The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Def. Min. Rabin tours Gaza, says more troops are being deployed in occupied territories. According to Palestine Press Service, 2 Palestinians wounded in jenin clash 12/21 die in hospital. Military bans distribution of al-Quds in W. Bank for 1 month [NYT, LAT 12/23]. Israel orders 4 Palestinian teachers colleges closed for 1 month: Abu Dis College of Science and Technology in Bethlehem, al-Tirah Teachers College, al-Shuyukhi College, and Ramallah's al- 'Asriyyah Community College; closure of W. Bank government schools is extended until 12/27 [FBIS 12/22; FJ 12/27]. Full commercial strike shuts down Nablus [FJ 12/27]. Hebron Polytechnic College is ordered closed for 1 month [FJ 12/27].

Other Countries: Reagan administration statement criticizes Israel's "harsh security measures and excessive use of live ammunition" in the occupied territories. U.S. abstains in UN Security Council vote, allowing passage of resolution strongly deploring Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip and W. Bank [LAT, NYT 12/23]. U.S. Jewish leaders express concern over violence in territories [WP 12/23]. U.S. Pres. Ronald Reagan signs State Dept. spending bill, which includes provision requiring closure of PLO observer mission to UN [NYT 12/24]. Jordan's King Hussein arrives in Moscow, meets with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev [CSM, LAT 12/23].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: At Gaza's Jabalya refugee camp, Palestinian youth is shot dead, at least 3 are wounded by Israeli troops; camp is placed under curfew. At least 3 Palestinians are wounded by Israeli gunfire during clashes in Jenin and Hebron villages of Yatta and Idna [LAT 12/23; WP 12/23, 12/24]. Scattered demonstrations are reported in W. Bank [NYT 12/23]. Israeli troops arrest at least 150 people in night raid on Burayj refugee camp [FJ 12/27]. Curfew is imposed on Qalqiliyyah after demonstrators bum Israeli military govemor's car [FJ 12/27]. Military erects cement barrier at Duhayshah refugee camp's main entrance in effort to prevent rock attacks on Israeli cars [FJ 12/27

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Commercial strike continues in E. Jerusalem, Nablus, and Ramallah [FJ 12/20]. Police use tear gas to break up demonstration by Arab and Jewish Hebrew U. students outside P. M. Shamir's residence [FBIS 12/17; FJ 12/20]. Group of 12 Balatah refugee camp residents file complaint against defense minister and military commander of occupied territories in Israeli High Court charging border guards used excessive force in controlling demonstrations [FJ 12/20].

Other Countries: U.S. Senate passes measure temporarily prohibiting denial of visas to and expulsion of foreigners because of their political beliefs; bill also includes provision to close PLO observer mission to UN and PIO in Washington, D.C. [NYT 12/17].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli army sends reinforcements into Gaza Strip. In Jabalya refugee camp, at least 3 Palestinians are shot, wounded when troops open fire on crowd demonstrating atfuneral of youth killed 12/15; about 20 others are arrested. Israeli soldier is stabbed in Rafah; members of patrol open fire, wounding at least 3. Army fails to break general strike [NYT 12/17]. Israel begins using water canons to control demonstrating crowds in occupied territories. Widespread arrests are reported [WP 12/17]. Tire-burning, bottle-throwing demonstrators clash with soldiers in Jerusalem [FJ 12/20].

Arab World: Israeli troops enter eastern Lebanon, battle Lebanese militias, killing 1 [FJ 12/20]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Jerusalem, 31st World Zionist Congress ends 5-day meeting after fight between American Jews and Likud supporters over control of Jewish Agency [WP 12/13]. Israel imposes 10-day distribution ban on al-Fajr in Gaza Strip and W. Bank, charging newspaper violated censorship rules. Newspaper's editorial board votes to cease publication until ban is lifted [FJ 12/13].

Arab World: Hizballah claims responsibility for attack on Israeli patrol boat 12/10, says Israeli boat was sunk, 35 sailors killed [NYT 12/12].

Other Countries: UN General Assembly's Com. on International Legal Matters votes 100 to 1 on resolution affirming PLO's right to maintain observer mission [NYT 12/12].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: During demonstrations after noon prayers at Balatah refugee camp, at least 3 Palestinians are shot dead by Israeli troops; at least 7 others shot, wounded. Palestine Press Service reports 4 dead, at least 11 injured. Israel reports 3 police injured in day's fighting. Balatah sources charge Druze border guards have been harrassing, beating camp residents and today shot at Palestinians leaving mosque. Demonstrations are also reported in 'Askar and 'Ayn Bitilma refugee camps, Nablus, and Bayt Furik village. Balatah and 'Askar refugee camps are placed under curfew [WP 12/12; FJ 12/13]. In Gaza Strip's Jabalya refugee camp, 3 Palestinians are wounded by army gunfire [LAT 12/12].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Gaza, 3 Israeli buses used to transport Palestinian workers to Israeli factories are torched [FJ 10/25]. In Jerusalem's Old City, rabbinical students attack 4 Arabs; police arrest 3 Jews [CSM 10/20].

Arab World: Palestinian child abducted in Beirut 3 months ago is released by his kidnappers [FJ 10/25].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Demonstrations are reported in Shu'fat refugee camp, Hebron, and E. Jerusalem [FJ 10/25].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: F. M. Peres announces Israel and U.S.S.R. have agreed to establish normal political contacts [LAT 8/20]. Rafael Eitan, former Defense Ministry official involved in Pollard spy case, says he acted with approval from his superiors [CSM, NYT 8/20]. Doctors at Gaza Strip hospitals strike to protest dismissal of Dr. al-Agha from Nasir Hospital on political grounds [FJ 8/23]. Nazareth's weekly political newspaper al-jamahir is ordered closed on charges that it is supported by the PFLP [FJ 8/23]. Two Arabs are injured by Jewish youths in Baqa al-Gharbiyyah [FJ8/23].

Arab World: Hashim 'Ashayir, head of waqf in Jerusalem, travels to Amman for meetings with Jordanian officials [FJ 8/23].

Other Countries: U.S. officials confirm Ambassador William Eagleton will return to Damascus 9/1 [WP 8/20].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Curfew at Jabaliyyah refugee camp is relaxed, allowing residentso go to work [FJ 8/23].

Arab World: Near Marja'uyun inside Israel's S. Lebanon security zone, 4 SLA members are injured by land mine explosion [FJ 8/23]

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: F.M. Peres reveals he met with Yugoslavian Pres. Lazar Mojsov in Geneva earlier this month [VP 7/28]. During speech in Netanya, Deputy Defense Minister Michael Dekel says U.S. and other Western countries have "moral and political" duty to oversee transfer of Palestinians from W. Bank to Jordan [NYT 7/31]. Al-Shabibah wins all 11 seats in al-Najah University student council elections [FJ 8/2]. Israeli military court in Ramallah acquits Nasir Nimr Iyad of Qalandiyyah refugee camp of security charges [FJ 8/2]. Nazareth's 12th voluntary work camp ends after completing 68 projects [FJ 8/2]. Knesset votes to approve "Galilee law," which would establish a council to oversee and finance increased Jewish development in the Galilee [FJ 8/2].

Arab World: PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat meets with Egypt's Pres. Mubarak in Ethiopia [FJ 8/2].

Other Countries: U.S.S.R. issues Israel its 3d waming of the week pressing Israel to abandon deployment of nuclear-armed Jericho II missile [NYT 7/29; WP 8/1].

Military Action

Arab World: Israeli troops land on S. Lebanon shore, kill 7 Nasserite Popular Liberation Army soldiers in battle near Sidon [WP 7/28]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops open fire to break up Nablus demonstration marking 20th anniversary of 1967 war; kill 15-year-old boy, wound 10-year-old [LAT 6/6]. Some stores reopen in E. Jerusalem and Ramallah, on 2d day of 2-day general strike [LAT 6/6]. Stone thrown at Israeli bus near Dahayshah refugee camp injures 1 woman passenger; curfew imposed on camp [FJ 6/7; BG 6/8]. Israeli troops open fire after Molotov cocktail is thrown at patrol in Hebron's Bab al-Zawiyah; no injuries are reported [FJ 6/7]. Classes at Bethlehem University are suspended to protest 20 years of Israeli occupation [FJ 6/7]. Estimated 8,000 Arabs and Jews participate in Tel Aviv demonstration protesting 20 years of occupation [FJ 6/14]. Nablus' al-Najah University is ordered closed for 2 days [FJ 6/14]. Israeli press reports plan to deploy additional army unit in occupied territories [FJ 6/14].

Arab World: Speaker of Lebanese Parliament Husayn Husayni resigns citing Pres. Jumayyil's failure to conduct thorough investigation of assassination of P.M. Karami [BS 6/6].

Other Countries: U.S. officials confirm that grand jury investigating Iran-contra affair has issued subpoenas for Al Schwimmer, Israeli businessman, Amiram Nir, counterterrorism adviser to prime ministers Peres and Shamir, and Ya'acov Nimrodi, Israeli arms dealer. Israeli government isprotesting the action [WP 6/6].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: During a visit to Jerusalem, Australian P. M. Hawke indicates he is willing to mediate between Israel and the PLO, calls for mutual recognition [FJ 1/30]. Landowners from Bayt 'Ula village hold news conference, allege Israeli authorities are threatening to confiscate all their agricultural and grazing lands [FJ 1/30]. Near Bethlehem, Neve Daniel settlers and soldiers uproot 200 olive trees and grape vines in ongoing land dispute with Arab residents of al-Khadir village [FJ 2/6]. Jewish extremists vandalize 25 cars in Silwan village, near Jerusalem [FJ 2/6]. Military officials close Gaza City's al-Azhar school for one week in connection with anti-occupation protests [FJ 2/6].

Arab World: Nayaf Khalil al-Bayad is hanged in Jordan for the murder of PLO Executive Com. member Fahd al-Qawasmi [Fl 2/13].

Other Countries: U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee releases report on Iran-contra affair, indicating Israel played major role in deal and Israeli official may have used some profits from the arms sales for "other projects" [NYT 2/2; WP 1/31].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli soldiers shoot and wound 3 demonstrators and arrest hundreds more during protest in Khan Yunis mosque against deportation of Muhammad Dahlan [WP 1/30; FJ 2/6]. Army uses tear gas to break up demonstration at Balatta refugee camp [FJ 2/6].