The Palestine Chronology

In Cairo, Egyptian FM Musa, PA Planning M Nabil Shaath end 2 days of consultations on the peace process. Shaath also meets with Arab League secy. gen. Ismat `Abd al-Majid to request that the Arab League intervene with Lebanon to ease tensions regarding Palestinian refugees (see 11/20). (MENA, 11/21, MENA, al-Nahar 11/22 in WNC 11/23)

Israeli Education M Yossi Katz, who handles Labor party relations with the PA, says Israel bears some responsibility for the Palestinian refugee problem, should allow 100,000 Palestinian refugees to return to areas inside the Green Line. Labor says it may remove Katz fr. his party posts because of his comments. PM Barak says no refugees will be allowed to return to Israel in a final settlement. (MM 11/23, 11/24; al-Quds 12/1 in WNC 12/3; MM 12/2; JP, MM 12/3)

Jordan "suspends" cases against all Hamas mbrs. detained since 8/30; sends 4 senior Hamas leaders (Ibrahim Ghawshah, Musa Abu Marzuq, Khalid Mishal, and Muhammad Nazzal, who were arrested 9/22) to Qatar; and releases the remaining 20 Hamas activists. (SA 11/21, AFP, DUS 11/22 in WNC 11/23; MENA 11/21, JT, SA 11/23 in WNC 11/24; MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/22; MM 11/25; MEI 11/26; AYM 11/27 in WNC 12/1; JP 12/3)

The Israeli cabinet asks the Knesset to renew the state of emergency law for 6 mos. rather than 1 yr. as has been the case since the law was adopted in 1948. The 6-mo. extension would be the 1st legislative step toward abolishing the state of emergency, under which Israel may legally hold Arabs without charge or trial and confiscate civilian goods for military use. (MEI 11/22)

Israelis living along the n. border with Lebanon hold a 1-day strike to show concern for their safety following a withdrawal of IDF troops fr. s. Lebanon. (MM 11/22)

Turkish officials arrive in Israel for 4 days of talks on joint tourism programs. (ATL 11/21 in WNC 11/23)

In Istanbul for the 11/18+n19 Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mtg., U.S. Pres. Bill Clinton, Israeli PM Ehud Barak meet to discuss resuming the Syrian-Israeli track, progress on the PA-Israeli track. (MM 11/17, 11/18; SA 11/18 in WNC 11/22; NYT 11/20)

Mbrs. of the Palestinian Bar Assn. hold a sit-in to protest the Palestinian Council's (PC) approval of the Bar Association Law no. 3 of 1999, which lawyers believe restricts their work. (LAW 11/18)

Mauritania sends its 1st official delegation to Israel since establishing diplomatic ties on 10/28. (AFP 11/17 in WNC 11/22)

In Tehran, Iran, Qatar discuss expanding bilateral economic, political, security relations. (IRNA 11/17 in WNC 11/22)

Lebanese PM Huss meets with Islamic Jihad reps. to discuss their resistance activities in s. Lebanon. Jihad reps. agree not to take actions that "conflict with Lebanese government's stance." (RL 11/17 in WNC 11/22; al-Safir 11/19 in WNC 11/23) (see 11/16)

The Israeli cabinet releases a statement saying that "in the absence of agreed-upon changes, the countdown for implementation of the [Wye] agreement will begin on September 1." Arafat welcomes Israel's plan to resume implementation in 9/99, but still does not approve of Barak's plan to draw out the Wye schedule. (CSM, MM, WT 8/9; CSM 8/10)

At the request of Israeli PM Barak and after consulting with Arafat and Asad, Secy. of State Albright postpones her trip to the Middle East, which was to start next wk. (IDF Radio 8/8 in WNC 8/9; MM, WP, WT 8/9; MM, NYT, WP 8/10; WJW 8/12; JP 8/13) (see 8/6)

Shaykh Hamad Bin-Khalifa al-Thani, emir of Qatar, meets with Arafat in Gaza, making him the 1st Gulf leader to visit the occupied territories since the PA was established. The emir is on a regional tour, which will also take him to Lebanon (8/8-9), Algeria (8/9-10), Morocco (8/11). (RL 8/8 in WNC 8/9; al-Quds 8/9, MAP [Rabat], TT 8/11 in WNC 8/13)

In Damascus, the PFLP briefs 8 Syrian-based opposition groups on its reconciliation talks with Arafat in Cairo 8/1-2; some groups recommend halting contacts with the PFLP if it holds further mtgs. Fatah, the PA. DFLP is not invited to the briefing; it has been banned fr. opposition mtgs. since Nayif Hawatimah shook hands with Israeli pres. Weizman at King Hussein's funeral in 2/99. (AFP, MBC, 8/9 in WNC 8/10) (see 8/6)

IDF lifts curfew on Palestinians in the Israeli-controlled sector of Hebron. (LAW 8/8) (see 8/4)

PA announces that it has arrested 3 Hamas leaders in Gaza. Israel has pressured the PA to crack down on Hamas since the Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for shooting 2 Jewish settlers in Hebron on 8/3. (WP 8/9) (see 8/7)

World leaders attend funeral of King Hassan II of Morocco in Rabat. Egypt's Mubarak, Israel's Barak, Jordan's King Abdallah, PA's Arafat, U.S.'s Clinton attend. Although Syria's Asad stays in Damascus to avoid meeting Barak, his brother, Rifat, attends, grants an interview to the Israeli daily Ma'ariv afterward. On the sidelines, Barak holds brief, warm mtg. with Algerian pres. Bouteflika; also speaks with leaders of Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Yemen. Kuwaiti crown prince Saad Abdallah Sabah refuses to shake hands with Arafat. Clinton speaks briefly with Arafat, Barak, Mubarak about the peace process. (ATL, MAP [Rabat], MENA 7/25 in WNC 7/26; CSM, MM, NYT, USIS Washington File, WP, WT 7/26; RE 7/26 in WNC 7/27; MM, WT 7/27; MA, QA 7/27 in WNC 7/28; MM, WP 7/28; QA 7/28 in WNC 7/29; MEI, MM 7/30; al-Watan [Algiers] 7/31 in WNC 8/2; Le Monde 8/1-2; JP 8/6)

Israeli PM Barak sends the IDF to remove 5 mobile homes placed by Jewish settlers on a West Bank hilltop on 7/23 to expand an existing encampment, Shvut Rahel. Barak does not order the dismantling of Shvut Rahel itself--1 of 25 new enclaves that have been set up since the Wye agmt. was signed in 10/98. (NYT, WP 7/26)

In Amman, Iran, Jordan hold talks on expanding cooperation in culture, religion, tourism. (IRNA, RJ 7/25 in WNC 7/26)

IDF bulldozes the temporary shelter constructed by the Palestinian family whose home was demolished on 7/14. (INFOPAL [Internet] 7/30)

The most splintered Israeli parliament in history, including 15 parties, is sworn in. Prior to the ceremony, PM-elect Barak vows to stop Jewish settlers fr. establishing new settlement enclaves, to reevaluate settlement decisions taken by outgoing PM Netanyahu. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/8)

Israel agrees to allow 1,500 Palestinian refugees from Egypt to return to Gaza over the next 2 yrs. (NYT, WP 6/10; JP 6/18)

Ending a 30 yr. dispute, Qatar, Saudi Arabia sign agmt., maps defining their common border. (WT 6/9)

IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in East Jerusalem. (LAW 6/9)

Israeli military court rules that a Palestinian fatally shot by an IDF soldier at a West Bank checkpoint on 6/3 did not try to run the soldier over as claimed, sentences the soldier 30 days in jail for wrongful death. (AFP [Internet] 6/7)

In Damascus, European Union (EU) special envoy Miguel Moratinos discusses with Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara` resuming the Syrian-Israeli negotiating track. Afterward, Moratinos says that the Syrians "respect [Barak] a lot, and they think Labor can achieve the final peace with Syria," possibly within a yr. (MM, WT 5/20, 5/21; WJW 5/27; CSM 6/8)

Russia, Syria sign agmt. on using atomic energy for peaceful purposes, including scientific, technical, economic cooperation. (ITAR-TASS 5/19 in WNC 5/20; al-Bayan 5/23 in WNC 6/1)

In Washington, King Abdallah of Jordan meets with congressional leaders to urge them to approve the $300 m. in Wye supplemental aid for the kingdom. (WT 5/20; MM 5/21; NYT 5/23)

Iranian pres. Khatami ends 5 day visit to Saudi Arabia, heads to Qatar for talks on expanding bilateral cooperation, Muslim issues. (MM 5/19; IRIB Television, IRNA, Radio Qatar 5/19 in WNC 5/20; GIU, MM 5/20; IRNA, VIRI 5/20 in WNC 5/21; IRNA 5/21 in WNC 5/25) (see 5/16)

Israel's National Union party head Benjamin Begin, the ultranationalist son of fmr. PM Menachem Begin, resigns his Knesset seat, leaves the party (which won only 4 seats in the 5/17 elections), retires fr. politics. (NYT 5/20; WT 5/23; JP 5/28)

In Hebron, IDF demolishes Palestinian reservoirs that local Palestinians built to collect rainwater to irrigate their crops during the ongoing drought. (WP 5/20)

In Damascus, Armenian, Syrian officials hold talks on expanding bilateral ties, particularly in the economic sphere. (Snark [Yerevan] 5/20 in WNC 5/21)

In `Ayn al-Hilwa refugee camp in Lebanon, unidentified gunmen kill Amin Kayid, an official in PA head Yasir Arafat's Fatah organization, and his wife, possibly in retaliation for the murder of Shaykh Hisham Shreidi in 1990. (RL 5/29 in WNC 5/20; NYT 5/20; MEI 6/4; al-Safir 6/30 in WNC 7/2)

Iranian pres. Khatami begins 3 day visit to Syria on 1st leg of 10 day tour that will also take him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar; holds talks with Pres. Asad on bilateral relations and regional security; forming an Arab-Islamic axis (Iran, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia) to counter the U.S.-Israel-Turkey alliance. (MM 5/13; Iran News, IRNA, VIRI 5/13 in WNC 5/14; MM, NYT, WT 5/14)

IDF shells areas in s. Lebanon, killing 2 Amal mbrs. In a separate incident in Jazzin, a roadside bomb explodes as a car passes, killing 4 civilians, 1 suspected SLA mbr. (VOL 5/13 in WNC 5/14; WP, WT 5/14)

Arafat stops in Ghana, Nigeria for consultations on unilateral declaration of Palestinian state issue before concluding his 56 nation consultative tour. (Ghana Broadcasting Corporation Radio Network, NTA Television Network [Lagos] 4/25 in WNC 4/27)

In Amman, Israeli PM candidate and fmr. DM Mordechai meets unofficially with King Abdallah. (JT 4/26 in WNC 4/27)

Israeli pres. Weizman, trade delegation arrive in China for 1 wk. visit. (Xinhua 4/25, 4/26 in WNC 4/27; Globes [Internet] 4/28 in WNC 4/29)

Iran, Qatar hold talks on expanding bilateral relations. (IRNA 4/25 in WNC 4/27)

Israeli police shut Palestinian Prisoners Club office in East Jerusalem that Israel alleges was being used by the PA in violation of Oslo. (al-Quds 4/26 in WNC 4/29) (see 4/22)

Israel officially charges Shin Bet undercover agent Avishai Raviv with failure to prevent assassination of PM Yitzhak Rabin, conspiracy, support for a terrorist organization. (NYT, WP, WT 4/26; JP 4/30) (see 11/18/95)

U.S., Britain complain that for several mos., Syrian trucks have been smuggling Iraqi oil out of Iraq in violation of UN sanctions, perhaps in a barter arrangement in exchange for Syrian goods. U.S., Britain have asked the Syrian government to block shipments, but volume appears to be increasing, with 100s of tankers/wk. now entering Syria. The degree of direct Syrian government involvement in the smuggling cannot be confirmed. (NYT 4/26; MM 4/30)

10,000s of Jordanians turn out to welcome King Hussein on his return to Jordan after 6 mos. of cancer treatment in the U.S. The king promises a "comprehensive review" of Jordan's course, hinting at change in succession. Arafat, leaders of Yemen, Qatar greet King Hussein at the airport. Israel, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the U.S. send congratulations. Israel also provides fighter escort to the king's plane on its flight over Israel. (JT, JTV, Petra-JNA, RJ, SATN 1/19 in WNC 1/20; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/20; AFP, JTV 1/20 in WNC 1/21; JTV 1/25 in WNC 1/27; MEI 1/29; al-Dustur 1/30 in WNC 2/2) (see 1/8)

Burglars break in to Greenberg Quinlan Research for 2d time, disabling a new sophisticated security system, stealing more sensitive material related to the Barak campaign. Barak advisers, who refused to speculate on the 1st robbery, this time directly blame the "Committee to Re-elect Netanyahu." Advisers also report that over the last 4 mos., homes of at least 7 Barak staff mbrs. have been burglarized, but nothing stolen. Netanyahu says break-ins were staged to "spread clouds of false accusations against the Likud." (MM, NYT, WP 1/20; CSM, MM, NYT, WJW, WP 1/21; WP 1/23; YA 1/29 in WNC 2/1; WJW 2/4) (see 1/13)