The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Jiftlik farmers refute DM Rabin's claim that demolition (11/11) there done for security reasons. Att. Gen. Zamir recommends Knesset to limit MK Kahane's Knesset privilege of movement throughout country. Transport Min. suspends sea capt. Gilad for 60 days for forcing Kenyan stowaway out to sea in 1982.

Arab World: Lebanese & Israeli delegations hold 3rd round of talks on IDF withdrawal; both sides report discussions had "positive elements."

Other Countries: 2 Israeli delegations begin talks with US officials in Washington on increasing aid to Israel.

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Grenade thrown at army guards at Ramallah municipality, but fails to explode. Israeli troops besiege Balata camp near Nablus as demonstrators raise Palestinian flags; residents repel troops by throwing rocks; curfew imposed.

Arab World: Grenade thrown at IDF patrol at al-Harib, S. Lebanon wounds 1 soldier.

Social/Economic/Political:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Ahmed Salem sentenced to 6 yrs. by Lydd military court for membership in illegal organization. Ministerial economic Com. approves 18% wage hike for regular army soldiers. High Court issues order nisi against Interior Minister's ban on Fr. Fawzi Khouri's travel (3/30/84).

Arab World: Israeli water company Mekorot announces to interrupt water supply to Golan settlements, retaliating for independent water collective set up by settlers. Archaeology Dep't. fences off Tal Balata land area east of Nablus for confiscation, including Haj Ma'zouz alMasri and Qadri Toukan schools with 1500 students each.

Military Action:

Occupied Palestinle/Israel: Over 22 dunums belonging to residents of Hableh, Tulkarm district set ablaze by unidentified arsonists. Secondary students from Raineh beaten by Israeli soldiers near Tel Aviv central bus station.

Arab World: 3 Israeli troops killed, 3 wounded in ambush at IDF patrol near Syrian-controlled area of Beqaa.

Social/Economic/Political:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 9th annual Land Day commemorated throughout Palestine in demonstrations protesting Israeli land theft and discriminatory policies; military authorities impose curfews on Balata and Ain Beit Alma refugee camps near Nablus; Israeli troops open fire on demonstrators and bystanders in jenin and Qabatya villages and Balata and Dheisheh camps, 5 people wounded. Meanwhile, IDF bulldozes wheat crops, olive and almond groves of Kufr Qalil family in 2nd day of work on Elon Moreh access road as settlers look on. Fara'a prison detainee Walid A'ardeh testifies before Tel Aviv District Court to torture used to extract confession to unspecified charge. Interior Min. issues travel ban for Fr. Fawzi Khoury.

Arab World: Arab FMs meeting in Tunis warn US of unspecified retaliation if its embassy moved to Jerusalem; fail to agree on proposed reform of voting procedure and establishment of pan-Arab Court of Justice.

Other Countries: Chrmn. Arafat and Pres. Mubarak meet while attending Guinean Pres. Sekou Toure's funeral in Conakry. US formally ends participation in Lebanon MNF. Sweden's FM Schori criticizes Israeli policy in West Bank and Latin America during official 3-day visit to Tel Aviv. Lebanon's PM al-Wazzan tells US amb. Bartholomew that US shares responsibility for IDF repression in South because of its "unlimited military and political support for Israel."

Social/Economic/Political:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: League for Human and Civil Rights in Israel charges IDF detention center at Fara'a (West Bank) is factory for torture of inmates (mostly minors). 2 prisoners to be freed in Nov. 1983 prisoner exchange still held in Atlit prison, appeal to High Court for release. Haifa U.'s Arab Student Union pres. suspended for semester on charges of disturbing MK Sharon lecture (1/19/84), at which he and student companions were tear gassed while attempting to enter lecture hall. Pres. Herzog rejects pardon request by Uri Adiv. [See JPS (Winter 1984) pp. 176-178.] Naturei Karta's Rabbi Hirsch says on US television PLO is sole & democratically-chosen representative of Palestinian people.

Other Countries: Israeli DM Arens reportedly calls US Sec. of Defense Weinberger "a prime candidate for psychoanalysis."

Military Action:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF uses tear gas against Arab students demonstrating near yeshiva at Joseph's Tomb, Nablus. Egged bus traveling between Kafr Saba and Qalqilya, and IDF patrol near Balata refugee camp stoned. IDF soldier wounded while forcing dispersal of demonstrators at Nur Shams refugee camp. Beitunia students protest Egypt-Israel treaty and moves by local mayor to normalize relations with "civil administration. "

Arab World: In S. Lebanon, Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army invades Jibsheet village, kills 2 women, 1 man; IDF searches village, rounding up about 100 "suspects of hostility to Israel." IDF patrol ambushed south of Zahrani River, 1 assailant killed. 

Social/Economic/Political:

Occupied PalestinelIsrael: Police announce 4 JDL members arrested for attack on Arab bus (3/4/84) were under surveillance for past year, background information on suspects requested from Los Angeles and NY police. Labor's hawkish Ben Gurion Circle quits Rafael Eitan's Tzomet movement in party loyalty ultimatum.

Arab World: Pres. Mubarak on US television pledges not to abrogate Camp David peace treaty as condition for joining ArabLeague; reiterates Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and progress on Palestinian autonomy conditions for returning Egypt's amb. to Tel Aviv. Syrian Pres. Assad names 3 vice-Presidents: Rifa'at Assad for defense and security, Abdul Halim Khaddam for political and foreign affairs, and Mohammed Masharqa for party affairs.

Military Action:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 7-yr.-old Palestinian boy shot and wounded by Israeli troops at Balata refugee camp demonstration.

Arab World: IDF soldier dies from wound sustained in Sidon harbor explosions (3/4/84).

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Israeli Cabinet Minister, Mordechai Ben Porat, resigns over disagreements with PM Shamir on Lebanon policy and economic situation. Israeli military court takes into custody David Shemtov, suspected of stealing and selling IDF grenades and bullets. Youths in Balata camp demonstrate to protest murder of Nablus boy (1/28/84); Israeli troops use tear gas to break up crowd. 

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 3 Galilee youths held since 9/27/83 sentenced to 6-15 mos. prison for participation in 1983 Land Day demonstration; lawyer says youths subjected to physical and psychological torture while in Jalameh and Akka prisons. Israeli Ministerial Economic Committee sets Friday deadline for gov't. dep'ts. to present budget proposals with 9% overall spending cut; DM Arens rejects notion of cutting budget for development of Lavi bomber. Jerusalem Post poll reports 72% favor cut in spending for West Bank settlements. Settlers from Yakir and Kedumim, bitter over arrest of 3 Israelis suspected of Nablus killings (12/8/83), return IDF-issued weapons to Israeli authorities.

Arab World: Rev. Jesse Jackson meets Pres. Assad in Damascus, appeals release of US airman downed 12/4/83.

MILITARY ACTION:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Incendiary bomb thrown at Israeli military patrol at Balata refugee camp; no casualties.

Arab World: Israelis reopen Awali River crossings after 3 days.

SOCIAL POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli Dep. Cabinet Min. warns 50-100,000 Israelis may emigrate in 1984. Israeli police report material evidence links shooting of Nablus girls (12/8/83) to Yosef Harnoi (of Tel Aviv & Elon Moreh); Pinhas Mahrabi and Ephraim Segal as accomplices. 19th anniversary of establishment of PLO. Hanna Nakkara distinguished Palestinian advocate, well-known for his work in defense of Bedouin rights and against land confiscation, dies in Haifa.

MILITARY ACTION:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Rida Hashem Zeid Keelani of Jenin shot dead by Israeli patrol at Jalazoun refugee camp for failing to stop for identity check; occupation authorities force family to bury body at night to avoid attention; IDF later announces victim listed as suspected terrorist. Central Nablus placed under curfew after petrol bomb attack on IDF foot patrol; later, petrol bomb hurled at patrol in Balata refugee camp; petrol bomb attack reported in Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza Strip.