The Palestine Chronology

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)

Bilateral talks in Washington adjourn until 11/9. (Qol Yisra'el 10/29 in FBIS 10/29)

Two-day multilateral conference on economics opens in Paris, with World Bank suggesting establishment of Middle East reconstruction bank modeled on similar European bank. Dr. Fayiz al-Tarawina, head of the Jordanian delegation, says the Arab states will reject any joint projects with Israel before withdrawal from the o.t. Syria and Lebanon boycott, London-based businessman Zayn Mi'asi heads the Palestinian team, and Bank of Israel gov. Ya'akov Frenkel heads the Israeli delegation. (Qol Yisra'el 10/29 in FBIS 10/29; MM 10/30)

Chmn. Arafat sends Madrid conf. anniversary messages to leaders of U.S., Russia, China, France, Japan, Austria, Great Britain and Sweden urging them to help remove Israeli obstacles to progress in peace talks. (Akhbar al-Usbu' 10/29 in FBIS 10/29)

Fateh Cent. Comm. mbr. Hani al-Hassan issues statement praising Saudi Arabia's support of the Palestinian cause and the kingdom's treatment of its Palestinian community. (Saudi Arabian TV 10/29 in FBIS 10/30)

King Hassan of Morocco meets with Pres. Asad in Damascus. (MM 10/30)

Israel shells Iqlim al-Tuffah, western Biqa' regions, overflies Sidon and surrounding refugee camps. SLA soldier is wounded in bomb attack north of "security zone," southern Lebanon. (Qol Yisra'el, Radio Lebanon 10/29 in FBIS 10/29)

French FM Roland Dumas meets with Pres. Mubarak in Cairo, then meets separately with PM Rabin and FM Peres in Jerusalem. The U.S. has reportedly sent word to Israel that the Dumas initiatives, centered on arranging a Rabin-Asad summit, do not advance the peace process. Palestinian and Jordanian sources are "suspicious" of Dumas' efforts, as he has made no effort to meet with the PLO, and appears to be working toward only a partial settlement. (Ha'Aretz al-Quds, al-Dustur 10/5 in MM 10/5)

Al-Sharq al-Awsat reports that Chmn. Arafat has solicited the help of Pres. Mubarak in curbing Syrian support of oppositionist Palestinian factions. Ten such orgs. signed a statement attacking the peace process 9/18 in Damascus. Mubarak reportedly promised to speak to Pres. Asad on the matter. (al-Sharq al-Awsat 10/4 in FBIS 10/8)

Hizballah gunmen attack Bayt Yahun crossing point in central "security zone," S. Lebanon, kill SLA security chief Hussein 'Abd al-Nabi, 1 other SLA militiaman. Hizballah loses 2 in the fighting. Israel shells and strafes the area. (Radio Lebanon, AFP 10/4 in FBIS 10/5; al-Nahr 10/5 in MM 10/5

PM Rabin approves continuing construction on $42-million Gilo-Gush Etzion road linking Jerusalem to W. Bank settlements and bypassing Palestinian villages. (MM 8/21)

Israeli press reports govt. will no longer give loans and grants (usually totalling NIS 50,000) to purchase housing in "political settlements." (Yedi'ot Aharonot, HaAretz, 8/20 in FBIS 8/20; Qol Yisra'el 8/20 in FBIS 8/21)

FMs from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and the PLO conclude 2-day meeting in Damascus, issue statement reiterating commitments of 7/25 meeting, state their intention to participate in 6th round of talks. (SARR 8/20 in FBIS 8/21; MM 8/20)

FMs of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Palestine (PLO pol. dept. head Faruk Qaddumi) meet in Damascus at invitation of Syrian FM Faruk al-Shara' to coordinate negotiating strategy. Haydar 'Abd al-Shafi and other Palestinian delegation members also attend talks. Egypt and the Palestinians reportedly support the Israeli-American plan for an autonomy agreement by 10/30; Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan oppose this. (Radio Lebanon, SANA 7/24 in FBIS 7/24; MM 7/24)

King Hussein meets with Pres. Asad in Damascus. (Syrian Arab Republic Radio 7/24 in FBIS 7/27)

Prominent Palestinian Israelis meet in Tunis with PLO officials. (ITV 7/23 in FBIS 7/24)

PLO Exec. Comm. issues memo rejecting Israel's "theatrical step" of cancelling 6,600 o.t. housing contracts that were only imaginary projects of Shamir and Sharon. (Algiers VOP 7/24 in FBIS 7/27)

At news conference with Saudi FM Prince Saud al-Faisal in Jidda, Secy. of State Baker praises Israel's partial freeze of new settlement construction but says U.S. will need to decide whether the action meets conditions for granting loan guarantees. (NYT 7/25)

Israeli jets raid Hizballah targets in Jabal Safi, Iqlim al-Tuffah regions, S.Lebanon, following up 7/24 attacks. (Qol Yisra'el 7/24 in FBIS 7/24; MM 7/24)

Fateh Revolutionary Council blames Mossad in collaboration with PLO in 7/23 killing of Walid Khalid (Al-Anwar 7/24 in FBIS 7/28)

Lebanese govt. sets dates for first general elections in 20 years, despite Christian opposition to holding the vote before Syrian withdrawal. Regional elections rounds will be held 8/23, 8/30, and 9/6. (WP 7/25)

Fifth round of Arab-Israeli peace talks open in Washington. Israeli proposes agreement for municipal elections in selected o.t. localities. Israel insists such a plan is not a substitute for continued negotiations regarding Palestinian autonomy. Israeli-Jordanian talks center on water use. (MM 4/28; WP 4/29; NYT, MM 4/30; Jordan Television 4/28 in FBIS 4/29)

U.S., Russia issue invitations for upcoming third round, multilateral talks. Meetings dealing with five different topics are scheduled to be held in May in different world capitals: arms control, 5/11 in Washington; economic development, 5/11 in Brussels; water, 5/12 in Vienna; refugee problems, 5/13 in Ottawa; environmental issues, 5/18 in Tokyo. (NYT 4/29)

State Dept. announces Syria has informed U.S. it has lifted travel ban and restrictions on purchase and sale of property formerly applied to Syrian Jews [see 4/13]. (NYT, MM 4/28)

Israeli state comptroller issues report criticizing mismanagement, waste, and corruption in numerous government agencies. Report recommended criminal investigations in several instances of corruption within housing ministry, headed by Ariel Sharon [atty. gen. began investigating housing ministry 4/26 after comptroller informed him in advance of report's findings]. (NYT, MM 4/28)

Supporters of Hamas win all 10 seats in elections for student council of a teachers' academy in Ramallah. Hamas also calls on merchants in o.t. to observe strike in protest of resumption of peace talks. Strike observed in some localities in Gaza; in W. Bank, only shops in Hebron were closed. (MM 4/27, 4/29)

IDF states it has apologized for disturbing church services in Ramallah 4/24, but continues to dispute priests' account of what happened [see 4/24]. (MM 4/27)

Palestinian Popular Struggle Front's Central Committee ends meeting in Damascus [begun 4/25] in which it deposed Secy. Gen. Samir Ghawsha and replaced him with Khalid 'Abd al-Majid. (Radio Free Lebanon 4/28 in FBIS 4/29; al-Quds Palestinian Arab Radio 4/29 in FBIS 4/30; Sawt al-Kuwait 5/1, al-Hayat 5/2 in FBIS 5/8; INA 5/3 in FBIS 5/4)

State Dept. announces Secy. of State Baker has sent letters to Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and the Palestinians inviting them to resume fifth round of peace talks 4/27 in Washington and to make a commitment to moving the negotiations to a venue closer to Middle East. (WP 3/31)

Israel's Palestinian citizens mark annual commemoration of Land Day with a "national holiday" instead of the traditional protests and strikes. Rally is staged in Ramiya, a village which the government does not officially recognize and whose inhabitants face eviction [see 3/22]. Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) organizes Land Day strikes in Gaza, but security forces curfew most areas. (MM 3/30)

EC "troika" arrives in Amman for discussions with Jordanian, PLO officials on peace talks, upcoming multilateral economic talks. (Radio Jordan 3/31 in FBIS 4/1)

PFLP, DFLP-Hawatima faction, Palestine Liberation Front, and Palestinian Popular Struggle Front issue statement in Damascus confirming their support for 1988 Palestine National Council decision calling for confederation between Jordan and an independent Palestinian state. (Radio Monte Carlo 3/30 in FBIS 3/31)

Israeli peace activist Abie Nathan is released from prison [see 3/291. (MM 3/31)