The Palestine Chronology

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)

PNA Planning M Shaath, Israeli negotiator Maj. Gen. Danny Rothschild initial early empowerment accord in Cairo giving PNA control of education, health, welfare, taxes, tourism; ability to amend related laws subject to Israeli veto. All schools to be turned over by 8/29, other responsibilities by 9/12, provided financing is confirmed at mtg. of donor countries in Paris 9/9. Arafat asks for immediate $9.5 m. for running schools. Israel agrees to pay teachers' 1st-mo. salaries. Safe-passage corridor opens. (NYT, WP, WT 8/24; CSM 8/25; MENA, QY 8/24 in FBIS 8/25)

Pres. Clinton tells B'nai B'rith convention that U.S. will compensate Israel for any strategic advantages it relinquishes for peace. (QY 8/24 in IL 8/25; MM 8/26)

IDF announces it has begun evacuating some West Bank outposts in the Nablus area as part of the early empowerment agmt. (JP, MM 8/24)

Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri meets with Hamas delegation to discuss elections, conditions of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Lebanese Refugee Affairs M Walid Junblat says new houses to be built for Palestinian refugees in al-Quray'ah with help from UNRWA. (RL 8/24 in FBIS 8/25; Al-Safir 8/25 in FBIS 8/30; Al-Safir 8/30 in FBIS 9/1)

Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto announces she will visit Gaza Strip 8/28 to meet with Arafat, but not visit Israel. (QY 8/24 in FBIS 8/25)

Israeli Finance, Interior Mins. reach agmt. with Israeli-Arab municipalities ending 39-day strike by heads of Arab towns. (HA 8/25 in IL 8/25)

Shin Bet, IDF arrest 10 mbrs. of Fateh Hawks accused of killing collaborators. (ITV 8/24 in FBIS 8/25; JP 9/3)

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)

177 Palestinian prisoners released, including some Hamas mbrs. and killers of collaborators, allowed into Gaza Strip.  Another 240 prisoners to be "turned over" to Palestinian police in Jericho denied entry.  (MM, NYT 6/10; UNRWA News 6/15)

Russian officials announce signature of agreements to implement military cooperation with Syria agreed to 4/94.  (WT 6/14)

Palestinians in Hebron demonstrate against previous day's air raid on Lebanon, throw rocks at IDF, which responds with tear gas, rubber bullets.  (WP 6/4)

Israel masses tanks artillery on northern border, southern Lebanese evacuate home as tensions mount after previous day's air raid.  15,000 attend Beirut funeral of some of raid's victims addressed by Hizballah S.G. Shaykh Hasan Nasrallah.  Fijian UNIFIL soldier killed nr. Tyre by unknown gunmen.  (NYT, WP, WT 6/4; RL 6/3 in FBIS 6/7)

UNRWA Commissioner-General Ilter Türkmen starts 2-day visit to West Bank, Gaza Strip to discuss UNRWA projects with PECDAR, Israeli officials.  Türkmen also reviews UNRWA's "Peace Implementation Programme" with UNRWA field directors.  (UNRWA News 6/15)

Israeli commission of inquiry into Hebron massacre hears testimony fr. 12 Palestinian witnesses. Hebron waqf officials continue to boycott hearings. (NYT, WP, WT 3/23)

34-yr.-old pregnant Palestinian woman killed by IDF besieging house in Hebron occupied by Hamas militants. Elsewhere in o.t., 2 UNRWA officials detained by Israelis at Nur Shams r.c. nr. Tulkarm, 6 Palestinian children wounded by IDF in stone-throwing clashes in Nablus, and 2 Israelis stabbed by Palestinians in Gaza Strip. (MM, NYT 3/23)

4 Golan Druze, mbrs. of "Young Nationalist Group," arrested for campaigning to expose collaborators with Israeli authorities. (WJW 3/24)

AG Janet Reno sends recommendation to Pres. Clinton on clemency for convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard. Reportedly, Justice Dept., Defense Dept., CIA unanimously against leniency for Pollard. (NYT 3/23)

IDF shoots dead Ayman Suri, 11, outside UNRWA office in Jabaliya camp, Gaza Strip. In separate incident, Khayr Yusuf 'Abd Allah, 30, of Bala', West Bank, killed by IDF when he tries to evade roadblock while village under curfew. (Qol Yisra'el 2/5 in FBIS 2/7; WT 2/6)

Morocco hosts 4-day conference of Jews of Moroccan descent, including 20-mbr. Israeli delegation, in Casablanca to explore cultural, economic cooperation btwn. Israel and Morocco. (MM 2/4)