The Palestine Chronology

IDF places 160,000 Palestinians of Nablus under curfew so 150 Jewish settlers and Knesset members can dedicate Torah for seminary in Nablus [WP, LAT, WT 5/ 4].

Former D.M. Yitzhak Rabin publicly challenges Shimon Peres's Labor party leadership, says he could better lead Israel to peace with Palestinians [WP 5/ 4].

Army-commissioned poll published in IDF Weekly reveals about 30% of Israelis surveyed lack full faith in army announcements and in ethical behavior of soldiers [WT 5/4].

On final day in Damascus, Pres. Mubarak says he believes Yitzhak Shamir does not wish to settle Palestine problem and this could lead to "much more destructive situation." Mubarak calls on U.S. to pressure Israel into negotiations [WP 5/4]; Washington Times reports Mubarak leaves Syria emptyhanded, failing to bring Syria out of its isolationist stance [WT 5/4].

Israel and Bulgaria restore diplomatic relations after 23-year break, sign agreement over air transportation, tourism, communications [NYT, WP, WT, LAT 5/ 4].

Visiting New York, Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek calls occupation of St. John's Hospice by Jewish settlers a"great stupidity" and "a major setback" to interreligious relations in Israel [NYT 5/6].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli Air Force source tells the Jerusalem Post that U.S. intends to sell 24 Apache attack helicopters to Egypt and 19 to Israel [JP 2/10].

Arab World: PLO sends to European Community amessage regarding Soviet Jewish emigration to Israel [FBIS 2/14].

Other Countries: New York Times reports on poll sponsored by Tel Aviv's Israel-Diaspora Institute of 1,310 U.S. Jewish leaders; 74 percent of respondents favor talks between Israeli officials and PLO "moderates" [NYT 2/10].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF troops shoot, wound at least 30 Rafah Palestinians in clash at funeral of Arab killed 2/7 [FBIS 2/12; MET 2/20].

IDF seals off Nablus, Tulkarm, Bethlehem, and parts of Gaza Strip as Palestinians celebrate the 8th anniversary of the outlawed Palestine Communist Party [MET 2/20].

Palestinian dies of wounds received 2/8 [FBIS 2/12].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Palestine Human Rights Information Center reports that at least 130 Palestinian houses have been partially or totally sealed in the first 2 years of the intifada; also approximately 270 Palestinian homes have been demolished by IDF [NYT 2/7].

Likud Central Committee reschedules meeting postponed because of 2/4 bus attack in Egypt to 2/12 [FBIS 2/6].

Arab World: PLO officially denounces 2/4 bus attack in Egypt, says attack cannot be viewed in isolation from daily Israeli violence against Palestinians in O.T., reaffirms policies prohibiting armed actions outside Israel and the O.T. [NYT 2/7].

PNC in Amman sends Gorbachev a 5-page memorandum asking "in the name of human rights, we appeal to you to take speedy measures to stop the emigration to Soviet Jews" to Israel [LAT 2/7].

Other Countries: Environmentalists call on Pres. Bush to cancel $300 million project to build VOA and Radio free Europe radio transmitter in the Negev [WP 2/7].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Al-Fajr reports 2 Israeli settlers shoot, kill 45-year-old Palestinian in Nablus [FJ 2/12].

At least 20 Gazans are injured in clashes with soldiers; IDF uses light aircraft to track demonstrators after about 400 youths gather near Rafah [FBIS 2/7]. 

Arab World: SLA checkpoint on the border of Israel's "security zone" comes under fire from unidentified fighters [FBIS 2/7].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: The Jerusalem Post cancels publication of Essays on Human Rights, edited by Meron Benvenisti. Benvenisti sues to have the book published as planned [LAT 2/2].

Israeli daily Ha'Aretz reports that a new settlement called Dugit will be established in the Gaza Strip by March 1990; it will be the 16th settlement in the Strip [FBIS 2/1].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: IDF closes Bethlehem Boys and Girls Secondary Schools after students conduct strikes and sit-ins to protest high tuition costs [FJ 2/12]; 5 schools are closed in Gaza for stone throwing at IDF patrols [FBIS 2/2].

Israeli military vehicle strikes, kills, 6- year-old Palestinian [FJ 2/5].

Palestinians in Nablus demonstrate, smash windows of military and settler's cars [FJ 2/51.

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Israeli D.M. Rabin says that Israel has temporarily halted W. Bank deportations. The announcement comes after complaints from Israeli human rights activists and a U.S. State Dep't call for more flexibility in deportations [WP 2/1].

Jerusalem Domestic Service reports that 4,600 Soviet Jews arrived in Israel during January [FBIS 2/1].

Arab World: The Fifth Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches ends 6- day meeting in Nicosia with a call to support Palestinian independence [FJ 2/5].

Arafat meets with Soviet envoy Gennedy Tarasov in Tunis over emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel [MET 2/13].

ACC parliamentary committee opens meeting in Baghdad [FBIS 2/7].

Other Countries: UN Sec. Council extends the mandate of UNIFIL for another 6 months [MET 2/13].

Many of the Soviet Jews emigrating to Israel tell of rampant anti-Semitism in the USSR [NYT 2/4].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli military demolishes 2 homes in Qabalan village, near Nablus [FJ 2/12].

General strike called for by UNLU is observed in O.T. [FBIS 2/1; FJ 2/5].

At least 12 Palestinians are wounded in clashes in O.T. [FBIS 2/1; FJ 2/5].

Israeli military closes 7 Gaza Strip schools for security reasons [FJ 2/5].

Gazan accused of collaborating with Israel is killed [MET 2/13].

Arab World: Army troops loyal to Aoun battle militias outlawed on 1/30. At least 28 people are killed [WP 2/1; 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: Elections to the Engineering Association in Gaza are held, Hamas wins 5 of 9 seats, pro-PLO bloc wins 3. [FBIS 2/1].

Arab World: Arafat arrives in Cairo for third meeting this month with Pres. Mubarak [FBIS 1/29; MET 2/6].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli tax collectors seize 150 automobiles in al-Zawiyeh village, near Nablus, in attempt to force Palestinian owners to pay taxes [FJ 2/5].

Al-Fajr reports that Jewish settlers set fire to a Burin village mosque [FJ 2/5].

At least 6 Palestinians in O.T. are shot, injured in clashes with IDF [FJ 2/5].

Arab World: Israeli patrol in S. Lebanon is ambushed, DFLP claims responsibility, says its fighters killed 6 Israelis; Israel says no one was injured, and that the attackers fled when fired upon [MET 2/6; FBIS 1/ 26].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: During his tour of the capital's Neve Ya'aqov neighborhood, Shamir reiterates 1/14 statement saying "we need a big and strong people in a big and strong land" [FBIS 1/24].

Campaigning before 2/7 Likud party meeting, at which Israel's future government may be decided, Ariel Sharon says Shamir's elections proposal "would in fact bring about a Palestinian state, bloodshed, and war" [NYT 1/24].

Shimon Peres arrives in Cairo at Mubarak's invitation to begin talks on stalled peace process. [WP 1/25].

In Algiers, Arafat meets with ministers of the Arab Tripartite Committee on Lebanon to discuss need for concentrating Arab activity on settling the crisis there [FBIS 1/25].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF closes Hebron-area schools Tareq Ibn Ziad and Ibn Rushd for stone-throwing incidents [FJ 1/ 29].

24-year-old Nablus youth is shot, killed fleeing IDF troops who had searched his home [MET 2/6]; 15 Palestinians are wounded in confrontation that follows shooting [FJ 1/29].

Palestinian accused of collaboration is found dead in W. Bank village of Arrabeh, near Jenin [MET 2/6].

Shots are fired at IDF patrol along the Jordanian border near Hazeva [FBIS 1/ 24].

At least 30 Gaza residents injured by IDF gunfire or tear gas in clashes [FBIS 1/ 24]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: Israeli Attorney General Yosef Harish opens criminal investigation of Science Minister Ezer Weizman, accused of meeting a PLO official last year [NYT, FBIS 1/23].

UNLU issues intifada Call number 51 [FBIS 1/29].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli police release Faisal Husayni on bond. Husayni says his arrest "wasn't for any violations of the law, but it was a political move" [NYT, WP, LAT, FBIS 1/23].

IDF seals home in Baytunia. All schools in Jalazun camp remained closed for 9th consecutive day [FJ 1/29].

At least 16 Palestinians are wounded in Gaza confrontations with IDF [FJ 1/29].

Masked Nablus youths set fire to an Israeli bus, no injuries [FBIS 1/23; FJ 1/29].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Ha'Aretz reports team of Israeli foreign ministry experts has begun formulating detailed plan for elections in O.T. in anticipation of possible Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Moshe Arens tells Yedi'ot Aharonot "the elections in the territories will be conducted because we will conduct them with or withouthe U.S. initiative" [FBIS 1/9].

The Jerusalem Post names N. David Gross managing editor and Matt Nesvisky magazine editor to begin replacing about 30 senior editors and reporters who resigned in dispute with publisher [NYT 1/ 10; MET 1/23].

Arab World: PFLP-GC leader Ahmed jabril denies that his organization was involved in 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 [NYT 1/10].

Yasir Arafat arrives in Cairo, meets with F.M. Abd al-Majid [FBIS 1/10].

Other Countries: U.S. sharply cuts its funding to UN Food and Agriculture Agency (FAO) in response to FAO's 11/ 29 resolution. U.S. will pay only $18 million of its $61.4 million obligation, just enough to keep its voting status [NYT 1/ 10].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 2 Palestinians from Nablus are wounded by IDF gunfire; 3 others in Tulkarm are wounded in separate incident [FBIS 1/10].

Michael Ben Horin, leader of State of Judea, an extreme right-wing Jewish settlers group, is arrested on charges of arson [MET 1/23].

Arab World: Israeli forces shell Lebanese villages of Lusi, al-Sultan Y'aqub, and Kamid al-Lawz, 2 people are wounded [FBIS 1/9, 1/10].