10,000 Palestinians greet Arafat as arrives for his 1st visit to Ramallah since the IDF pulled out. Arafat then heads to Tulkarm, Qalqilya to celebrate the IDF's withdrawal there. (NYT, WP, WT 12/...
New EU rotating head, Spanish PM Felipe Gonzalez arrives in Jerusalem on 1st leg of regional tour to show EU political, economic support of the peace process; meets with PM Rabin then with Arafat...
Following reports that he has been seeking a deal for Syria, Israeli Dep. FM Beilin admits he has informally discussed economic aid, debt rescheduling for Syria with EU nations (incl. Austria,...
2 explosions at bus stop at Beyt Lid junction, Israel, kill 19, wound 65. 2 more later die of wounds, leaving 21 Israelis dead. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility as retribution for murder of...
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10,000 Palestinians greet Arafat as arrives for his 1st visit to Ramallah since the IDF pulled out. Arafat then heads to Tulkarm, Qalqilya to celebrate the IDF's withdrawal there. (NYT, WP, WT 12/31; JP 1/6)
Hamas mbrs. Isma'il Haniyya, Khalid al-Hindi, Sa'id al-Namruti say the will run for seats on the Palestinian Council as independents. (JMCC 12/30 in FBIS 1/2)
In Madrid, PA, Spain sign joint cooperation agmt. (PWR 1/9)
After a Lebanese civilian is killed, 4 others wounded by IDF shelling, Hizballah fires rockets into n. Israel, wounds 2 IDF soldiers in clash in s. Lebanon. Israel blames Syria. (ITV, QY 12/30, QY 12/31, ITV 1/1 in FBIS 1/2; NYT, WT 12/31; MM 1/2; JP 1/6)
In Amman, technical comm. on refugees opens 2 days of talks. (WT 9/13; CSM 9/15)
PM Rabin arrives in Moscow for 3-day visit. (MM 9/12; QY, YA 9/12 in FBIS 9/12; DAVAR 9/17 in FBIS 9/20)
Arafat holds emergency mtg. in Alexandria with Pres. Mubarak, FM Musa to discuss Libyan expulsions, peace process. (VOP 9/12 in FBIS 9/13; NYT 9/13; CSM 9/15) (see 9/10)
In Madrid, Arafat adviser Faisal Husseini meets with FM Javier Solana. (EFE [Madrid] 9/12 in FBIS 9/13)
In Amman, Spain's PM Gonzalez meets with Jordan's King Hussein, PM Bin Shakir; heads to Damascus to meet with Pres. Asad. (RJ, RNE-1 Radio [Madrid], SARR 9/12, SARR 9/13 in FBIS 9/13; MM 9/13; RJ 9/12 in FBIS 9/15)
In Washington, Pres. Clinton awards Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, acting on behalf of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Congressional Gold Medal, honoring moral and educational inspiration. Congress mbrs voted unanimously to award the medal (one of only 100 ever bestowed) to the late rabbi. (WJW 9/21; JP 9/26)
New EU rotating head, Spanish PM Felipe Gonzalez arrives in Jerusalem on 1st leg of regional tour to show EU political, economic support of the peace process; meets with PM Rabin then with Arafat. (MM 9/12; JP 9/12 in FBIS 9/13; JP 9/23)
Lebanese M Michel al-Murr travels to Damascus to ask Pres. Asad to forbid entry to Palestinians deported fr. Libya unless they have visas to continue on to Lebanon. PM Hariri stresses that Lebanon is fully coordinating its position on the deportees with Syria. (MM 9/12)
U.S. protests Arab League, Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) plan to hold conference in Jerusalem 10/17-19. 70 states, excl. Israel have been invited. Arab League, OIC say U.S. approved plans 4 mos ago, but Israel's recent complaints let to formal U.S. disapproval. U.S. denies this. (WT 9/12)
PFLP mbrs Shahar and Yusuf Ra'i, wanted by Israel for killing 2 Israelis 7/18, are sentenced by the PA military court in Jericho to 7 yrs each. Israeli Justice M Liba'i calls trials a violation of the Oslo agmt. meant to avoid extraditing the pair. FM Peres says PA is not violating the DOP. (MM 9/12; IDF Radio, QY 9/12, QY 9/13 in FBIS 9/13; NYT 9/13) (see 8/27)
Likud party defector David Levy releases his new party's political platform, calling for secure peace; terming itself a "national-social centrist party" filling a vacuum btwn. the radical right (Likud), radical left (Labor); vowing not to withdraw fr. West Bank or give up Jerusalem, any settlements. (MA, QY 9/11 in FBIS 9/12)
The Israeli Interior Min. rejects Jonathan Pollard's request for citizenship. Pollard is currently jailed in the U.S. for spying on behalf of Israel. (QY 9/11 in FBIS 9/12; MM 9/29)
3 Hizballah mbrs. are killed in clash with IDF in s. Lebanon. (RL 9/11 in FBIS 9/12)
Following reports that he has been seeking a deal for Syria, Israeli Dep. FM Beilin admits he has informally discussed economic aid, debt rescheduling for Syria with EU nations (incl. Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, Sweden); suggested they draw up plans (preferably to be presented at EU business conference in Barcelona 11/95) to be implemented after an agmt. that would encourage Syria to negotiate seriously. (MM 6/21; IDF Radio, JP 6/21 in FBIS 6/21; MM 6/22)
FM Peres, Justice M Liba'i, DMin. officials hold mtg. on easing restrictions, facilitating process for Jordanians' entry into Israel. (QY 6/21 in FBIS 6/22)
FM Peres, Dep. FM Beilin say scope, pace of pullout fr. West Bank will be set by speed of building bypass roads. PM Rabin complains that high cost of protecting West Bank settlements needlessly directs money away fr. other important government projects, investments; building bypass roads could cost $250,000 per family. (MM 6/21; IDF Radio, QY 6/21 in FBIS 6/21; ITV 6/21 in FBIS 6/22; MM, NYT, WT 6/22)
U.S. envoy Ross, Arafat meet in Gaza; discuss closure, economic aid, Israeli security and settlement construction; leaves for Damascus. (MM 4/7; VOP 4/7, 4/8 in FBIS 4/10)
Egypt's Pres. Mubarak, Syria's Pres. al-Asad should meet in Cairo to assess the situation in the region, progress on Syrian and Lebanese tracks, evaluate international environment, discuss enhancing joint Arab action, esp. in the Arab League. (MENA 4/7, 4/9 in FBIS 4/10)
PA police arrest Shaykh Ahmad Bahar after he gives anti-PA sermon at Friday prayer service. (MM 4/7)
Israeli police arrest sr. Orient House official Kamal Shwayka for operating Palestinian police force in Jerusalem. (JP 4/15)
IDF shells Hizballah positions in s. Lebanon in retaliation for Hizballah attack on IDF, SLA positions. 1 SLA mbr., 1 civilian killed. (WP 4/9)
2 explosions at bus stop at Beyt Lid junction, Israel, kill 19, wound 65. 2 more later die of wounds, leaving 21 Israelis dead. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility as retribution for murder of Hani Abed 11/2, settlement construction. For 1st time, Israeli Pres. Weizman calls for government to stop talks. Arafat denounces attack. (AFP, IDF Radio, ITV, QPAR, QY, RMC, VOP 1/22, HA, QY 1/23 in FBIS 1/23; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 1/23; ITV, QPAR, VOP 1/23 in FBIS 1/24; SARR, VOP 1/23 in FBIS 1/25; WJW 1/26; JP 1/28; WJW 2/2; MEI 2/3; WP 2/5)
PM Rabin calls emergency cabinet mtg. to discuss explosions at Beyt Lid; delays release of Palestinian prisoners, opening of safe passage btwn. Gaza, Jericho; announces Palestinians will be barred fr. entering Israel for "a number of days"; reiterates idea of national separation (see 10/19). (CSM, NYT, WP, WT 1/23; ITV 1/22, QY, VOP 1/23 in FBIS 1/23; MM 1/23; CSM 1/24)
U.S. Secy. of State Christopher calls Syrian FM al-Shara`, demands Syria stop providing safe haven to "terrorists," esp. Islamic Jihad leader Fathi Shiqaqi. Shiqaqi issues statement "reminding" U.S. he is in Syria only because Israel deported him. (MM 1/23; NYT, WT 1/24)
PA, Egypt, Jordan hold mtg. in Cairo to coordinate stance on 1967 refugees, discuss definition of "refugee" and requirements for right of return in preparation for negotiations with Israel. (MENA 1/22 in FBIS 1/24)
Multilateral talks steering comm. opens 2-day session in Cairo to discuss accomplishments of 5 working groups. Delegations fr. Egypt, Jordan, PA, Israel, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Japan, EU, U.S., Russia attend. (MENA 1/22, 1/23 in FBIS 1/23; RE 1/23 in FBIS 1/24)
PA Economics M Qurai` leads PA delegation to Amman for talks on bilateral relation with Jordanians in advance of Arafat visit 1/25. (JTV, RJ 1/22 in FBIS 1/23)
PM Rabin holds cabinet mtg. on settlement issue; creates comm. of 6 cabinet Ms, headed by him, to approve all housing plans for o.t., incl. privately financed construction. Building will be suspended until comm. meets later in wk. (IGPO, ITV 1/22 in FBIS 1/23; NYT 1/23; JP 1/28)
Israeli Dep. FM Beilin meets with Egyptian Pres. Mubarak in Cairo to discuss bilateral relations and NPT. (MENA 1/22 in FBIS 1/23; MM 1/23; WT 1/25)
Hizballah's political chief Shaykh Hassan Nasrallah states for 1st time that all 6 Israeli MIAs are dead. Israel asserts air force navigator Ron Arad is still alive. (RL 1/23 in FBIS 1/25; WT 1/24)
