The Palestine Chronology

In retaliation for Israeli air strikes on 12/18, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) and the PRCs claim responsibility for firing 4–9 mortars fr. Gaza toward IDF targets just inside the Israeli border, with at least 4 landing inside Israel, causing no damage or injuries. IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fire on Palestinian shepherds who stray nr. the border fence, wounding 1. In the West Bank, IDF troops raid and search homes in Bayt Umar, searching for Palestinians who threw stones at an IDF checkpoint into the village, arresting 1 Palestinian man; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in Hebron and nr. Nablus. Palestinians accompanied by Israeli and international activists hold a nonviolent demonstration against settlement expansion in Bayt Umar. IDF soldiers fire tear gas and stun grenades at the protesters (causing no injuries) and arrest 3 Israelis. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities force a Palestinian to demolish his own home or pay the government nearly $5,500 for doing the job; the owner had already been fined more than $26,000 for building without a permit. Inside Israel, Israeli police find the body of American tourist Kristine Luken stabbed to death in a nature area southwest of Jerusalem, inside Israel, nr. the West Bank border. The woman’s friend, American Kaye Susan Wilson, escaped, telling police that she and Luken were ambushed by 2 knife-wielding Arabs who bound and stabbed them. Police say they are classifying the attack as political but have not ruled out criminal motives. (JP 12/19; MNA, NYT, WP, WT 12/20; OCHA, PCHR 12/23)

Israel allows the Rafah crossing to open for the 1st time since 4/19. Gunfire breaks out among the 5,000 Palestinians waiting to enter Egypt, leaving a PA presidential guardsman dead; UN monitors overseeing the passage say Israel’s closures have left the crossing too crowded to operate. IDF troops on the s. Gaza border fire tank shells, heavy machine guns at DFLP mbrs. planning a roadside bomb nr. the border fence, killing 1 DFLP mbr. The IDF also sends tanks, bulldozers into Gaza to level land along the border fence e. of al-Maghazi r.c. In Bayt Hanun, a PRC mbr. is killed when explosives he is handling detonate prematurely. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron; fires rubbercoated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinians and international and Israeli peace activists holding a nonviolent demonstration against the separation wall in Bil‘in, wounding 6 Palestinians, 1 French activist. Some 200 Palestinians fr. villages nr. Bethlehem hold a nonviolent protest in the area against the separation wall. A Jewish settler fr. Kiryat Arba beats a Palestinian child working in his family’s garden; when his father and brother come to his aid, the settler fires at them, causing no injuries; the IDF intervenes, beating and arresting the father and older brother for “threatening” the settler. Jewish settlers fr. Hebron beat 3 Palestinian shepherds grazing their sheep nearby and 3 peace activists (including an Israeli rabbi) accompanying them for protection. In Israel, 100s of Palestinian Israeli residents of Jaffa protest actions by the Israel Land Administration (ILA) in the past yr. to evict some 500 Arab families from the al-Ajami and Givat Aliya neighborhoods so as to develop the seafront properties; the ILA calls the Palestinian families “invaders” who built on the sites illegally. A Palestinian dies of injuries received during an IDF raid on Gaza City on 10/16/06. (HA 4/27; NYT 4/28; OCHA 5/2; PCHR 5/3)

The IDF arrests a 16-yr.-old Palestinian at Hawara checkpoint nr. Nablus for carrying a bag with “an apparent explosive belt, an improvised weapon, and 20 bullets”; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Ithna, al-Mawasi, Nablus; sends troops into al-Fara’a r.c. to search local Palestinians on the street, fires on Palestinian youths who throw stones at troops; issues military orders confiscating at least 130 d. of agricultural land s. of Nablus to establish a buffer zone around Emmanuel settlement; issues a military order confiscating 25 d. of Azariyya land for separation wall construction. A DFLP mbr. throws grenades at an IDF vehicle in s. Gaza, slightly wounding 2 soldiers; soldiers shoot, kill the assailant. 2 AMB mbrs. fire on an IDF jeep nr. Hebron, wounding 4 IDF soldiers, escaping. A Palestinian dies of injuries received in IDF shelling of Bayt Lahiya on 1/4/05. (IMEMC 2/3; HA, WP 2/4; NYT 2/6; PCHR 2/10; OCHA 2/23)

Inside Israel, some 1,000 Israeli border police backed by 16 bulldozers level 4,000 d. of bedouin land in the al-Araqib area of the Negev, seal off all roads leading to the area to prevent the bedouin owners fr. returning. The Israel Lands Dept. says the goal of the operation is to “salvage the state’s lands from the Arab bedouins who seized and exploited them.” (JAZ 2/4)

Palestinian gunmen disguised as IDF soldiers ambush a bus nr. the West Bank settlement of Emmanuel, setting off a roadside bomb disabling the bus, then firing on passengers, killing 7 Jewish settlers, wounding 16; the attackers escape; AMB, DFLP, Hamas, Islamic Jihad take responsibility, though military analysts believe Hamas was responsible. Israel places nearby Palestinian villages under curfew. Israeli police arrest 4 IDF soldiers, 1 Jewish settler living in settlements nr. Hebron, 1 IDF soldier living in Israel on suspicion of stealing 60,000 rounds of IDF ammunition, selling 1,000s of rounds to Palestinian militants; the IDF also arrests a Palestinian fr. Tarkumiyya as the middleman. The IDF demolishes a Palestinian store under construction in Jerusalem; bulldozes 29 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Qarni crossing; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids nr. Jaba'. (HA, REU 7/16; AFP 7/16 in WNC 7/17; LAW, MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WP 7/17; WJW 7/18; AYM 7/18 in WNC 7/22; NYT, WP 7/19)

In New York, Powell hosts a senior-level Quartet mtg. to discuss ways of creating momentum for peace talks in light of Bush's 6/24 speech; holds separate mtg. with the FMs of Egypt, Jordan. The Arab FMs then dine with EU, Russian, UN Quartet reps. (MM 7/16; ITAR-TASS 7/16 in WNC 7/17; MM, NYT, WP, WT 7/17; MM 7/18; Interfax, ITAR-TASS, MENA 7/18 in WNC 7/19; MM 7/19)

PA summons Palestinian construction workers to police stations, orders them to quit their jobs in Jewish settlements in Gaza to block the enclaves' expansion. (NYT 6/17; JP 6/25; NYT 7/2)

DFLP, Fatah, FIDA, PFLP, PPP, PSF issue statement calling on the PA to implement the NGO law that was approved by the PC over a yr. ago, urging Palestinians to recognize the role of NGOs in combatting occupation and bolstering democracy. (AYM 6/17 in WNC 6/21) (see 6/8, 6/14)

In Amman, Jordanian-Tunisian Higher Comm. ends 5 days of talks on bilateral relations, regional issues. Comm. issues final statement calling for a greater Arab free trade zone, urging Israel to resume negotiations on all tracks quickly. (Petra-JNA 6/16 in WNC 6/17)

U.S. supports for the 1st time a British-Dutch proposal for partial suspension of sanctions against Iraq. China, France, Russia remain opposed, preferring removal of sanctions. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/17; WT 6/18)

Egyptian parliamentarians denounce Israel for hostility toward Egypt, "reaping benefits of peace" while refusing to sign NPT, move forward on Palestinian self-rule, or withdraw fr. Golan. Israeli Pres. Weizman telephones Pres. Mubarak to discuss worsening relations, fears that conflict with Egypt could derail peace talks. (MENA 1/16 in FBIS 1/17; MM 1/17; WJW, WP 1/19; WJW 1/26)

Israel gives Egypt most favored nation (MNF) trading status retroactive to 1/1/95. (MENA 1/16 in FBIS 1/17) (see 1/3)

Arafat, Jordanian FM al-Kabariti meet in Morocco. Meanwhile, Jordanian PM Shakir meets with Nablus Chamber of Commerce delegation in Amman to discuss cooperation btwn. Jordan, PA. (RJ 1/16 in FBIS 1/19; MEI 1/20)

Israeli FMin. says it will begin canvassing embassies to see how many will be willing to move to Jerusalem after final status negotiations so FMin. can begin rezoning areas for construction. (MM 1/16)

PM Rabin authorizes confiscation of Palestinian lands for construction of 4 roads in West Bank (2 nr. Ramallah, 1 nr. Tulkarm, 1 nr. Hebron) so settlers can bypass Arab towns. (MM 1/16; QY 1/16 in FBIS 1/17) (see 1/15)

Israeli Housing M Ben-Eliezer circulates draft of report he will submit to cabinet 1/22. Report plans 77% increase in construction activity for 1995 as compared to 1994, mostly in Jerusalem area. (ITV 1/16 in FBIS 1/17; MM 1/20)

DFLP head Nayif Hawatmah applies to Israeli FMin. (via Russian FMin.) for permission to move to Gaza with several supporters. Israeli FMin. says it has passed application on to security officials for review. (MM 1/16; QY, VOL 1/16 in FBIS 1/17; Al-Sharq Al-Awsat 1/17 in FBIS 1/19; MEI 1/20)

Israeli police raid East Jerusalem offices of al-Quds newspaper; confiscate papers, equipment; say they suspect office of being Hamas base. (QY 1/16 in FBIS 1/17)

Lebanese army shells IDF, SLA positions for 1st time in 2 yrs. in response to Israeli attack 1/15. (HA 1/17 in FBIS 1/17)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israelis reopen elementary schools in W. Bank; nearly 200,000 children return to class. Some schools that have been used by Israeli soldiers have been vandalized [WP 5/14]. Two Israeli women are charged with belonging to the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The 2 have been held for over a month without charge [WP 5/14]. Palestinian American Mubarak 'Awad announces that if he is expelled from Israel he will convert to Judaism and return to Israel under the Law of Return [NYT 5/24].

Military

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Settlers raid Balatah camp shooting live ammunition and injuring several Palestinians [FJ 5/29]. In Bayt Kahil 3 Arab homes are destroyed by authorities claiming they were built without permits [FJ 5/29]. In jabalya UNWRA official is shot in the leg [FJ 5/29].

Military Action:

Druze and Phalange militia exchange fire in Chouf; US Marines on full alert and deploy in firing positions as IDF patrol confronts Marines at checkpoint near Lebanese University; IDF armored car backs into barbed wire fence at another Marine checkpoint; US Embassy expresses concern over incidents to Israeli Government.

Political Responses:

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Following week of meetings in Tripoli, Libya, PFLP, DFLP, PFLP-GC, Saiqa and PSF statement rejecting Fez and Reagan plans and any form of recognition or negotiation with the expansionist Zionist entity, adherence to armed struggle to liberate Palestine and all the occupied Arab territories; Lebanese- Israeli-US negotiators, meeting for 51?2 hours at Khalde, discuss ending state of war and security zone, make enough progress to turn issues over to subcommittee of Antoine Fattal, Eli Rubenstein, Christopher Ross, and form another subcommittee to deal with timetable for withdrawal of troops.

Arab Governments: Egyptian President Mubarak says Arabs must act on Reagan plan by end of year, PLO Chairman should recognize Israel, unilaterally if necessary; Syrian Foreign Minister Khaddam tours Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar; King Hussein returns to Jordan from talks with King Fahd in Saudi Arabia.

US and Other Countries: Habib and Draper will divide responsibilities to accelerate the peace process; State Department refuses to qualify last week's statement suggesting possibility of shortening the autonomy period; US says USSR has sent 90 aircraft, mostly MiG-21s, and 12 SA-5 missiles to Syria, which would be particularly effective against E2-C Hawkeye surveillance aircraft used by Israel in Lebanon war; 2 US soldiers in multinational force in Sinai wounded in mine explosion near Ofira; former Presidents Carter and Ford, in joint article, say that Israeli occupation of West Bank and Gaza is a major obstacle to any moderate Arab initiative for peace in the Middle East, and urge King Hussein to join autonomy talks; West German Foreign Minister Genscher attacks Israeli settlement policy, does not recognize the PLO or support an independent Palestinian state, but supports the June 1980 Venice Declaration that the PLO be involved in the peace process.