The Palestine Chronology

Israeli FM Levy threatens to quit the cabinet after news of Infrastructure M Sharon's secret mtg. with Arafat dep. Abbas 6/16 is leaked to the press. (CSM, MM 6/30; NYT, WT 7/1; WJW 7/3; PR 7/4)

Palestinian Nasir Radwan dies as a result of injuries sustained in a beating by PA Force 17 mbrs. hrs. after his arrest 6/23. Arafat orders 8 officers to be tried by PA military court on assault charges. (LAW, WP 7/1; PR 7/4)

Israeli court releases on bail Nahum Korman, the settler arrested in the beating death of an 11-yr.-old Palestinian boy in Hussan, West Bank, on 10/28/96. Korman may not enter the West Bank until the conclusion of legal proceedings against him. (LAW 7/1) (see 11/1/96)

Turkey's Pres. Demirel approves PM Yilmaz's new, fully secular government coalition. (NYT, WP, WT 7/1; Istanbul Zaman 7/1 in WNC 7/2; MM 7/2; WJW 7/10)

Saudi Arabia asks Lebanon, Afghanistan to extradite 12 persons believed responsible for the 6/25/96 al-Khobar barracks bombing. (WP, WT 7/1) (see 6/27)

2 Hizballah mbrs. are killed in clash with IDF in s. Lebanon. (Voice of the Oppressed [Ba'albeck] 7/1 in WNC 7/2)

Arafat meets with IDF Brig.-Gen. Herzl Getz to discuss coordination btwn. the Israeli forces, PA police and security services. (NYT 7/2; PR 7/4)

In Jerusalem, 50,000 Israelis call on PM Netanyahu to resign, hold new elections. (CSM 6/30)

Palestinian merchants in East Jerusalem strike to protest Israeli taxes. (JP 6/30; PR 7/4; MEI 7/11)

In Hebron, Palestinians protest posters depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a pig. IDF soldiers shoot rubber bullets at protesters, injuring 1; arrest settler for distributing the posters. In Jerusalem, Palestinians protest Israel's failure to release prisoners, scuffle with IDF soldiers. (WT 6/29; al-Quds 6/30, AFP 7/1 in WNC 7/2; al-Ra'i 7/2 in WNC 7/3; PR 7/4; TJT 7/4 in WNC 7/8; MEI 7/11; JP 7/13)

7 Palestinians are wounded by IDF soldiers during clash in Hebron. (NYT, WT 6/28)

In Denver, at the close of the annual Summit of Eight major industrial nations issue final communiqué calling for the reinvigoration of the Oslo process, reaffirming the land-for-peace formula, calling on all sides to refrain fr. unilateral actions that impede the peace process, and urging donors to fulfill their pledges. (Palestine and the UN 7/97)

Israeli government, leaders of the Israeli, U.S. Reform, Conservative Jewish communities sign formal agmt. shelving conversion bill. (WP, WT 6/23; YA 6/23 in WNC 6/24; WJW 6/26) (see 6/17)

IDF enters the village of Arnun in s. Lebanon, orders all residents to assemble in the village square, threatens to arrest youths and burn fields if any operations against the Israeli forces are carried out fr./nr. the village. Earlier in Maghdusha, IDF shelling damaged the home of Priest Murqus, causing a panic. (RL 6/22, 6/23 in WNC 6/24)

Israeli communications M Limor Livnat resigns her job as coordinator btwn. the government, parliament, saying she cannot defend Netanyahu's administration in a no-confidence vote 6/24. She does not resign her cabinet seat. (ITV 6/21 in WNC 6/24; WT 6/22; WT 6/24; WP 6/26)

In Hebron, IDF wounds 24 Palestinian demonstrators. In Nablus, 1,000s of Palestinians hold anti-U.S./Israel rally to protest the 6/10 House decision on Jerusalem. (NYT, WT 6/22; MEI 6/27)

6 Irish UNIFIL soldiers are wounded while trying to clear Israeli mines fr. a road leading to their post on the edge of Israel's self-declared security zone. Israel has mined all roads in the area to "protect" an SLA post from resistance attacks, forcing the UN to communicate with its base solely by helicopter. (RL, RTE Radio One Network [Dublin] 6/21 in WNC 6/24; MEI 6/27) (see 6/14)

EU special envoy Moratinos arrives in Beirut for talks on the peace process with Lebanese FM Faris Buwayz. (VOL 6/20 in WNC 6/23)

In Hebron, IDF troops in H2 clash with Palestinian demonstrators in H1, shooting across the dividing line btwn. the 2 sections of town, wounding at least 40 before PA security forces are able to disperse the crowd. Palestinians chant "PLO, Israel no!" Settlers complain that the IDF should use live ammunition instead of rubber bullets, the ⁴/₅ of Hebron turned over to the PA should be retaken. (NYT, WP, WT 6/21; MEI 6/27)

Turkish pres. Demirel asks Motherland party leader Mesut Yilmaz to form a new government, ending prospects for an Erbakan-Ciller coalition. (NYT, WP, WT 6/21; Milliyet [Istanbul] 6/21, 6/22 in WNC 6/24) (see 6/18)

SLA threatens to shell s. Lebanon's coastal road if any more bombs are detonated nr. Jazzin. (RL 6/20 in WNC 6/23; MM 6/26, 6/27) (see 6/18)

EU special envoy Moratinos arrives in Syria. (SANA 6/18 in WNC 6/19)

In Washington, U.S. cosmetics heir Ron Lauder holds confidential mtg. with Syrian Amb. Moualem to discuss ways of restarting the Syrian-Israeli talks, then briefs Secy. of State Albright. Israel's Dir. of Policy Planning Bar-Ilan says that the mtg. was not authorized, but was welcome, by Israel. (MM 7/7)

Israeli finance M Dan Meridor, a Likud mbr., resigns, saying he has lost faith in Netanyahu's leadership, the PM deliberately sabotaged his agreement with the Bank of Israel for currency liberalization. (MM 6/18; Globes [Internet], ITV 6/18 in WNC 6/19; MM, NYT, WJW, WP, WT 6/19; YA 6/19 in WNC 6/20; Globes [Internet] 6/19 in WNC 6/23; ITV 6/19, MA 6/20 in WNC 6/23; Globes [Internet] 6/19 in WNC 6/24; CSM, MM 6/20; WP 6/26; MEI 6/27)

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Appropriations Subcomm. chmn., announces that the subcomm. will forward legislation to the full Appropriations Comm. without the annual $2.1 b. in foreign aid to Egypt; says Egypt is obstructing the peace process by refusing to attend multilateral talks, refusing Pres. Clinton's invitation to Washington 9/96, leading the effort to reimpose the Arab boycott, moving closer to Libya. State Dept. says that the administration stands behind its foreign aid request. (al-Wafd 6/20, al-Quds al-Arabi 6/23 in WNC 6/25; WT 6/21; MM 6/25; MM 8/14)

Syrian VP Khaddam arrives in Iran for talks with Pres. Rafsanjani on the peace process, Turkish intervention in n. Iraq, 6/10 House decision. (IRNA 6/18 in WNC 6/19; SA 6/19 in WNC 6/20)

After 11 mos. in office. Turkish PM Erbakan turns his resignation into Pres. Suleyman Demirel, says he is willing to enter a new coalition under Ciller. Legally it is Demirel who must ask Ciller to form a new government; he has not stated if he will abide by the new coalition arrangement. (AFP 6/18 in WNC 6/19; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/19; MEI 6/27) (see 6/13)

UN Secy. Gen. Annan accepts a U.S. deal (passed by the House 6/11, the Senate 6/17) under which the UN would agree to reduce U.S. dues to 20% of the total budget by 1999, reduce U.S. peacekeeping to 25% by 1999, tighten the UN budget, reduce staff in exchange fr. the U.S. paying off $819 m. of its $1.3-b. debt over 3 yrs. The draft legislation must now be approved by the full Congress. (WT 6/19)

In Hebron, IDF clashes with Palestinians for 5th straight day, wounding 5. (MM 5/18; NYT 6/19; MEI 6/27)

In s. Lebanon, 3 SLA soldiers, 1 civilian are killed, 2 civilians are wounded by a roadside bomb. Israel blames Hizballah; responds by making in incursion into Jazzin, far n. of the self-declared security zone, arresting a number of youths, including a Lebanese soldier; submits complaint to ILMG, accusing Hizballah of planting the bomb. (VOL 6/18 in WNC 6/19; MM 6/26; MEI, MM 6/27)

In Amsterdam, a 2-day mtg. of EU leaders closes. Attendees issue statement for the 1st time urging Israel not to rule out the possibility of a Palestinian state. (MM 6/18)

In Washington, U.S. secy. of state Albright informs visiting Crown Prince Hassan of U.S. plans to give Jordan $100 m./yr. in aid for the next 5 yrs. (al-Aswaq, al-Dustur, JT 6/17, RJ 6/18 in WNC 6/19; MM, WT 6/18; WJW 6/19; JT 6/19 in WNC 6/20; al-Dustur 6/20 in WNC 6/23; MEI 6/27)

The Senate passes a version of House Res. 1757 that contains a section prohibiting most financial transactions with "state sponsors of terrorism," including Syria. A conference comm. must now work out the differences btwn. the bills. (WJW 7/24; MEI 7/25) (see 6/11)

6 wks. after the IDF forcibly evacuated settlers fr. their outpost nr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus (5/6), several settler families are living on the disputed site, guarded by IDF reservists, while IDF bulldozers break ground to expand the settlement and build a permanent IDF lookout. (YA 6/17 in WNC 6/19) (see 5/7)

Hani `Abd al-Rahim Sayigh, the Saudi accused of participating in the 6/25/96 al-Khobar barracks bombing, is extradited to the U.S. from Canada to provide testimony that could link Iran, Syria to the attack. Under his deal with the FBI, Sayigh will plead guilty to plotting a different attack that never took place in exchange for telling all he knows about the al-Khobar incident. (WP, WT 6/18; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/19; MM 6/24) (see 3/30)

Iraq announces that it will begin rebuilding, expanding the al-Tanf border post with Syria in the next wk. (MEI 6/13; WT 6/18; MM 6/30) (see 6/2, 6/4, 6/14)

In Hebron, IDF troops clash with Palestinian demonstrators for the 4th day, wounding 17 Palestinian. An AP photographer is attacked, kicked in the head by a Jewish settler; IDF soldiers do not intervene. (WP, WT 6/18; MEI 6/27)

Visiting delegation of American Reform and Conservative Jewish leaders convinces PM Netanyahu to shelve the legislation that would give Orthodox rabbinical courts exclusive jurisdiction over government recognition of conversions to Judaism (see 4/1), form 7-mbr. comm. (comprising 5 Orthodox, 1 Reform, 1 Conservative) to investigate the issue. (WT 6/20)

With PM Netanyahu's knowledge, Israeli Infrastructure M Ariel Sharon secretly holds mtg. with Arafat dep. Abbas to discuss each side's position on final status negotiations. FM Levy, DM Mordechai are not told of the mtg. (NYT, WT 6/29; MM 6/30; YA 6/30 in WNC 7/2; MM 7/1, 7/2; CSM 7/3; PR 7/4; JP 7/5; SA 7/8 in WNC 7/9; MEI 7/11)

In Hebron, IDF shoots, wounds 8 Palestinian demonstrators. (MM 6/16)

Palestinian Hakam Subhi Qamhawi dies in the PA General Intelligence interrogation center in Jericho. General Intelligence says he died of a heart attack. (LAW 6/17)

In Amman, the prosecution rests in the Daqamsa case. (JT 6/17 in WNC 6/19; JT 7/6 in WNC 7/8) (see 5/27)

In s. Lebanon, a Lebanese civilian is wounded when a bomb explodes nr. his truck. In a separate incident, 1 IDF soldier is killed, 3 are wounded when their tank hits a Hizballah land mine. (MM 6/16; VOL 6/16 in WNC 6/17)

In Cairo, PA delegation headed by Local Government M Erakat discusses means of salvaging the peace process with Egyptian FM `Amr Musa, pres. adviser Baz. (RE 6/16 in WNC 6/17)

In Los Angeles, special envoy Ross discusses the PA-Israeli impasse with Israeli DM Mordechai. (MA, YA 6/16 in WNC 6/17)

In Istanbul, the 1st D-8 summit opens. (IRNA 6/15 in WNC 6/17; MM 6/16+n18, 6/23) (see 6/12)

Israeli High Court rejects (4-1) a petition to prosecute PM Netanyahu, Justice M Tshai Hanegbi over the Bar-On affair. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/16; JP 6/21) (see 5/14)

Jewish settlers fr. Gush Qatif's Netzer Hazani settlement confiscate 70 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Dayr al-Balah. (MEI 6/27)

In Hebron, IDF fires rubber bullets at Palestinian protesters, injuring 28. For the 2d day in a row, PA police were absent. (MM, NYT, WT 6/16; CSM 6/18; MEI 6/27) (see 6/15)

Egypt's Baz shuttles btwn. Netanyahu, Arafat in an attempt to ease tensions, jump start PA-Israeli. (WT 6/15)

In Hebron, IDF troops firing rubber bullets wound 30 Palestinians protesting the 6/10 House vote on Jerusalem. (NYT, WT 6/15; MM, NYT, WT 6/16; MEI 6/27)

Unidentified gunmen shoot, wound an Israeli settler outside Har Adar settlement in the West Bank. IDF detains 6 Palestinian suspects fr. Biddu. (NYT, WT 6/15)

In Damascus, an Iraqi trade delegation holds series of mtgs. with Syrian Ms of economy, health, transportation to discuss export of Syrian medicines to Iraq under the UN oil-for-food deal. Head of Syria's chamber of commerce says that work is underway to repair the telephone network btwn. the 2 countries, which has been unused for 17 yrs. (RMC 6/14 in WNC 6/17; MM 6/16; INA 6/20 in WNC 6/23; MM 7/4) (see 6/8)

Turkey acknowledges that it has begun withdrawing troops fr. n. Iraq but denies that a total pullout is underway. (NYT 6/15) (see 6/10)

Hizballah releases 3 UNIFIL soldiers it detained 6/13 for filming nr. the homes of several Hizballah cmdrs. in the Burj al-Barahna district of Beirut. (RL 6/14 in WNC 6/17; WT 6/16) (see 5/30)

Egypt's Baz arrives in Jerusalem for talks with PM Netanyahu, Arafat on possibility of holding 3- or 4-way summit with Pres. Mubarak/King Hussein. (MM 6/12; QY, YA 6/13 in WNC 6/17) (see 6/8)

In Istanbul, the culture Ms representing the Group of Eight Developing Islamic Counties (D-8) hold preparatory mtg. in advance of the 1st D-8 summit on 6/15; issue declaration vowing to pursue cultural, tourism cooperation agmts. The D-8, which encourages cooperation on all levels btwn. member states, comprises Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey. (Anatolia [Ankara] 6/12 in WNC 6/17)

In Gaza, IDF soldiers, settlers clash with Palestinians protesting the confiscation of land belonging to Khan Yunis for Morag settlement. 2 Palestinians are wounded by live ammunition, 1 dies of a heart attack. In a separate incident nr. Gush Qatif settlement, Palestinians clash with settlers dedicating a monument to an Israel soldier killed during the 9/24-28 clashes; 1 settler shoots, wounds 2 Palestinians. IDF moves more tanks into Gaza. (MM, NYT 6/13; JP 6/21; MEI 6/27; MM 6/30)

In Washington, Egypt's Baz briefs U.S. presidential adviser on national security Sandy Berger on Egyptian mediation efforts. (RE 6/5 in WNC 6/6; PR 6/6)

IDF arrests several Palestinian fishermen on charges of smuggling missiles into Gaza by sea. (PR 6/13) (see 6/2)

Lebanon submits to ILMG a complaint against Israel regarding the death, injury of Lebanese civilians in explosions 6/4. (RL 6/5 in WNC 6/6)

PM Netanyahu presents "Allon plus" final settlement proposal to his inner cabinet. (IDF Radio 6/4 in WNC 6/5; ITV 6/4, RE, YA 6/6 in WNC 6/9; MM, WT 6/5; ITV, MA, RE 6/5 in WNC 6/6; PR 6/6; MM 6/9; MEI 6/13; JP 6/14)

In Cairo, Arafat, Mubarak, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah hold tripartite mtg. on the peace process, Egyptian mediation. (RE 6/4 in WNC 6/5; MM 6/5)

Kuwait's acting PM Shaykh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah says that it is time to renew ties (severed during the 1990+n91 Gulf War) with Jordan, Yemen. (MM 6/5, 6/6; RJ 6/22, al-Dustur 6/23 in WNC 6/24; MM 6/23; SA 7/2 in WNC 7/7)

Based on the 5/24 GCO corruption report, the PA fires Atty. Gen. Khalid al-Kidra. Publicly, Kidra resigns, citing poor health, but is placed under house arrest immediately. (MEI, PR 6/13; JP 6/14; CSM 6/18; JP 6/21; WP 7/30)

IDF storms Bayt Fajjar village nr. Bethlehem, detains 27 Palestinians allegedly connected to Hamas. (ITV 6/4 in WNC 6/5; MA 6/5 in WNC 6/6)

UN Security Council unanimously approves 6-mo. extension to Iraq's oil-for-food deal. (WP 6/5)

4 explosive devises are detonated on a s. Lebanon road, killing 1 Lebanese civilian, wounding 2 others. 1 South Lebanon Army (SLA) mbr. is killed in a separate explosion. (AFP, RL 6 /4 in WNC 6/5)

Fmr. IDF Chief of Staff Ehud Barak wins Labor party elections for party leader, defeating MKs Yossi Beilin, Shlomo Ben-Ami, Ephrahim Sneh; says he would not join a unity government with Likud. Fmr. PM Shimon Peres did not run or endorse any of the candidates, though he is considered Beilin's mentor. (MM, WT 6/3; MM, WP, WT 6/4; ITV 6/4 in WNC 6/9; IDF Radio, YA 6/4 in WNC 6/5; MEI 6/13) (see 5/13)

Unnamed Palestinian sources say that the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) have not received any money fr. Libya since 1982; Fatah Uprising, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), Popular Struggle Front still receive approximately $50 m./yr., which is less than what they received in the 1980s. (al-Dustur 6/3 in WNC 6/5)

PM Netanyahu, Mubarak adviser Baz discuss bridging proposals to resume Israeli-PA talks. (IDF Radio, YA 6/1 in WNC 6/3; MM 6/2; PR 6/6)

Jordan's Princess Aisha, the head of the directorate of women's affairs in the Jordanian armed forces, arrives in Israel for 3-day official visit with DM Yitzhak Mordechai. (JTV 6/1 in WNC 6/3; MM 6/6)

Turkish PM Erbakan calls for early elections. No date is set. (NYT, WT 6/2; MM 6/3) (see 5/30)

In separate incidents in s. Lebanon, 1 Hizballah mbr. is killed in clash with the IDF; 4 Lebanese civilians are wounded during Israeli air raid; IDF detains a number of Lebanese civilians before releasing all but 3 alleged Hizballah mbrs. IDF also sets up temporary roadblock n. of the self-declared security zone to search cars for Hizballah mbrs. (RL, VOL 6/1 in WNC 6/3; MM 6/2)