The Palestine Chronology

At 9:30 P.M. EST (3:30 A.M. on 11/11 local time), Arafat dies in a Paris hospital. The PA declares a 40-day mourning period; immediately begins preparations to hold a state funeral in Cairo on 11/12, followed by his “temporary” burial in his Ramallah compound (the Muqata) later in the day. Earlier this afternoon, in anticipation of Arafat’s passing, the PLO Exec. Comm., the PA national security council, Fatah Central Comm., senior PC mbrs. meet in Ramallah to discuss leadership transitions, intentions to hold elections within 60 days of Arafat’s death, in keeping with the unratified Basic Law. (MM 11/10; AFP, JAZ, MENA, VOP 11/10 in WNC 11/12; BBC, CSM, HA, JAZ, MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/11; AFP, ATL, DS, Interfax, IRNA, ITAR-TASS, JAZ, JT, MENA, VOI, VOP, XIN 11/11 in WNC 11/13; NYT, WP 11/12; PCHR 11/18; JPI 11/19)

The IDF reinforces troops around, further restricts Palestinian access to East Jerusalem; raids, kills 2 Palestinian gunmen in an exchange of fire nr. Bayt Hanun; fatally shoots a Palestinian swimming in a prohibited zone off the coast of Gaza; bulldozes 50 d. nr. Khan Yunis. Palestinians fire 3 mortars at Neve Dekalim, causing no damage or injuries. (HA, VOI, VOP 11/10 in WNC 11/12; PRCS, WP 11/11)

The IDF continues operations in Jenin, fatally shooting a wanted Palestinian in an exchange of fire during an arrest raid, firing on stone-throwing Palestinian youths. The IDF closes the Rafah crossing to Egypt; fires on residential and agricultural areas nr. Netzarim, seriously wounding a 52-yr.-old farmer in his field; bulldozes 15 d., shells residential areas nr. Rafah; bulldozes 4 d. outside Einav settlement nr. Tulkarm; raids 20 homes, a mosque during evening prayers in Hebron, holds those in the mosque for 3 hrs. of interrogation; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Dura. In Hebron, 2 Palestinians are killed in a mysterious explosion. The AMB distributes leaflets across the territories warning the Palestinian leadership not to give up armed struggle or compromise on Palestinian national rights now that Arafat is in Paris for treatment. (PRCS 10/31; WT 11/2; PCHR 11/4)

The IDF continues operations in Jenin for a 3d day, firing on stone-throwing youths, conducting arrest raids and house searches; demolishes 7 Palestinian homes in Rafah; confiscates 308 d. of Palestinian land in Shufa nr. Tulkarm for military purposes; bulldozes 31 d., 3 wells nr. Rafah; conducts arrest raids, house searches in ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’, al-‘Aza, al-Khadir. Armed Jewish settlers fr. Shvut Rachel chase Palestinian olive harvesters away fr. their groves; the IDF intervenes, allowing Palestinians to continue the harvest. (HA, PM 10/29; VOI 10/29 in WNC 10/30; PRCS 10/30; PCHR 11/4)

Arafat arrives at a military hospital in Paris. Before leaving Ramallah, he authorizes Abbas, who is secy. gen. of the PLO Exec. Comm. and the dep. secy. of the Fatah Central Comm., to assume responsibility for day-to-day affairs of the PLO and Fatah in the territories. (Technically, Faruq Qaddumi, as secy. of the Fatah Central Comm., automatically becomes Fatah chmn. in Arafat’s absence, but since he based in Tunis, Abbas, as dep. secy., assumes his duties in the territories.) (BBC, HA, MM, WT 10/29; AFP, HJ, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, JAZ, al-Quds, PSCT, VOI, VOP 10/29 in WNC 10/30; NYT, WP, WT 10/30; MM 11/1; WJW 11/4; MEI 11/5)

IDF undercover units assassinate senior AMB mbr. Ibrahim Issa in Qalqilya. The IDF continues operations in Jenin town and r.c., firing on stone-throwing youths, searching homes. Late in the evening, IDF troops in Jenin r.c. shoot, critically wound a Palestinian teenager for no apparent reason, bar his transportation to a hospital, and take him into custody, where he dies. The IDF also directs heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Khan Yunis, fatally shooting a 7-yr.-old Palestinian girl walking to school; fires on residential areas of Dayr al-Balah, Rafah; fire on stone-throwing youths in Nablus; demolishes 6 Palestinian homes, bulldozes 15 d. nr. Rafah, leaving 131 people homeless; conducts arrest raids, house searches in ‘Ayn Bayt al-Ma’ r.c., Dahaysha r.c., al-Khadir. Palestinians fire mortars at Morag, wounding 5 Jewish settlers. Jewish settlers fr. Pdu’el harvest olives on nearby Palestinian land to which Palestinian farmers have been barred access by the IDF; Jewish settlers fr. Otniel harvest, damage Palestinian olive trees nr. Yatta; Jewish settlers fr. Avi Gayel outpost attack Palestinians harvesting olives nr. Qawawis nr. Yatta. The IDF also halts construction of a Palestinian apartment building nr. a settler bypass road outside Bayt Sahur, claiming the apartment complex (which has been under construction with Israeli permits since 1994, is home to 250 residents) is not within the Bayt Sahur municipal boundaries and is therefore illegal. ( JTA 10/28; VOI, VOP, YA 10/28, VOI 10/29 in WNC 10/30; PRCS 10/30; WP 10/29; PM 11/1; PCHR 11/4)

Arafat’s condition stabilizes overnight, but he remains critically ill. Doctors, speculating that he may have a potentially fatal blood disorder, order his transport to Paris for further tests. (BBC, HA, MM 10/28; ATL, HA, JAZ, MENA, PSCT, VOI, VOP 10/28 in WNC 10/30; NYT, WP, WT 10/29; PR 11/3)

The IDF imposes a curfew on Jenin town and r.c., closes off all access roads leading to the city, conducts arrest raids and house searches, fires on residential areas; withdraws fr. Bayt Hanun, having leveled 100 d. of citrus groves since 10/26, 1 Palestinian home,5wells. Palestinians fire a Qassam rocket at the Negev, causing no damage or injuries. Jewish settlers fr. Shilo attack, chase off a group of Palestinians harvesting olives in nearby al-Mughayyir village. Israeli sources confirm that the West Jerusalem municipality has completed plans for construction of a new 280-unit Jewish settlement quarter in Abu Dis in East Jerusalem following completion of the separation wall through Abu Dis. A Palestinian dies of injuries received on 10/2 during the IDF attack on n. Gaza. In Gaza, scores of Palestinians protest increasing crime, kidnappings, violence in Gaza and demand security, legal reforms. (HJ, al-Quds, VOI, VOP 10/27 in WNC 10/29; PCHR, PRCS 10/28; PRCS 10/30; PR 11/3; PCHR 11/4)

An Israeli court rules that Palestinian residents of Jerusalem have the right to register any child under age 12 without having to apply for family reunification even if 1 parent holds a West Bank ID. Previously, the Israeli Interior Min. asserted that any such children not registered by age 1 would have to apply for family reunification. (PR 11/3)

Arafat collapses in his Ramallah headquarters and deteriorates dramatically during the day, reportedly lapsing in and out of consciousness. His personal doctor is summoned fr. Amman, a medical team fr. Egypt, and his wife fr. Paris, raising speculation that he is nearing death. (AP, BBC, CNN, HA, REU 10/27; JAZ, JP, LBC, MENA, PSCT, VOI, VOP, YA 10/27 in WNC 10/29; AP, BBC, HA, MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 10/28; PR, WT 11/3; MEI 11/5)