The Palestine Chronology

U.S. stages 2d strike on Iraq, having hit more than 50 targets with over 200 Tomahawk missiles 12/16. Democratic congressmen accuse Republicans, many of whom questioned the timing of the attacks, of being unpatriotic. Russia recalls its ambs. fr. Washington (for the 1st time since World War II), London; the Duma accuses the U.S. of "international terrorism." Lebanon denounces the operation. Jordan expresses regret. Syria opposes U.S. "double standards" in its Iraq, Israel policy. (MM 12/17; AFP, IRNA, MENA, Petra-JNA, RJ 12/17 in WNC 12/21; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/18; al-Thawra, Tishrin 12/18 in WNC 12/28; NYT, WP, WT 12/19; MENA 12/19, SATN 12/20, al-Ahram 12/21 in WNC 12/22; MEI 12/25)

Across the West Bank and in Gaza City, Palestinians protest the U.S.-led attack on Iraq. The largest demonstration, attended by 3,000 Palestinians, is held in Nablus. In el-Bireh, the IDF shoots, kills 1 Palestinian, injures 16 others. (WP, WT 12/18; MEI 12/25)

In Egypt, the government expresses its "regret" over the U.S.-led strike on Iraq; the Arab League, al-Azhar's chief cleric denounce use of military force; Cairo University students go on hunger strike to protest; Egyptian police lock American University in Cairo students on campus to keep them fr. demonstrating. (MENA, RE 12/17 in WNC 12/21)

International donors conference called for under Wye is held in Washington. Donors pledge $3.2 b. in aid to the PA for the next 5 yrs. (MM, NYT 11/30; MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/1; YA 12/1 in WNC 12/2; al-Ahram 12/3 in WNC 12/4; MM, PR 12/4; MM 12/9; MEI 12/11; JP 12/14)

Israel's Housing Min. approves plans for 480 new housing units Kochav Ya'acov settlement, more than tripling the size of the West Bank enclave. (NYT, WT 12/2)

IDF demolishes 2d Palestinian home in East Jerusalem. (LAW 12/3; PR 1/8)

PM Netanyahu, DM Yitzhak Mordechai rules out unilateral withdrawal IDF troops fr. s. Lebanon. (WP 12/1) (see 11/29)

Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri says he will not form new government under Pres. Lahoud. Economists worry that losing the billionaire real estate mogul as PM will hurt the economy. Hizballah says that it will not participate in the new government since it offers no significant political change fr. the old one. (MM 11/30; MBC, RL, al-Safir, VOL 11/30 in WNC 12/1; MM, WP, WT 12/1; MM 12/2; al-Ahd 12/4 in WNC 12/14; MEI 12/11)

At Wye, Pres. Clinton, King Hussein meet with Arafat, Netanyahu. Talks break at 1 a.m., having made little progress. On the sidelines, FM Sharon meets with reps. of Victims of Terror (see 10/18). Clinton phones Egyptian pres. Mubarak to brief him on talks. (MM 10/20; AFP, RJ 10/20 in WNC 10/21; ITV, MENA 10/20, al-Ahram, MA, RJ 10/21 in WNC 10/22; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/21; al-Quds 10/21 in WNC 10/23; al-Ra'i 10/21 in WNC 10/26; NYT, WP 10/25)

Israeli Finance M Yaakov Neeman says that Israel will not pay the costs of redeployment fr. the West Bank, money "should come from abroad." (WT 10/21)

Hamas claims responsibility for 10/19 grenade attack in Beersheba. PSF detains 20 alleged Hamas mbrs. in PA-controlled Hebron. (AFP 10/20 in WNC 10/22; NYT, WP, WT 10/21; LAW 10/22; PR 10/23)

Overnight, shots are fired, Molotov cocktails thrown at IDF post in Hebron, causing no damage or injuries. (IDF Radio 10/20 in WNC 10/21)

After 2-days of talks, Syria, Turkey reach agmt. under which Syria promises to halt all support to the PKK; arrest, bring to court any Kurdish rebels found in its territory; deny entry to PKK leader Ocalan, who, according to Turkish PM Yilmaz, has been in Russia for over a wk. (ATL 10/20, ATL, HUR, MENA 10/21 in WNC 10/22; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/21; MM, NYT, WP 10/22; al-Ahram, MENA, RJ 10/22 in WNC 10/23; SATN 10/22, MIL 10/23 in WNC 10/26; MIL 10/23 in WNC 10/27; MEI 10/30) (see 10/19)

In s. Lebanon, SLA opens fire on a civilian car, injuring 1. In a separate incident, a child is injured by IDF shelling. (RL 10/20 in WNC 10/21)

In retaliation for the 8/7 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the U.S. launches 79 Tomahawk cruise missiles striking 6 training camps in Afghanistan reportedly connected to Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden; a pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum, Sudan, in which Bin Laden possibly holds stock. U.S. claims that "terrorists" at the sites were planning attacks on U.S. interests. Sudan says plant was a legitimate medical drug company. Sudanese stone the U.S. embassy in protest. (ITV 8/20 in WNC 8/21; MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/21; AFP, IDF Radio, ITV, JTV, MENA, News [Islamabad], RE, RJ, VIRI, VOL, YA 8/21 in WNC 8/24; NYT, WP, WT 8/22; al-Dustur, MENA, Petra-JNA, RE, RJ, SANA, VOL 8/22, JT, MA, MENA, al-Ra'i, RJ 8/23, al-Ahram, MENA, al-Ra'i 8/24, MENA, al-Dustur, al-Wafd 8/25 in WNC 8/26; MM 8/24; MM 8/28; MEI 9/4)

King Hussein replaces PM `Abd al-Salam al-Majali with Chief of the Royal Court Fayiz al-Tarawnah after Majali officially resigns over recent water pollution scandal. Tarawnah is replaced by FM Jawad al-Anani. Abdallah al-Khatib is named FM. (MM 8/20; AFP, JT, JTV, RJ 8/20 in WNC 8/21; JTV 8/20; CSM, WP 8/21) (see 8/16)

In Tal Rumayda, one of the most tightly guarded Israeli enclave, an unknown assailant stabs to death a Jewish settler rabbi, wounds another before setting fire to the settlers' home. Settlers take to the streets, attack Palestinians. IDF seals Hebron, places curfew on Israeli-controlled sector of Hebron. (MM, NYT, WP 8/21; IDF Radio 8/21 in WNC 8/24; NYT, WT 7/22; ITV 8/22 in WNC 8/26; CSM 8/25)

IDF demolishes 7 Palestinian homes in Samu`a village in the West Bank. (PR 9/4)

U.S. asks Arab states to give it a wk. to announce the outcome of American peace proposals before making a decision on holding an Arab summit. (al-Quds al-Arabi, RJ, RMC 6/2 in WNC 6/3; MM, WT 6/3; al-Quds 6/4 in WNC 6/9; al-Ahram 6/5 in WNC 6/8) (see 6/1)

In Beirut, Egyptian FM Musa discusses possible Arab summit with Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri. Separately, Qatar voices support for summit. (AFP, MENA 6/2 in WNC 6/3)

At Mubarak's invitation, Israeli DM Mordechai flies to Cairo for talks on the FRD issue, s. Lebanon conditional withdrawal proposal. (MM 6/2; IDF Radio, MENA 6/2 in WNC 6/3; ITV 6/7 in WNC 6/9; ITV 6/18 in WNC 6/19)

IDF demolishes 6 Palestinian homes, 2 in Jerusalem, 4 in the West Bank just n. of Jerusalem. (ITV 6/2 in WNC 6/3; LAW 6/16)

Israeli legislature votes to dismantle the shrine to Baruch Goldstein, who massacred 29 Palestinian worshipers in Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron in 2/94, which has become a pilgrimage point for Jewish extremists. Settler leader Baruch Marzel vows "to go to battle, to war" if the government touches the site. (WT 6/2, 6/9)

In Tel Aviv, Israel, Jordan hold talks on water, Jordan Valley development. (RJ 2/19 in WNC 2/24; Globes [Internet] 2/22 in WNC 2/26; JP 2/28)

Palestine-Israel Steering and Monitoring Comm. (PISMC) cochairs meet at U.S. Amb. to Israel Edward Walker's home. (IGPO 2/18; WJW 2/26; JP 2/28)

Syrian VP `Abd al-Halim Khaddam, FM Faruq al-Shara` leave Cairo after 2 days of talks on peace process, Iraq crisis with Pres. Mubarak, FM `Amr Musa. (MENA, SATN 2/18 in WNC 2/21)

U.S. Secy. of State Madeleine Albright, Defense Secy. William Cohen, National Security Adviser (NSA) Sandy Berger hold 90-min. "town meeting" at Ohio State University on potential strike on Iraq, which is broadcast globally on CNN. Audience heckles official and asks pointed questions on U.S. policy, some saying no military action should be taken, others questioning why goals do not include ousting Iraqi Pres. Saddam Hussein. After mtg., Berger warns Hussein that he should not misinterpret the audience reactions because "Ultimately there's only one man who decides, and he decides not based on the polls . . . but on our national interest." (CSM 2/18; NYT, WP, WT 2/19; WT 2/20; al-Ahram 2/21 in WNC 2/26)

PA Information Min. orders all 34 television, radio stations to obtain licenses fr. the Information Min. as well as Interior Min.; closes 9 West Bank stations that do not have such licenses. (LAW 2/19; NYT, PR 2/20; MEI, PR 2/27) (see 2/16)

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum forces its director, Walter Reich, to resign. Mishandling of Arafat invitation to visit the museum (see 1/23) is cited as precipitating factor ending troubled tenure. (NYT 2/19)