The Palestine Chronology

Within hrs. of Arafat’s death, the PC, in keeping with the Basic Law, formally swears in PC speaker Rawhi Fattuh as interim head of the PA until elections are organized within the next 60 days;Qurai‘ maintains the position of PM, responsible for daily PA operations. Qaddumi is elected as head of Fatah by the 15-mbr. Fatah Central Comm. Abbas is voted head of the PLO by the PLO Exec. Comm. The State Dept. says that it is prepared to help the Palestinians hold elections if asked; says that Israel still must carry out Gaza disengagement. France sends Arafat’s body off to Egypt with full military honors. Throughout the day, Palestinians across the territories rally, demonstrate in honor of Arafat. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/11; JAZ, VOI, VOP 11/11 in WNC 11/13; MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/12)

The IDF raids Shaykh Ajlin, exchanging fire with armed Palestinians (leaving 1 Palestinian dead), shelling residential areas (killing 2 Palestinian civilians, wounding 7), bulldozing 120 d.; fatally shoots an Egyptian who apparently infiltrated into Gaza fr. Egypt; fatally shoots 3 Palestinians (at least 2 of them armed) s. of Netzarim; fires on stone-throwing Palestinians in Bayt Omar nr. Hebron, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding 10; fires on stone-throwing Palestinians protesting the separation wall nr. Jayyus, wounding 2 with live ammunition; fires on residential areas of Rafah; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus. Some 100 AMB mbrs. (some armed and masked) outside Arafat’s headquarters in Ramallah call for an investigation into Arafat’s death and rumors he was poisoned by Israeli agents, chant slogans denouncing Abbas, fmr. PA security chief Muhammad Dahlan as agents for the CIA. Israeli border police disperse 100s of Palestinians conducting nationalist marches in East Jerusalem in memory of Arafat. In Haifa, Israeli police disperse some 100 Israeli Palestinians holding a candlelight vigil for Arafat, detain a woman carrying a Palestinian flag. ( JP, VOI, YA 11/11 in WNC 11/13; HA 11/17; PCHR 11/18)

The IDF withdraws to the outskirts of Qalqilya, keeping a closure on the city, positioning itself to reinvade quickly if so ordered. The body of a PSF officer, missing since 10/20, is found in the area evacuated by the IDF; he had been shot 10 times. A Palestinian dies of injuries received on 10/21. Israel tightens Palestinian access to East Jerusalem, deploying more border police, special forces units; placing new checkpoints nr. the "Greater Jerusalem" boundary at Anata, Bayt Hanina, Jaba', Shu'fat; closing the Bethlehem road checkpoint into the city; placing a closure on Azariyya. IDF troops, under cover of shelling and heavy machine gun fire, enter Rafah, demolishes 2 Palestinian homes, damage 2 others. The IDF also reinforces troops in Jinin, Tulkarm; directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Hebron, Tulkarm; digs a trench across the main Jinin-Nablus road. Jewish settlers set fire to a Palestinian store, vandalize several other shops in the Israeli-controlled section of Hebron; shoot, wound a Palestinian teenager in Silat al-Dahir; stone Palestinian cars in East Jerusalem. Egyptian officials say that 1,200 Palestinians are trapped on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border, that Israel is only allowing 200 Palestinians/day into Gaza. (AFP, HP, NYT, WP, WT 11/5; NYT, WP 11/6; al-Quds 11/6 in WNC 11/7; PCHR 11/8; MENA 11/19 in WNC 11/20)

On the sidelines of an Euro-Mediterranean economics conference in Brussels, Arafat, Peres hold informal talks with EU reps. on the Israeli-Palestinian situation. (AFP 11/5 in WNC 11/6; NYT, WT 11/6)

2 bombs, the 4th and 5th since Sharon's 2/6 election, explode outside the Jewish settlements of Talpiot, French Hill in East Jerusalem, killing an apparent Palestinian suicide bomber, injuring 35 Israelis. Islamic Jihad takes responsibility for both attacks. Right-wing opposition MKs, Jewish settlers accuse Sharon of not taking Israeli security seriously and demand retaliation, with Likud Education M Limor Livnat saying Arafat should be targeted. Sharon's office says Israel will respond "at the time and place we choose." (AFP [Internet], MM 3/27; ITAR-TASS 3/27 in WNC 3/28; MM, NYT, WP 3/28; WJW 3/29; AFP 3/29 in WNC 3/30; JP, MEI 4/6)

In the West Bank and Gaza, Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 1 Palestinian dead. In Hebron, Jewish settlers attempt to storm Abu Sunayna for a 2d day, are push back by the IDF (which continues to urge Palestinian residents to evacuate the area). After dark, the settlers set fire to 5 Palestinian-owned stores, 7 cars, Waqf offices in the PA-controlled section of Hebron. Jewish settlers place caravans on confiscated Palestinian land on Mount Jarzim in Nablus. Israel arrests 2 Israeli border policemen for beating, torturing a Palestinian at a checkpoint into Israel earlier today. (MM 3/27; HA, HP, NYT, WP 3/28; AFP [Internet], NYT 3/29; MEI 4/6)

The 1st full Arab League summit in 12 yrs. opens in Amman. The agenda covers the peace process, aid to the Palestinians, Arab solidarity, inter-Arab economic ties, sanctions on Iraq. (MM 3/27; AN, DUS, JT, SA 3/27 in WNC 3/28; AYM 3/27, HJ, JT, SA 3/28 in WNC 3/29; MM, WP, USIS Washington File 3/28; JP, MEI 4/6)

On the sidelines of the Arab summit, Syrian pres. Asad meets with Arafat, marking the 1st senior-level Palestinian-Syrian mtg. since 1993. (JT 3/28 in WNC 3/29; MM, WP, USIS Washington File 3/28; JT, al-Quds 3/29 in WNC 3/30; DUS 3/30 in WNC 4/2; al-Majd 4/2 in WNC 4/3; AYM 4/2, HJ 4/3 in WNC 4/5; JP, MEI 4/6; MM 4/20)

After a week of negotiations on 2 compromise proposals fail, the U.S. vetoes a UNSC resolution backing a UN observer force to help protect the Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza. (AP 3/27; XIN 3/27 in WNC 3/28; WP 3/28; MM, NYT, WJW, WT 3/29; al-Quds 3/29 in WNC 3/30; MM 3/30; al-Quds 4/3 in WNC 4/5)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 5 Palestinians, 1 Israeli Arab, 1 IDF soldier dead, 300 Palestinians injured. Following the funeral for Fatah cmdr. Ubayyat (attended by 10,000 Palestinians), a Palestinian sniper fires on IDF troops outside Rachel's Tomb nearby, killing 1 soldier, wounding another. A small bomb explodes in East Jerusalem, slightly injuring an Israeli border policeman. More than 50 IDF shells fall in the Ramallah area, hitting the PA civil administration building, the PA Central Bureau of Statistics headquarters, the Islamic Elementary School, several apartment complexes and homes. IDF tank, heavy machine gun fire are reported in and around Hebron, Jinin, Khan Yunis, Nablus, Qalqilya, Salfit. The IDF also bulldozes agricultural lands nr. Qalqilya. Jewish settlers uproot Palestinian olive trees nr. Ramallah, assault Palestinians in several locations around Nablus. Israel again restricts Palestinian access to al-Aqsa Mosque for Friday prayers. Egypt reports that Israel is barring medical goods, 30 ambulances donated by Saudi Arabia fr. entering Gaza via the Rafah crossing. (ADM, LAW 11/10; MENA 11/10 in WNC 11/13; NYT, PCHR, WP 11/11; HJ 11/15 in WNC 11/27)

UNSC resumes talks on an international buffer force for the West Bank, Gaza. Arafat lobbies for the UN to send 2,000 troops to the West Bank, Gaza, Jerusalem. The UK, U.S. vow to block the proposal as long as Israel disapproves. (XIN 11/10 in WNC 11/13; NYT, WP, WT 11/11; HJ 11/13 in WNC 11/15)

In Amman, Jordanian security forces peacefully disperse 1,000 Jordanians attempting to march to the Israeli emb. 100s of Lebanese, Palestinian refugees demonstrate at Fatima Gate on the blue line. The IDF shoots across the border, wounding a Lebanese truck driver approaching the border with a load of stones. (AFP [Internet] 11/10; DUS 11/10 in WNC 11/13; MEI 11/24)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue for the 13th straight day, leaving 3 Palestinians dead, 185 injured. The most severe exchanges are outside Nablus, where a mosque is torched, allegedly by Jewish settlers, and Palestinians throw stones a funeral procession for a Jewish settler. IDF troops and helicopters escorting the funeral procession respond with gunfire, call in extra attack helicopters, tanks. The riot degenerates into a gunfight btwn. the PA police and IDF and armed Jewish settlers. The IDF also deploys attack helicopters against Palestinian gunmen nr. Bethlehem. In Hebron, 1 IDF soldier is shot, seriously wounded. Israeli border police prevent an ambulance fr. taking 4 seriously wounded Palestinians into Jordan for treatment. (ADM, LAW, REU 10/11; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/12; JT 10/12 in WNC 10/16; JT 11/9 in WNC 11/13)

International mediation efforts continue. UN Sec.-Gen. Annan extends his stay in Israel to meet again with Arafat, Barak. British FM Robin Cook, Russian FM Ivanov, the EU's Solana, Norwegian FM Thorbjoern Jagland also meet with Barak, Arafat. Solana then holds talks with Mubarak in Cairo, King Abdallah in Amman. Russian FM Ivanov goes to Damascus to meet with Syrian pres. Asad, FM Shara`. Mubarak phones Arafat, King Abdallah; receives calls fr. Annan, Turkish pres. Ahmet Necdet Sezer. (Interfax, ITAR-TASS, LPA, MENA 10/11 in WNC 10/12; MENA 10/11, ATL, LPA, al-Safir 10/12 in WNC 10/13; WP, WT 10/12)

Barak, Dep. DM Sneh present the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Comm. with a detailed "disengagement plan" to be implemented if Israel determines that the peace process has totally collapsed. (MM, YA 10/12)

In Ramallah, 1,000s of Palestinians take part in a candle-light vigil calling for a halt to the violence. In the U.S., rallies in solidarity with the Palestinians are held in Kalamazoo, New York. (ADM, LAW, REU 10/11)

FM Peres says 7/4 agmt. calls for phased Israeli pullout fr. West Bank over 2 yrs, starting with 4 towns (Jenin, Nablus, Qalqiliyya, Tulkarm), adding Ramallah, Bethlehem after bypass roads are built; elections to be held end of 1995. PA official says initial pullout will begin 4 wks after agmt. is signed, end 25 days before elections. IDF would temporarily pullout of Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah during voting. PLO will amend charter. Peres warns 7/25 date for signing agmt. might be delayed several wks. Israel's Savir, PA's Qurai` meet in Jerusalem to compose subcomms. to address individual issues. (MM 7/5; HA, VOP 7/5 in FBIS 7/6; WP, WSJ, WT 7/6; PR 7/9) (see 6/27)

In Cairo, technical comm. on Palestinian refugees opens 2d mtg. (MENA 7/4 in FBIS 7/5)=

Arafat, UN Sec. Gen. Butros Butros Ghali meet in Jericho to discuss international presence, joint Israeli-PA patrols in West Bank during interim phase, possibility of Arafat speaking at UN's 50th anniversary conference. (VOP 7/6 in FBIS 7/7)

Addressing the Israeli-American Chamber of Commerce in Tel Aviv, U.S. Amb. to Israel Indyk demands Israel abolish import barriers that discriminate against U.S. imports; notes that, while the U.S. gives Israel $3 b./yr. in loans, grants, $10 b./5 yrs in loan guarantees as incentive to by U.S. products, Israel last yr. ran $1-b. trade surplus with the U.S. and a $7.5-b. trade deficit with the EU. (MM, WSJ 7/6; MM 8/2)

In protest over 7/4 agmt., Jewish settlers begin work on new 600 unit West Bank settlement 6 miles w. of Ramallah. (WT 7/6)

100s of women march in Ramallah, demanding Israel free Palestinian prisoners. Clashes erupt with Israeli border police. (WP 7/6)

Israeli Dep. FM Beilin arrives in Russia for talks aimed at dissuading Russia fr. concluding nuclear arms deal with Iran. (QY 7/5 in FBIS 7/6)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli inquiry into killing of 5 Palestinians in Nahalin (4/13) finds border police opened fire without restraint, action may be taken against 7 soldiers, 4 officers [NYT, LAT 5/5]. Israeli military prosecutor accuses Birzeit University professor Sari Nusaybeh of planning financial, operational aspects of intifadah [NYT 5/5].

Arab World: In response to Arafat's declaration that PLO Charter is "null and void," DFLP leader Nayif Hawatmah states that PLO's current program supersedes all previous positions [FBIS 5/4].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Hebron resident is shot, killed by troops at IDF roadblock inside green line [FBIS 5/4, FJ 5/8]. Israeli settlers set fire to full mosque, shoot, wound 5 Palestinians in Hebron [LAT 5/5]. At least 3 Palestinians from Gaza are shot by troops [FJ 5/8].

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Hundreds of former residents of Birim, Maronite village on Israel's northern border evacuated in 1948, call on government to allow them to return now that security prevails, government reportedly will not agree to setting precedent since estimated 50,000 Arabs in Israel might also demand return to their original homes; another outbreak of mass sickness on West Bank causes hospitalization of 164 girls from Tulkarm and Anabta, 240 in Yatta; results of International Red Cross investigation of illnesses, released by Israeli Health Ministry, indicate no evidence of poison or toxic material, conclude that epidemic is mass phenomenon devoid of danger; curfew imposed in Yatta, 6 other areas; 2 IDF soldiers, border policeman, and 2 Nablus residents wounded by hand-grenade in Nablus; Israeli bank ransacked during protest demonstrations in Tulkarm; Israeli targets stoned in other West Bank towns; 18 year-old boy shot in arm and stomach by settler driving past al-Arub refugee camp, police question settler and impound his rifle; 2 Israelis injured by stones in Qalqilya; 2 Arab youths injured when Israeli driver swerves his car into group throwing stones; 65 year-old Jerusalem woman hospitalized after being beaten and stabbed, members of Jewish religious school seeking to take over her property are suspected; IDF investigating 2 settler-related shooting incidents in Hebron and Nablus areas; Muslim religious leaders call students to hold protest gathering at Dome of Rock against last year's Easter attack by Israeli soldier; police use teargas to disperse demonstration near Damascus Gate, 8 arrested; police prevent group of 50 Jewish religious nationalists, including Meir Kahane, from entering Temple Mount, group then holds prayers outside gates; teenage nephew of Kahane arrested after firing Uzi at Palestinian demonstrators.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat and Hussein hold third round of talks, Arafat tells news conference he is still committed to Fez summit resolutions, Farouk Kaddoumi says Reagan plan is not a vehicle for negotiation, Abujihad says PLO is not giving a mandate to anyone.

Arab Governments: Mubarak, in Peking, urges PLO and King Hussein to enter talks on Reagan plan soon, before next US election campaign.

US and Other Countries: US diplomats in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem reportedly sceptical of official Israeli explanation of mass illnesses, point to fact that Israelis on West Bank displayed same symptoms.