1. United States Department of State
  2. East Jerusalem
  3. 1997
  4. The Palestine Chronology
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  • August 4, 1997

    EU special envoy Moratinos meets separately with Arafat, Netanyahu. Arafat then heads to Jordan for talks with King Hussein. King Hussein telephones U.S. Secy. of State Albright, Egypt's Pres....

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  • February 26, 1997

    Israeli ministerial comm. unanimously approves Har Homa construction plan, says 3,015 housing units for Arabs may be built adjacent to the Har Homa settlement, but does not approve any funding for...

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EU special envoy Moratinos meets separately with Arafat, Netanyahu. Arafat then heads to Jordan for talks with King Hussein. King Hussein telephones U.S. Secy. of State Albright, Egypt's Pres. Mubarak, PM Netanyahu to discuss mediation btwn. the PA, Israel.  (MM 8/4; AFP 8/4 in WNC 8/5; RJ 8/4, 8/5 in WNC 8/6; MM, WT 8/5; MM 8/8)

Despite warnings fr. the U.S. that the decision could exacerbate the present situation, Israeli cabinet approves list of retributive measures against the PA drawn up by the inner cabinet 7/31, blocks transfer of $15 m. in tax payments owed the PA. Netanyahu says he will use a "sliding scale," relaxing some of the economic measures as the PA takes steps against Islamists. (MM, NYT 8/5; al-Ayyam [Ramallah], YA 8/5 in WNC 8/6; CSM 8/6; al-Hayat al-Jadida 8/10 in WNC 8/12; WP 8/14)

Israel arrest 29 Palestinians suspected of "terrorist activity," demolishes 5 Palestinian homes allegedly built without permits in East Jerusalem. Since the bombing, Israel has arrested 145 Palestinians. Arafat calls the actions collective punishment meant to humiliate the Palestinians. (IDF Radio, ITV 8/4 in WNC 8/5; LAW, NYT, WP, WT 8/5; MM 8/8)

Iran's Khatami is sworn in as pres. (CSM 8/5)

An elite Israeli Egoz unit is flown n. of Israel's self-declare security zone in s. Lebanon; plants explosives nr. the home of 2 Hizballah cmdrs.; later detonates them by remote control, killing 5 Hizballah mbrs., wounding 2 Hizballah mbrs. and 3 civilians. (MM 8/4; AFP, ITV, RL, RMC 8/4 in WNC 8/5; MM, NYT 8/5; NYT, WT 8/6; Independent [London] 8/6 in WNC 8/7; WJW 8/7; JP 8/16)

Israeli ministerial comm. unanimously approves Har Homa construction plan, says 3,015 housing units for Arabs may be built adjacent to the Har Homa settlement, but does not approve any funding for their construction. (Since 1990, Israel has allowed Arabs to build only 663 units in East Jerusalem, while allowing Israelis to build 13,835 units.) (MM 2/26; SANA 2/26 in WNC 2/27; MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/27; WP 3/2; JP 3/8) (see 2/19)

King Hussein sends an envoy to Israel to urge Netanyahu to reconsider the Har Homa decision. (WP 2/27) (see 2/25)

The Jordan-Israel Aqaba-Elat Comm. convenes in Aqaba. (al-Aswaq 2/27+n28 in WNC 3/3)

3 leftist Jordanian parties (Jordanian Arab Ba'th Socialist Party, the pan-Arab National Action Party, the Arab Land Party) announce they are merging to form the Jordanian Nationalist Democratic Front. Jordanian elections are 9 mos. away; Jordan's 26 official parties are trying to work out common platforms to field candidates on united lists. (JT 2/27 in WNC 3/3)

Turkey says it is considering recalling its envoys fr. Tehran amid a diplomatic crisis sparked by Iran's perceived support for Turkish Islamists who are politically opposed to the Turkish military, which advocates government secularism. (AFP 2/27 in WNC 3/4)

In Washington, the family of Alisa Flatow, killed in the 4/9/95 suicide bombing in the Gaza Strip, file a $150-m. lawsuit against Iran. The federal Antiterrorism Act of 1996 allows families of victims of terrorism to bring civil actions against countries designated by the State Dept. as sponsors of terrorism. Lawyers claim the bombing was carried out by Islamic Jihad, with Iran's financial backing. (WT 2/27; WJW 3/6; JP 3/8)