The Palestine Chronology

Israel's Ministerial Comm. on Jerusalem announces plans to set aside an area within the city to serve as a future "embassy row," to begin work on a ring road around Jerusalem. (NYT 11/26; AYM 11/26 in WNC 11/30; JP 12/3)

In Cairo, Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak, PM Atif Ubayd receive Israel's Regional Cooperation M Shimon Peres for talks on the peace process, economic issues. Peres urges Egypt to convene MENA economic conference. (MENA 11/25 in WNC 11/26)

Outside the PM's office in Jerusalem, 2,000 Israeli Arabs demonstrate for more state funds, an end to discrimination against them by the Jewish population. Police clash with demonstrators injuring several, including MKs Azmi Bishara, Talab al-Sane', Ahmad Tibi. (MM, NYT 11/25; WJW 12/2)

Israel's chief rabbi bans crucifixes, Christmas trees fr. Israeli hotel lobbies during the millennium holidays "because they are offensive to Jews." (WP 11/25; JP 12/3; WP 12/24)

The Lebanese army arrests Fatah cmdrs. Brig. Taha Muhammad `Abd al-Qadir (also known as Khalid Arif), Col. Khalid Shayib nr. Tyre. The PA views the arrests of the men, who have been wanted for yrs., as an attempt to pressure Palestinian refugees in final status talks. (RL 11/24 in WNC 11/26; MM 11/25; AFP 11/25 in WNC 11/29; al-Safir 11/30 in WNC 12/1; AYM 12/1 in WNC 12/2; MM 12/3) (see 10/27)

At the close of their 4th joint economic commission session in Tehran, Iran and Syria sign a memorandum of understanding on economic cooperation, agree to form a joint council of trade officials to expand private sector ties. (IRNA 11/25 in WNC 11/26)

Heads of the Israeli, PA final status teams hold their 1st mtg. since the 9/13 official ceremony reopening talks, set 11/7 as the start date for permanent status negotiations. (AFP 10/29 in WNC 11/2; WP 10/30; NYT 10/31; AYM 11/1 in WNC 11/3)

PM Barak reinstates a ban, lifted 4 days ago, on DFLP leader Hawatimah's return to the occupied territories after he voices support for armed struggle against Israeli occupation. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/30; AYM 10/31, 11/2 in WNC 11/4; MM 11/2; JP 11/5)

The PC's Refugee and Displaced Persons Affairs Comm. warns Lebanon against arresting Fatah official Abu al-`Aynayn, who was sentenced to death in absentia by a military court on 10/27. (AYM 10/30 in WNC 11/3; DUS, al-Nahar, SA 11/6 in WNC 11/8; al-Quds 11/7, al-Safir 11/8 in WNC 11/9; al-Safir 11/11 in WNC 11/12; MEI 11/26)

In Irbid, Jordanians emerging fr. Friday prayers gather to express solidarity with Hamas mbrs. detained by the government. (DUS 10/30 in WNC 11/2)

Some 300 Iranian businessmen attend an Iranian exhibition in Cairo, marking a boost in Iranian-Egyptian economic relations. (MENA 10/29 in WNC 11/2)

In New York, the Iraqi National Congress (INC; an opposition umbrella organization set up in 1992, many of whose member groups have since broken away) opens 4-day assembly mtg., funded with $3 m. fr. Congress, to elect a new leadership to serve as a credible alternative to the Saddam Hussein regime. The mtg. opens with an address by U.S. Amb. at Large for War Crimes Issues David Scheffer, will close 11/1 with a speech by Asst. Secy. of State Pickering. (NYT 11/1; WP, WT 11/2)

Arab Liberation Front, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Fatah, FIDA, Palestinian Liberation Front, Palestinian People' Party (PPP), Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (PPSF), Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) hold unity mtg. in Ramallah, call on PA to hold municipal elections before the end of the yr., urge Palestinians to confront Israeli settlement construction. (HJ 6/10 in WNC 6/14)

Israeli mayor of Jerusalem Ehud Olmert announces bid to lead the Likud party. Other contenders to replace Netanyahu as party head are outgoing FM Sharon, outgoing Finance M Meir Shitreet. (WP, WT 6/9; MM 6/10; JP 6/18; MM 6/30)

Israel, the U.S. call on Iran to immediate release of 13 Iranian Jews who have been jailed since 4/99 on charges of spying for Israel. (MM 6/8; MM, NYT, WT 6/9; IRIB Television, IRNA, TT 6/9 in WNC 6/10; NYT 6/10; WT 6/11, 6/13; JP, MEI, NYT 6/18; GIU, WP 6/22; WP 6/23, 6/29; IRNA 6/30 in WNC 7/1; WJW 7/1; WP 7/3)

In an unprecedented attack, unidentified gunmen open fire on a Lebanese courtroom in Sidon, killing 3 judges, a prosecutor, wounding 5 others, but not freeing any of the defendants in the room. (NYT, WP, WT 6/9; RL, al-Safir 6/9 in WNC 6/10; NYT 6/11; RL 6/11 in WNC 6/14; al-Riyad, Tishrin 6/12 in WNC 6/15; al-Thawra 6/12 in WNC 6/16; MM 6/14; MEI 6/18, 7/16) (see 5/24)

In Damascus, European Union (EU) special envoy Miguel Moratinos discusses with Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara` resuming the Syrian-Israeli negotiating track. Afterward, Moratinos says that the Syrians "respect [Barak] a lot, and they think Labor can achieve the final peace with Syria," possibly within a yr. (MM, WT 5/20, 5/21; WJW 5/27; CSM 6/8)

Russia, Syria sign agmt. on using atomic energy for peaceful purposes, including scientific, technical, economic cooperation. (ITAR-TASS 5/19 in WNC 5/20; al-Bayan 5/23 in WNC 6/1)

In Washington, King Abdallah of Jordan meets with congressional leaders to urge them to approve the $300 m. in Wye supplemental aid for the kingdom. (WT 5/20; MM 5/21; NYT 5/23)

Iranian pres. Khatami ends 5 day visit to Saudi Arabia, heads to Qatar for talks on expanding bilateral cooperation, Muslim issues. (MM 5/19; IRIB Television, IRNA, Radio Qatar 5/19 in WNC 5/20; GIU, MM 5/20; IRNA, VIRI 5/20 in WNC 5/21; IRNA 5/21 in WNC 5/25) (see 5/16)

Israel's National Union party head Benjamin Begin, the ultranationalist son of fmr. PM Menachem Begin, resigns his Knesset seat, leaves the party (which won only 4 seats in the 5/17 elections), retires fr. politics. (NYT 5/20; WT 5/23; JP 5/28)

In Hebron, IDF demolishes Palestinian reservoirs that local Palestinians built to collect rainwater to irrigate their crops during the ongoing drought. (WP 5/20)

In Damascus, Armenian, Syrian officials hold talks on expanding bilateral ties, particularly in the economic sphere. (Snark [Yerevan] 5/20 in WNC 5/21)

In `Ayn al-Hilwa refugee camp in Lebanon, unidentified gunmen kill Amin Kayid, an official in PA head Yasir Arafat's Fatah organization, and his wife, possibly in retaliation for the murder of Shaykh Hisham Shreidi in 1990. (RL 5/29 in WNC 5/20; NYT 5/20; MEI 6/4; al-Safir 6/30 in WNC 7/2)