The Palestine Chronology

5,000 Palestinians march in Khan Yunis funeral of Ahmad Abu al-Rish. 1 Palestinian wounded by IDF gunfire in clashes in Gaza City. (WT 11/30)

Fateh hawks cmdr. Taysir Bardini, 26, captured by IDF after gun, grenade battle in Rafah camp, Gaza Strip. Hawks announce "resumption of intensive military action" against Israeli targets. (AFP 11/29 in FBIS 11/30; MM, NYT 11/30)

PLO-Israel talks in Cairo, al-Arish resume. PLO official Nabil Shaath reports progress on release of Palestinian prisoners, but PM Rabin refuses to give details. Environment M. Yossi Sarid says "it's obvious more Palestinian prisoners will be released gradually." (MM 11/29, 11/30; WT 11/30)

Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza ("Yesha") announces formation of "Hashomer" volunteer guard units to defend settlements. Also, "Irgun Yehudi Leumi" (IYAL- Jewish Nationalist Organization) issues leaflets in settlements calling on settlers to refuse mandatory IDF service. (MM 11/30)

Hadashot publisher Amos Schocken tells IDF radio afternoon tabloid will close due to low circulation and falling advertising revenues. (MM 11/29; WT 12/1)

PLO-Israel talks on Israeli withdrawal fr. Gaza and Jericho resume in Cairo. Palestinian negotiator Nabil Shaath reports progress on release of Palestinian prisoners. (MENA 11/23 in FBIS 11/23; NYT, WT 11/24)

PLO-Israel talks on economic cooperation resume in Paris. (MM 11/24)

22 Palestinian graduates of Egyptian police academy cross into Gaza Strip to form nucleus of Palestinian police force. (NYT 11/24)

Muhammad 'Ali Fara of Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, shot dead trying to evade IDF roadblock in Jabaliya camp. In Idnah, nr. Hebron, 'Abd al-Razzaq Shahada killed by premature detonation of roadside bomb. (Qol Yisra'el 11/23 in FBIS 11/23; NYT 11/24; WT 11/25)

12th Jordanian parliament opens; frmr. PM Tahir al-Masri elected speaker of lower house 57-22, defeating Islamic Action Front candidate. (MM 11/23)

FMs of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the PLO end 2-day meeting in Damascus, delay decision on resuming talks with Israel 4/20 in their final statement. (Radio Lebanon 3/29 in FBIS 3/30; NYT, WP 3/30)

Hanan Ashrawi says Palestinians rejected 3/26 U.S. offers, adds that such assurances are basic rights, "not issues for blackmail, negotiations, or pressure." (MM 3/30)

PLO amb. in Cairo Said Kamal says Pres. Asad and Chmn. Arafat have entrusted Pres. Mubarak to negotiate a solution to the deportees and raise new peace talks ideas during his 4/6 talks with Pres. Clinton in Washington. (MM 3/29)

Jordanian PM Sharif Bin-Shakir tells MPs that his govt. does not accept Israeli-Jordanian draft agenda negotiated by the respective delegations and publicized 10/27/92. It is missing some key points, particularly on Jerusalem. (MM 3/30)

IDF shoots 1 Palestinian dead in Jalazun camp, West Bank. Palestinian worker kills settler near Khan Yunis. Settlers burn down mosque in Gaza Strip. (IDF Radio 3/29 in FBIS 3/30; Qol Yisra'el 3/30 in FBIS 3/31; WP 3/30)

Egypt, PLO request UNSC meeting to consider "the serious situation in the o.t." (Qol Yisra'el 3/23 in FBIS 3/23; MM 3/23)

Israel expands police force from 18,000 to over 20,000, tightens security at o.t. checkpoints. (NYT 3/22; MM 3/23)

Pres. Mubarak concludes 2-day visit to Saudi Arabia. (SPA 3/21 in FB1S 3/22)

Fateh Hawks fire on IDF in Khan Yunis. IDF shoots 2 dead, wound 15 Palestinians in Gaza Strip. (MM. WT 3/22)

Two IDF jeeps are ambushed separately in Gaza Strip and West Bank, killing 2 soldiers. IDF shoots 2 dead, wounds 20 Palestinians in Khan Yunis. IDF destroys up to 20 houses in Dayr al-Balah camp. (Qol Yisra'el 3/21 in FBIS 3/22; MM 3/22; MM, WT 3/23; MM 3/30)

Joint Amal-Hizballah unit attacks Israeli, SLA positions in "security zone." Israel shells targets north of zone. (VOM, VOL 3/20 in FBIS 3/22)

Speaking to Muslim clerics in Damascus, Pres. Asad says he seeks comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace, not a separate deal. (SARR 3/18 in FBIS 3/18; MM 3/18; NYT 3/19)

IDF kills 2, wounds up to 90 Palestinians in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip. Settlers rampage near Nablus, setting fire to Palestinian-owned gas station, to avenge 3/15 killings. (MM 3/17; NYT 3/18)

Federal grand jury indicts Muhammad Salameh and Nidal Ayyad on charge of carrying out 2/26 World Trade Center bombing. Ibrahim al-Gabrowni is charged with obstruction of justice and fraud. (WP, WT 3/18)

Faisal Husseini and 40 delegation associates visit area in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, where homes were leveled by IDF 2/11 to offer sympathy, rally support for negotiations. Hamas and PLO supporters chant allegiance. (MM 2/17)

Pres. Mubarak meets with Chmn. Arafat in Cairo. (WT 2/20; MENA 2/17 in FBIS 2/17)

Israeli Aircraft Industries announces U.S. Def. Dept. has awarded them and American co. TRW a $240m contract to build 56 unmanned airplanes. Sen. Daniel Inouye (DHI) announces U.S. has budgeted $57m to improve Haifa port, which will serve as U.S. Navy's major regional anchorage. But as chmn. of Senate def. appropriations subcomm., he tells Israeli officials that they should prepare for a possible cut in U.S. foreign aid. (MM 2/17; WT 2/18)

Jordan appoints Shaykh Sulayman al-Jabari Mufti of Jerusalem. (MM 2/19)

Israeli justice min. announces that Shin Bet agent in charge when Mustafa 'Akkawi died under 2/4/92 interrogation has been disciplined. (WT 2/18)

IDF shoots 2 Palestinian youths dead in West Bank; another shot dead, while fleeing, 10 minutes after curfew, in Gaza City. (NYT 2/19)

Hizballah and Israeli, SLA forces engage in largest artillery battle of the year, killing 3 Islamic fighters, 2 other Lebanese. Israel shells up to 30 villages, including Nabatiyya. (MM, NYT 2/18)

On 1st day of 8-day visit to the U.S., FM Peres meets with UN Secy.-Gen. Butrus-Ghali, UNSC Pres. Ahmad Senoussi (Morocco), terms Israel's "100" offer "rather consistent" with UNSCR 799. Senoussi agrees not to convene UNSC for the time being. (MM 2/11; Qol Yisra'el 2/11 in FBIS 2/12)

Chmn. Arafat blames U.S. for surging violence in the o.t. (Algiers VOP, AFP 2/11 in FBIS 2/12)

Press reports that Israeli o.t. military commanders recently issued a "sweeping and comprehensive" decree forbidding settlers from construction (including additional rooms), drawing up master plans for settlements, or any preconstruction activities. (HaAretz 2/11 in FBIS 2/12)

Israel releases 1 of 3 detained Palestinian-Americans on insufficient evidence. The detainee consistently denied any connections with Hamas, and accuses his interrogators of beating him during his 3 weeks in captivity. (MM 2/11; WT 2/12)

While capturing 4 wanted Hamas suspects, 200 IDF soldiers stage 12-hour raid in Khan Yunis, firing automatic weapons and anti-tank rockets at houses after ordering families out, badly damaging 20 homes of up to 35 families. Palestinian gunmen wound 2 IDF soldiers in separate drive-by shootings in Gaza Strip. (MM 2/12; WT 2/13)

Poll of 1,140 Jordanians reveals that 54.2% oppose any form of confederation with a Palestinian entity in the event of Israeli withdrawal, 44.6% favor; 23% support Jordanian withdrawal from the peace talks if progress is not made on other tracks, 72% oppose; and 72.5% supporthe military option if talks fail. (al-Nahar 2/11 in FBIS 2/12)