After several days of talks with Syrian, Lebanese delegations but stand-off with Palestinian, Jordanian delegates, Israeli negotiators end current round of talks and leave Washington. New round...
In Jerusalem, Sec. Baker meets with P.M. Shamir, F.M. Levy, other Israeli officials. Israel says for 1st time that it is willing to enter into single regional peace meeting co-sponsored by...
U.S.-Soviet joint statement says allied assault on Iraq could end now if Saddam Hussein makes "unequivocal commitment" to withdraw from Kuwait; statement appears to soften past U.S. insistence...
After day of multinational force bombing successes against Iraq, Baghdad fires as many as 8 SCUD missiles at Israel, hitting Tel Aviv, Haifa, and less populated areas [NYT, LAT, WT, WP, MEM 1/18...
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After several days of talks with Syrian, Lebanese delegations but stand-off with Palestinian, Jordanian delegates, Israeli negotiators end current round of talks and leave Washington. New round scheduled for January. (MM 12/19)
As friction between IDF, settlers escalates over how to respond to Palestinian attacks on settlers, DM Arens meets with settlement leaders in Jerusalem, calls for halt to violent responses to such attacks. In a separate incident, representatives from settlements meet and decide to defy IDF roadblocks recently established to forestall intercommunal violence. Meeting also decided to establish "security patrols" to guard settlers. (Qol Yisra'el, HaAretz 12/18 in FBIS 12/18)
IDF troops encounter masked suspect amid large gathering of demonstrators in Gaza. Ensuing chase leaves one IDF officer, at least 10 Palestinians wounded. (NYT 12/19)
Turkey announces intent to improve diplomatic relations with Israel by replacing its charge d'affaires with an ambassador. Turkey also states intent to exchange ambassadors with Palestine. (MM 12/19)
In Jerusalem, Sec. Baker meets with P.M. Shamir, F.M. Levy, other Israeli officials. Israel says for 1st time that it is willing to enter into single regional peace meeting co-sponsored by Washington and Moscow, but no agreement on structure, agenda, timing, and who would represent Palestinians [MEM 4/9; NYT, WP, LAT, CSM 4/10; JDS, IDF 4/9 in FBIS 4/9; MET 4/23].
Sec. Baker also meets with delegation of 6 Palestinians from o.t., who present to Baker 6-point memorandum [IDF 4/9 in FBIS 4/9; MEM 4/9; FJ 4/15].
Unofficial estimates from UN High Commissioner for Refugees claim about 750,000 Iraqis have crossed into Iran and that about 280,000 have crossed illegally into Turkey, while roughly 300,000 still wait on Iraqi side of Turkish border; relief agencies say thousands will die unless massive aid reaches them soon [NYT 4/10].
Iraq rejects EC notion of setting up safe haven for refugees to be administered by UN; EC backs away from its own plan; Bush admin. also backs away from "enclave" idea [MEM 4/9; NYT, WP, LAT, MEM, CSM 4/10].
Prominent Palestinian in Kuwait, Dr. Salim Mukhtar, writer and dentist, is assassinated near Kuwaiti army roadblock; incident raises concerns in U.S. about continued reprisals and repression of Palestinians in Kuwait [NYT 4/10].
UN Sec. Council authorizes dispatch of 1,440-member observer team to oversee demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait currently patrolled by U.S. forces [WP, LAT 4/10].
General strike is observed in o.t. to mark beginning of 41st month of intifada [HAA 4/10 in FBIS 4/11; FJ 4/15].
U.S.-Soviet joint statement says allied assault on Iraq could end now if Saddam Hussein makes "unequivocal commitment" to withdraw from Kuwait; statement appears to soften past U.S. insistence that only "massive withdrawal" by Iraq would stop war (cf. 1/30) [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/30].
Pres. Bush, in State of the Union address, says Iraq's capacity to sustain war is being destroyed [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/30].
U.S. says it will shoot down any Iraqi plane trying to rejoin war after taking refuge in Iran; White House says it has received fresh assurances from Teheran that Iraqi planes will not be allowed to leave [LAT, WP 1/30].
Chancellor Kohl pledges additional $5.5 billion to war effort, and orders German anti-aircraft missile systems to Turkey [LAT, WP 1/30].
Pres. Bush meets in Washington with Egyptian F.M. Esmat Abdel Meguid; Egypt pushes for U.S. commitment to pressure Israel for settlement with Palestinians once Gulf war has ended [NYT, LAT, WP 1/30].
Law enforcement and intelligence agencies say they have detected more than 700 cases in which firms and individuals worldwide have tried to sell munitions and other goods to Iraq, including 20 incidents since August in U.S. [LAT 1/30].
Fateh official Abu Ziad [Rafiq Shafiq Qiblawi] is assassinated in ambush outside his home in Iraq-occupied Kuwait [WT 1/30].
French D.M. Jean-Pierre Chevenement, who had openly expressed his doubts about war with Iraq, is forced from office, and replaced by Interior Min. Pierre Joxe [WP 1/30].
Israel orders Palestinian leader Sari Nusseiben jailed without trial for 6 months as a spy for Iraq [WP 1/30].
Israeli gunboats and helicopters attack Fateh camps in S. Lebanon after barrage of rockets explode in "security zone" [WP 1/30].
After day of multinational force bombing successes against Iraq, Baghdad fires as many as 8 SCUD missiles at Israel, hitting Tel Aviv, Haifa, and less populated areas [NYT, LAT, WT, WP, MEM 1/18].
Saddam Hussein defies 2d day of bombing in Baghdad by touring Iraq's capital; vows to defeat multinational force and liberate Palestine; calls on all Arabs to help resist U.S. [NYT, LAT, WP, MEM 1/18].
Anti-U.S. demonstrations erupt in Algeria, smaller protests in European cities but European gov'ts. give full backing to war effort; Iran condemns U.S.-led invasion; Pres. Gorbachev blames Iraqi intransigence for war, but only after trying to get Pres. Bush to postpone attack long enough for Soviet diplomats to try to speak to Saddam Hussein; Japan pledges additional aid for allied effort [MEM 1/17; NYT 1/18].
Turkey's parliament authorizes U.S. fighters and bombers to launch attacks on Iraq from Incirlik Air Base near Adama on the Mediterranean [NYT, LAT, MEM 1/18].
New York Times reports of CIA's psychological warfare against Iraq: broadcasting anti-Saddam propaganda into Iraq, circulat- ing audio and video cassettes depicting Saddam's regime as corrupt, and smuggling radios into Iraq to receive American broadcasts [NYT 1/19].
Curfew in Gaza continues; Israel places West Bank under curfew [JDS, IDF 1/17 in FBIS 1/17].
PLO Executive Committee issues statement decrying U.S. for beginning Gulf war and calling for worldwide resistance [AVP, MAP, AFP 1/17 in FBIS 1/18; MEM 1/17; WP 1/18].
