The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Dheisheh camp residents demonstrate & Nablus merchants strike in solidarity with Jnaid prison inmates on 12th day of their hunger strike. 45 Arab local councils and municipal workers strike over unpaid salaries owed by Israel.

Arab World: As Arab League chrmn., Morocco's King Hassan calls for summit mtg. on Jordan's new relations with Egypt. In speech before Jordan's parliament, King Hussein rejects peace talks as proposed by Israel, calls for UN-sponsored negotiations.

Other Countries: US-based AAI Corp. (div. of United Industries Corp.) agrees to produce & market in US remotely-piloted vehicles (RPVs) Mastiff &Scout made by Israeli cos. Tadiran & Israel Aircraft Industries. 100-mm. guns made by Israel displayed atop Chinese Type 69 tanks in Peking military parade.

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Dheisheh camp youths throw stones at Israeli vehicles, smash 1 bus window. Police detain 4 Kach members attempting to enter Dheisheh after curfew.

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Trial of 22 Jewish terror suspects begins in Jerusalem with defense request for 3-mo. adjournment; defendents' supporters attempt to eject attending attorney Darwish Nasser from courtroom as "PLO presence." Election officials ban Meir Kahane's Kach party from upcoming elections. 6 Palestinian prisoners escape Rafah prison, Gaza; 1 rearrested.

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Bomb discovered and defused at Beit Safafa soccer field before game.

Arab World: Jordan's King Hussein announces willingness to send troops to aid Iraqi war effort.

Social/Economic/Political:

Arab World: Chrmn. Arafat visits Jordan for talks with King Hussein on joint position on Israeli-occupied territories. Syria reports 3 Israelis captured (5/1/84) admit to spying.

Other Countries: Guatemalan Jewish leader Sabbaj tells American Jewish Com. " Soviet intervention" in his region threatens future of Jewish community there by inevitable nationalization of businesses.

Military Action:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Some of the 15 Israeli settlers detained on suspicion of West Bank bombing attempts admit to murdering at least 4 Palestinians in Hebron, and bombing that injured 2 West Bank mayors (6/1980).

Other Countries: Palestinian journalist and secretary of Arab Journalists' and Writers' Union Hanna Moqbil killed by gunman in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Social Economic/Political:

Arab World: Participants in Lebanon reconciliation talks agree all political prisoners of Lebanon's warring factions be released. IDF reopens Sidon port after 10-day closure.

Other Countries: In response to remarks by King Hussein, Reagan admin. says "there is no possibility of progress toward peace" unless Jordan and other Arab countries change their attitude and agree to negotiate with Israel; White House sends cable to US amb. Viets in Amman, demanding explanation why Washington not alerted to Hussein's seeming abrupt loss of confidence; State Dep't. suggests Syrian-backed extremism provoked his rejection of Reagan "peace initiatives."

Military Action:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Home-made bomb hurled at IDF patrol near Gaza; no casualties.

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Bethlehem Mayor Elias Freij heads delegation to Jordan to observe Arafat-Hussein talks; says will urge Arafat to join peace process.

Arab World: Chairman Arafat arrives from Tunis for talks with King Hussein on future of PLO-Jordan coordination.

Other Countries: Richard Arens, international human rights lawyer and board member of Search for Justice and Equality in Palestine/Israel, dies of heart failure in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

MILITARY ACTION:

Arab World: Marine contingent completes withdrawal to warships off coast of Beirut; Shi'ite militia and rebel Lebanese Army units take bunkers vacated near airport; within hour after last Marine retreat, USS Caron and New Jersey blast anti-government positions in hills over Beirut; Israeli jets bomb positions around Souq al-Gharb as Druze militia fights last LAF holdout there.

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Israel Central Bureau of Statistics reports Israeli population grew by 1.7%; Arabs by 2.8% in 1983. Meir Kahane detained for illegal demonstration supporting Jewish terror against Arabs; Kahane allowed by interrogators to escape.

Arab World: King Hussein orders reconvening of Jordan's parliament; 12 deputies now live under Israeli occupation. International Red Cross confirms that casualties of Israeli bombing raids near Baalbek (1/4/84) were mostly civilians; Baalbek closed in general strike.

MILITARY ACTION:

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Bomb in Qazizin market in Hebron; defused shortly before set to explode.