The Palestine Chronology

srael holds parliamentary elections, dealing a significant setback to current PM Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu joint ticket. The next Knesset will be almost evenly split between the right-wing/religious bloc and centrist/center-left blocs, with the headlines dominated by the rise of centrist party Yesh Atid (‘‘There Is a Future’’) and its leader Yair Lapid. The final tally gives 31 seats to Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu, 19 to Yesh Atid, 15 to a resurgent Labor party, 12 to Naftali Bennett’s Jewish Home, 11 to Shas, 7 to United Torah Judaism, 6 each to Meretz and Tzipi Livni’s party Hatnuah, 4 each to United Arab List and Hadash, 3 to Balad, and 2 to Kadima. Voter turnout overall is high, with the estimated turnout for Palestinian citizens of Israel at 56%, according to figures cited by Army Radio. At the end of the night, Netanyahu says that he sees ‘‘many partners’’ for his ‘‘goals’’ and will seek to assemble ‘‘the broadest’’ coalition possible. (REU, AP 1/22; JP 1/23; JP 1/24)

British foreign secretary William Hague warns that it is almost the last chance to bring about a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and condemns Israeli settlement construction. (REU 1/22)

Israeli naval vessels open fire on Palestinian fishermen off the Gaza coast nr. al-Waha, causing no injuries. In the West Bank, Jewish settlers begin work to expand Halamish settlement nr. Ramallah. The IDF patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning, and in al-Bireh at night; conducts house searches and arrest raids in Hebron and 1 village each nr. East Jerusalem and Ramallah at night. (MNA, WAFA 1/22; PCHR 1/23)

Malaysia’s PM Najib Razak visits the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing. Pres. Abbas criticizes the visit as enhancing the Fatah-Hamas division. (MNA, NYT 1/22) 

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the PLO’s Information and Culture Department condemn today’s arrest of journalists in the Gaza Strip by Hamas authorities. Most of those detained are affiliated with Fatah. (JP 1/22)

4 Shas cabinet mbrs. submit their resignations, which do not take effect for 48 hrs., giving PM Barak a last chance to strike a deal with the party to keep it in the coalition. Meretz cabinet mbrs., including Education M Yossi Sarid, tell Barak they are willing to resign if it will help him reach an agmt. with Shas that would preserve the coalition. (MM 6/20; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/21; AYM 6/21 in WNC 6/22; CSM, WJW 6/22; MEI 6/30) (see 6/13)

The PA says that per a request by U.S. Pres. Clinton, it will not push Israel to carry out the 3d FRD by the 6/23 deadline in light of Barak's coalition troubles. (State Dept. press briefing 6/20; AYM 6/20, 6/23 in WNC 6/27; NYT 6/21; MEI 6/30) (see 6/15)

Arafat convenes the PLO Exec. Comm. (PLOEC) to brief mbrs. on the Stockholm talks, to discuss status of the peace process, to set 7/2-3 as the date for a PLO Central Council (PLOCC) session to debate a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state. (SA 6/29 in WNC 6/30; AYM 7/3 in WNC 7/5)

Agents fr. Force 17, Arafat's "presidential" guard, raid the Gaza office of 'Abd al-Fattah Ghanem, 1 of Arafat's advisers on refugee affairs, confiscating files, documents. (LAW 6/26) PA General Intelligence Service arrests without charge al-Sharq al-Awsat correspondent Abdallah Isa. The arrest comes 1 wk. after Isa was released fr. 2 mos. of detention without charge or trial. (SA 6/22 in WNC 6/27)

Nr. Qarni crossing in Gaza, a Jewish setter is lightly injured when a roadside bomb explodes nr. a convoy of settler cars escorted by the IDF. (IsRN 6/21; JP 6/30)

PM Netanyahu tells his cabinet that Israel will not honor its peace agmts. with the PLO unless Arafat cracks down on Islamists. (MM 8/4)

14-mbr. Knesset Internal Affairs Comm. delegation representing almost all Israeli parties (except Moledet, Shas, Tsomet) arrives in Amman for a 2 day visit to discuss the current impasse in PA-Israeli talks resulting fr. the 7/30 bombings; encourages King Hussein to personally mediate btwn. the sides. Jordanian parliamentary mbrs. boycott the delegation. (RJ 8/3, 8/4 in WNC 8/5; JT 8/5 in WNC 8/6; SA 8/5 in WNC 8/7)

Israel continues arresting Palestinians following the 7/30 bombings, bringing the total arrested to 116; also demolishes 3 Palestinian homes allegedly built without permits nr. Jerusalem. (WP 8/4; LAW 8/5; PR 8/8)

Israeli authorities prevent a delegation of 20 young campers fr. Qatar, UAE (who just completed a summer program sponsored by the PA Youth and Sports Min.) fr. leaving Gaza for Egypt. (al-Quds 8/4 in WNC 8/5; PR 8/8)

Nr. the West Bank Jewish settlement of Karmel, a Palestinian is fatally shot fr. a passing car bearing Israeli license plates. (ITV 8/3 in WNC 8/5; MM, WP 8/4; NYT 8/5)

Iraq, Syria form a joint tourism company, which will run 2 daily trips to transport businessmen btwn. the countries. (RMC 8/4 in WNC 8/5) (see 8/1)

PLO Chmn. Arafat, in Brussels, accuses Syria of "giving a free hand to the [Palestinian] opposition . . . fanatical groups and all extremists." (MM 11/9)

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators meeting in Cairo release statement saying progress being made on Israeli withdrawal agreement, talks to resume next week. (WP 11/10)

Gaza Strip settlers block main road to Israel to prevent Palestinians fr. going to work, burn tires until dispersed by IDF. (WP 11/10)

Israeli Arab Sulayman al-Hawashla killed by presumed Muslin militants when his car rammed by hijacked garbage truck in Gaza City. (NYT, WP 11/10)

PLO official in Lebanon Zaid Wahba, personal envoy of Chmn. Arafat, shot and wounded by unknown assailant in Sidon. (CSM, WT 11/10)

Israeli PM Rabin meets with West Bank settlers, sets up joint settler-govt. comm. to address settlers' security concerns. Knesset defeats motions of no confidence in Rabin govt. by vote of 57-46, Shas party abstaining. (MM 11/9; NYT 11/10)

U.S. Trade Rep. Mickey Kantor announces International Trade Commission will investigate costs to U.S. business of Arab boycott of Israel. (MM 11/9)

Faisal Husseini and Haydar 'Abd al-Shafi condemn 3/1 killings in Tel Aviv. Husseini receives letter from Secy. of State Christopher through U.S. consul-general in Jerusalem. (Qol Yisra'el, HaAretz 3/2 in FBIS 3/2; al-Quds 3/5 in FBIS 3/8)

U.S. severs contacts with Hamas, saying they were cultivated to keep up with "developments in the Islamic world," denying any "political dialogue." Hamas will for the first time appear in the State Dept.'s annual report on terrorism, tobe issued 4/1. (WT 3/3)

PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Mahmud Abbas meets with Russian FM Kozyrev in Moscow, discusses deportees. (al-Hayat 3/4 in FBIS 3/8)

Israeli Health Min. Haim Ramon (Labor) and Interior Min. Aryeh Deri (SHAS) urge govt. to consider unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. (NYT 3/3; Qol Yisra'el 3/2 in FBIS 3/2)

Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea, Samaria and Gaza calls on settlers to open fire if attacked with stones (first in air to deter, then at body if endangered). IDF strongly rebukes lst-ever such call by settlers. (HaAretz 3/3 in FBIS 3/3)

Peace Now reports settlement expansion in at least 8 sites. (Al Hamishmar 3/2 in FBIS 3/3)

Israeli driver stoned and shot dead by Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Shots fired from an Israeli car being stoned in East Jerusalem kill 1 Palestinian. (MM 3/2; NYT 3/3; IDF Radio, Qol Yisra'el 3/2 in FBIS 3/3)