The Palestine Chronology

After 21 straight hrs. of talks with Pres. Clinton, Israel, PA reach an agmt. at Wye. Following a delay caused by Netanyahu's last minute claim that the U.S. backed out of a promise to release spy for Israel Pollard as part of the deal, the agmt. is signed at the White House. (MM, PR 10/23; IDF Radio, ITV, MENA 10/23 in WNC 10/26; IDF Radio, ITV, JTV, MENA 10/23, ATL, ITAR-TASS, JT, MENA, RE, RJ, al-Thawra 10/24, al-Ahram, al-Aswaq, ITV, MENA, al-Ra'i, RL, YA 10/25, MA, RL, al-Wafd 10/26 in WNC 10/27; NYT, WP, WT 10/24; WT 10/25; al-Ahram 10/25. al-Akhbar, al-Ba'th, al-Jumhuriyya, MENA 10/26, AFP 10/27 in WNC 10/28; MM 10/26; WJW 10/29; MEI 10/30; SA 10/30 in WNC 11/6; JP 11/2; NYT 11/11; WT 11/12; MM 11/13)

Pres. Clinton, King Hussein rejoin Wye talks. By evening, some agmts. have been reached, others are near. Over dinner, King Hussein gives an "impassioned speech," calling on Arafat, Netanyahu to keep making progress. Egypt's Mubarak phones Clinton to discuss the talks. (MM 10/22; VOA 10/22 in WNC 10/23; ITV, MENA 10/22 in WNC 10/26; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/23; JT, JTV, al-Ra'i 10/22, Shihan 10/24 in WNC 10/23 [dates as published]; JTV 10/22, IDF Radio 10/23 in WNC 10/26; NYT 10/25)

State Dept., White House meet with major U.S. oil companies to press them to build a pipeline to bring Caspian crude fr. Azerbaijan to Turkey, avoiding Russia, Iran. Oil companies do not believe the region can export enough oil in the nr. future to justify the $3.7-b. project, which the U.S. does not want to fund. (WP 10/28; MEI, WP, WT 10/30) (see 10/21)

An Israeli court orders 3 border policemen detained on suspicion of having shot at a Palestinian van 10/18. (WP 10/23) (see 10/21)

Israeli police arrest a mbr. of a right-wing Jewish group for carrying out 7 knife attacks on Palestinians in Jerusalem btwn. 11/97 and 5/98, killing 1. (AFP [Internet] 10/22)

U.S. announces plans to present a text outlining what it believes to be the points of accord btwn. Israel, the PA reached thus far, which could be signed as a partial agmt. Fearing an ultimatum, Netanyahu threatens to send his delegation home, holds conference call with Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations to mobilize its support in an anticipated public row with the White House. Clinton cancels plans to return to Wye, Albright suspends U.S. participation until Netanyahu agrees to resume security talks. After several hrs. of security talks involving CIA Dir. Tenet, Netanyahu agrees to stay. (MM 10/21; IDF Radio, ITV 10/21 in WNC 10/22; ITV 10/21 in WNC 10/23; al-Akhbar, ITV 10/21, Globes [Internet] 10/22 in WNC 10/23; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/22; ITV, al-Quds 10/22 in WNC 10/26; MM, WP 10/23; WP 10/24; NYT 10/25; MEI 10/30)

The U.S. asks Israel to investigate 2 incidents in 3/98 (3/10, 3/13) in which the IDF shot Palestinians, raising the issue for the 1st time under a U.S. law that can limit foreign aid when troops abuse human rights. (WP 10/22)

During morning rush hr., Jewish settlers block traffic at 3 major junctions in the West Bank to protest possibility of a compromise agmt. with the PA. (WP 10/22)

To block a rider on an unrelated issue, Pres. Clinton vetoes a bill that would pay $1 b. in late dues to the UN. Although a separate spending bill has been passed to pay the UN enough to allow the U.S. to keep its voting rights in the UNGA, UN Secy. Gen. Kofi Annan says that the UN feels "deceived," having carried out reforms demanded by Congress in exchange for payment of U.S. arrears. (NYT, WP 10/22)

Saying it impedes the ability of the pres. to conduct foreign policy in the interest of national security, Pres. Clinton signs a determination waiving legislation that allows property held by a foreign state to be subject to legal claim, blocking the Flatow's attempt to take possession of 12 Iranian holdings. (Federal Register 11/2) (see 9/27)

U.S. grants Turkey $823,000 in technical assistance to help plan its part of a proposed oil/gas pipeline linking Azerbaijan with the Turkish port of Ceyhan. (WP 10/23) (see 5/14)

After a brief 3-way mtg. at the White House, Pres. Clinton, Arafat, PM Netanyahu, their delegations head to Wye Plantation in Maryland for negotiations. (MM, WJW 10/15; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/16; YA 10/16 in WNC 10/19; al-Akhbar 10/16 in WNC 10/20)

Egypt's Pres. Mubarak, Jordan's King Hussein discuss Wye talks by phone. In Cairo, Jordanian PM Tarawnah briefs Mubarak on Crown Prince Hassan's mtgs. with Arafat (10/12), Netanyahu (10/14). (MENA 10/15 in WNC 10/16; JTV 10/15 in WNC 10/19)

Lebanese parliament elects (118-0, with 10 absentees, including Druze leader Junblatt, his bloc) Gen. Lahoud as Lebanon's new pres. He will take office 11/24. (MM 10/15; RL 10/15 in WNC 10/16; SATN 10/15 in WNC 10/19; al-Nahar 10/15, RL 10/18 in WNC 10/20; NYT, WP, WT 10/16; RL 10/16 in WNC 10/19; al-Ittihad 10/18 in WNC 10/23; IRNA 10/19 in WNC 10/21; MM 10/28) (see 10/13)

Turkey rejects Syrian offer to discuss water sharing, says Syria must first drop support for Kurdish separatists. (NYT, WP 10/16; HUR 10/16 in WNC 10/19) (see 10/14)

PSF detains 2 Israelis outside PA negotiator Abbas's home in al-Bireh. The Israelis, who turn out to be settler security guards dressed in civilian clothes, claim they entered th PA area to pursue stone-throwers. (PR 10/23)

30 Jewish settlers led by a Molodet party MK occupy a vacant Palestinian home in East Jerusalem, sparking scuffles with Palestinians. 100 Israeli policemen are brought in to quell the disturbances. (IDF Radio 10/15 in WNC 10/19; NYT 10/16; PR 10/23)

Unidentified assailants fire bomb several Palestinian homes in Bethlehem, seriously damaging 1. Palestinians blame local Jewish settlers. (AFP [Internet] 10/17)