Donor countries promise to release $125 m. of promised aid to PA immediately to help self-rule transition. Arafat says money will go to improving Gaza slums. (VOP 11/30 in FBIS 12/1; CSM, MM, WP,...
Palestinian econ. report is released, shows PNA has received only $90 m. of $2.4 b. allocated by donor countries; PNA will need $11.2 b. to finance autonomous areas until 2000. (TJT 9/16 in FBIS 9...
Palestinian military delegation arrives in Moscow for wk.-long stay, signs agmt. with Russian DMin. for delivery of 45 BT-82 armored personnel carriers, spare parts, ammunition for use by...
Israeli FM Shimon Peres says Israeli-Palestinian Liaison Comm. agreed to international temporary force for deployment in West Bank. Troops to be fr. Australia, Turkey, Norway, Finland, 2 European...
Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab is told he can no longer publish for al-Quds under his own byline after he organized a petition campaign protesting Arafat's closing of al-Nahar...
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Donor countries promise to release $125 m. of promised aid to PA immediately to help self-rule transition. Arafat says money will go to improving Gaza slums. (VOP 11/30 in FBIS 12/1; CSM, MM, WP, WT 12/1; Le Soir 12/1 in FBIS 12/2; JP 12/3; WJW 12/8; MEI 12/16)
Labor MK Ori Orr suggests Israel postpone troop withdrawal fr. West Bank but uproot some settlements ahead of schedule. Similar statements made separately by Environmental M Sarid. Comments widely thought to be "trial balloons" sent up by Rabin government. (JP, QY 11/30 in MM 11/30; MM 12/2)
Israel, Palestinians, donor countries sign "memorandum of understanding" outlining PA's needs for next 4 mos., issues of taxation, Israeli aid, contributions fr. donor countries. (QY 11/30 in FBIS 12/1)
Joint Jordanian-Israeli borders comm. ends 2nd 2-day round of talks in Aqaba. Each side delegates 3 teams to carry out primary delineation of border, to be completed 12/6. (PETRA 11/30 in FBIS 12/1)
Joint Jordanian-Israeli comm. on treaty implementation creates 2 subcommittees comprising representatives fr. armed forces and Mins. of Interior, Agriculture, Water respectively to implement Jordanian law in al-Ghamar, Baqurah areas by 1/95, in keeping with Jordan-Israel treaty annexes. (PETRA 11/30 in FBIS 12/1)
ITV reports Israeli Amb. Itamar Rabinovitch, Syrian Amb. Walid Mu`allim recently held talks in Washington on security arrangements in which senior army officers fr. both sides participated; some progress was made. (ITV 11/30, HA 12/1 in FBIS 12/1)
UNRWA approves $163,810 in new small-business loans for projects in Gaza, bring number of UNRWA loans to Gaza to 157. (UNRWA News 11/30)
IDF soldier is axed to death by Palestinian in Afula, northern Israel; IDF arrests 40 Hamas mbrs. in West Bank. (IDF Radio 11/30 in FBIS 12/1; MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/1; PR 12/4; WJW 12/8; JP 12/10)
Israeli PM Rabin says he will tie Palestinian elections to revocation of parts of PLO charter. (MM 11/17; NYT 11/18)
PM Rabin arrives in U.S. to lobby Congress mbrs. for continuation of Israel's $3 b. annual foreign aid. Incoming head of U.S. Foreign Relations Comm., Sen. Jesse Helms, has suggested halting Israel's $1.2 b. economic aid, simultaneously forgiving Israel's debt. (MM, WT 11/16; IDF Radio 11/16 in FBIS 11/17; WT 11/17; WJW 11/24)
Jordan lifts economic boycott against Israel, drafts customs regulations based on Israeli-Jordanian agmt. (AFP 11/16 in FBIS 11/16)
Arafat holds PLO Exec. Comm. mtg. in Gaza (previously scheduled for 11/15) after 2 mbrs. arrive fr. abroad. The 8 mbrs. in attendance cannot form the quorum of 12 required by PLO charter. Those attending are: Arafat, PA Finance M Muhammad Zuhdi al-Nashashibi, PA Education M Yasir `Amr, PA Culture M Yasir `Abid Rabbu, PA Labor M Samir Ghawshah, Palestine Liberation Front leader Ali Ishaq, independents Juweid Sourani, Jamal Sourani. (PR 11/20)
UNRWA Commissioner-General Ilter Türkmen meets with Arafat in Gaza to discuss current conditions, developments in autonomous areas, project coordination. (UNRWA News 11/30)
Arafat orders release of 30 Islamic Jihad mbrs. arrested in crackdown following 11/11 suicide bombing. (QY 11/16 in FBIS 11/17)
Jane's Intelligence Review says Israel has 200+ nuclear weapons, incl. gravity bombs, missiles, shells, mines; is currently testing sea-launched cruise missile. (WT 11/17, 11/19)
Palestinian econ. report is released, shows PNA has received only $90 m. of $2.4 b. allocated by donor countries; PNA will need $11.2 b. to finance autonomous areas until 2000. (TJT 9/16 in FBIS 9/20)
PNA Local Affairs M Erakat says Israel has blocked preparations for elections by not releasing population records for West Bank, halting survey to determine polling locations. (WP 9/16)
PNA Econ. M Qurai` tenders resignation citing dissatisfaction with Arafat's economic approach, refusal to delegate authority. Arafat does not accept the resignation. (ITV, QY, VOP 9/16; FT, NYT, WP 9/17)
UNRWA announces following donations: Luxembourg, $1.2 m. for 2 medical centers in Gaza; Netherlands, $840,000 for women's centers in Gaza; Australia, $179,055 for 2 health centers in Gaza. (UNRWA News 9/21)
Benjamin Kahane, head of Kahane Chai, says 150 of his U.S. supporters will leave for Jordan to set up a settlement on the East Bank. Jordanian FMin. asks Israeli govt. to curb group. (IDF Radio 9/16, QY 9/17 in FBIS 9/19)
Israeli Police M Moshe Shahal announces Israeli police want to question PSF's West Bank head Col. Jibril Rajub about charges 10 PSF mbrs., inc. 3 of his bodyguards, kidnapped a Jordanian national in Jerusalem 9/9 and are detaining him in Jericho. (QY 9/16 in FBIS 9/16; JP 10/8)
IDF Lt. Oren Edri, arrested 9/2 for "anti-Arab activities," is formally charged with illegally holding and transferring arms, passing classified information on locations IDF arms depots to settlers. (MM 9/16; JP 9/17)
2 settlers fatally shoot Palestinian nr. Hebron, claiming he threw stones at their car. Court releases the pair on bail, saying they shot in self-defense. (JP 9/24)
Palestinian military delegation arrives in Moscow for wk.-long stay, signs agmt. with Russian DMin. for delivery of 45 BT-82 armored personnel carriers, spare parts, ammunition for use by Palestinian police. (MM 9/15; Al-Hayat 9/27 in FBIS 9/29)
UNRWA approves $250 m. worth of projects for Gaza, West Bank to be implemented over the next 2 yrs. (UNRWA News 9/21)
Libya's Pan-Arab Unity Min. releases statement saying Palestinian autonomy "must be fought," bringing Palestinian-Libyan relations to new low. (MM 9/15)
Arab League FM's meeting in Cairo reject Israeli steps to give Jordan distinguished religious role in Jerusalem; pledge they will not sign NPT unless Israel signs in move planned by Syria to pressure Israel to adhere to NPT, open installations to inspection. (AFP 9/15, VOP 9/16 in FBIS 9/16) (see 8/31)
Israeli FM Shimon Peres says Israeli-Palestinian Liaison Comm. agreed to international temporary force for deployment in West Bank. Troops to be fr. Australia, Turkey, Norway, Finland, 2 European countries. Palestinians to man Gaza, Jericho crossing pts. Israel to issue 35,000 new work permits to Gaza Palestinians. (MENA 8/17 in FBIS 8/18; JP 8/27)
Israel freezes plans for IDF withdrawal fr. o.t., ties extension of self-rule to a halt in Hamas attacks on Israelis. PM Yitzhak Rabin calls current steps by PNA to curb Hamas a publicity stunt. 5 of 40 Hamas mbrs. arrested by Palestinian police 8/15 still held. (QY 8/17 in FBIS 8/18; NYT 8/18)
Jordan's Tourism M Muhammad Al-Idwan arrives in Israel for joint talks, 1st high-level Jordanian official to publicly visit Israel. (Near East Report 8/22)
IDF Chief of Staff Gen. Ehud Barak meets Defense Secy. William Perry, JCS Chmn. Gen. John Shalikashvili, National Security Advisor Anthony Lake in Washington; stresses Israel should hold onto all of Golan for security purposes. (ITV 8/17 in FBIS 8/18; WT 8/19)
PNA M of Trade and Econ. Ahmad Qurai` protests to Jordan that its trade agmt. with Israel (see 8/16) violates existing agmts. btwn. Israel, PLO. (ITV 8/17 in FBIS 8/18)
Hamas, Islamic Jihad, DFLP, PFLP issue leaflet saying Arafat's recent crackdown on Hamas is pushing Palestinians to "the edge of civil war." (AFP 8/17 in FBIS 8/18; MM 8/22)
IDF kills Palestinian trying to enter Israel fr. Gaza nr. Rafah. (QY 8/17 in FBIS 8/18; UNRWA News 8/24))
Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab is told he can no longer publish for al-Quds under his own byline after he organized a petition campaign protesting Arafat's closing of al-Nahar, a pro-Jordanian daily. (MM 8/3; JP 8/13)
Israel allows 1st shipment of Palestinian produce under economic provisions of 5/4 Cairo agreement. Israeli farmers will be compensated fr. $83 m. govt. fund for losses due to Palestinian competition. (Qol Yisra'el 8/2 in FBIS 8/2; CSM 8/4; TJT 8/5)
Israeli Labor M. Ora Namir decides to allow 5,000 more Gaza workers into Israel. ( Al-Hamishmar 8/3 in FBIS 8/4)
Al-Nahar newspaper applies for distribution permit fr. PNA officials in Gaza and Jericho. (Israel TV 8/2 in FBIS 8/3)
Jordanian, Israeli experts meet at Wadi al-`Araba to establish border crossing. (RMC 8/2 in FBIS 8/3)
UNRWA Commissioner-General Ilter Türkmen begins week-long visit to Gaza, West Bank, and Jordan, including mtgs with PLO Chmn. Arafat in Gaza and PECDAR Dir. Ahmad Qurai`. (UNRWA News 8/10)
