The Palestine Chronology

Arab members of coalition end 2-day meeting in Cairo, find Baghdad's conditions for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait unacceptable, call on Saddam to leave "without conditions or strings" [MENA 2/16 in FBIS 2/19; NYT 2/17]; countries also propose economic and defense arrangements to improve Middle East postwar security [WP 2/17], and reaffirm support for Palestinian state, without mention of PLO [MEM 2/18].

Soviet Union concludes conditions set by Baghdad for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait would render its 2/15 proposal meaningless [NYT, WP 2/17].

2 U.S. A-10 fighter-bombers are short down over Kuwait: Iraq says 130 civilians killed on 2/14 when British bombs hit marketplace in Falluja [AFP 2/16 in FBIS 2/19; NYT 2/17]. Iraq launches 2 SCUD missiles at southern Israel; no damage [JAA 2/16 in FBIS 2/19; NYT, MEM 2/18].

Likud supporters criticize MKs Dedi Zucker and Chaim Oron for their 2/13 report on settlement construction (see JPS 79), saying report led U.S. admin. to delay granting $400 million in housing loan guarantees [IDF 2/16 in FBIS 2/19].

As Israeli authorities continue selectively to release Palestinian workers from war-induced curfew, many Palestinians are finding Soviet Jewish immigrants have taken over their jobs, according to New York Times [NYT 2/17].

PLO revolutionary courts condemn to death, then execute, 20 Fateh members who had rebelled againstheir commander earlier in the week [NYT 2/17].

Yasir Arafat arrives in Amman from Iraq to meet King Hussein [NYT 2/17]. 

After day of multinational force bombing successes against Iraq, Baghdad fires as many as 8 SCUD missiles at Israel, hitting Tel Aviv, Haifa, and less populated areas [NYT, LAT, WT, WP, MEM 1/18].

Saddam Hussein defies 2d day of bombing in Baghdad by touring Iraq's capital; vows to defeat multinational force and liberate Palestine; calls on all Arabs to help resist U.S. [NYT, LAT, WP, MEM 1/18].

Anti-U.S. demonstrations erupt in Algeria, smaller protests in European cities but European gov'ts. give full backing to war effort; Iran condemns U.S.-led invasion; Pres. Gorbachev blames Iraqi intransigence for war, but only after trying to get Pres. Bush to postpone attack long enough for Soviet diplomats to try to speak to Saddam Hussein; Japan pledges additional aid for allied effort [MEM 1/17; NYT 1/18].

Turkey's parliament authorizes U.S. fighters and bombers to launch attacks on Iraq from Incirlik Air Base near Adama on the Mediterranean [NYT, LAT, MEM 1/18].

New York Times reports of CIA's psychological warfare against Iraq: broadcasting anti-Saddam propaganda into Iraq, circulat- ing audio and video cassettes depicting Saddam's regime as corrupt, and smuggling radios into Iraq to receive American broadcasts [NYT 1/19].

Curfew in Gaza continues; Israel places West Bank under curfew [JDS, IDF 1/17 in FBIS 1/17].

PLO Executive Committee issues statement decrying U.S. for beginning Gulf war and calling for worldwide resistance [AVP, MAP, AFP 1/17 in FBIS 1/18; MEM 1/17; WP 1/18].