The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: All shops close in East Jerusalem in general strike to protest Israeli closure of the Hospice Hospital in Jerusalem's Old City [FJ 7/26]. P. M. Peres says Israel should not give up part of Golan Heights in deal with U.S.S.R. for emigration of Soviet Jews UP 7/25]. Kiryat Arba's new nine-member local council - pledged to firing its Arab employees, pressing private businesses to do likewise, and to preventing economic ventures with Arab investors - is formally installed; dozens of secular residents enter building to protest [JP 7/25]. Israeli civil administration governing the occupied territories announces high school matriculation exam results improved on West Bank this year; schools were closed less than in the past; 64 percent of West Bank students passed their exams this year, compared with 54 percent last year [JP 7/25].

Arab World: Jordanian diplomat Ziad Sati, 40, is assassinated in Turkey; Islamic Jihad takes credit [CSM 7/26, NYT 7/25].

Other Countries: Reagan administration presents Middle East arms transfer study to special closed session of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee as basis for request to sell new arms to Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Congressional supporters of Israel warn administration against pursuing the arms sale, saying it would provoke an "enormously divisive" debate [WP 7/24, 25, JTA 7/25, BG 7/26].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israel frees 74 Lebanese Shi'a, 6 Lebanese Sunnis, and 20 Palestinians held at Atlit prison since April, when Israel transferred 1,200 detainees from its Ansar prison in south Lebanon to Israel. Three hundred are still in detention. Any prisoner now detained in south Lebanon by Israel is sent to new prison run by SLA at Khiyam village, in the security zone [NYT 7/24]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: U.S. says Israel cannot veto list of Palestinians for talks [NYT 7/19]. State Department says chief criterion for deciding to procede with negotiations is "whether it would help promote direct Arab-Israeli negotiations" [WP 7/19]. East Jerusalem newspaper al-Quds publishes list of 7 names for proposed joint delegation: Khaled al-Hasan, head of the PNC's foreign affairs committee; Fayez Abu Rahmeh, ex-head of Gaza Bar Association; Hatim al-Husseini, professor at Shaw University, Raleigh, N.C.; Salah al-Ta'amari, member of the PLO's Supreme Military Council; Nabil Sha'th, PNC member; Hanna Siniora, editor of al-Fajr newspaper; and Muhammad Subayh, PNC member. Henry Cattan, Paris-based lawyer and historian, is also mentioned as alternate [NYT 7/19, LAT 7/19]. Modi'in Ezrahi poll finds 12.7 percent of Israelis favor peace talks, regardless of which Palestinians participate; 33 percent oppose talks with any Palestinians [JP 7/19]. U.S. military delegation headed by Undersecretary of State William Schneider and General Philip Gast begins annual talks in Tel Aviv on scope of future U.S. military aid to Israel [JTA 7/19]. Orthodox Jews hold mass pray-in at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City to protest construction of Mormon center they fear will be used to convert Jews. Israel's two chief rabbis endorse the event [LAT 7/19].

Arab World: Office of Arab Boycott of Israel, at biannual meeting in Damascus, removes Ford, Bayer, Colgate Palmolive, and 6 companies and individuals from other countries from its blacklist; 28 new companies added [FT, LAT 7/19].

Other Countries: Bomb explodes, wrecking house and car of the PLO's acting chief representative in Cyprus, Malath 'Abdu; no injuries reported [WP 7/18]. The Guardian reports 2 Palestinians were arrested by police in Madrid last week while allegedly planning to blow up Syrian embassy and assassinate ambassador. Suspects allegedly belong to Fateh's Force 17; police discovered TNT, arms, ammunition, a detonator, and a time fuse when they raided a flat in connection with the arrests [MG 7/19].

Other Countries: Soviet spokesman denies Moscow would make deal with Israel on increased Jewish emigration to Israel [DT 7/19]. Israel Radio reports Soviets want emigration guaranteed to Israel, not to other countries; want anti-Soviet propaganda stopped in the West [CT 7/21]. Moscow states goal as progress on Golan Heights [NYT 7/20]. U.S. officials state U.S. would welcome Soviet resumption of ties with Israel as constructive behavior in Middle East [LT 7/20].