The Palestine Chronology

Dep. Asst. AG Mark Richard urges that convicted spy Jonathan Pollard's life sentence be commuted to 20 yrs., according to admin. officials. Richard also recommends criminal cases against Pollard's unindicted Israeli coconspirators be dropped. (WT 12/29)

IAF airstrikes in Lebanon kill 3 Hizballah mbrs. Hizballah responds with katyusha barrages, raids on "security zone." (RL 12/28 in FB1S 12/28; CSM 12/31)

Israeli delegation under FM Peres meets PLO delegation headed by Yasir 'Abd-Rabbuh in Paris in effort to break deadlock over withdrawal fr. Jericho, Gaza. Sides remain divided over size of area around Jericho to be evacuated, security arrangements at border crossings. (CSM, NYT, WP 12/22)

Bethlehem municipality prepares for 1st official Christmas celebrations since 1986, saying observance will go on despite dispute with occupation authorities over display of Palestinian flag at city hall. Israeli authorities bar erection of Christmas tree donated by Norway, citing concerns over plant diseases. (WT 12/22; NYT, WP 12/23)

IDF permits 1,000 settlers to carry Torah scroll to yeshiva in Nablus. Ceremony attended by 4 MKs. IDF had blocked similar attempt 12/16. (MM 12/22)

Pope John Paul II announces plan to visit Lebanon in spring 1994, intention to visit Jerusalem. (MM 12/21; WP, WT 12/22)

197 Palestinian mbrs. of Hamas and Islamic Jihad return fr. Lebanon at end of 1-yr. exile. The Islamist activists will be processed through Israeli prisons before returning to homes in o.t. PM Rabin, touring Gaza settlement, promises "tough measures" if "we have even the slightest suspicion that [the returnees] intend or are involved" in attacks on Israelis. (NYT, WP, WT 12/16)

Israel-PLO talks on civil issues related to Gaza-Jericho self-rule resume in al-Arish, Sinai. (MM 12/15)

Working group of Middle East Multilateral Talks Economic Development Comm. ends mtg. in Cairo, approves 4 agricultural projects, pollution control project for Gulf of Aqaba, and joint tourism project for Egypt, Israel, and o.t. (MENA 12/15 in FBIS 12/16)

Ashraf Muhammad Halil, 18, killed by IDF when he attacks soldiers with ax during search of his tool bag in Jabaliya camp, Gaza. (WT 12/16)

Deadline for start of Israeli withdrawal fr. Gaza, Jericho passes. PM Rabin tells reporters, "There are no sacred dates, and I cannot give a commitment that the implementation of the agreement will be finished by April 13th." Rabin also announces that remaining Palestinians expelled 12/17/92 to Lebanon will be allowed to return this week. (CSM, NYT, WP, WT 12/14)

PLO Chmn. Arafat addresses European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, appealing for EU financial support to Palestinian development and noting financial crisis will limit size of Palestinian police force. (MM 12/14)

IDF announces it has been holding a "dialogue" with Hamas leaders in Gaza Strip. (IDF Radio 12/13 in FBIS 12/13)

Islamic Jihad mbr. Anwar Aziz hijacks ambulance btwn. Bayt Lahiya and Jabaliya camp, Gaza Strip, for suicide-bomb attack. Aziz killed, IDF soldier wounded when Aziz drives explosives-filled ambulance into IDF jeep. 2 other Palestinians, said to be mbrs. of either Islamic Jihad or PFLP's Red Eagles, shot dead by IDF in Rafah. (MM 12/13; NYT, WP, WT 12/14)

41 Palestinian police trained in Jordan take up duty at Orient House, East Jerusalem hq. of Palestinian delegation to peace talks. (WP 12/14)

PLO Chmn. Arafat and Israeli PM Rabin meet in Cairo but fail to reach agreement on Israeli withdrawal fr. Gaza and Jericho, due to begin 12/13. The 2 leaders agree to meet again in 10 days, and say delay does not endanger DoP or 4/13/94 deadline for end of withdrawal. (NYT, WP, WT 12/13)

Lebanese Pres. al-Hirawi meets Syrian Pres. al-Asad in Damascus to discuss Secy. of State Christopher'secent tour and coordinate positions for next round of talks with Israel. (RL, VOL, SARR 12/12 in FBIS 12/13; MM 12/13)

U.S. officials say Morocco and Israel have reached a package of agreements, including El Al flights to Morocco and Royal Air Maroc flights to Israel, direct Moroccan-Israel telephone and postalinks, exchanges of visits by religious and business leaders, joint banking arrangements, and more frequent direct political contacts. (NYT 12/13)

Morton Klein, an opponent of Israel-PLO accord, elected pres. of Zionist Organization of America by vote of 144-127, and his slate of 10 candidates elected to top ZOA posts. Observers call election "clear victory for opponents" of DoP. (MM 12/14; WJW 12/16)

Palestinian gunmen attack Israeli bus in Hebron, West Bank, seriously wounding its driver. (NYT, WT 12/13)

Libyan leader Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi publicly invites Sabri al-Banna ("Abu Nidal") and Ahmad Jibril of PFLP-GC for a conference in Tripoli. (WT 12/13)

Secy. of State Christopher meets PLO Chmn. Arafat at U.S. embassy in Amman. At press conference after 2-hr. mtg., Arafat appeals for U.S. pressure on Israel to meet 12/13 deadline for withdrawal fr. Jericho, Gaza. Christopher declines to get involved in Israel-PLO talks, but calls for "timely implementation" of DoP schedule and pledges "non-lethal assistance" to Palestinian police. Christopher also meets separately with Jordan's King Hussein. PM Rabin claims there is "a tacit understanding" with PLO that deadline not firm. FM Peres says he will meet Arafat 12/9 at UNESCO conference in Spain. (NYT, WP, WT 12/7)

PM Rabin calls Syrian agreemento allow U.S. investigators to search for missing IDF soldiers in Lebanon "an important step forward" and "a big window of hope for the families" of the Israeli MIAs. (NYT 12/7)

Israeli Finance M. Avraham Shohat and PLO official Ahmad Qurai' resume Paris talks on economic issues. (Qol Yisra'el 12/6 in FBIS 12/7)

Palestinian gunmen attack settler van in Qiryat Arba, Hebron, killing 2 and wounding 3. Hamas claims responsibility for attack. Settlers riot, attacking Palestinian homes and cars. (NYT, WP, WT 12/7)

IDF undercover unit kills Hamas mbr. 'Abd al-Rahman Aruri, 31, on his front porch in Arura, nr. Ramallah. (MM 12/7)

Time magazine reports that convicted spy Jonathan Pollard passed a National Security Agency listing of foreign intelligence frequencies to Israel that later was received by Soviets, ruining several b. dollars' work and compromising lives of U.S. informants. Justice Dept., security officials reportedly advising AG Janet Reno against a pardon for Pollard. (WT 12/6, 12/7; NYT 12/7)

Israel, Laos reestablish diplomatic relations in agreement signed in New York. (Qol Yisra'el 12/7 in FBIS 12/8)

Secy. of State Christopher meets in Damascus with Syrian Pres. al-Asad, who agrees to let U.S. investigators search for 7 Israelis missing in Lebanon and to grant exit permits to Syrian Jews by end 12/93. Christopher calls talks "positive and constructive," al-Asad's moves "important humanitarian gestures." U.S. agrees to allow Kuwait to transfer 3 U.S.-made aircraft to Syria in a relaxation of sanctions on Damascus. (NYT, WP, WT 12/6; NYT 12/7)

Israel-PLO talks in Cairo and al-'Arish, Sinai, on Palestinian autonomy resume. (WT 12/6)

Jordanian, Israeli govts. sign accord on economic cooperation, initialed by negotiators in Washington 12/1. (MM 12/7)

Palestinian grocer Talal al-Bakri, shot 12/4 in Hebron by settlers, dies. 5 settlers arrested in connection with killing. (NYT, WP, WT 12/6)

Israeli AG Ben-Yair calls settlers' council a "seditious" organization, while Ag. M. Yaacov Tsur calls 12/4 shooting of Talal al-Bakri an incident of "Jewish terror." (MM 12/6)

Armed Palestinian, Khalid Awad Shihada, attacks Israelis on suburban Tel Aviv bus, killing reserve IDF soldier before being killed himself. Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for attack. Israelis demonstrate at attack site, some shouting "Death to Arabs!" (NYT, WP, WT 12/6)

Frmr. Israeli PM Shamir tells Zionist Organization of America mtg. in Baltimore that Israeli govt. has made a pact with "terrorists and murderers" in signing DoP, says agreement reflects "an Arab plan to destroy Israel in stages." (WT 12/7)