The Palestine Chronology

FMs of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, PLO, conclude meeting in Cairo, issue statement urging UN to give Israel a deadline to repatriate 12/17 Palestinian deportees, imply peace talks in jeopardy. (NYT 12/25)

Chmn. Arafat says "I would have caught the murderer of the soldier [kidnapped 10/13 by Hamas and found dead 10/15] and killed him!" in interview on deportations, peace talks. (Davar 12/27 in FBIS 12/28)

Palestinian-Israeli delegation including MKs and local council heads, makes deportees-solidarity visit to Red Cross HQ in Gaza, which turns into large demonstration. (ITV 12/24 in FBIS 12/30)

Israel and Jordan agree on draft agenda for negotiations with a formal peace treaty as the eventual goal, within the framework of a comprehensive Arab-Israeli settlement. This first mutual written agreement between Israel and the Arab side includes discussion of the Jordanian territorial demand, and construction of the "Red-Dead canal" between the two seas (see 10/22). (Jordan Times 10/29 in FBIS 10/29; WT 10/30; Educational TV [Israel], ITV 11/1 in FBIS 11/2; NYT 10/29, 11/2)

SHAS withdraws demand for Ed. Min. Shulamit Aloni's ouster, calling instead for her apology and pledge to abstain from religious exhortation, as well as expanded powers for its own dep. ed. min. MAPAM demands 4th cabinet portfolio for Meretz coalition, of which it is a part, calls for no capitulation to SHAS demands. (IDF Radio, Qol Yisra'el 10/28 in FBIS 10/29)

Israeli district court orders govt. to pay $62,000 in damages to family of unarmed Palestinian killed in 1988 by undercover IDF unit, $20,000 to family of Palestinian wounded in same incident. Precedent-setting ruling "basically" rejected Shin Bet claim that soldiers were on a military operation, an act of state with no liability. (WT 11/6; al-Fajr 11/9)

Knesset comm. decides not to revoke the parliamentary immunity ofMKs Naomi Chazan (Meretz), 'Abd al-Wahhab Darawsha and Taleb al-Sana (Arab Democratic Party), and Hashem Mahamid (HADASH) for meeting with top PLO officials recently, by vote of 8 to 6. (IDF Radio 10/28 in FBIS 10/29; WP 10/29)

"Tens of thousands" of Palestinians in Syria and Jordan demonstrate against the peace talks (see 10/26). (QPAR 10/28 in FBIS 10/29, 10/30)

King Hassan of Morocco meets with King Hussein in Amman. (MM 10/29)

Lebanese UN rep. lodges complain to UNSC over recent Israeli attacks, calls for implementation of UNSC Res. 425. (Radio Lebanon 10/29 in FBIS 10/29)

Palestinian prisoners suspend hunger strike for one week after Israeli official promise to begin investigation of their demands 10/12. (ITV 10/11 in FBIS 10/13; MM, WP 10/12)

Palestinian delegation head Faisal Husseini "rejects" conditions Israel is trying to place on Palestinians participating in multilateral negotiations (see 10/8). (al-Quds 10/12 in FBIS 10/14)

Hamas announces it will meet with PLO Chmn. Arafat in Khartoum 11/10 in attempt to curtail intra-Palestinian violence. (al-Sharq al-Awsat 10/12 in FBIS 10/19)

Israeli visiting a Gaza settlement is killed by unidentified assailant; IDF troops kills 2, wound 40 in clash with stonethrowers in Nusayrat camp, Gaza. Curfew clamped on Gaza City, Khan Yunis, Rafah, and 3 camps in the Strip. (MM, WP 10/12; ITV 10/11 in FBIS 10/13)

IDF shoots, kills 2 infiltrators from Jordan, armed with knives, north of Jericho. Jordanian sourcesay the 2 were 17-year-old Palestinians from Hebron living in Amman. (MM 10/12; Qol Yisra'el, RMC 10/12 in FBIS 10/13)

U.S. officials elaborate on acting Secy. of State Eagleburger's 10/1 letter to American Jewish leaders announcing new efforts to end Arab boycott against Israel, saying U.S. ambs. in the Middle East (mostly in the Gulf ) have-been instructed to encourage Arab govts. to make gestures that could boost the peace process (see 9/24, 10/1). (WP 10/12)

Over 80 PNC mbrs. living in Amman sign memo to PLO Central Council supporting the intifada, the delegation and negotiation process, and resolutions of the 19th PNC, and calling for Palestinian and Arab unity in the peace process. (Sawt al-Sha'b 10/12 in FBIS 10/13)

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)

Near Ramallah, Shin Bet arrests 3 members of Hamas-'Izz al-Din al-Qassim faction, believed to be responsible for deaths of 3 Israelis, 20 Gaza Palestinians. (Qol Yisra'el, ITV 8/8 in FBIS 8/10; WP 8/9; JP 8/15)

Palestinian man stabs 2 Israeli policemen in Jerusalem, killing 1, and is shot and killed by a passerby and police. (WP 7/31)

Body of Mahmud Abu Hasan al-Zarini is returned, buried by family in Janin under tight Israeli security. Seven-day commercial strike ends (see 7/22, 27). (MM 7/30)

Jordanian house of reps. issues statement supporting Palestinian national rights and intifada, criticizing all settlements and deportations, and calling for inter-Arab solidarity. (Radio Jordan Network 7/30 in FBIS 7/31)

With Hizballah consent, Syrian-backed Lebanese army force takes over barracks in Ba'labakk, Biqa' Valley, which have been under Hizballah control since 1982. (AFP, Radio Lebanon 7/30 in FBIS 7/31)

Israeli air force raids Jabal Safi, Iqlim al-Tuffah regions, S. Lebanon. Casualties this year from 27 Israeli raids total 44 dead, 100 wounded, mostly civilians. (AFP, Qol Yisra'el 7/30 in FBIS 7/30)

Housing Min. Benyamin Ben-Eliezer estimates that 50,000 settlers will move into the o.t. over the next year if the approximately 10,000 units now under construction are completed and populated. (MM 7/30)

Israel allows Faisal Husseini's Arab Studies Society to reopen in Jerusalem after 4-year closure. (ITV 7/29 in FBIS 7/30; MM 7/30)

PM Rabin appoints 2 SHAS MKs to dep. min. positions in education and housing. (Qol Yisra'el 7/29 in FBIS 7/31)

Israel and the Vatican pledge to establish diplomatic ties with appointment of joint commission to meet in November. (WP, NYT 7/29)

Manager of Jordan National Bank Tawfiq Fakhuri meets with FM Shimon Peres, Bank of Israel officials, agrees to open a branch in the West Bank. (Al Hamishmar 8/3 in FBIS 8/4)

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)