agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. The agreements include an accord for the establishment of a Joint Commission of Co-operation, a Memorandum of Understanding on political consultations that will see the two governments meeting regularly to exchange views on political matters of common concern, and an agreement on co-operation in higher education and training. November 27 November 28 November 29 The United Nations General Assembly on 29 November 2012 overwhelmingly voted to grant Palestinians "non-member state" UN observer status, recognizing implicitly the sovereign state of Palestine. November 30

December

December 1 Brazil recognized the State of Palestine based on borders at the time of Israel's 1967 conquest of the West Bank. In a letter sent by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, on 1 December 2010, the Brazilian Government recognized the Palestinian State. December 2 French parliament on 2 December 2014 voted in favor of recognizing Palestine as a state. The vote in the French lower house of Parliament was approved with 339 votes to 151. December 3 December 4 December 5 December 6 December 7 December 8 December 9 In a rare display of regional cooperation, the State of Palestine, Israel and Jordan on 9 December 2013 signed a historic water-sharing initiative at the World Bank in Washington that is expected to protect water resources in the region amid rising demand. Initiatives under the agreement include the development of a desalination plant in Aqaba at the head of the Red Sea, where the water produced will be shared between Israel and Jordan; increased releases of water by Israel from Lake Tiberias for use in Jordan; and the sale of about 20-30 million m3/year of desalinated water from Mekorot (the Israeli water utility) to the Palestinian Water Authority for use in the West Bank. December 10 December 11 December 12 Palestinian film Omar won the Best Feature Film Award at the seventh annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards, the region’s highest accolade in film, announced at a ceremony in Brisbane, Australia on 12 December 2013. December 13 December 14 December 15 Iceland formally recognized Palestine as a state on 15 December 2011 during a ceremony in Reykjavik, Iceland. Iceland became the first Western European country to formally recognize the Palestinian Territories as an independent state. December 16 December 17 Bolivia recognized the State of Palestine based on 1967 borders on 17 December 2010. December 18 December 19 December 20 December 21 December 22 The Greek parliament on 22 December 2015 unanimously voted to recognize Palestine as an independent state. Both countries will continue to work toward further formal recognition beyond this symbolic vote. December 23 December 24 Ecuador recognized the State of Palestine as an independent and free state based on 1967 borders on 24 December 2010. December 25 December 26 December 27 December 28 December 29 December 30 December 31 Israel freed a group of 26 Palestinian prisoners on 31 December 2013 as part of a US-brokered agreement to resume direct peace talks between the two nations. The prisoners were the third batch of 104 detainees that Israel pledged to let go in four stages when the peace talks were revived in July.

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