The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Eight West Bank families obtained an order nisi from the Israeli High Court this week barring the authorities from demolishing or sealing their homes before the court hears the cases against 10 of their sons and daughters arrested in early August for alleged membership in Fateh and military actions against the occupation [FJ 8/14].

Other Countries: Spain grants official representation to PLO: ambassadorial-level recognition [PI 8/15].

Military Action

Arab World: Car bomb is exploded in East Beirut, kills 20, wounds 100 [WP 8/14].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: U.S. V.P. Bush in Jerusalem meets 18 West Bank and Gaza Palestinians, most of them known to be pro-Jordanian, who urge U.S. to recognize the PLO [NYT 7/30, FJ 8/1, 8/8]. Israeli Central Planning Committee hears objections by 7 West Bank villages to an Israeli plan to confiscate 3,500 dunums of village land for constructing a highway linking Jerusalem with the village of Kufr Qasim [FJ 8/1].

Military Action

Arab World: Car bomb explodes in Muslim West Beirut, killing 25 and wounding 180, while mass funeral is being held in East Beirut for the victims of 7/28 bombing [NYT, WP 7/30].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli military spokespersons tell reporters armed attacks in the northern West Bank have nearly doubled in the past year, while attacks in the Bethlehem-Hebron area have declined by 11% [JP 3/27]. Students at Bethlehem U. stone cars and pedestrians following Land Day demonstration, unfurl Palestinian flag, throw makeshift gasoline bombs at Israeli soldiers, set up roadblocks; Israeli troops fire in air to disperse them [JP 3/27].

Arab World: Car bomb explodes near Phalange party office in East Beirut, killing 10, wounding 80; 2 hours earlier, 6 were wounded by bomb outside another Phalange party office [NYT, WP 3/27].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: P.M. Peres states he is considering ways to promote self-rule among Palestinians in the occupied territories, outlines plans to nominate mayors in 3 major West Bank towns, would consider easing restrictions on travel to Jordan [NYT 2/27]. Israeli Army Chief of Staff Moshe Levy states 170 people were arrested during 6-day sweep in S. Lebanon, some have been transferred toprisons in Israel [NYT, TS 2/27].

Arab World: Radio Monte Carlo broadcasts statements by Nayif Hawatmah, general secretary of the DFLP, and a representative of the Palestine Communist party outlining conditions for rapprochement with Yasir Arafat's Fateh faction: (1) cancellation of the 11 February Amman agreement; (2) convening of the PNC; (3) creation of a collective leadership in the PLO [FJ 2/28].

Military Action

Arab World: Car bomb explodes outside entrance to 'Ain al-Hilwah refugee camp, near Sidon, killing driver and wounding 10; explosion occurred a half-hour before Palestinian students were to join a march to commemorate a slain Sidon leader [NYT, WP, CT 2/27].