The Palestine Chronology

Israeli officials, including Moshe Arens, accuse U.S. of creating "artificial storm" over Soviet Jewish emigration [WP, LAT 5/11].

Bowing to U.S. threats to withdraw funding, World Health Organization shelves indefinitely PLO application [NYT, WP, WT 5/11].

New York Times news analysis claims Israel "has emerged as the beneficiary of changing times in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, while the Arab world confronts the losses" [NYT 5/10].

In his column in Catholic New York, Cardinal John O'Connor denounces Israeli settlement inJerusalem's Christian quarter: "What happened in Jerusalem is obscene," and writes that Israelis are "speeding up . . . a design to make it virtually impossible for Christians to function anywhere in the land" [NYT 5/12; WT 5/14].

Shimon Peres announces his intent to go into opposition of any gov't. formed by Yitzhak Shamir [TET 5/10 in FBIS 5/11]. 

Leaders of Christian churches in Israel and O.T. announce they will close all shrines for 1 day beginning at 9 A.M. on 4/27. The first-ever closure is to protest Israeli gov't. funding for Jewish settlers at Hospice of St. John [NYT, WT, LAT 4/ 24; FJ 4/30].

JTS reports 24,200 Soviet Jews have emigrated to Israel since start of 1990, JDS adds total number of immigrants is 28,740 [JTS, JDS 4/23 in FBIS 4/24].

Lebanese cleric Hussein Musawi and Iranian F.M. Ali Akbar Velayati suggest second Western hostage will be released soon, but reiterate that 4/22 freeing of Robert Pohill should be met with similar "goodwill" response [WP 4/24].

U.S. mission UN in Geneva says U.S. will stop paying contributions to UN bodies that admit State of Palestine or upgrade PLO's status; statement comes 2 weeks before opening of World Health Organization's assembly, to which PLO has applied for full membership [WT 4/ 24].

U.S. State Dep't. sharply criticizes Israeli gov't. for financing Jewish nationalists' takeover of church-owned hospice in Jerusalem; calls move "an insensitive and provocative action" [WP 4/24].

Pres. Bush telephones Pres. Asad to express appreciation for Syria's role in 4/ 22 release of Robert Pohill. Bush also telephones Jordan's King Hussein to discuss Middle East peace issues [WP 4/24]. 

Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox patriarch Diodorus I is overcome by tear gas as Israeli police disperse group of clergymen protesting Jewish nationals' occupation of church building in Old City's Christian quarter [WP, LAT, WT 4/13; JDS 4/12 in FBIS 4/13]; Jerusalem magistrate court issues evacuation order to settlers in church building [IDF 4/12 in FBIS 4/13].

PLO formally requests membership in World Health Organization. PLO made same request last year, was denied membership after U.S. delegation walked out in protest (cf. 4/23) [WP 4/13].

PLO rep. Hakam Balawi meets with U.S. ambassador Robert Pelletreau to discuss latest developments [TDS 4/13 in FBIS 4/18].

Arafat arrives in Czechoslovakia for state visit [NYT 4/13].