The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Trial of Hamas leader Shaykh Ahamd Yasseen opens amid tight security in Gaza. Yasseen is accused of ordering deaths of suspected collaborators [MET 1/16].

Science Minister Ezer Weizman leaves for USSR on official visit [MET 1/26].

Military Action

Arab World: Beirut Domestic Service reports heavy Israeli troop movement in S. Lebanon [FBIS 1/3].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Knesset extends for 2 years emergency regulations that make Israeli law applicable to Israelis in O.T. but not to Palestinians, who are judged in military courts. [LAT, FBIS 12/ 28].

Arab World: Egypt and Syria agree to restore diplomatic ties after 12-year break [NYT, WP, LAT, FBIS 12/28; CSM 12/ 29].

Lebanese officials say they will lodge complaint with UN Sec. Council about Israel's 12/26 air and ground attacks [NYT, WP 12/28].

Egypt signs industrial contract with the USSR [FBIS 1/2].

Other Countries: The Washington Post cites unnamed Arab and Western diplomats as saying PLO has kept commitments made by Arafat last year in Geneva, but PLO has not convinced Israeli public that it is sincere [WP 12/27].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Palestinians in O.T. observe strike called by Hamas [CSM 12/28].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: The Washington Post reports Hamas made considerable gains in O.T. at expense of Fateh [WP 12/17].

Israeli government says missing air force navigator Ron Arad, shot down over Lebanon in 1986, is still alive and being held captive by Iran [MET 12/26].

French P.M. Michel Rocard arrives in Israel for meetings with Shamir and Peres [FBIS 12/15].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 7 Palestinians, including 10-year-old girl, are wounded when bomb is thrown into E. Jerusalem store [FJ 12/25].

Military closes indefinitely al-Tufah School in Gaza for stone-throwing incident [FBIS 12/19; FJ 12/25]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: Arab League foreign ministers begin meetings in Tunis at request of Palestinians [FBIS 12/4].

Other Countries: FAO resolution endorsing PLO role in providing technical assistance to Palestinian farmers in O.T. and criticizing Israel's administration of O.T., is passed 96-2, with 14 abstentions; U.S. and Israel vote against it [NYT, WP 11/ 30; FJ 12/4].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli soldiers shoot, kill 2 masked Palestinian stonethrowers in Jerusalem. 19 Palestinians are wounded by IDF gunfire in Gaza clashes [MET 12/12].

Strike to mark anniversary of UN resolution to partition Palestine is observed throughout O.T. [FBIS 11/29].

Leaflet issued in O.T. urges students to maintain discipline during exams. Similar leaflet was issued by Hamas on 11/28 [FBIS 11/30].

In Shati' camp, IDF troops shoot, wound 5 Palestinian children, aged 6 to 13. At least 5 other Palestinians are wounded in O.T. [FBIS 11/30]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: PLO officials meet with U.S. ambassador to Tunisia Robert Pelletreau, discuss Baker plan [MET 12/5].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Palestinian woman accused of collaborating with Israel is killed in Nablus [MET 12/5].

Military seals house of Gazan who was arrested for participation in Hamas [FJ 12/4].

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: Lebanese President Rene Moawad is assassinated when an explosion destroys his car; 23 others are also killed. Moawad was in office only 17 days [FBIS 11/22; NYT, WP, LAT 11/23].

Other Countries: President Bush has received personal message from Arafat, delivered through U.S. embassy in Tunis; contents are not divulged; Bush does not plan reply [NYT, WP 11/23].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Bodies of 2 Palestinians suspected of collaboration are found; number of suspected collaborators killed during intifada stands at 144 [MET 12/5].

Military orders 2 Bethlehem houses destroyed. Authorities deport 5 Palestinians to Jordan, saying they lacked family reunification permit [FJ 11/27].

General strike called by Hamas is observed in O.T. At least 13 Palestinians are wounded in clashes with IDF [FBIS 11/29]

Social/Economic/Political

Other Countries: P.M. Shamir meets with Pres. Bush, Sec. of State Baker, says talks relieved U.S.-Israeli tensions; U.S. does not assure Shamir that Israeli conditions for Baker plan will come about [NYT, WP 11/16].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Palestinians mark the one-year anniversary of declaration of Palestinian state with marches despite large numbers of soldiers and military orders confining Palestinians indoors [NYT 11/16]. At least 4 Palestinians are wounded in Gaza clash, 5 are detained for rockthrowing. Israeli court convicts 18- year-old Palestinian of setting two tires on fire, sentences him to 4 years in prison. Israeli soldier wounded in 11/13 attack by Hamas dies [FBIS 11/16].

Social/Economic/Political

Other Countries: UN Security Council resolution calling on Israel to "lift its siege" in O.T. is vetoed by U.S. The 14 other members of the Security Council voted for the resolution [NYT 11/8].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Army reports it has arrested Hamas members from Gaza Strip in connection with killing an Israeli soldier and kidnapping another [WP 11/8]. Israeli police commander recommends that six Israeli Arab police officers be tried for fatally shooting an 18-year-old W. Bank Palestinian at close range two weeks ago, then reporting that he was shot when he ran a roadblock [NYT 11/8]. 13-year-old Qalqiliyyah resident is shot, killed, 29 others are wounded, and 10 are detained in clash with border police; curfew is imposed on Qalqiliyyah; 28-year-old Palestinian in Nablus accused of collaboration is killed, another is wounded [FBIS 11/9].

Arab World: Israeli Air Force planes bomb Hizballah bases in South Lebanon; a Katyusha rocket is launched from Lebanon into the "security zone," no one is injured [FBIS 11/7].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Paestinians from O.T. express doubts about Egypt's 10- point peace plan, but stop short of rejecting it altogether [NYT 9/29].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli army escorts tax collectors door-to-door in Bayt Sahur and confiscates possessions in lieu of owed taxes [WP 9/28; LAT 10/9]. Israel formally outlaws membership in Hamas [LAT 9/29; FJ 10/2; MET 10/10]. Troops shoot, kill Palestinian in clash in jenin [NYT 10/1]. At least 20 Gazans are wounded in clashes with soldiers [FBIS 10/3].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops shoot, kill 22-year-old Palestinian in Silwad, wound 2 others [FJ 6/26]. In Jerusalem a 64-year-old Israeli is found stabbed to death; police think he might have been killed by Palestinians [NYT 6/23]. In W. Bank 5 more Palestinians are shot, injured. In Gaza Strip Israeli troops shoot, wound 12 Palestinians [FJ 6/26]. American director of Save the Children Chris George is abducted in Gaza; kidnappers demand release of jailed members of Fateh, Hamas [MET 7.4]. Israel arrests 30 residents of Silwad [FBIS 6/22].

Other Countries: Secretary of State Baker says U.S. plans to sell military equipment to Saudia Arabia, other Middle East countries [LAT 6/23].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israel bans membership in Islamic Resistance Movement, Islamic Holy War, Hizballah; membership is punishable by up to 10 years in prison [NYT 6/19].

Arab World: Muhammed Milhem, member PLO executive committee in charge of O.T. affairs, states that PLO accepts election proposal as long as elections are conducted with superpower guarantees [FBIS 6/16].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Jewish settler is found stabbed to death outside Ariel [FBIS 6/19, NYT 6/20]. Israeli troops shoot, kill 17-year-old Palestinian in Nablus [NYT 6/19, FJ 6/26]. Soldiers shoot, kill 20- year-old Palestinian in Nablus [FJ 6/26]. In Gaza Palestinian shoots at Israeli soldier, kills Palestinian bystander [NYT 6/19].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli prime minister Shamir threatens to resign if Likud does not supporthe proposed elections for O.T. [LAT 5/22]. Nur Shams enters 20th day under curfew [FBIS 5/22]. General strike is observed throughout O.T. [LAT 5/22]. Israel detains Shaykh Ahmad Yasin, spiritual leader of Hamas in Gaza [FBIS 5/22].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Abu Dis 16- year-old Palestinian is killed during clash with troops and at least 15 other Palestinians are wounded. In al-'Azariyah troops shoot, kill Palestinian youth [FBIS 5/22, FJ 5/29]. In Hebron troops open fire, wound 4 Palestinians. At least 25 Palestinians are shot throughout Gaza Strip [FBIS 5/22]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: General strike is observed throughout O.T. [FBIS 2/22]. Ha'Aretz reports all Hamas leadership is now in Gaza jails. Judge sentences Palestinian stonethrower to3 years in jail with additional 2 years suspended [FBIS 2/21].

Arab World: Jordan releases 30 political prisoners, states all political prisoners have been released [FBIS 2/23]. Israel increases number of Druze from Golan Heights allowed to visit family in Syria, attend Syrian universities [FBIS 2/23].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops shoot, wound 24 Palestinians in O.T. [FBIS 2/22]. In W. Bank Israeli troops seal houses of 3 Palestinian families [FJ 2/27].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Hamas, the Muslim fundamentalist leadership in the occupied territories, and the PLO-backed Unified National Command of the Uprising agree to coordinate activities in the occupied territories [LAT 10/7]. The Progressive List for Peace withstands attempt by Likud and Tehiya to exclude it from upcoming Knesset elections; elections commission rules that the Progressive List for Peace does not oppose the Jewish nature of Israel [WP, LAT 10/7]. A general strike is called in Gaza in remembrance of the first anniversary of the killing of 4 Gazans [FJ 10/11]. Elementary and secondary schools open in East Jerusalem for the first time in over a month [FJ 10/11].

Other Countries: U.S. gives consular immunity to 50 members of Israel's military purchasing and trade mission in New York [WP 10/7]. British Labor party recognizes the PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian people and the right of Palestinians to a homeland [FJ 10/11].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Nablus 27- year-old Palestinian is killed as troops fire on stone throwers [NYT 10/8], 3 Palestinians are shot [FJ 10/11]. Two Palestinians suspected of collaborating with the Israelis are shot, killed [WJP, LAT 10/7]. At least 19 Palestinians are injured in riots throughout Gaza [FJ 10/11].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Gaza observes strike call from Islamic Resistance Movement; call is largely ignored in W. Bank [WP 9/10]. The army enforces curfews in Tulkarm, Beach, al-Burayj, Nusayrat, and Balatah camps and the villages of 'Azzun, Bani Na'im, Dannabah, Husan [FJ 9/11].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: During clashes with troops 9 Palestinians are injured throughout the occupied territories [FJ 9/ 11].

Other Countries: Israeli soldiers arrest 200 Palestinians in Gaza as authorities attempt to break up the Palestinian underground network [WP 9/10].

Military

Occupied Palestine/Israel: A 23-year-old Palestinian from Beach camp dies from wounds sustained earlier in the uprising [FJ 7/24]. In Nablus soldiers attack demonstrators with tear gas, live ammunition; 3 youths are injured [FJ 7/24]. In Jenin a Palestinian is injured by gunfire [FJ 7/24].

Arab World: The Islamic Resistance Movement announces that its fighters had launched a 5-sided attack on Israeli, South Lebanon Army troops in S. Lebanon [NYT 7/18].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Labor party leader Shimon Peres states that if elected he would propose tuming demilitarized Gaza Strip over to Arab authority, according to Ha'Aretz [JPS 7/13].

Military

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Nablus 2 Palestinian teenagers die from wounds sustained earlier in the uprising [FJ 7/17]. Troops destroy 2 homes, seal 4 others on the W. Bank [NYT 7/14, FJ 7/17]. In Ramallah and al-Birah troops use rubber bullets, live ammunition to break up demonstrations [FJ 7/17]. Rabin says army will not be able to purchase all weapons it had planned this year because of cost of uprising [NYT 7/14].

Arab World: Previously unknown Palestinian group, Organization of the Martyrs of the Popular Revolution of Palestine, claims responsibility for 11 July attack on Greek tourist ship; spokesman for Fateh condemns the attack [NYT 7/14]. The Islamic Resistance Movement attacks Israeli, SLA positions in S. Lebanon near Kawkaba, 3 Islamic fighters and 1 Israeli soldier are killed [7/18].

Military Action

Arab World: Israel attacks targets in Biqa' Valley. Islamic Resistance Movement claims it shot down 1 of 2 Israeli helicopters used in the attack [WP 12/25].

Social/Economic/Political

Other Countries: Julio Maria Sanguinetti, president of Uruguay, arrives for 5-day visit to Israel, receives 21-gun salute in Jerusalem, marking the first time a visiting head of state agreed to be welcomed officially in the disputed capital rather than at Ben-Gurion Airport [LT, JP 5/2].

Military Action

Arab World: Shi'ite guerrillas from the Islamic Resistance Movement say they kill 7 members of the SLA; Israeli reports say 1 Shi'ite was killed and 5 SLA members were wounded; both reports say 3 SLA members were kidnaped by the Shi'ites [NYT, JTA 5/2].