The Palestine Chronology

Jewish settlerset fire to 8 Palestinian homes in al-Birah, stone Palestinian cars in Ramallah, block West Bank roads in protest over killing of settler Haim Mizrachi by presumed Hamas militants. Settler, abducted 10/29, found stabbed to death in burned car north of Ramallah. Also, Palestinian involved in land sales to Israelis killed by masked gunmen. (NYT, WP, WT 10/31)

Egyptian Pres. Mubarak, Syrian Pres. alAsad hold talks on peace process in Latakia. (SATV 10/30 in FBIS 11/1)

3,000 Palestinian women march in Rafah refugee camp, Gaza Strip, to demand immediate release of all remaining Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. (WP 10/31

PLO Chmn. Arafat meets Israeli Dep. FM Yossi Beilin in Tunis, presses for progress toward Israeli-Syrian accord. (WT 10/14)

Palestinian and Israeli negotiators open meeting in Taba, Egypt, as Palestinian-Israeli DoP enters into force. PLO delegation headed by Nabil Shaath; Israeli, by IDF Dep. Chief of Staff Amnon Shahak. Talks center on size of Jericho autonomous region, size and powers of Palestinian police force, redeployment of Israeli troops, control over water resources, and security of Israeli settlers in o.t. Palestinians contend Jericho includes entire 133 sq. mi. Jericho district, while Israelis assert only town of Jericho, about 10 sq. mi., is to be handed over to Palestinians. PLO security official Amin al-Hindi excluded fr. Palestinian delegation over Israeli protests he was responsible for murder of Israeli athletes at 1972. Munich Olympics. Simultaneously, Israeli FM Peres and PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Mahmud 'Abbas meet in Cairo, agree on 5 steps for future negotiations including setting up liaison comm. and ministerial-level economic comm. Two sides urge "early resumption" of Arab-Israeli talks in Washington. (NYT, WP 10/14)

PLO Chmn. Arafat dismisses Fateh cmdr. in Lebanon Munir al-Maqdah, who had been critical of DoP and called for Arafat's resignation (see 8/23). (VOL 10/14 in FBIS 10/18)

General strike in o.t. called by Palestinian factions opposed to DoP observed throughout West Bank and Gaza Strip with exception of Jericho. (MM 10/13; CSM 10/15)

Lebanese FM Faris Buwayz, in interview with WT, faults DoP for not affirming Palestinian right of return, says "It is not fair to solve the Palestinian problem to create a Lebanese one.... implanting 400,000 Palestinians in Lebanon will create political, confessional, religious problems." (WT 10/13)

Israeli PM Rabin, in Beijing, admits Israel has sold arms to China, denies Israel broke U.S. laws against technology transfers and disputes CIA estimate that Israel-China arms trade amounts to billions of dollars a year, saying 1992-93 trade totaled $60 m. Rabin says "we have never done anything against American law" and asserts, "We are not stupid enough to endanger" U.S. aid to Israel. Rabin's 4-day visit to China includes meeting with Chinese DM Chi Haotian, tours of Chinese arms plants, and visit to Shanghai. (NYT, WT 10/14)