The Palestine Chronology

Presidential elections are held in the U.S., but the race btwn. VP Al Gore (D) and Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R) is too close to call. The election rests on some 1,500 votes in Florida, where ballot errors could swing results. At the least, Florida absentee ballots must be tabulated and regular votes recounted, meaning it could be weeks before the new president is declared. (MM 11/7; NYT, WP, WT 11/8; al-Quds 11/8 in WNC 11/9; MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/9; AYM, al-Quds 11/9, HJ 11/10 in WNC 11/13; MM 11/10)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 1 Palestinian dead, 150 injured. A 2d Palestinian dies of wounds received earlier. Jewish settlers block roads, attack Palestinians, damage property in Hebron and nr. Nablus, Rafah, Tulkarm. Off Gaza, a fishing boat laden with explosives detonates nr. an Israeli patrol ship, killing the suicide bomber. The IDF shells areas of Bayt Jala in response to Palestinian sniping at Gilo settlement. IDF chief of staff Mofaz says the IDF is preparing contingencies for the evacuation of all 7,000 Jewish settlers in Gaza. Barak allows the Gaza airport, closed since 10/22, to reopen. (ADM, LAW 11/7; al-Quds 11/7 in WNC 11/9; NYT, WP 11/8)

In keeping with the 10/17 Sharm agmts., the White House names fmr. senator George Mitchell (D-ME) to lead an inquiry into the causes of the Israeli-Palestinian clashes. Also named to the panel are fmr. Turkish pres. Suleyman Demirel, Norwegian FM Thorbjoern Jagland, fmr. senator Warren B. Rudman (R-NH), EU foreign policy dir. Solana. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/8; AYM 11/9 in WNC 11/13; MEI 11/24)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes intensify slightly, leaving 2 Palestinians dead. Palestinians ambush a car outside Ma'ale Levona settlement nr. Ramallah, injuring 2 Jewish settlers. (IsRN, MEZ 11/5; LAW, NYT, WP 11/6; HJ 11/6 in WNC 11/7; AYM 11/6 in WNC 11/9)

The NIHC issues leaflets in the West Bank and Gaza, calling on Palestinians to focus their confrontation on IDF soldiers and Jewish settlers, to form local committees to organize mass activities, to boycott Israeli and U.S. goods. (HJ 11/6 in WNC 11/7)

The White House announces that Arafat, Barak have accepted invitations to meet with Pres. Clinton in Washington--Arafat on 11/9, Barak on 11/12. (XIN 11/5 in WNC 11/6; HJ, IRNA 11/5, AYM, DUS, al-Quds 11/6 in WNC 11/7; MM, NYT, WP 11/6)

At Fatima Gate, 100s of Lebanese throw stones across the blue line at IDF troops, who fire warning shots in return, causing no injuries. Rallies in support of the Palestinians are held in Ottawa, outside Senate candidate Lazio's campaign headquarters in Babylon, NY. (AFP [Internet] 11/5, 11/10)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes abate further due to heavy rains, cold weather. During the day, 2 Palestinians are killed; a 3d dies of injuries received earlier. Barak sends top security aide Yossi Ginnosaur to Gaza to discuss security coordination with PSF head Dahlan. The IDF shells areas around Bayt Jala, Hebron, Jericho, Rafah, and Tulkarm, severely damaging more than 6 Palestinian homes, killing 1 man, wounding at least 8. The IDF uproots Palestinian olive groves nr. Netzarim Junction. IDF tanks in Psagot settlement fire into al-Bireh camp outside Ramallah in response to sniping. Barak allows Jewish settlers to go back to Mitzpe Hagit, one of the illegal settlement enclaves evacuated in 1999. (Gush Shalom press release 10/24; LAW, NYT, WT 10/25)

Pres. Clinton phones Arafat to urge him to halt Palestinian demonstrations, arrange a time to come to Washington to discuss resuming peace talks. Arafat gives no assurances. The White House says Clinton also phoned Barak, to urge Israeli restraint and invite him to a separate mtg. in Washington, but the leaders were "unable to speak." (MM, NYT, WT 10/25; NYT, YA 10/26; AYM 10/26 in WNC 10/30)

In Washington, Pres. Clinton, King Abdallah of Jordan sign a free trade agmt. (AP, BBC, MM 10/24; WJW 10/26; WP 10/27; JT 10/30, 10/31 in WNC 11/1; JT 11/8 in WNC 11/9; JT 11/9 in WNC 11/13; WP 11/10)

In a coordinated event, groups of West Bank Palestinians, 10,000s of Jordanians fr. across the kingdom march toward Jerusalem in a nonviolent demonstration of support for the right of return. While Palestinians are stopped at IDF checkpoints, the Jordanians are halted nr. Allenby Bridge by Jordanian riot police and security forces, with helicopter support. The Jordanian authorities beat back marchers with batons, water cannons, and tear gas, injuring 100s. (AP, BBC, MM 10/24; WJW 10/26; WP 10/27; JT 10/30, 10/31 in WNC 11/1; JT 11/8 in WNC 11/9; JT 11/9 in WNC 11/13; WP 11/10)

100s of Yemenis march to the UN offices in Sana' to protest Israeli violence against the Palestinians. In the U.S., a rally in solidarity with the Palestinian people is held in Chicago. (Bernama-IINA [Internet] 10/24)

In response to a request fr. Barak for White House assistance with his domestic political problems, Pres. Clinton agrees to be interviewed on Israeli TV. He praises Barak's courage during the talks, promises the U.S. will reward Israel with closer bilateral strategic relations for concluding an agmt. with the PA, voluntarily raises the prospect of moving the U.S. emb. fr. Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. (MM 7/28; NYT, WP, WT 7/29; DUS, XIN 7/29, IRNA, MENA, al-Quds 7/30 in WNC 7/31; WP 7/30; HJ, DUS, Le Monde 7/30, HJ, JT 7/31 in WNC 8/1; AYM 7/30, IRNA 8/1 in WNC 8/2; MM 7/31; MENA, al-Safir 8/2 in WNC 8/3; WJW 8/3; MENA 8/3 in WNC 8/4; IRNA 8/6, MA 8/3 in WNC 8/8; MM 8/11)

PA, Israeli teams take a break fr. formal talks, go sightseeing. After the Jewish Sabbath ends, Clinton holds a 3-way mtg. with Arafat, Barak. PM Barak also phones presidential candidates, VP Al Gore and Texas gov. George W. Bush; no details are released. The White House also confirms that the PA, Israeli teams have begun meeting on noncore issues in Emmitsburg. (White House press conference, WT 7/16; DUS 7/16 in WNC 7/18; NYT, WP, WT 7/17; JP 7/21)

In Jerusalem, Israeli peace activists hold a rally in support of the Camp David talks. In the PA areas, various groups supporting and opposing the talks hold demonstrations. In Hebron, 100s of Jewish settlers adamantly opposed to the peace process throw rocks at Palestinians, claiming they are disturbing the Sabbath, sparking a riot that lasts 3 hrs. 3 Palestinian cameramen are badly beaten by IDF soldiers while trying to film the incident. (LAW 7/15; WP, WT 7/16; al-Quds 7/22 in WNC 7/24; MEI 7/28)

Jewish settlers occupy a hill top nr. Efrat settlement, clash with Israeli police who attempt to remove them. (IDF Radio [Internet] 7/16)

PA-Israeli final status talks continue for the 3d day at Camp David. The State Dept. characterizes the negotiations as "comfortable" and "informal" but refuses to discuss substance or progress. This evening, Arafat, Barak hold their 1st private mtg. Secy. of State Albright meets with Barak and with the PA and Israeli teams. Pres. Clinton spends the afternoon away fr. the talks, attending to other business, but returns in the evening and holds separate mtgs. with Arafat, Barak. (NYT, White House press briefing, WP, WT 7/14; AYM 7/14, 7/16 in WNC 7/24; al-Quds 7/15 in WNC 7/18)

At Camp David, MD, Arafat, Barak, Clinton open their 3-way summit on final status issues under a media blackout. According to the State Dept., Clinton 1st holds brief 1-on-1 mtgs. with Arafat, Barak. Then the 3 men meet briefly together. Then the Israeli, PA, U.S. teams hold a short opening session. Later in the evening, Clinton holds 2 mtgs. with Arafat, 1 with Barak. (MM, CSM 7/11; White House press briefing 7/11, 7/12; XIN 7/11, Le Monde, al-Quds 7/12 in WNC 7/13; CSM, JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 7/12; MM, WJW 7/13; MEI 7/14)

During their 1-on-1 talks, Barak informs Clinton that Israel has suspended the sale of an AWACS technology to China. (MM, NYT, WJW, WP, WT 7/13; AFP, Zhongguo Tongxun She [Hong Kong] 7/13 in WNC 7/17; Le Monde, SA 7/14 in WNC 7/18; JP 7/21)

In Nablus, and Ramallah, 100s of Palestinian refugees hold a rally to urge Arafat not to back down on the refugees' right of return at the Camp David summit. In Jerusalem, 1,500 Israelis rally to support Barak's decision to go to Camp David. (MM, NYT 7/12)

A U.S. federal judge orders Iran to pay $327 m. to the families of 2 Americans killed in a suicide bombing in Israel on 2/25/96, saying the evidence shows that fmr. Iranian officials aided Hamas in staging the attack. This is the 4th time that a U.S. judge has ordered Iran to pay damages under a 1996 act that allows American victims of terrorist acts abroad legal recourse in U.S. courts. (WP 7/12; WJW 7/13)

The donors' Joint Liaison Comm. convenes in Gaza. (World Bank press release 2/1)

The Israeli-Syrian talks resumes with a welcoming ceremony at the White House for Israeli PM Barak, Syrian FM Shara` hosted by Pres. Clinton. While Clinton and Barak speak briefly and optimistically of possibility of accord, Shara` gives a prepared address welcoming talks but listing Syria's grievances (see Doc. A5). Afterward, Clinton meets with Barak, Shara` together and then separately. Both men also meet privately with Secy. Albright, who then takes them to Blair House, where they discuss procedural matters, with Albright and special envoy Ross on hand. (CSM, MM 12/15; SA, XIN 12/15 in WNC 12/16; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/16; al-Quds 12/16 in WNC 12/20; AYM 12/16, IRIB Television [Tehran] 12/20 in WNC 12/21; MM 12/20, 12/21; JP, MEI 12/24)

At a cabinet mtg., Lebanese PM Huss says that Dep. PM Michel al-Murr will head the Lebanese delegation in talks with Israel when needed. (RL 12/15 in WNC 12/16; RL 12/16 in WNC 12/17; RL 12/18, 12/19 in WNC 12/20; MEI 1/14)

Interior M Natan Sharansky's Yisrael Ba'Aliya party, Housing M Yitzhak Levy's National Religious Party say the may pull out of Israel's coalition government if Barak agrees to return the Golan to Syria. Their departure would leave Barak with control of 59 of 120 Knesset seats. (NYT 12/16)

In Amman, King Abdallah, Russian dep. FM Sredin discuss the peace process. Sredin then leaves for Israel, where he meets with Israeli pres. Weizman. (ITAR-TASS 12/15 in WNC 12/16; ITAR-TASS 12/16 in WNC 12/17)

Jordan announces that the 13 Arabs (11 Jordanians, an Iraqi, an Algerian) recently arrested for plotting attacks against U.S. targets in the Middle East (see 12/13) were detained in the kingdom. Several others are wanted for questioning. (WP, WT 12/16; AFP, JT, SA 12/16 in WNC 12/17; CSM, WP 12/17; SA 12/17, JT 12/18, SA 12/19 in WNC 12/20; JT 1/6 in WNC 1/7)

Pres. Clinton approves PM Barak's request to send U.S. Asst. Secy. of State Martin Indyk back to Israel as U.S. amb., a position he held fr. 1995 to 1997. (NYT 10/21; WP, WT 10/22; al-Quds 10/23 in WNC 10/28; MM 10/25; JP, WT 10/29; AYM 11/1 in WNC 11/3)

The White House announces Pres. Clinton's plans to meet Barak, Arafat in Oslo on 11/2 in an effort to promote a final peace settlement. Mtg. will take place on sidelines of a 2-day celebration in honor of slain Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin. (NYT, WP, WT 10/21; AFP 10/21 in WNC 10/22)

Syria announces that it has shut an "illegal port" in Latakia built by Rifat al-Asad and taken "legal measures" against Rifat and several army officers. Some sources believe the government story is a cover for a raid on Rifat's Latakia house, where his supporters have been holed up since the government crackdown against them began last mo. (MM 10/21, 10/22; SA 10/22 in WNC 10/25; Le Monde 10/25 in WNC 10/28; MEI 10/29) (see 9/24)

100s of ultraortodox settlers set up a makeshift synagogue at Havat Maon, 1 of the "illegal" enclaves ordered dismantled by Barak. (NYT 10/21; WT 11/11)

Israeli police arrest Maj. Naftali Halevi, head of the permits section at Erez crossing, 2 other Israeli Erez employees, 3 Palestinians on charges of taking bribes to issue permits to enter Israel. A senior official in the PA Agriculture Min., who has not been arrested, was allegedly get a cut of the profits. (AYM 10/26 in WNC 10/28)

Israeli police search home of fmr. PM Netanyahu, seize 10s of valuables in an attempt to recover government property he allegedly took with him when he left office. Netanyahu is under investigation for accepting illegal favors fr. contractor while in office. (NYT, WP, WT 10/21; MM 10/25) (see 9/15)

In Gaza, FIDA, PFLP officials hold coordination mtg.; agree on need to hold broad national dialogue on final status, combat Israeli settlement expansion and land confiscations, preserve the Arab character of Jerusalem. (AYM 10/21 in WNC 10/25)

At the invitation of the White House, Syrian FM Shara` takes time out fr. the UNGA session York to meet with Pres. Clinton in Washington. Shara` then returns to New York to meet with Albright. (MM 9/30; JT 10/2 in WNC 10/4; JP, MEI 10/15; JP 10/22)

Israeli DM Ephraim Sneh says that Israel may not withdrawal fr. Lebanon by early next summer as PM Barak has promised, because the PM's time line assumed that Israel would be well into negotiations with Syria by that time, but there has been no movement on the track thus far. (MM 9/30)

In his address to the UNGA, Israeli FM Levy says that UN intervention in the peace process would be detrimental, that Syria should restart talks quickly. Nasser al-Kidwa, head of the PLO mission to the UN, walks out during Levy's speech. (MENA 9/29 in WNC 9/30; MM, WJW 9/30; JP 10/8; MEI 10/29)

Jordanian police release fmr. MP Abu Zant on bail, but arrest Azzam Yunis, editor of al-Arab al-Yawm, on incitement charges for publishing Abu Zant's articles. Later in the day, police rearrest Abu Zant. (MM, NYT 9/30; JT 9/30 in WNC 10/3; JT 10/3 in WNC 10/4; JP 10/8; MEI 10/15) (see 9/28)

Israeli amb. Zalman Shoval addresses opening of Israeli exhibit at Disney World; praises Disney for not bending to Arab, Muslim demands to remove Israel's Jerusalem display. The content of the exhibit is unchanged, though the title is no longer "Jerusalem, Capital of Israel." (CSM, WJW, WT 9/30, 10/1; NYT 10/2; MENA 10/2 in WNC 10/4; al-Ahram 10/4 in WNC 10/8; MM 10/6; WJW 10/7; JP 10/8; CSM 10/20) (see 9/17)

Hizballah detonates a roadside bomb in s. Lebanon, killing 1 SLA mbr., wounding 2. (RL 9/29 in WNC 9/30)

King Hussein meets with Pres. Clinton at the White House to express concern over U.S. hard-line policy on Iraq, stalled peace process. (al-Ra'i, RJ 6/15, al-Dustur, JTV, al-Ra'i, RJ 6/16 in WNC 6/17; NYT, WT 6/16; WP 6/17; al-Ra'i 6/17 in WNC 6/19)

In Cairo, Pres. Mubarak meets with Labor Chmn. Barak. Mubarak comments that he has lost faith in PM Netanyahu. Netanyahu tells the press "this pronouncement is typical of Arab leaders who don't get what they want." (IDF Radio 6/15 in WNC 6/17; MENA, RE 6/15 in WNC 6/17)

PC grants Arafat's request to delay no-confidence motion for 10 days to give him a chance to form new cabinet. Hamas, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine say that they will not join the EA. (MM 6/15; WP 6/16; WT 6/17; MEI 6/19; JP 6/20; PR 6/26; MEI 7/3)

Israeli Interior Min. demolishes 3 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem, saying that they were build without permits on areas zoned as "open space." U.S. calls on Israel to refrain fr. such "provocative acts." (LAW, MM, NYT 6/16; JTV 6/16 in WNC 6/17; ITV 6/19 in WNC 6/23; PR 6/26; JP 6/27)

In Rabat, Jordan's PM Majali, Morocco's King Hassan set up joint higher comm. for coordination in all fields; discuss peace process, possible Arab summit. (MKR 6/15, MAP 6/16 in WNC 6/17)