The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Other Countries: Soviet deputy foreign minister Gennadi Tarasov says that the USSR "has no plans to establish direct air links" between Tel Aviv and Moscow, despite commercial agreement of 2 months ago [NYT 2/5].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: IDF closes 3 schools in the Hebron area for stone throwing at IDF vehicles [FJ 2/12].

IDF arrests at least 100 Palestinians in Ramallah area in 24-hour sweep [FJ 2/12].

Arab World: At least 25 people are killed in intra-Christian fighting in Beirut. [NYT 2/4].

Israeli and Palestine Liberation Front forces clash on S. Lebanon; each side claims to have killed several of the other [FBIS 2/5; MET 2/13].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: Israeli government says that it has no official policy of settling Soviet Jewish immigrants in the O.T.; that every immigrant is free to choose his or her own place of residence [NYT, WP, LAT 1/31].

Other Countries: The Washington Post reports that Israel has stepped up its deportations of "non-resident" Palestinians in the O.T. [WP 1/30].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: IDF reopens UNRWA school in Nablus after 10 days of closure [FJ 2/12].

IDF bulldozes Palestinian home in Burin village, near Nablus [FJ 2/12]; another house in the Nablus is demolished, and 2 others are sealed [FBIS 1/31; FJ 2/5].

At least 11 Palestinians are wounded in clashes in the Gaza Strip, including a 12- year-old who lost an eye from bullet; 2 IDF soldiers are also wounded [FBIS 2/1].

Jewish settlers in Hebron smash windows of Arab homes, fire shots in the air [FBIS 2/1].

Arab World: Gen. Michel Aoun bans the Lebanese Forces Christian militia, saying there should be no "armed elements outside the framework of the [Lebanese] army." Move poses risk of intra-Christian war [WP 1/31].

Israeli army sends reinforcements to S. Lebanon "security zone" [FBIS 1/30].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israel's Rabbi Baruch Abu-Hatzera, Sephardim Jewish leader, tells tens of thousands of followers that Israel should negotiate with the PLO to bring about peace. Speech angers Shamir [NYT 1/30; JP 2/3].

IDF reports an increase in the number of suicides among soldiers; 25 in the last 6 months, compared with 11 over the same period in 1988-89 [FBIS 1/29].

Arab World: Georges Saadeh, president of Lebanon's Phalangist Party, resigns from the Syrian-backed cabinet of Hrawi [NYT, WP 1/30; MET 2/6].

PLO Executive Committee holds emergency meeting in Baghdad to discuss Soviet Jewish emigration to Israel [FBIS 1/31].

Other Countries: UN Sec.-General Javier Perez de Cuellar asks UN Sec. Council to renew Unifil mandate in S. Lebanon [MET 2/6].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF demolishes 5 Palestinian homes in Hebron-area village of al-Samoa [FJ 2/5].

B'Tselem reports that 38 Palestinian homes have been demolished or sealed for security reasons this month, more than in any previous month, except for June 1989 [FBIS 1/29].

8 Palestinians are wounded in clash with IDF forces in Ramallah; 9 are reported wounded in Gaza clashes; 2 Israelis autos are torched in Jerusalem [FBIS 1/31]

Social/Economic/Political

Other Countries: U.S. and PLO ambassadors meet in Tunis in another round of the ongoing dialogue [MET 2/6].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF closes 2 Hebron area schools for rock throwing [FBIS 1/29; FJ 2/5].

2 Palestinians from Jerusalem-area village of Abu Dis are shot, killed by IDF; curfew is imposed [FJ 2/5; MET 2/6].

At least 11 Gazans are wounded in clashes with IDF troops [FBIS 1/29]. Arab World: SLA militiamen capture alleged DFLP member in S. Lebanon [FBIS 1/29; MET 2/6].