The Palestine Chronology

PA, EU sign a free trade agmt., called the "provisional association agmt.," which will go into effect in 1/97. The EU parliament will review the document for "final ratification" in 3/97. (PR 12/13)

EU special envoy Moratinos meets with Israeli FM Levy. Moratinos and Arab, Israeli leaders have agreed to set up a "red phone" to Moratinos to be used in case of any misunderstandings, emergencies among the parties. (ITV, QY 12/12 in WNC 12/16; MEI 1/24)

Arab League issues statement strongly condemning Israel's settlement activities, plans to build 132 units in East Jerusalem. (RE 12/12 in WNC 12/16) (see 12/11)

At the funeral for 2 settlers killed 12/11, Netanyahu vows to "deepen" Jewish settlements on the West Bank. PA says it has arrested 10 PFLP mbrs. in Ramallah. (MM 12/12; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/13; PR 12/20; JP 12/28; MEI 1/10)

In Kiryat Gat in s. Israel, an Israeli shoots, kills a Palestinian worker fr. Gaza, whom he claims was trying to break into his home. Palestinians say the man, Samir Abu Shaqfa, was killed to avenge the death of 2 settlers 12/11. IDF detains the settler for questioning. (MM 12/12; NYT, WP 12/13; MM, PR 12/20; JP 12/21)

The World Bank approves a $120-m. loan to Jordan to support economic reforms. The variable-rate loan is for 17 yrs., incl. a 4-yr. grace period. (World Bank press release 12/12)

ILMG says that the IDF is responsible for the 12/7 attack on 2 s. Lebanon villages that left 6 Lebanese civilians wounded,; for using internationally banned flechette shells, which spray steel darts. Israel rejects the decision. (RL 12/12 in WNC 12/13; IDF Radio 12/12 in WNC 12/16; MM, WP 12/13) (see 12/9)

Hot line btwn. U.S., Israeli defense chiefs begins operation. The new direct link is aimed at providing a "private and dedicated means for the defense chiefs of the two countries to discuss matters of mutual interest." (JP 12/28)

In Baghdad, unidentified assailants use machine guns, grenades to attack car carrying Saddam Hussein's eldest son and heir apparent, Uday. The extent of Uday's injuries is not known, though he is alive. (al-Quds al-Arabi 1/6 in WNC 1/8; WP 1/29)

PA demands that Israel provide dates for further redeployment in the West Bank, release of Palestinian prisoners along with a Hebron protocol; open the central market and al-Shuhada street in Hebron; allow PA police in Hebron joint patrol units to carry same weapons as the IDF; eliminate the term "hot pursuit" fr. any Hebron deal. (IDF Radio 12/8 in WNC 12/10)

In Cairo, Arafat briefs Mubarak on talks with Israel. (WT 12/7; RE 12/7 in WNC 12/10; PR 12/13)

In Gaza, Arafat briefs the Egyptian, Jordanian, PA delegations to the quadripartite refugee comm. on status of negotiations with Israel in preparation for full comm. mtg. 12/8. (PR 12/12)

Israeli police arrest Hebron settler leader Noam Arnon over a disturbance inside the Tomb of the Patriarchs/al-Ibrahimi Mosque. (NYT 12/10)

Jordan, Turkey begin discussing details of implementing their military agmt., signed a decade ago; focus on technical exchanges, joint training. (al-Ra'i 12/7 in WNC 12/10)

Roadside bomb explodes in s. Lebanon, killing 1 IDF soldier, wounding 2. Hizballah takes responsibility. Subsequent Israeli shelling wounds 6 civilians, incl. 1 child. (RL 12/7, 12/8 in WNC 12/10; NYT, WP 12/8; MM 12/9, 12/13)

At the close of their mtg. in Amman, representatives of the 33 nations of the Euro-Arab Parliamentary Dialogue issue a declaration urging Israel to fulfill its commitments to the Oslo accords. (JT, JTV, RJ 12/1, JT 12/2 in WNC 12/3) (see 11/29)

In Cairo, Arab League holds emergency session on Israeli settlement activity, warns Israel that expanding settlements will endanger peacemaking; says existing settlements should be dismantled, but stops short of Syria's demand that Arabs suspend relations with Israel. (RE, RMC 12/1 in WNC 12/3; MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/2; WT 12/4; PR 12/6)

PM Netanyahu meets with Jordan valley settler leaders, says Jordan valley is "inseparable from the State of Israel," promises additional 470 housing units for the area, denounces Arab League statement. (MM, WP, WT 12/2; CSM 12/3)

In Cairo, Arafat briefs Pres. Mubarak on negotiations with Israel. (RE 12/2 in WNC 12/3)

Jordan's PM Kabariti, Iraq's trade M discuss trade btwn. the two nations ahead of implementation of the UN oil-for-food agmt. (JTV 12/2 in WNC 12/4) (see 11/25) (RJ 12/9 in WNC 12/11)

France assumes the chairmanship of ILMG fr. the U.S. (RL 12/1 in WNC 12/3) (see 7/12)

In Hebron, more than 8,000 Israelis march in support of Jewish settlers. IDF beats counterdemonstrators; bars Muslims fr. praying at al-Ibrahimi Mosque; arrests 8 Palestinian, 4 Israeli protesters. (RMC 11/9, ITV 11/10 in WNC 11/13; NYT, WP 11/10; MEI 11/22)

In Amman, Laith Shubailat, pres. of the Jordan Engineers association and a leading opponent of normalization with Israel, is granted amnesty, released fr. prison. Shubailat was arrested 12/9/95 on charges of sedition for his statements during a press conference and was given 3 yrs. in jail. (NYT 11/10; MM 11/12; MEI 11/22) (see 3/17)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah shell hits IDF tank, killing 1 soldier, wounding 3. (ITV, RL 11/9, RL 11/10 in WNC 11/13; MM 11/11; WJW 11/14)

1st Netanyahu, Arafat mtg. is held at Erez. Netanyahu says he is prepared to negotiate a final peace, improve Palestinian economic conditions, allow 50,000 Palestinian workers into Israel (see 8/5). (MM 9/4; CSM, MM, WP, WT 9/5; VOA, YA 9/5 in WNC 9/6; al-Quds al-Arabi 9/5, RE 9/6 in WNC 9/9; MEI, MM, PR 9/6; JT 9/8 in WNC 9/10; MM 9/9, 9/10; PR 9/13; JP 9/14; MEI 9/20)

Arafat rejects new Hebron redeployment plan presented to the PA by Israeli Infrastructure M Sharon. The plan calls for expanding the area to be transferred to full PA control, decreasing the number of Palestinians left under Israeli control fr. 17,000 to 3,000; linking the Jewish enclave to the Tomb of the Patriarchs/ al-Ibrahimi mosque, Kiryat Arba settlement; erecting a wall btwn. the Arab, Jewish sections; permitting PA to increase police presence in Hebron within 6 mos. if security in the city is maintained. (YA 9/5 in WNC 9/6) (see 9/3)

Following Netanyahu-Arafat mtg., YESHA settlers' council holds emergency mtg.; announces it will no longer wait for permission fr. Netanyahu to undertake new housing construction in the West Bank, Gaza. (WP 9/6)

LAWE says there are currently some 320 Palestinian administrative detainees in Israeli prisons, 2/3 of whom were arrested after the Oslo II agmt. was signed 9/28/95. 1/4 are residents of area A, which is fully under PA control. (LAWE 9/4)

Iraqi air force twice challenge expanded no-fly zone in s. Iraq. U.S. responds by firing on a radar station. Pres. Clinton hints that there would be no further action against Iraq unless the U.S. senses a fresh provocation. (MM 9/4; CSM, WP, WT 9/5; JT 9/5 in WNC 9/6) (see 9/3)

In advance of the last 2 rounds of Lebanese elections (9/8, 9/15), Syria brokers election coalition agmt. btwn. Amal, Hizballah meant to increase the chances of success for Islamist candidates and undermine the alliance btwn. current speaker Birri, current PM Hariri. Syria does not want to excessively reduce the power of the Islamists, who experienced significant losses in the 8/18, 8/25, 9/1 rounds of voting. (MM 9/5; al-Nahar 9/13 in WNC 9/17; MEI 9/20)

In 2d day of bread riots in Jordan, demonstrations spread fr. Karak to Amman, Ma'an, Tafila, where 1,000s of protesters clash violently with police, burn buildings. King Hussein visits Karak, blames Iraq for instigating the protests. Iraq denies the accusation. (JTV, RJ 8/17, MBC 8/18 in WNC 8/21; RMC 8/17, 8/18 in WNC 8/22; NYT, WP, WT 8/18; JT 8/18 in WNC 8/22; CSM, MM 8/19; MEI 9/6)

In Hebron, IDF arrests 19 mbrs. of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) for having knowledge of armed attacks in Israel. (PR 8/23)

In Alexandria, Pres. Mubarak, Kuwaiti heir apparent Shaykh Sa`d Abdullah al-Sabah discuss peace process, implementing decisions taken at Arab Summit 6/22-23. (RE 8/19 in WNC 8/22)

Syrian PM Mahmud al-Zu'bi arrives in Tehran with delegation for 3-days of talks on political, economic, cultural, technical relations with Iranian officials. Syrian, Iranian Trade Ms discuss expanding economic ties. (VIRI 8/17, IRIB Television [Tehran] 8/18 in WNC 8/21; IRNA 8/18 in WNC 8/22; Tehran Times 8/18 in WNC 8/29; MM 8/19; CSM 8/23)

Israel fortifies IDF, SLA positions in s. Lebanon. (RL 8/17 in WNC 8/21)

Worst fighting since 1995 erupts btwn. rival Kurdish factions, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), in n. Iraq. At issue are border trade with Turkey (currently worth $250,000/day in tariffs) and informal taxes, which are expected to increase dramatically when the 5/20 UN oil-for-food deal goes into effect in 9/96; control of the provincial administrative center of Irbil, considered the capital of Kurdish Iraq. The PUK accuses the KDP of collaborating with the Saddam Hussein government, initiating clashes. KDP accuses Iran of backing the PUK, starting the fighting. (MM 8/19, 8/20, 8/27)

Israeli allows 10,000 more Palestinian workers fr. Gaza into Israel, raising total number of permits issued fr. 25,000 to 35,000; allows more trucks carrying goods into, out of the self-rule areas through Israeli checkpoints. (QY 7/21 in FBIS 7/22; JP 7/27; WJW 8/1)

PSF releases `Abd al-Salam al-Hirbawi. (JMCC 7/21 in FBIS 7/22; WT 7/22; MEI 8/2) (see 7/20)

Under a deal brokered by Germany, Israel swaps bodies of 123 Arab militiamen for the remains of 2 IDF soldiers, Yossi Fink and Rahamim Alshaykh, who were captured by Hizballah in s. Lebanon in 2/86. Hizballah also frees 21 SLA mbrs. in return for 45 prisoners held in al-Khiyam prison. PM Netanyahu calls return of the dead "a step in the right direction." DM Mordechai thanks Iran, Lebanon, Syria for their cooperation. (IDF Radio, QY, RL, VOL 7/21, QY, RL 7/22 in FBIS 7/22; MM, NYT, WP, WT 7/22; MA, RMC 7/22 in FBIS 7/23; CSM, WT 7/23; JP 7/27; MM 8/2) (see 7/10)

Israel's Likud party holds its 1st ever primary to select its slate of MK candidates, excluding candidate for PM, for the 5/29 elections. Retired Gen. Yitzhak Mordechai is selected to head the list, with fmr. DM Ariel Sharon 2d, Oslo opponent Benjamin Begin 3d, party veteran Dan Meridor 4th. Combined with the coalition agmt. with Gesher, Tsomet (see 3/12), the slate suggests a Likud government would have security-oriented hardliners in its top posts. (MM 3/26, 3/27; QY 3/27 in FBIS 3/27; MM, NYT 3/28; WJW 4/4; MEI 4/12)

PSF head Muhammad Dahlan claims the PSF has discovered a secret group within the Qassam Brigades that is controlled by the Hamas leadership in Jordan; says the PA has detained all but 2 mbrs. (Muhammad Daif, Yahya al-Ghoul) of the Qassam Brigades and a total of 70 percent of Hamas mbrs. overall. (WT 3/27; CSM 4/8)

IDF arrests 10 additional alleged Hamas mbrs. in the Bethlehem, Hebron, Janin, Tulkarm areas. To date Israel has arrested over 400 persons suspected of hostile anti-Israeli activities. (QY 3/26 in FBIS 3/26)

Fmr. U.S. Pres. George Bush meets with Syrian Pres. Asad in Damascus; then drives to Beirut to meet with Pres. Hrawi. Bush is on a regional tour to thank Gulf War allies (incl., Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain) for their support during that conflict. (RL, SARR, VOL 3/26 in FBIS 3/26; RL 3/26, 3/27 in FBIS 3/27; MM 3/27; WT 3/27; NYT 4/5)

Fmr. negotiator, current PC mbr. Hanan Ashrawi (I-Jerusalem) says that she will meet lawyers' requests to submit an affidavit in defense of Hamas political leader Musa Abu Marzuq for his extradition hearing, scheduled for 4/2 in New York. (AFP 3/26 in FBIS 3/26)

After receiving reports of a possible attack on Israeli targets, Shin Bet proposes closing crossing points into Israel fr. Gaza. IDF decides instead to step up inspections at crossings. (QY 2/26 in FBIS 2/26, 2/27)

In s. Lebanon, 2 Hizballah mbrs. are killed during an IDF assault. In Cairo, the Arab League denounces Israel's stepped-up attacks, calls for immediate withdrawal. (RE, RL 2/24 in FBIS 2/26)