The Palestine Chronology

U.S. Secy. of State Christopher hints U.S. will improve ties with Syria if Pres. al-Asad signs agmt. with Israel, calls for international ban on financial aid to Hamas. (MM, NYT 10/25; WT 10/26)

King Hussein, angry at Arafat's criticism of agmt. with Israel, gives speech to army indirectly warning Arafat not to undermine Jordanian security, alludes to Black September. (MM 10/25)

By vote of 56 to 51, Israeli government defeats 3 no-confidence motions put before Knesset by Likud, Moledet, National Religious Party, Tsomet in reaction to bus bombing. (MM 10/25)

Israeli Dep. FM Beilin says that official talks with Hamas are possible, if Hamas is truly interested in reducing tensions. (MM 10/24, 10/25)

Israeli FM Peres says he asked Jordan to close Hamas offices in Amman but Jordan refused saying offices do political, not military, work. (QY 10/24 in FBIS 10/25; Al-Madj 10/31 in FBIS 11/2)

Israeli delegation arrives in Bahrain on 1st official visit ever to prepare for multilaterals on environment. (MM 10/24; WJW 10/27)

Hamas vows to disrupt signing of Israeli-Jordanian agmt. 10/26, Pres. Clinton's visit to Jerusalem 10/27. (WP 10/25)

Palestinian police report only 30 of the 200-300 Hamas mbrs. arrested following kidnapping of IDF soldier are still in custody. Hamas says 80. (WP 10/25) (see 10/12)

PLO Chmn. Arafat, Israeli FM Peres open talks in Cairo aimed at implementing Palestinian autonomy in Gaza and Jericho. Both sides report progress. (MENA 2/7, 2/8 in FBIS 2/8; WP, WT 2/8)

Israeli Dep. FM Yossi Beilin meets in Washington with Qatari, Omani officials to discuss Qatar-Israel natural gas deal, multilateral mtg. on water set for 4/94 in Muscat. (MM 2/9)

Hizballah guerrillas ambush IDF patrol in southern Lebanon, killing 4 IDF soldiers and wounding 5. Ambush triggers IAF strikes on 3 villages, SLA, IDF shelling. (MM 2/7; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 2/8)

Meretz MKs Naomi Chazan and Benny Temkin demand that PM Rabin, in capacity as DM, ban travel of 40 IDF elite force veterans to Congo to act as military trainers. Leftist legislators view veterans as mercenaries being used to support Brazzaville regime. (WT 2/10)

Knesset recognizes "Yi'ud" faction made up of frmr. Tsomet MKs. (see 2/2) (MM 2/7)

Sens. Connie Mack (R-FL) and Alfonse D'Amato ask Pres. Clinton to withdraw nomination of Strobe Talbott as dep. secy. of state because of his "extreme views" on Israel, which "go beyond common criticisms to a systematic attack upon the foundations of America's close relationship with Israel." (WT 2/8)