The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: U.S. Ambassador to Israel Thomas Pickering meets with Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhaq Rabin, says U.S. will send diplomatic observers to military trials of Palestinians arrested during recent violence [WP 12/29]. More than 300 Palestinian women hold 3-hour sit-in at UNRWA's Gaza office. Similar protest is held at Red Cross headquarters in Jerusalem [FJ 1/3]. Israel orders 2 Ramallah UNRWA schools, al-Tirah College and Teachers' College, closed for 1 month effective 12/22 [FJ 1/3]. Family of youth killed in recent Gaza uprising is ordered to pay IS 5,000 in medical costs related to shooting [FJ 1/3].

Arab World: Fateh Revolutionary Council (Abu Nidal) announces execution of 5 charged with spying for Jordan and Israel [FJ 1/3].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF begins military maneuvers in Golan Heights and eastern Galilee [FBIS 12/29]. In Gaza Strip, military lifts curfew on Jabalya refugee camp; 2 entrances to Burayj camp are sealed [NYT 12/29].

Arab World: Amal militiamen capture, kill 4 members of Fateh near Beirut's Shatila refugee camp [FJ 1/3].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Curfew on Balatah refugee camp is lifted [FJ 6/7]. House of Ramallah family, one of whose members is accused of participating in 1983 bus bombing, is partly destroyed by Israeli soldiers [FJ 6/7]. Ramallah military court agrees to investigate charges made by Rasmi Muhammad 'Asi of torture during police interrogation [FJ 6/7]. Deputy P.M. David Levy attends inauguration celebration for new Israeli settlement at al-Radar Hill [FJ 6/7]. It is revealed before Knesset Financial Com. that civil administration collected U.S. $235 million in direct and indirect taxes from occupied territories, a sum which exceeds annual allocated budget of the civil administration [FJ 6/7]. Israeli authorities attempt to confiscate 4,000 dunams of land from Nablus-area village of Salim and 5,000 dunams from Bayt Dajan village; owners of land are appealing the confiscation order [FJ 6/7]. At least 5 prisoners are injured in clash between prisoners and guards at Hebron Prison; prisoners declare hunger strike in response to incident [FJ 6/7].

Arab World: Lebanon's Prime Minister Rashid Karami is assassinated in helicopter explosion en route from Tripoli to Beirut; 3 others are wounded in blast; Pres. Jumayyil declares national week of mourning [CSM, NYT 6/2].

Other Countries: Assignment of Meir Rosenne, Israeli ambassador to U.S., expires. No new ambassador has been named [NYT 6/3].

Military Action

Arab World: Israeli tanks reach Jazin, 12 miles north of Israeli border [CSM 6/2].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Curfew is imposed on Ramallah after student protesters throw stones, molotov cocktail at troops. Curfew also ordered for Balatah and Tulkarm camps [FJ 4/12].

Arab World: Reports charge Jordanian Minister of Occupied Territories Affairs Marwan Dudin was involved in disappearance of funds [FJ 4/12].

Other Countries: Christian Science Monitor reports American Civil Liberties Union has filed lawsuit challenging use of McCarran-Walter Act in case of 7 Palestinians arrested by INS 1/26 [CSM 4/9]. Israeli F. M. Peres concludes 3 days of talks with Soviet representatives in Rome [NYT 4/10]. King Hussein and members of Jordanian government meet with British P. M. Thatcher to discuss possibility of Middle East peace conference [IN 4/10]. Israeli Pres. Herzog on state visit to W. Germany asks Bonn not to sell submarines to Saudi Arabia [LAT 4/10].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Military authorities impose curfews on 2 towns and 2 refugee camps on W. Bank after demonstrations in support of prison hunger strike [CSM 4/10].

Arab World: Four Israeli helicopters attack PLO positions in 'Ayn al-Hilwah in S. Lebanon, killing 2 and wounding 6 [NYT 4/10]. Syrian troops reinforce their posts around Beirut's Shatila and Burj al-Barajinah refugee camps; 47 wounded Palestinians are evacuated from Burj al-Barajinah [NYT, IN 4/10].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops use force, tear gas to disperse women's demonstration in Ramallah, impose curfew on town and al-Birah. There are reports of protests in Jalazun, Am'ari, Balatah, and Dahayshah refugee camps [FJ 4/12]. Students hold hunger strike at Bethlehem U. in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners [FJ 4/12]. Hebron's Polytechnic Institute is closed for 8 days after army finds "inciting material" at the school [FJ 4/12]. Student demonstration forces U.S. Consul General Morris Draper to suspend his visit to Birzeit University [FJ 4/12].

Other Countries: In Washington, Jordan's P. M. Zayd Rifa'i urges U.S. Sec. of State Shultz to support King Hussein's plan for international Middle East peace conference. King Hussein also promotes proposal with EEC members during meetings in Brussels [NYT 4/8]. Israeli F. M. Peres joins Palestinian and Soviet representatives at Rome meeting of Socialist International's Middle East Study Group discussion of possibilities for an international Middle East peace conference [WT 4/8]. W. German Chancellor Kohl meets with Israeli Pres. Herzog, expresses W. Germany's commitmento insuring Israel's security [LAT 4/8].

Military Action

Arab World: Syrian forces enter Shatila refugee camp in S. Beirut, ending 5-month Amal militia siege of camp; Ahmad Yamani (Abu Mahir), sec. of Palestine National Salvation Front, meets with other PLO leaders in Sidon to discuss PLO pullout from positions in the area [WP, NYT 4/8]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Military court finds Al-Najah U. Prof. Sa'eb Erakat guilty of incitement in connection with an editorial calling for Palestinians to "learn how to endure and reject and resist" all forms of occupation; 'Iraqat's lawyer is appealing the decision to the High Court, asking court to decide the limits of free speech in the occupied territories [NYT 4/7]. Estimated 200 women, many relatives of prisoners, join in peaceful march from Jerusalem's Red Cross offices to Damascus Gate where it is broken up by police; 11 women are arrested [FJ 4/12]. Military authority imposes curfew on Ramallah town center after student demonstration. The Friends Boys School is ordered closed for 1 week [FJ 4/12]. Israeli, after thrown stone breaks his windshield, opens fire on East Jerusalem's Salah al-Din Street, wounds 2 Palestinians [FJ 4/12]. Military court orders 'Abd al-Fattah Ziyarah expelled from Gaza to Egypt [FJ 4/12].

Other Countries: Israeli Pres. Herzog arrives in W. Germany for official state visit [WT 4/6; FT 4/7]. Herzog and W. German Pres. von Weizsacker visit Bergen-Belsen concentration camp [LT 4/7].

Military Action

Arab World: Cease-fire allows 5 truck-loads of food donated by Kuwait to enter Beirut's Shatila refugee camp, the second supply operation since November [GU 4/7].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Military authorities order Gaza's Islamic University closed for 10 days [FJ 2/27].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Grenade explodes during changing of Israeli border guard at Jerusalem's Damascus Gate, wounds 12 soldiers, at least 2 Israeli citizens, 3 Palestinians. PLO claims responsibility [FJ 2/27]. Explosion destroys soldiers' hitchhiking station at entrance to new Jewish settlement town of Efrat, midway between Jerusalem and Hebron [JP 2/27]. At Jalazun refugee camp near Ramallah troops use tear gas to disperse protestors who had blocked roads, thrown stones. Merchants strike in Gaza City to protest continued detention of over 135 university students [FJ 2/27].

Arab World: Syrian troops enter W. Beirut [BG 2/23].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Members of Gaza Trade Union of Carpenters and Construction Workers defy Israeli ban, vote in first union election in Gaza in 20 years [NYT 2/22; FJ 2/27]. Jerusalem Post cites reports Israel has doubled size of forces in Lebanon to almost 3,000 UPI 2/21]. Meir Ya'ari, one of the founders of Hashomer Hatzair Zionist youth movement and a long-time leader of Mapam party, dies at age 90 UPI 2/28].

Other Countries: Head of PLO Political Dept. Faruq al-Qaddumi ends 3-day official visit to Rome [FJ 2/27].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Estimated 200 students participate in protest in Ramallah, throw stones at Israeli soldiers [FJ 2/27].

Arab World: Advance party of Syrian troops and tanks arrives in S. Beirut; 4,500 Syrian and Lebanese soldiers are expected to enter W. Beirut 2/22. Lebanese Pres. Jumayyil, returning from 10-day trip to European capitals, terms Syrian plan "illegal and unconstitutional" [WP 2/22].

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: Two Muslim Americans in Beirut to negotiate for release of American hostages leave country after militiamen ransack, rob their hotel rooms [NYT 2/20]. SLA commander Lahad rejects plan to swap Arab prisoners for foreign hostages, states willingness to swap them for Israeli soldiers [WP 2/20].

Other Countries: Israeli P. M. Shamir, on visit to U.S., says he will accept an international Middle East peace conference if U.S.S.R. and "militant" Arab states are excluded [PI 2/20].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Troops use tear gas to break up group of stone-throwing demonstrators in Ramallah; use tear gas and live ammunition against protestors blockading streets in Rafah, Khan Yunis, and refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, wounding at least 3 [FJ 2/27].

Arab World: Police in S. Beirut report "de facto truce" around Burj al-Barajinah and Shatila refugee camps [LAT 2/20].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Poice raid W. Jerusalem Alternative Information Center, confiscate material, arrest director, and order center closed for 6 months on charges center has been "rendering services" to PFLP [NYT 2/18; FJ 2/20]. Trial of John Demjanjuk, accused of being Treblinka concentration camp prison guard known as "Ivan the Terrible," opens in Jerusalem [GU 2/17].

Arab World: Washington Post describes Saudi Arabian arms build-up asresponse to Israeli military threat [WP 2/16]. Syria asks Amal to ease its siege of Burj al-Barajinah and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut and Rashidiyyah camp near Tyre [OB 2/17]. Kuwait announces plan to contribute $5 million to joint PLO-Jordanian fund [NYT 2/18].

Other Countries: Reports confirm U.S. has upgraded Israel's status to non-NATO ally [PI 2/16].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Soldiers shoot and wound 9 youths during 2 demonstrations in Gaza City. As punishment for campus demonstrations, military authorities order Islamic University of Gaza closed for 3 days. Demonstrations are also held in Khan Yunis and Rafah. Commercial strike closes most shops and students block roads in Jerusalem. Roger Heacock, American Birzeit University professor, isarrested on charges of incitement. Military attempto storm Ramallah's Teachers Training College and break up demonstration fails [FJ 2/20].

Arab World: At least 25 killed, 100 wounded in fierce street fighting between Amal, communist, Druze, Palestinian, and Murabitun forces in W. Beirut [BS 2/17].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Over 500 Birzeit University student marchers protest Amal and Syrian actions against Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and Israeli policies in occupied territories. Students in Ramallah boycott classes, attack Israeli troops with stones. Palestinian artists hold allnight vigil in Jerusalem theater in solidarity with besieged camps in Lebanon [FJ 2/13].

Arab World: Reports indicate Salah Khalaf (Abu lyad) intervened to urge kidnappers holding 4 professors in Beirut not to execute hostages, stressed U.S. would likely retaliate if any of 4 were killed [SG, WT 2/13].

Military Action

Arab World: Joint Syrian-Lebanese patrol kills Hizballah member at Beirut checkpoint. Hizballah responds by capturing 12 Syrian soldiers, 13 Lebanese policemen, burning patrol vehicles [JP 2/13]. Israeli air force jets strike Fateh base at Mieh Mieh refugee camp near Sidon, killing 3, wounding 12 [WT 2/13; BG 2/12]. In Damascus, Syrian troops raid offices of Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, arrest senior official [NYT 2/13].