The Palestine Chronology

At Madrid peace conference, PM Shamir delivers first opening address of the day. He is followed by Jordanian FM Kamil Abu Jaber, chief Palestinian delegate Haydar Abd al-Shafi, Lebanese FM Faris Bouez, and Syrian FM Faruq al-Sharaa (NYT 11/1)

After hearing Abd al-Shafi's speech on the radio, hundreds of Palestinians march through Ramallah waving olive branches and shaking hands with Israeli security forces, who did not break up the demonstration. Similar marches took place in E. Jerusalem, throughout occupied territories. (MEM 10/31, 11/1)

In another move toward PLO-Saudi reconciliation, Fateh Central Comm. Mbr. and top aide to Chmn. Arafat Nabil Sha'th, who was appointed as behind-the-scenes PLO coordinator of Palestinian delegates at Madrid, meets with Saudi representative to talks, Prince Sa'ud bin Faysal, along with Palestinian delegates and members of the steering committee. (MEM 11/1)

Kuwaiti FM Shaykh Salim al-Sabah reiterates Kuwaiti hostility toward PLO, however, describing PLO position during the Gulf war as "shameful" while affirming Kuwaiti support for Palestinian cause. (MEM 11/1)

Israeli, South Lebanon Army forces continue shelling Nabatiyya area, other regions of S. Lebanon. (MEM 11/1)

In Damascus, Arab foreign ministers agree to coordinate stands during peace conference, not to strike separate deals with Israel. Syria failed to garner support for proposal that none of the delegations would attend the third-stage talks on regional issues until Israel returned occupied Arab territories. (MEM 10/24; NYT 10/25)

In another move toward Saudi-PLO reconciliation, PLO Pol. Dept. Head Faruq al-Qaddumi meets with Saudi FM Prince Sa'ud al-Faysal while both attend Damascus foreign ministers meeting. The meeting, brokered by Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak, was their first since the Gulf war, and reportedly led to Sa'ud pledging to restore Saudi ties with PLO. (MEM 10/25)

Palestinian delegate Sa'ib 'Urayqat creates an uproar in Israel by declaring to the press that "we are the PLO delegation." Palestinian negotiator Faisal Husseini later states that 'Urayqat was speaking for himself. (NYT 10/2)

Faisal Husseini announces seven Palestinians will form an advisory committee to work with the steering committee attached to the Palestinian delegation to the peace conference. They are: Radwan Abu 'Ayyash, Ziyad Abu Zayyad, Ahmad al-Yazji, Jamil Tarifi, Radi Jara'i, Salih Abu Laban, 'Abd al-Hadi Abu Khawsh. (MEM 10/25; Voice of Palestine 10/26 in FBIS 10/28)

Some 300 Palestinian fighters opposed participation in the peace talks occupy the offices of Fateh in the 'Ayn al-Hilwa refugee camp near Sidon, S. Lebanon, and overrun much of the rest of the camp. Action was reportedly led by Maj. Munir Makda, commander of Force 17, Fateh's security force. (NYT 10/25)

Ten Palestinian groups which had been attending Tehran-based conference on Palestine sign 13-point statement denouncing Madrid peace conference, calling for escalation of intifada. Among signatories were PFLP, DFLP [Hawatma faction], Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, al-Sa'iqa. (Radio Monte Carlo 10/24 in FBIS 10/25)

Israel re-opens its embassy in Moscow, closed since the USSR broke diplomatic relations with Israel in 1967. (NYT 10/25)

Lebanese Pres. al-Hirawi states Ta'if accord calls for "redeployment-not a withdrawal-of Syrian forces," but suggests that if Israel withdrew from S. Lebanon, Syria would withdraw its forces from Lebanon. (MEM 10/24)

Prime Min. Shamir indicates he will head Israeli delegation to the peace conference, not FM David Levy. Invitations sent to the parties by the U.S., USSR had called for talks at the "ministerial level," a diplomatic phrase usually interpreted to mean participation by officials holding rank of foreign minister or below. (NYT 10/24)

Arab foreign ministers representing Syria, Egypt, Jordan, along with representative of Lebanon's foreign ministry and head of PLO political department meet in Damascus to discuss strategies for peace conference. They were later joined by foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, representing the Gulf states, and Morocco, representing North African states (except Libya). (MEM 10/23)

Strike called for 10/22 by three groups in o.t. partially observed in E. Jerusalem, elsewhere in West Bank, but not in Nablus, Jenin. Residents of Gaza city observe strike, but not those in the refugee camps. (MEM 10/25)

Members of the Jewish Ateret Cohanim seminary move into a house in the Muslim quarter of E. Jerusalem. Group claims the house was owned by Jews driven out by Palestinian rioting in 1929. Settlers occupying a building in Silwan seized 10/9 from Palestinian residents petition Israeli high court of justice to allow them to remain. Group also seeks permission to move into four other buildings from which they had been evicted by police. (MEM 10/24)

European Community official announces EC, Israel have reached agreement over long-standing dispute over status, place of residence of EC official who will be sent to monitor EC economic aid to Palestinians in the o.t. EC had sough to post the official in the territories; Israel objected, seeking to place the representativen Tel Aviv instead. The EC has set aside $100 million in aid for Palestinians in the o.t. (MEM 10/24)

Human rights organization Middle East Watch issues report on condition of 18,000-20,000 stateless Palestinians in Kuwait. The Palestinians, who were either born in Gaza during the British Mandate, during the period of Egyptian administration of Gaza (1948-67), or who are descendants of those born there, have lived in Kuwait for decades but do not hold citizenship in any country. They do not carry Israeli Gaza identity cards but merely hold Egyptian travel documents, and are thus unable to legally live anywhere. According to the report, Kuwait intends to expel these persons to Iraq 11/15. (MEM 20/24)

Faisal Husseini releases names of the fourteen Palestinians who will serve on the joint Palestinian-Jordanian negotiating delegation. Seven additional Palestinians will serve on a steering committee and not participate in the actual talks. Chmn. Arafat asserts that the Palestinian delegates will represent the PLO because "every Palestinian is a member of the PLO." (NYT 10/23)

U.S. State Department indicates Secy. Baker will appoint a special Middle East representative to facilitate the bilateral negotiations which will constitutehe second phase of negotiations. (NYT 10/23)

PFLP, DFLP, Hamas issue joint statement in o.t. urging escalation of intifada, call for general strike 10/23 in opposition to peace conference. Statement also rejects claim that a majority of Palestinians favor talks. Spokesmen for PFLP, DFLP denounce 10/21 threat against Palestinian delegates issued by PFLP-GC head Ahmad Jibril in Tehran. Fateh also issues leaflet in o.t. calling on Palestinians to ignore PFLP-DFLP-Hamas call for strike on 10/23. (MEM 10/22)

Saudi Arabia releases $3 million to PLO. The funds, deducted from salaries of Palestinians working in Saudi Arabia as a "liberation tax," had been frozen following the deterioration of PLO-Saudi relations during the Gulf crisis. Agreement was recently reached about resuming transfers of the funds [see 9/26]. Some of the funds also came from Saudi donations to the Palestinian cause. (MEM 10/24)

Tehran conference on Palestine ends, establishes permanent secretariat in Tehran. (MEM 10/23, IRNA 10/23 in FBIS 10/24)

Chmn. Arafat meets with Lebanese pres. Ilyas al-Hirawin Paris, their first meeting since al-Hirawi's election as president. Talks focus on peace conference, Lebanese-PLO relations. (MEM 10/23)

Al-Hirawi later tells press conference that "not one shot" will be fired at Israel from Lebanon once Israeli forces are withdrawn from S. Lebanon. (MEM 10/23)

Chmn. Arafat travels to Egypt, his first trip to Egypt since the deterioration of PLO-Egyptian relations during the Gulf crisis. (MEM 10/21)

At Tehran conference on Palestinian issue, PFLP-GC Gen. Secy. Ahmad Jibril states Palestinian delegates to peace conference have "sentenced themselves to death." Arguments break out between delegates supporting, opposing participation in peace conference, including verbal exchanges between anti-Arafat delegates such as Sa'id Musa Muragha (Abu Musa), head of Fateh-Uprising, and PLO representatives. (MEM 10/22)

National Committee of Heads of Local Arab Councils, made up of mayors of Palestinian communities in Israel, votes unanimously to strike 10/24 and stage protest in Jerusalem to draw attention to under-financing of Arab municipalities by Israeli authorities. Vote comes in wake of increased calls for action on the question and strikes by Arab municipal workers demanding payment of back wages [see 8/20]. (MEM 10/22)

Israel releases 14 Lebanese prisoners held in Khiyam prison, S. Lebanon. A 15th detainee was released in Israel and returned to Lebanon. Islamic Jihad for Palestine in turn releases American hostage Jesse Turner. Turner had been held captivie since January 1987, and is the fourth Western hostage to be released since the current comprehensive, multilateral prisoner-hostage negotiations began earlier this year. (MEM 10/21, 10/22)

Israeli jets bomb Hizbullah headquarters in Jibshit, S. Lebanon, in retaliation for 10/20 deaths of three Israeli troops. (MEM 10/21)

Chmn. Arafat meets Pres. al-Asad in Damascus, the first time the two bitter rivals have met since 1983. The two reportedly agree that the multilateral Arab-Israeli talks on regional cooperation, envisaged as the third-stage of the peace process, would be futile unless Israel agrees to withdraw from the o.t. (MEM 10/21)

Asad had earlier met with Soviet FM Pankin, while FM al-Sharaa received the U.S., Soviet ambassadors who issued invitation to attend the peace conference. Syria indicated it would formally respond to the invitation in a few days' time. (WP 10/20)

Palestinian negotiator Faisal Husseini submits list of 14 Palestinian delegates to peace conference to U.S. consul in Jerusalem. (WP 10/20)

Jordan formally accepts the U.S.-Soviet invitation to attend peace conference. (WP 10/20)

Gulf Cooperation Council Secy. Gen. 'Abdullah Bishara indicates he will head GCC delegation to peace conference. (AFP 10/19 in FBIS 10/21)

Israel reports it has received positive information that one of its five missing soldiers in Lebanon, Yossi Fink, is dead, in a move which may expedite the ongoing comprehensive prisoner-hostage exchange negotiations. (WP 10/20)

"International Conference in Support of the Islamic Revolution in Palestine" opens in Tehran with 800 delegates from 60 countries in attendance. PNC Speaker 'Abd al-Hamid Sa'ih, delegates from the main constituent PLO groups attend, as do representatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad of Palestine [Fathi Shaqaqi], and groups within the Palestinian National Salvation Front. Iranian pres. Hashimi Rafasanjani declares Iran is willing to send troops to help establish a Palestinian state. (WP 10/20; MEM 10/21, 10/23)

In Jerusalem, Secy. of State Baker and Soviet FM Boris Pankin jointly announce that their governments have extended invitations to attend a Middle East peace conference to be held 30 October in Madrid. Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Palestinian negotiators will attend the meeting, scheduled to be opened by Pres. Bush and Pres. Gorbachev. First stage of process will be a three-day opening conference, followed by face-to-face negotiations among the parties. A third stage of talks, dealing with regional issues, would include other Middle Eastern countries. Announcement comes in wake of Baker's meetings with PM Shamir and with Palestinian negotiators, who provide Baker with a partialist of Palestinian delegates who will participate in a joint Palestinian-Jordanian delegation after PLO Central Committee approved Palestinian participation in joint delegation. But Israeli officials delay giving Baker a final answeregarding Israel's participation because they were not shown the list of Palestinians. Earlier in the day, Pankin and Israeli FM Levy announced that Israel, USSR are restoring full diplomatic relations. The move culminates four years of improved relations, which began with the establishment of consulates in 1987 and the emigration of over 300,000 Soviet Jews to Israel. (MEM 10/18; WP 10/19)

PLO Central Comm. approves formation of joint Palestinian-Jordanian delegation. (Radio Monte Carlo, Tunisian Republic Radio 10/18 in FBIS 10/18)

Soviet FM Boris Pankin arrives in Israel for talks with Israeli leadership, Palestinian negotiators, Secy. of State Baker. Visit is first visit by Soviet foreign ministry since USSR broke diplomatic relations with Israel in 1967. (WP 10/19)

Iranian Pres. Ayatollah 'Ali Khamane'i denounces peace conference, calls upon Muslims to participate in jihad to liberate Palestine. (MEM 10/23)

In Damascus, Presidents al-Asad, al-Hirawi co-chair first meeting of Syrian-Lebanese Supreme Council, set up by the May 1991 Syrian-Lebanese Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination to coordinate affairs of the two countries. (Syrian Arab Republic Radio 10/17 in FBIS 10/21)