The Palestine Chronology

Iraq's Revolutionary Command Council issues statement allowing all Soviet citizens to leave Iraq providing Soviet gov't. assumes responsibility for breaching worker contracts [MEM 12/4; NYT, LAT, WT, WP, CSM 12/5; INA 12/4 in FBIS 12/4].

After meeting in Cairo with Saudi and Syrian F.M.s, Pres. Mubarak urges creation of new Arab alliance grouping Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Syria as a "foundation to serve the Arab people." Tripartite statement is also issued. King Hussein of Jordan and Vice Pres. al-Beedh of Yemen fly to Baghdad to meet with Saddam Hussein and Yasir Arafat [MENA 12/4 in FBIS 12/5; NYT, LAT, MEM 12/5; WP 12/6; AVP 12/6 in FBIS 12/7; MET 12/18].

Kuwait's ambassador to U.S. says Bush admin. has assured his gov't.-in-exile that U.S. would make "absolutely no concessions" when it meets with Iraqi officials [NYT 12/5].

New York Newsday reports Kach party members mailed to a television reporter a "hit list," threatening lives of at least 8 supporters of Palestinian rights, including M.T. Mehdi, Arthur Hertzberg, Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said, and Anthony Lewis. Threats are aimed at avenging assassination of Kach founder Meir Kahane [WT, WP, MEM 12/5].

In Brussels, 12-country EC agrees that It- aly, current holder of EC presidency, could hold talks with Iraqi F.M. Aziz if Aziz first meets with Pres. Bush [MEM 12/5].

Responding to growing fear over rash of Palestinian knife attacks on Israelis, police broaden surveillance of Arab workers in Israel with spot check searches and new roadblocks along W. Bank [NYT, MEM 12/5].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Israeli peace campaigner Abie Nathan, sentenced to 6 months in prison for meeting with Yasir Arafat, is released 2 months early for good behavior. He vows to continue the activities for which he was jailed [NYT, FBIS 2/12; MET 2/20].

Israel and Czechoslovakia renew diplomatic ties that were severed in 1967 [LAT 2/10; MET 2/20].

Arab World: The New York Times reports that a rift has developed between Egypt and the PLO over the 2/4 bus attack in Egypt. Egypt finds PLO's qualified condemnation of the attack as hampering the peace process, while PLO is seen as reluctant to give Egypt too great a role in the process [NYT 2/10].

Other Countries: 73 U.S. Senators have signed a letter to Pres. Bush urging against cutting aid to Israel and Egypt. The letter was drafted by Senators Levin and Wilson [LAT 2/10].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: General strike called for by UNLU is observed in O.T. [FBIS 2/9; FJ 2/12].

20-year-old Qabatya resident is shot dead by Israeli soldiers after attacking soldiers with knife [FBIS, FJ 2/12].

At least 7 Palestinians are wounded throughout O.T. [FJ 2/12].