The Palestine Chronology

Israel, PA hold security mtg. to discuss coordination in wake of 11/6 car bombing. Israel asks PA to ban Islamic Jihad, Hamas as political groups. PA refuses. (AP [Internet] 11/8)

Islamic Jihad's Damascus spokesman takes responsibility for 11/6 car bombing, but Gaza headquarters denies it. PA says it has jailed several mbrs. of Islamic Jihad, closed a nursery school in Bethlehem run by the group. (NYT, WP 11/8; SA 11/8 in WNC 11/13; NYT 11/9; JP 11/16) (see 11/6)

Cyprus arrests 2 Israelis caught in a sensitive military area, charges them with spying on behalf of Turkey. (ITV 11/7, MA, QY, YA 11/9 in WNC 11/12; WP, WT 11/8; MM, NYT 11/9; MM 11/10; WJW 11/12; NYT 11/13) (see 6/17, 11/2)

U.S. Asst. Secy. Indyk briefs ambs. of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the UAE on the Wye agmt. (al-Akhbar, al-Ba'th, al-Jumhuriyya, MENA, RL 10/26, AFP 10/27 in WNC 10/28; MM, NYT, WP 10/27; MM 10/28; al-Ba'th 10/28 in WNC 11/2; al-Quds 10/28, SA 10/30, al-Ahram 11/2 in WNC 11/6; MM 10/29, 10/30; MM 11/2; WP 11/6)

In the Knesset, PM Netanyahu survives no-confidence motion, but Knesset Law Comm. agrees (9-7) to hear 1st reading of bill calling for the dissolution of parliament, new elections in 100 days. MKs criticize Netanyahu for linking Pollard with the peace process. (CSM, WP, WT 10/27)

In Gaza, the Arab Liberation Front, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Islamic National Salvation Party, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) issue statement denouncing the Wye agmt. (MENA 10/26 in WNC 10/27; PR 10/30)

200 Jewish settlers hold rally outside PM Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem, protesting the Wye agmt. At least 24 are detained by Israeli police. (ITV 10/26 in WNC 10/27; WP 10/27; YA 10/27 in WNC 10/28; MM 10/28)

Jordan, Israel begin long-delayed $1.65-m. joint project to build the `Adasiyya diversion wall to diver Yarmuk River water. (JT, RJ 10/27 in WNC 10/28; JP 211/9)

An Israeli settler is killed in Israeli-controlled Hebron in an apparent attack by Palestinians. IDF places curfew on Palestinians in Hebron's Israeli-controlled zone. Later, the body of a Palestinian is found outside Itamar settlement nr. Nablus. An anonymous caller claims Palestinian was killed to avenge the settler's death. (IDF Radio, ITV 10/26 in WNC 10/27; ITV 10/26 in WNC 10/28; CSM, LAW, MM, NYT, WP 10/27; MM 10/28; WJW 10/29; PR 10/30)

In Ramallah, Palestinians observe general strike, 100s of Fatah mbrs. march to protest 10/25 events, call on Arafat to punish security services. (NYT, WP 10/27; PR 10/30)

International experts submit final report Iraqi missile fragments to the UNSC, say results are inconclusive. Tests by Switzerland show no traces of VX; 1 sample in the 3d test by France shows traces of nerve agent that could be VX. French, Swiss, U.S. tests all show traces of unknown compound that could mask biological agents. (NYT, WP 10/27; MEI 10/30) (6/22)

U.S. says that a UN proposal to try the Pan Am bombing suspects in the Hague under Scottish law, tentatively agreed to by all parties, is in jeopardy because of Libyan demands that the 2 suspects not be imprisoned in Scotland if found guilty. (WP 10/27; WT 10/28) (see 9/29)

Arafat leaves the U.S. for Austria to ask EU states to support the Wye agmt. (NYT 10/24; NYT, WT 10/25)

A poll of 505 Israelis by the Israeli Dahaf Institute shows that 74% approve of the Wye agmt. (YA 10/25 in WNC 10/27)

As part of clamp down on Hamas, PA police in Gaza detain 11 journalists on their way to interview Hamas's Shaykh Yasin on Wye. Journalists call an open-ended strike to protest the PA actions. PA police also arrest al-Aqsa cleric Shaykh Hamid Bitawi, Islamic Jihad chief spokesman Nafiz Azzam for speak against the accord. (ITV 10/24 in WNC 10/27; WT 10/25; LAW, MM, NYT 10/26; WP 10/29; MEI, MM, PR 10/30; MM 11/2)

King Hussein meets with Pres. Clinton at the White House to express concern over U.S. hard-line policy on Iraq, stalled peace process. (al-Ra'i, RJ 6/15, al-Dustur, JTV, al-Ra'i, RJ 6/16 in WNC 6/17; NYT, WT 6/16; WP 6/17; al-Ra'i 6/17 in WNC 6/19)

In Cairo, Pres. Mubarak meets with Labor Chmn. Barak. Mubarak comments that he has lost faith in PM Netanyahu. Netanyahu tells the press "this pronouncement is typical of Arab leaders who don't get what they want." (IDF Radio 6/15 in WNC 6/17; MENA, RE 6/15 in WNC 6/17)

PC grants Arafat's request to delay no-confidence motion for 10 days to give him a chance to form new cabinet. Hamas, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine say that they will not join the EA. (MM 6/15; WP 6/16; WT 6/17; MEI 6/19; JP 6/20; PR 6/26; MEI 7/3)

Israeli Interior Min. demolishes 3 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem, saying that they were build without permits on areas zoned as "open space." U.S. calls on Israel to refrain fr. such "provocative acts." (LAW, MM, NYT 6/16; JTV 6/16 in WNC 6/17; ITV 6/19 in WNC 6/23; PR 6/26; JP 6/27)

In Rabat, Jordan's PM Majali, Morocco's King Hassan set up joint higher comm. for coordination in all fields; discuss peace process, possible Arab summit. (MKR 6/15, MAP 6/16 in WNC 6/17)

In Cairo, Pres. Mubarak, Arafat discuss peace process. (MENA 6/14 in WNC 6/17; WT 6/17)

Saying that he alone will discuss political issues, PM Netanyahu cuts off presentation to the cabinet by IDF Chief of Staff Gen. Amnon Shahak on the IDF's assessment that there could be Palestinian violence if an FRD agmt. is not reached soon, dismisses Shahak fr. the room. Before leaving, Shahak says that from now on, he will tell the cabinet "only what it wants to hear." (MM 6/15; MA 6/15 in WNC 6/17; MA 6/16 in WNC 6/18; WT 6/29; JP 6/27)

Hamas, Islamic Jihad say they are considering Arafat invitation to join the EA. Israel says that inviting Hamas to join the authority without demanding that it "renounce terrorism and disarm its military wing makes a mockery of the PA's promise to . . . uproot the terrorist infrastructure." (IGPO, MM, WP 6/15; WT 6/17; PR 6/19)

Egypt, Iran sign memorandum of understanding on extending trade exchanges, preparing for mutual investment, establishing joint banks. (VIRI 6/15 in WNC 6/17; IRIB Television 6/17 in WNC 6/18)

Iraq, UNSCOM agree on 2-mo. plan to speed up disarmament verifications. (NYT, WP, WT 6/15; MA 6/16 in WNC 6/18; MM 6/17, 6/19) (see 6/4)

Israeli media reports that Israel has been holding talks in Europe with leaders of the previous anti-Taliban government in Afghanistan, possibly regarding setting up intelligence bases on the Iran border or establishing diplomatic ties. (YA 6/14, MA 6/17 in WNC 6/18)

Lebanon holds last round of municipal elections. Hizballah-supported candidates win only 5 of 21 seats in Baalbeck, while Amal-supported candidates win 16. (AFP 6/14, RL 6/15, 6/16 in WNC 6/17; MM 6/16; MM, WP 6/17; MEI 6/19; MM 6/23)

Turkey receives new Iranian amb. (IRNA 4/11 in WNC 4/15) (see 4/5)

PA police arrest 10s of Hamas mbrs., including Imad Awadallah, who is the 6th suspect in 3/29 Sharif killing and has been wanted by Israel for over a yr.; Senior Izzeddin al-Qassam figure Ibrahim Muqadima, also on Israel's most wanted list; and Islamic Jihad spokesman `Abdallah al-Shami. (NYT, WT 4/12; IDF Radio 4/13 in WNC 4/15; MM 4/14; LAW 4/15; MEI 4/28) (see 4/10)

In Nablus, 5,000 Palestinian students hold demonstration calling for revenge against Israel over Sharif's murder. (WT 4/12; CSM 4/13; MEI 4/28) (see 4/10)