The Palestine Chronology

A female Palestinian suicide bomber (mother of 2 small children) detonates a device at the Erez crossing, killing 3 IDF soldiers, 1 Israeli security officer, wounding 12; Hamas’s Shaykh Yasin claims responsibility for the attack, saying it was a joint operation with the AMB, noting Hamas’s 1st use of a female bomber, vowing to escalate attacks. Israel seals Gaza, sends home 4,000 Gazan laborers working in the Erez industrial zone. The IDF raids Budrus nr. Ramallah, detaining Ayid and Na‘im Morrar, the coordinators of the nonviolent protest group Popular Comm. Against the Wall, which stages rallies against the separation wall; places a curfew on Tulkarm r.c., demolishes 3 Palestinian homes there; raids a nursery in Hebron, confiscating files, demolishing furniture. Palestinians fire 2 Qassam rockets at Erez industrial zone, a mortar at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage or injuries in either incident. (AFP, BBC, HA, MM, PRCS 1/14; MNR, VOI, VOP, YA 1/14 in WNC 1/16; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/15; QA 1/15, AYM 1/17 in WNC 1/21; HA 1/19; WT 1/20; MM, PCHR 1/22; JPI, MEI 1/23)

The World Zionist Organization (WZO) begins offering young Israeli couples up to $9,000/yr. to move to the unauthorized settlement outpost of Givat Salit in northern Jordan Valley. (YA 1/14)

Unidentified Palestinians detonate a roadside bomb outside Erez crossing as a U.S. emb. convoy (carrying the cultural attache, en route to interview Fulbright scholarship candidates) passes, destroying 1 of 4 armored cars, killing 3 U.S. security officers, wounding 1 U.S. diplomat; the convoy passes along a route and at a time a CIA detail involved in monitoring road map progress usually passes through the area, despite mos. of warnings fr. the PA of the dangers of routine movements, conspicuous bodyguards. AMB, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Resistance Comms. (PRC) deny responsibility, though a phone call to the press claims the attack on the PRCs’ behalf. After this 1st successful targeted attack against Americans by Palestinians, the U.S. for the 1st time discloses that in 6/03 a roadside bomb went off nr. a CIA vehicle in Gaza, causing damage but no injuries. Palestinians also detonate a smaller roadside bomb nr. an IDF convoy in Gaza, injuring 3 IDF soldiers. The IDF sends troops back into Brazil r.c., fatally shooting 1 Palestinian, searching and occupying homes, bulldozing land, demolishing a number of houses, shelling residential areas; arrests a Palestinian woman who attempts to stab a soldier at a Tulkarm checkpoint; conducts arrest raids in Bethlehem; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, Tulkarm; imposes a curfew on Nablus, escorts 100s of ultra-Orthodox Jews on a pilgrimage to Joseph’s Tomb. Israel orders another 3 West Bank Palestinian administrative detainees expelled to Gaza (see 10/14). An Israeli Arab dies of injuries received in the 10/4 Haifa bombing, bringing that toll to 21. (BBC, HA, MM, PR, PRCS 10/15; XIN 10/15, al-Ra’i 10/16 in WNC 10/18; AP, HA, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 10/16; MM, WP 10/17; AYM 10/18 in WNC 10/25; PR 10/22; WJW 10/23; JPI, MEI 10/24; JPI 10/31)

A Hamas suicide bomber, prevented fr. getting on a bus nr. Israel’s Bar Ilan Junction, detonates his device nearby, killing 1 Israeli, injuring 16. The IDF sends tanks into Rafah, fatally shoots 2 Palestinians, demolishes 9 Palestinian homes; conducts arrest raids in 20 villages around Ramallah, detaining 55 Palestinians; places a curfew on Hebron after Palestinian gunmen in the area fire on nearby Tal Rumayda settlement, causing no injuries; bulldozes 100 acres of olive groves, 5 wells nr. Jabaliya. 2 Palestinians die of injuries sustained earlier (1 in the IDF shelling of Khan Yunis on 10/7, bringing the toll of that incident to 17). The IDF evacuates 1 inhabited, 1 uninhabited settler outpost, says it plans to dismantle 24 such outposts (only 3 of them thought to be occupied) within the next 6 wks. Jewish settlers dismantle 6 unoccupied outposts themselves. The PA calls on Hamas to turn over mbrs. involved in the 10/7 Abu Lahiya murder; 20,000 attend Abu Lahiya's funeral in Gaza. (HA, MM 10/10; HA, MM, NYT, PM, WP, WT 10/11; Interfax 10/11, QA 10/12 in WNC 10/15; LAW, PCHR 10/16; MEI 10/25; JPI 1 1/8)

Before dawn, the IDF reoccupies Askar r.c., Balata r.c., Camp No. 1, Nablus, Tulkarm town and r.c.; reinforces troops around Hebron; imposes 24-hr. curfews on Aida r.c., Awarta, Bayt Furik, Bayt Jala, Dayr al-Ghusun, Hawara, Jarushiyya, al-Khadir, Sayta, Shuwayka, al-Til. In Jenin, troops blow up a building, also collapsing a house next door, killing 1 Palestinian boy. Later, an IDF tank opens fire with shells, machine guns on a crowded market in Jenin, killing 4 Palestinians, injuring 26 among 100s who had gathered to shop, believing that the IDF had eased the curfew; 20 cars, 30 stores are also destroyed. (In another neighborhood, 2 children playing in front of their home are killed when the IDF fires a tank round to break up a crowd "violating the curfew," which residents thought had been lifted.) In Shaykh Ajlin, the IDF opens fire on a group of Palestinian children and an AP reporter, killing 1 Palestinian boy. In Gaza, Palestinians fire an anti-tank rocket at an IDF post, seriously injuring 1 soldier; the IDF demolishes a naval police post, bulldozes 4.5 dunams of Palestinian land in response. Nr. Erez crossing, a Palestinian throws a grenade at an IDF checkpoint, causing no damage or injuries; the IDF fatally shoots him, also killing 2 Palestinian laborers waiting to cross the checkpoint. Following a funeral settlers killed on 6/20, Jewish settlers attack the Palestinian village of Hawara (see 6/17), killing 1 Palestinian, firing on and throwing rocks at buildings, setting a car and shop ablaze, attacking journalists. (AP, LAW, WP 6/21; XIN 6/21, MA 6/23 in WNC 6/24; NYT, UPMRC, WP, WT 6/22; HP 6/23; PRCS press release 6/24; LAW 6/26; PCHR 6/27; MEI 6/28; HA 7/2; BBC, HA 7/5)

The Israeli inner cabinet agrees in principle to expel the families of Palestinian suicide bombers fr. the West Bank to Gaza as a "disincentive for attackers." (NYT, WP, WT 6/22; HP, JPI, NYT 6/23; MM 6/24, 6/27; MEI 6/28)

U.S. forces round up more than 1,400 Iraqi soldiers-including a brigadier general-from island of Faylakah, the last piece of Iraqi-held Kuwaiti territory. Allies hold about 63,000 Iraqi POWs [LAT 3/4].

Refugees crossing into Iran and Syria from Iraq report demonstrations against Saddam Hussein has spread from Basra to 3 other cities in southern Iraq [NYT, LAT, WP, WT 3/4].

At UN, U.S. and allies offer to speed the flow of food and other relief supplies into Iraq after nonaligned nations press for formal easing of sanctions [NYT 3/4].

Pres. Mitterrand makes what diplomats describe as his clearest call yet for a Palestinian state [LAT 3/4]; Mitterrand also calls for international peace conference on Middle East [WP, MEM 3/4].

Presenting 9-item postwar agenda, Pres. Mubarak urges fresh start for Arabs, says Egyptians have no quarrel with Iraqi people and will help rebuild Iraq [LAT, NYT, WP, MEM 3/4].

UNLU issues call number 68, calling for "increased rallying around the PLO and adherence to it as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" [AFP 3/3, JPD 3/4 in FBIS 3/5; AVP 3/5 in FBIS 3/6; MEM 3/5; JPI 3/16].

Israeli jets fly through Lebanese army machine gun fire and bomb Fateh base in southern Lebanon; it is 1st air strike since Gulf war ended [MEM 3/4; MET 3/12].

Israel lifts curfew on Gaza Strip for 1st time since 16 January, Gaza fishermen are permitted to put to sea; several towns and villages in W. Bank remain under curfew [MEM 3/4].

Iraq's Information Minister says Baghdad still wants "deep dialogue" with U.S. despite differences over dates for direct talks; also says F.M. Aziz will not travel to Washington on 12/17 [INA 12/15, ATS 12/16 in FBIS 12/17; NYT 12/16; MET 12/25].

In Damascus, Algerian Pres. Benjedid opens talks with Pres. Asad on ways of finding Arab solution to Gulf crisis [DDS 12/15, APS 12/17 in FBIS 12/17; MET 12/25]; Yasir Arafat arrives in Amman for talks on Gulf crisis with King Hussein [ADS 12/15 in FBIS 12/17].

Egypt expresses to Israel its "extreme anxiety" over reports that Temple Mount Faithful will tour Haram al-Sharif on 12/17 [MENA 12/15 in FBIS 12/18].

EC ends summit conference in Rome with 2 resolutions on Middle East, one warning Saddam Hussein that peace in Gulf is his responsibility, the other calling for international peace conference on the Middle East [MEM 12/17].

Still searching for 2 Palestinians suspected in 12/14 stabbings, Israeli police arrest hundreds of Palestinians in o.t. Palestinians claim 800 are detained. Gaza is placed under curfew (cf. 12/16) [JDS 12/15 in FBIS 12/17; NYT, LAT 12/16; MET 12/25].

Israel issues deportation notices to 4 Gaza Strip Palestinians described by IDF as members of Hamas. Notices are given to Fadel Zaabut, Imad al-Alami, Mustapha al-Lidani, and Shaykh Mustafa Knuah (cf. 12/16, 12/18, 12/20, 12/25, 1/7, 1/8) [JDS 12/15 in FBIS 12/17; NYT, WP, CSM 12/17; JPI 12/22].