The Palestine Chronology

Peres says that he is preparing a personal peace initiative, that he will probably meet with Arafat on the sidelines of a 2-day economic conference that opens in Spain on 11/2. Sharon, expressing surprise, reminds Peres he must coordinate any mtgs. with Arafat with the PM's Office. (AP, MM 10/30; NYT, WP, WT 10/31; HA 11/6; HP 11/7; MENA 11/8 in WNC 11/9; JP 11/11 in WNC 11/14) (see Peace Monitor)

Israel demolishes 6 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem. The U.S. condemns the action as highly provocative. The IDF conducts raids into Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahia under intense shelling and heavy machine gun fire, hitting electricity generators, cutting power to the area; also makes arrest raids in Araba, Tulkarm; directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Khan Yunis; fires on Palestinian fishermen off Dayr al-Balah; bulldozes 10s of dunams of Palestinian land in Wadi Qana, reportedly to expand Ma'ale Shomron settlement; bulldozes 6 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Netzarim settlement; reinforces troops on the Nablus-Qalqilya road (cutting power to the area), around Tulkarm. Palestinians fire several mortars at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage. The PA says it has arrested 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs. in connection with the Hadera attack on 10/28. Families of Palestinians placed under 6-mo. administrative detention by the PSF over the past 2 wks. hold a demonstration outside PSF offices in al-Bireh, Ramallah; scuffle with PSF officers. (LAW 10/30; HP, LAW, NYT, WT 10/31)

In the Galilee, 400 Israeli police clash with 1,000 Israeli Arabs residents of al-Tira and Taybeh protesting the government's expropriation of village lands for a highway, leaving more than 40 Israeli Arabs (including 3 MKs), 18 police officers injured. (JP [Internet] 10/30; HA 10/31)

The U.S. strongly condemns Israel's recent incursions into Palestinian towns, calls for Israel's immediate withdrawal. The EU, Russia, UN, and U.S. send a delegation of senior envoys to meet with Arafat to urge him to "address Israel's security concerns," to make "absolutely certain" that the PA arrests those responsible for the Ze'evi assassination. (NYT, WP, WT 10/23; MA, QA 10/23 in WNC 10/24; AYM 10/23, MA, al-Quds 10/24 in WNC 10/25; MM 10/24; NYT 10/27)

Peres arrives in Washington for 2 days of consultations with senior U.S. admin. officials. Peres is accompanied by a dozen senior Israeli officials, IDF officers, who plan to brief U.S. officials, Jewish leaders on the Israeli-Palestinian situation. (NYT, WP 10/23; HA 10/26)

Meanwhile, the IDF has entered or surrounded and cut off every major Palestinian population center in the West Bank. Fighting is especially heavy in Bethlehem. In East Jerusalem, a Palestinian opens fire on Jewish settlers in Talpiot settlement, wounding 4 before being shot dead by the IDF. In an apparent assassination, wanted Izzeddine al-Qassam mbr. Ayman Abu Halawih is killed, his 3 passengers are injured when his car explodes in Nablus. A 3d Palestinian is fatally shot by IDF troops nr. Tulkarm. A 4th Palestinian dies of injuries received on 10/21. A Palestinian woman in labor is denied passage through an IDF checkpoint to a Bethlehem hospital; she gives birth at the crossing, the baby dies. A Palestinian, detained since 10/18, dies in PA General Intelligence custody; the PA claims he committed suicide. The IDF bulldozes land in Rafah, demolishing 4 Palestinian homes, at least 9 stores. Israeli authorities also demolish 3 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem. (LAW, MEZ, NYT, WP, WT 10/23; PCHR 10/24)

In Jerusalem, nearly 100,000 Israelis demonstrate in favor of increased military attacks on the Palestinians, equating Arafat to Bin Laden, calling for the removal of Arafat and the PA. (NYT, WP 10/23; MM 10/24; JP 11/9)

Hizballah fires rockets at IDF positions in Shaba` Farms. Israeli warplanes, artillery strike Hizballah positions in response. No injuries are reported. The U.S. warns Hizballah, Israel against escalating tensions. (NYT, WP, WT 10/23; SAF 10/23 in WNC 10/24; SAF 10/24 in WNC 10/25; MM, WJW 10/25)

At least 1 PFLP gunman assassinates Israeli tourism M Ze'evi in an East Jerusalem hotel, shooting him at point blank range, using a pistol equipped with a silencer, escaping undetected. The PFLP says it is retaliating for the assassination of PFLP secy. gen. Mustafa on 8/27; also takes responsibility for a suicide car bombing in Gaza that wounds 2 IDF soldiers. Arafat immediately condemns the assassination, orders the PSF to arrest the killers. The PSF quickly arrests 3 PFLP mbrs. but releases them after questioning. (AP, HA, HP, JP [Internet], MM, REU 10/17; AFP, ATL, XIN 10/17 in WNC 10/18; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/18; al-Quds 10/18 in WNC 10/19; Tehran Times 10/20 in WNC 10/22; WJW 10/25)

Meanwhile, Hamas mbr. Iyad al-Akhras is killed in an explosion in his Gaza home in what may be an assassination. The IDF also fires a missile at a Palestinian car in Nablus, but the rocket misses, 3 Palestinians escape unharmed. The IDF makes a predawn incursion into al-Qarara, firing heavy machine guns at homes, bulldozing 10s of dunams of cultivated land for construction of a settler bypass road; directs machine gun fire at residential areas of Gaza City, Jinin, Rafah; bulldozes secondary Palestinian roads around Ramallah. Palestinian gunmen reportedly fire at Neve Dekalim, wounding 2 Jewish settlers. In East Jerusalem, Jewish settlers angry over Ze'evi's murder attack, beat Palestinians. (HP 10/17; WT 10/18)

After a lengthy Israeli inner cabinet mtg., Sharon issues an ultimatum to the PA: arrest and extradite Ze'evi's killers and the PFLP's current leaders and "dismantle terror organizations" or face a response more severe than any recent reprisal. Sharon then convenes a special session of the Knesset (boycotted by Arab MKs), where he declares, "We will wage all-out war on the terrorists" and "those who collaborate with them." National Union+nYisrael Beitunia MKs suspend their resignations to see how Sharon responds. The IDF sends tanks, troops 2.5 mi. into area A around Jinin; reimposes tight closures on, places 24 hr. curfews on, and directs shells and heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Azariyya, al-Bireh, Jinin, Nablus, Ramallah; deploys helicopters to hover over major Palestinian population centers; bars Arafat fr. using Gaza airport. (HP, MM 10/17; AFP, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/18; JP [Internet], WP 10/29)

Powell phones Sharon to urge Israel to use restraint. The White House calls on the PA to "immediately find and bring to justice those who committed this murder," saying Arafat must "take vigorous action against terrorists." (MM, WP 10/18; Interfax, MENA, QA 10/18 in WNC 10/19)

In Gaza, a Hamas mbr. is killed when a bomb in his house explodes in what may be an Israeli assassination. The IDF eases 1 roadblock on the Ramallah-Jerusalem road but tightens others around Badu, Bayt Hanina, Khan Yunis, al-Qarara, Tulkarm; sets up a new roadblock at the entrance to Qafin village; flies warplanes over Tulkarm. Israeli police issue evacuation orders to Palestinian families living on 18 dunams of land in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shaykh Jarrah, where Jewish settlers want to establish a new enclave. Israeli police also dismantle a vegetable market nr. Damascus Gate in Jerusalem. Jewish settlers fatally stab a Palestinian waiter in East Jerusalem restaurant. (HP 10/16; LAW, WT 10/17)

Sharon says he would accept the creation of a Palestinian state, but it would have to be demilitarized, and Israel would have to control all borders, all of Jerusalem, security zones in the West Bank and Gaza. (MA 10/16 in WNC 10/17; HA, WP 10/17)

The IDF assassinates senior Hamas mbr. `Abd al-Rahman Hamad, fatally shooting him at his home in Qalqilya. Israel admits to the killing, which the U.S. calls "unhelpful." Meanwhile, the IDF eases closures in some Palestinian areas where there has been no violence but also tightens access to Jerusalem, directs heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Dayr al-Balah, establishes a new police station in East Jerusalem, conducts arrest raids in Bayt Amin. Jewish settlers attack, seriously injure 3 Palestinian farmers on the Nablus+nRamallah Road. (AP, WP, WT 10/15; al-Quds 10/15 in WNC 10/16; HP 10/15)

The Israeli cabinet meets to discuss the dramatic reduction in violence in recent days. Although the cabinet does not approve the decision, Sharon declares that the IDF is prepared to pull out of areas A in Hebron that the army seized on 10/4-5. (WP 10/14; MM, WP 10/15; al-Quds 10/15 in WNC 10/16; WT 10/16; WJW 10/18)

Peres and Qurai` meet again in Jerusalem along with Israeli, PA security officials to discuss cease-fire implementation. Israel agrees to open the main road in Khan Yunis, which has been closed for months; reopen Rafah crossing to Egypt, the Allenby Bridge crossing to Jordan for several hrs. every day; gradually remove IDF roadblocks, withdraw IDF troops over a 3 wk. period if calm remains; allow VIP passage btwn. the West Bank, Gaza for senior PA officials, security forces; to allow family visits btwn. the West Bank, Gaza; allow entry of 2,000 Palestinian businessmen into Israel. (JP [Internet] 10/14; HP 10/15)

In response to the Aley Sinai raid on 10/2, the Israeli inner cabinet suspends cease-fire implementation, security coordination with the PA; cancels planned mtgs. of the trilateral security comm., btwn. Peres and PC speaker Qurai`; authorizes the IDF to resume initiated actions against Palestinians, possibly including assassinations; demands that Arafat immediately arrest "militants." The State Dept. says that to maintain calm and restore trust, the PA must take "preventive action" to preclude attacks, Israel must halt incursions into PA-controlled territory and house demolitions. DM Ben-Eliezer says Israel will not resume cease-fire talks until the PA has "reined in terror." (al-Haq press release, JP [Internet], MEZ, MM, REU 10/3; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/4; HP 10/5; LAW 10/10; JP, MEI 10/12; LAW 10/13)

The IDF sends tanks, armored bulldozers into Gaza to carve out a 1-mi. buffer zone around Aley Sinai, flattening 100 dunums of Bayt Lahia's agricultural land, demolishing 7 PSF posts, and shelling a PSF jeep, killing 4 PSF officers, 2 Palestinian farmers. Some 6,000 Palestinians turn out for the funeral of 1 of the Hamas mbrs. who perpetrated the 10/2 raid. Elsewhere, Palestinian gunmen open fire on Jewish settlers celebrating Sukkoth in Hebron, wounding 2; fire on a vehicle nr. French Hill settlement in East Jerusalem, wounding 2 settlers. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Hebron, Satih Marhaba; occupies the roof of a Palestinian home in Hebron as an observation post; sets up 3 new checkpoints in East Jerusalem. (al-Haq press release, JP [Internet], MEZ, MM, REU 10/3; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/4; HP 10/5; LAW 10/10; JP, MEI 10/12; LAW 10/13)

The PFLP elects Ahmad Sadat as its new gen. secy., replacing Mustafa, who was assassinated by the IDF on 8/27. (PFLP press release 10/3)

Hizballah fires mortars at 2 IDF positions in Shaba` Farms, causing no injuries. (MM, WT 10/4; SAF 10/5 in WNC 10/9; MM 10/22)

Islamic Jihad detonates a car bomb in a parking garage in Talpiot settlement in East Jerusalem, causing damage but no injuries. The IDF direct shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Jinin, Rafah; tightens the closure on Jinin, Khan Yunis, Ramallah, Tulkarm; bars teachers, students fr. entering a school in Hawara; raids a 2d school in Nablus. Jewish settlers severely beat 2 Palestinian children en route to school in Nablus; bulldoze 350 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Mihula; raid Kafr Laqif village nr. Qalqilya, attack several Palestinians, set fire to an olive grove. The IDF bars a pregnant Palestinian woman in labor fr. crossing a checkpoint to reach a hospital, forcing her to give birth at the crossing. (AP, HP 10/1; GS, HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/2; MM 10/3; LAW 10/10; MEI 10/12)

Senior Israeli, PA security officials discuss cease-fire implementation. Israeli DM Benjamin Ben-Eliezer authorizes the IDF to remove roadblocks around Jericho, reopen the Rafah crossing into Egypt, ease Palestinians' passage through checkpoints, withdraw tanks from areas "where quiet is maintained." (Israeli DMin. press release, JP [Internet] 10/1; AYM 10/1 in WNC 10/2; al-Quds 10/2 in WNC 10/3)

Inside Israel, Israeli Arabs observe a general strike, stage protests to mark the 1st anniversary of the 10/00 riots, which left 18 Israeli Arabs dead (13 killed by Israeli police; 5 by Israeli civilians). Israeli police keep a distance fr. demonstrators; no violence is reported. (MM 10/1)