The Palestine Chronology

Israel expels 415 suspected Muslim activists, 251 from the West Bank, 164 from the Gaza Strip to Lebanon. High Court of Justice temporarily blocks the expulsions, then votes 5 to 2 to permit them. UNIFIL forces try to block buses carrying deportees from traveling through their territory. Lebanese army blocks the deportees from entering govt.- controlled territory, leaving them stranded between Israeli and Lebanese checkpoints. (WP 12/17, 12/18; Qol Yisra'el, Radio Lebanon, VOL 12/17, 12/18 in FBIS 12/18; NYT 12/18)

Eighth round of Arab-Israeli peace talks ends. Arab parties boycott 12/17 meetings to protest deportations. PLO announces talks suspended until deportees allowed back. (Tunisian Republic Radio 12/17 in FBIS 12/18; NYT, WP 12/18)

Pres. Bush meets separately with all delegations involved in peace talks for 20-25 minutes each; he meets with Palestinians and Jordanians together, then with Jordanians alone for 15 minutes. (Radio Jordan 12/17 in FBIS 12/18)

Hamas denounces the expulsions as "total war"; their legitimate targets, previously limited to soldiers, now include "every Zionist in Palestine." Arab MKs condemn deportation ruling, threaten to withdraw support of governing coalition. UNLU issues supplement to call no. 90 condemning the deportations. (IDF Radio 12/17 in FBIS 12/18; AFP 12/17, Sanaa VOP 12/18 in FBIS 12/21)

U.S. State Department "strongly condemns the action of deportation". Pres.-elect Bill Clinton is critical, though not condemnatory of the expulsion. UN Secy.-Gen. Butrus-Ghali asks Israel to "rescind the expulsion order." (NYT 12/18

Eighth round of peace talks begins in Washington. Truncated Palestinian delegation (see 12/6) appeals to the U.S. to intervene. White House announces that Pres. Bush will meet with all delegation heads at the end of this round (12/17). (NYT 12/8; Radio Jordan 12/7 in FBIS 12/8)

Three IDF soldiers are killed in drive-by shooting in Bayt Lahiya, Gaza Strip, the most costly single attack on the IDF by o.t. Palestinians since the beginning of intifada 12/9/87. Hamas-'Izz al-Din al-Qassim wing claims responsibility. (MM 12/7; WP 12/8; NYT 12/9; Qol Yisra'el 12/7 in FBIS 12/8)

DFLP-'Abd-Rabbuh faction calls for expanded meeting of DFLP leadership to discuss 12/3 Hawatima faction takeover of Rabbuh's Damascus HQ, still being held. (Sanaa VOP 12/7 in FBIS 12/8)

Separate IDF and Border Police undercover units clash by mistake, wounding 3, near Jenin. (MM 12/8)

UN Development Program announces it will invest $20 million in W. Bank and Gaza Strip projects in the coming year, "hopefully" to be increased to $35 million the following year. Activities are to be coordinated with Israel. (MM 11/10)

IDF kills Palestinian gunman in Gaza Strip. (MM 11/10)

Hamas calls for "days of escalation" on 11/19 (date of 1935 death of Shaykh 'Izz al-Din al-Qassim), 11/22 (25th anniv. of UNSC 242), 11/25 and 27, general strike on 11/29 (date of 1947 UN partition res.). (QPAR 11/10 in FBIS 11/10)

Israel overflies, drops flares over S. Lebanon all night, shells targets, amasses armor and artillery along northern border, concentrates positions in eastern "security zone" overlooking Nabatiyya and Jazzin. Hizballah fires rockets into "security zone" and Israel, attacks Israeli patrol in Jazzin, 10 mi. north of "security zone." SLA detains Lebanese Army sergeant in Khiyam prison. (Qol Yisra'el, Radio Lebanon, VOL 11/10 in FBIS 11/10)

IDF confirms 11/4 UN findings of Syrian disengagement violations, choosing, as they have in the past, to turn a"blind eye" to these longstanding violations. (Hadashot 1 1/1 1 in FBIS 11/13)

Jordan sentences 2 Muslim Brotherhood MPs to 20 years hard labor, 2 shopkeepers to 10 years hard labor, for membership in outlawed, Iranian-backed dissident orgs. (MM 11/10; NYT, WP 11/11

Arab FMs from Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and the PLO conclude coordination meeting in Amman, issue statement reiterating commitment to comprehensive peace. (VOL, Radio Jordan 10/18 in FBIS 10/19; MM 10/19)

Palestinians kill 2 suspected collaborators in Gaza Strip. (Qol Yisra'el 10/19 in FBIS 10/20)

Two FRC mbrs. are assassinated on the seashore in Sidon, Lebanon. (VOL 10/18 in FBIS 10/19)

Several thousand Palestinians demonstrate in Rafah and Mughazi, Gaza Strip, in solidarity with 11-day-old prisoners' hunger strike. IDF shoot and wound at least 90 in trying to disperse crowds. Nearly 500 students at Bir Zeit University embark on indefinite hunger strike until detainees' demands are met. (MM 10/7, 10/8; NYT, WP 10/8)

In Amman, Chmn. Arafat meets with PNC mbrs., then with PFLP head George Habash, the leading PLO opposition figure, to discuss the peace process. (Radio Jordan, RMC 10/7, 10/8 in FBIS 10/8; al-Hayat in MM 10/9)

PLO rejects all statements favoring permanent settlement of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, and reaffirms applicability of UNGA Res. 194. (Algiers VOP 9/23 in FBIS 9/25)

Palestinians stage general strike in o.t. to protest autonomy talks. Strike widely honored, in o.t., but response is strongest in Gaza Strip, Syria, and Lebanon; weaker in E. Jerusalem and W. Bank, negligible in Jordan. (MM 9/24; WP 10/14)

FM Shimon Peres and UN Secy. Gen. Butrus Butrus Ghali meet in New York, agree to raise UN from observer to participant status in multilateral negotiations. They also discuss the "extraneous and bizarre resolutions that the UN reaffirms year in and year out"; Butrus Ghali promises to help Israel "strike those... .off the agenda." (ITV 9/24 in FBIS 9/25)

In meeting with acting U.S. Secy. of State Eagleburger, Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara' refers to "total peace" in exchange for total Israel withdrawal from Golan Heights. (IDF Radio 9/23, SARR 9/24. in FBIS 9/24; MM 9/24)

Israeli education min. Shulamit Aloni says PM Rabin is prepared to return the entire Golan Heights in exchange for a peace agreement with Syria. Speaking to Golani settlers, PM Rabin refers to private "red lines" concerning the Golan, rules out leasing Golani territory, as that would concede its sovereignty to Syria. (MM 9/24; NYT 9/26; Yedi'ot Aharonot 9/25 in FBIS 9/25; Hadashot 9/25 in FBIS 9/28)

Test flight of Israeli Arrow antiballistic missile is deemed successful. (IDF Radio 9/23 in FBIS 9/24; MM 9/24)

Fateh mbr. Nimr Dib Shibli (Abu Kayyid) is assassinated in Sidon, Lebanon. (Radio Lebanon 9/23 in FBIS 9/25)

PM-designate Rabin announces new cabinet to the Labor party Cent. Comm. He named himself DM, Mordechai Gur dep. DM (in charge of "day-to-day" affairs), Avraham Shochat fin. min., Benyamin Ben-Eliezer construction and housing min., Shulamit Aloni education min. Labor has 13 minister portfolios, Meretz 3, and Shas 1-interior. (NYT 7/13)

Labor issues separate letters of commitment on social and political matters to HADASH (Democratic Front) and Arab Democratic Party, two Arab parties supporting but not part of new coalition who have a total of 5 Knesset seats. (ITV 7/12 in FBIS 7/13)

Chmn. Arafat meets with Pres. Mubarak in Cairo. (MM 7/13)

PLO political advisor and delegation advisory comm. mbr. Nabil Shaath says Egypt is "the" Arab state capable of restoring Arab solidarity and boosting Palestinian negotiating strength, aswell as materially aiding the Palestinan people. (MENA 7/12 in FBIS 7/14)

Palestinian delegation spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi is detained for several hours upon crossing the Allenby bridge from Jordan, regarding the delegation's 6/18 public meeting with PLO Chmn. Arafat. (Qol Yisra'el 7/12 in FBIS 7/13; NYT 7/13)

Israel, SLA heavily shells Iqlim al-Tuffah region in S. Lebanon, reportedly in retaliation for bomb attack on Israeli patrol. (MM 7/13)

UNLU issues addendum to call no. 84 (issued 7/4) commending and supporting efforts to end intra-Palestinian violence in Gaza Strip.

U.S. informs Israeli and Arab delegations that bilateral talks will resume 8/28 in Rome. (Al-Quds 7/6 in FBIS 7/7)

MK 'Abd al-Wahhab Darawsha (Arab Democratic Party) expresses desire to be included in Labor coalition, "surprising" Labor negotiators. Darawsha also charges Rabin with racism in continuing the ban on Arab parties participating in govt. Arab parties won 5 seats in the 6/23 elections, and the Arab vote accounted for at least 5 Labor and Meretz seats. (IDF Radio 7/6 in FBIS 7/7; MM 7/7)

New York Times reports Iraqi Pres. Saddam Hussein has purged 135 military officers in wake of coup attempt that reportedly began 6/29. Washington Post reports at least 140 officers have been executed. (NYT, WP 7/7)

King Hussein flatly denies Iraqi allegations that Jordan was involved in staging 6/29 coup attempt. Jordan has been host to an increased U.S. intelligence contingent monitoring Iraqi actions. (WP 7/7)

Fateh and Hamas distribute leaflet of agreement to end the violence in the Gaza Strip; 2 Palestinians are killed in Gaza Strip as a result of the current violence. (Algiers VOP 7/7 in FBIS 7/8; WP 7/10)

Association for Civil Rights in Israel releases 1991-92; report cites progress, central problems in o.t. still "rampant." (HaAretz 7/7 in FBIS 7/10)

Israel backs away from threat to arrest Palestinian negotiators who met with Chmn. Arafat in Amman on 6/18; police spokeswoman says they will instead be "investigated." (NYT, WP 6/22)

PLO Exec. Comm. meets in Amman. PLO Chmn. Arafat met with PNC speaker 'Abd al-Hamid al-Sa'ih, deputy speakers, and secy. gen. to select PNC comm. members. (Radio Jordan 6/22 in FBIS 6/22)

Israeli patrol (tank and 2 armored cars) clashes with Hizballah fighters, 1 km. north of "security zone," near Kawkaba. (VOL, Radio Lebanon 6/21 in FBIS 6/22)

Israeli Central Elections Comm. says number of eligible voters for 6/23 elections is 3,409,000. 514,000 are first-time voters, of these 300,000 are immigrants. (Qol Yisra'el 6/21 in FBIS 6/22)

Poll conducted for the Israeli Council of Peace and Security shows 68% of reserve generals in favor of land for peace, 71% feel security arrangements possible if much of Golan Heights is returned to Syria. (WT 6/22)

About 21,000 workers are allowed to enter Israel from the Gaza Strip. (Qol Yisra'el 6/21 in FBIS 6/23)