The Palestine Chronology

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 2 Palestinians dead. Palestinian gunmen continue to snipe at Gilo, and the IDF again fires rockets back at Bayt Jala. The IDF also fires on residential areas of Rafah and at Palestinian fishing boats off the Rafah coast, injuring 1 fisherman. Jewish settlers in Hebron sever telephone wires, cutting phone service to about 1,000 Palestinians. Settlers also set fire to a Palestinian barn nr. Nablus, killing several goats. The IDF arrests 8 Palestinians in the West Bank village of al-Mughir; bulldozes 10s of dunams of Palestinian land btwn. Netzarim Junction and Qarni crossing, in the Rafah area, nr. Kissufim crossing. (LAW 12/5; AIC, IDF Radio [Internet], LAW, NYT, PCHR, WT 12/6; YA 12/7; PCHR 12/18)

The PA's Qurai` makes a low-key trip to Jerusalem to meet with Israel's Sher. (MA [Internet] 12/12) (see 11/29)

In Jordan, an Israeli emb. employee is ambushed, shot in the leg. (MM,NYT, WP, WT 12/6; AFP, JT 12/6 in WNC 12/8; MM, WJW, YA 12/7; DUS, Star 12/7 in WNC 12/12; WT 12/8; MEI 12/22) (see 11/19)

IDF soldiers manning the blue line fire across the border into Lebanon, wounding a Hizballah mbr. manning a checkpoint. IDF soldiers cross the border into Lebanon to treat the man until a UN medical team arrives. (MA 12/6 in WNC 12/8)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes intensify, but no fatalities are reported. IDF helicopter gunships fire missiles at Palestinian gunmen during a 3-hr. battle nr. Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem, which leaves 14 Palestinians injured, 2 Palestinian homes destroyed. In Gaza, the IDF forcibly removes 100 Jewish settlers blocking a road that the army had reopened to Palestinian use. Settlers also stone Palestinian cars, burn a stand of olive trees nr. Nablus. The IDF shells residential areas of Aida, al-Amal, Bayt Jala, Khan Yunis; bulldozes 10s of dunams of Palestinian farm land in Gaza to create a 2d bypass road fr. Qarni crossing to Netzarim settlement; levels land nr. Rafah. Palestinian gunmen fire on an IDF vehicle nr. Jinin, and soldiers return fire; no one is injured. A roadside bomb explodes nr. a bus nr. the Allenby Bridge crossing to Jordan, causing no injuries. (BDL, HA, NYT, WP, WT 12/5; AIC 12/6; WJW 12/7; MEI, NYT 12/8; PCHR 12/18)

Just before Arafat meets with Clinton in Washington, Israel assassinates senior Fatah cmdr. Hussayn Ubayyat in Bayt Sahur, tracking him by helicopter and shelling his car, also killing 2 Palestinian bystanders, wounding his aide and at least 6 bystanders. After their mtg., neither Arafat nor Clinton express hope that Israeli-Palestinian clashes will end soon; the U.S. does not condemn the Israeli attack. (ADM, BDL, LAW, MM, REU 11/9; JT 11/9, AFP, al-Quds 11/10, 11/11, AYM, al-Quds 11/12 in WNC 11/13; MA [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT, YA 11/10; AYM, HJ 11/13 in WNC 11/16; MM 11/15; MEI 11/24)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue throughout the day. In addition to the fatalities fr. the Ubayyat assassination, a 4th Palestinian is shot dead by the IDF. In nr. Rafah, the IDF bulldozes 100s of dunams of agricultural land, demolishes 2 Palestinian homes, evacuates a 3d to create a new IDF outpost. The IDF also clears lands around the main road of Nazlit Issa village nr. Tulkarm, demolishes several greenhouses nr. Jinin. Jewish settlers set fire to 100 dunams of Palestinian crops outside Qalqilya, attack Palestinians and Palestinian property in Hebron and around Jinin. IDF heavy machine gun fire is reported around Hebron, Jinin, Nablus. (ADM 11/9; NYT, WP, WT 11/10)

Qatar shuts the Israeli trade mission in Doha. (MM, SA, TT 11/9, IRNA, SA 11/10, HJ, IRNA 11/11 in WNC 11/13; MM, NYT 11/10; WJW 11/16; JP 11/17; JP, MEI 11/24) (see Peace Monitor)

More than 1,000 Palestinians hold an anti-Israeli demonstration in Wihdat camp in Jordan. In the U.S., a rally in support of the Palestinians is held in New York. (AFP [Internet] 11/10)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes abate further due to heavy rains, cold weather. During the day, 2 Palestinians are killed; a 3d dies of injuries received earlier. Barak sends top security aide Yossi Ginnosaur to Gaza to discuss security coordination with PSF head Dahlan. The IDF shells areas around Bayt Jala, Hebron, Jericho, Rafah, and Tulkarm, severely damaging more than 6 Palestinian homes, killing 1 man, wounding at least 8. The IDF uproots Palestinian olive groves nr. Netzarim Junction. IDF tanks in Psagot settlement fire into al-Bireh camp outside Ramallah in response to sniping. Barak allows Jewish settlers to go back to Mitzpe Hagit, one of the illegal settlement enclaves evacuated in 1999. (Gush Shalom press release 10/24; LAW, NYT, WT 10/25)

Pres. Clinton phones Arafat to urge him to halt Palestinian demonstrations, arrange a time to come to Washington to discuss resuming peace talks. Arafat gives no assurances. The White House says Clinton also phoned Barak, to urge Israeli restraint and invite him to a separate mtg. in Washington, but the leaders were "unable to speak." (MM, NYT, WT 10/25; NYT, YA 10/26; AYM 10/26 in WNC 10/30)

In Washington, Pres. Clinton, King Abdallah of Jordan sign a free trade agmt. (AP, BBC, MM 10/24; WJW 10/26; WP 10/27; JT 10/30, 10/31 in WNC 11/1; JT 11/8 in WNC 11/9; JT 11/9 in WNC 11/13; WP 11/10)

In a coordinated event, groups of West Bank Palestinians, 10,000s of Jordanians fr. across the kingdom march toward Jerusalem in a nonviolent demonstration of support for the right of return. While Palestinians are stopped at IDF checkpoints, the Jordanians are halted nr. Allenby Bridge by Jordanian riot police and security forces, with helicopter support. The Jordanian authorities beat back marchers with batons, water cannons, and tear gas, injuring 100s. (AP, BBC, MM 10/24; WJW 10/26; WP 10/27; JT 10/30, 10/31 in WNC 11/1; JT 11/8 in WNC 11/9; JT 11/9 in WNC 11/13; WP 11/10)

100s of Yemenis march to the UN offices in Sana' to protest Israeli violence against the Palestinians. In the U.S., a rally in solidarity with the Palestinian people is held in Chicago. (Bernama-IINA [Internet] 10/24)