The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Justice Minister denies France's request to extradite William Nakash, convicted of 1983 murder of an Arab in France [FJ 12/12].

Other Countries: The Times (London) reports discovery of plot to kidnap British ambassador in Turkey and exchange him for arrested members of Abu Nidal organization [LT 12/4].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli soldiers firing to break up student demonstration kill 2 Palestinian students, wound at least 11 others outside Birzeit University. Demonstration was in response to an Israeli military roadblock [FJ, NYT 12/5].

Arab World: Police records reveal that the last two months of fighting between Shi'a and Palestinians in Lebanon have left 550 dead, 2,000 wounded, and large numbers dislocated [NYT 12/5]. Israeli gunboats attack Palestinian refugee camps in S. Lebanon, the third time Israeli military has supported Amal in the last 2 weeks of fighting. Druze and Amal leaders announce draft agreement for solution to camps war. Plan still requires Palestinian support [FT 12/5]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Several thousand people, including several Jews, march to commemorate 30th anniversary of 1956 Kafr Qasim massacre (WP 10/30).

Other Countries: Le Monde reports that Syria helped France reach "truce" with group believed to have exploded bombs in Paris. "Truce" will last until February when Georges Ibrahim 'Abdallah is to stand trial. Meanwhile, Saudi newspaper publishes interview with French interior minister saying Syrian and French secret services were involved in "real cooperation" to prevent terrorist bombings (NYT, WP 10/30).

Military Action

Arab World: In Lebanon, Palestinian Amal rocket and artillery battles spread to Beirut suburb Burj al-Barajinah, which has been quiet since the summer when 200 were killed in Palestinian camps. Druze leader Walid Jumblatt warns Palestinians against using south Lebanon for "military adventurism." AP reports UN and Palestinian sources estimate 3,500 Palestinian guerrillas have returned to refugee camps in Lebanon in past six months (NYT, WP 10/30). Syria begins formation of joint leftist force to fight Fateh in the Lebanese camps. Force would comprise fighters from Druze Progressive Socialist party, Lebanese Ba'th, Syrian Social Nationalist party, and Lebanese Communist party (JP 10/30).

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli authorities close Nablus offices of Construction and Public Institutions Unions and Union of Public Service Workers for one year for "security reasons," alleging groups are linked to PFLP (Fl 9/26).

Arab World: Egypt's ambassador to Israel assumes functions in Tel Aviv (WP 9/24).

Other Countries: UN Security Council adopts resolution calling on Israel to withdraw troops from S. Lebanon and to permit UNIFIL to move up to border. U.S. abstains; 14 members of council vote in favor of resolution (WP 9/24).

Military Action

Arab World: IDF warplanes bomb Palestinian targets in Druze-controlled Shuf mountains southeast of Beirut, the tenth airstrike in Lebanon this year; two women are wounded. New York Times reports five wounded, four Druze villages bombed (NYT 9/24). Defense Minister Rabin tours SLA outposts before raid, vows to crush attempts to attack SLA which has lost 16 men in recent weeks. French continue to evacuate positions for safer ground (NYT, WP 9/23). Shamir says Israel is not planning an invasion (NYT 9/24).

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli Energy Minister announces plan for "resolving difficulties" of Arab-owned Jersualem Electric Co. (JP 9/1).

Arab World: Soviet delegation arrives in Damascus. Lebanese P.M. Rashid Karami, Salim al-Huss, Amal leader Nabih Birri, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt meet Syrian V.P. Khaddam in Damascus. Jordanian P.M. Rifa'i travels to Egypt in effort to draw Jordan into upcoming Egypt-Israel summit (JP 9/1).

Military Action

Arab World: SLA attacks village of Qabrika, near Tyre, wounds five, kills one girl, destroys ten houses (JP 9/1; FBIS 9/2).

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli Attorney General Harish orders police investigation (under news blackout) into Shin Bet scandal, after cabinet votes 14-11 not to establish government commission ofinquiry (a parliamentary victory for Likud) [NYT 7/14].

Arab World: Yasir Arafat, in interview with Der Spiegel, calls for handing the occupied territories over to UN control.

Military Action

Arab World: Israeli jets bomb two buildings 10 miles southeast of Beirut, killing 2 Palestinians and 2 Druze militiamen and injuring 4; Israeli army states targets were PFLP and DFLP bases; raid follows overnight rocket attacks on northern Galilee region, which reportedly caused no injury or damage [WP, NYT 7/15].

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: King Hussein arrives in France, is met by P.M. Chirac.

Other Countries: U.S. will investigate possible Israeli spy ring in U.S. [LAT 6/3].

Military Action

Arab World: In south Beirut, Amal is attacked by Druze and Sunni militias as it continues fighting Palestinians in camps [LT 6/3].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli magistrate's court in Haifa remands 10 Palestinians from inside the Green Line who are alleged to have been organized in the Palestinian resistance movement and to have killed an Israeli soldier in August 1984; some of the detainees have travelled to Cyprus and are alleged to have continued on to Syria for military training, as well as being members of the PFLP [FJ 4/25]. Yesh Gvul (There Is a Limit) organization holds press conference in West Jerusalem announcing their refusal to serve in the occupied territories [FJ 5/2]. Moshe Mendelbaum, governor of the Bank of Israel, states he will resign within 30 days; Giora Gazit, chairman of Bank Hapoalim, announces his resignation [WSJ, MG 4/22]. The number of West Bankers working inside the Green Line declined slightly last year to 47,000 each week, down from 50,000 weekly during the previous year; the number of Gazans working inside the Green Line increased from 41,000 to 42,000 weekly; the work force in the occupied territories reached 251,000 weekly last year, a 2% rise from 1984 [JP 4/21].

Arab World: PFLP announces 13 guerrilla organizations held a secret conference in Damascus last week and decided to escalate attacks against U.S. targets to avenge air strikes on Libya; the groups included the 6 Palestinian factions making up the Palestine National Salvation Front, as well as 7 unidentified "liberation movements," according to the source [JP 4/22]. Druze leader Walid Jumblatt denies meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin in Geneva in February, as was reported by Agence France Presse [JP 4/22].

Other Countries: P.M. Peres meets in Paris with French Pres. Francois Mitterrand and P.M. Jacques Chirac for talks on terrorism and Peres' proposal for a M. E. Marshall Plan [JP 4/22]. U.S. Justice Dept. notifies Congress it does not plan to seek prosecution of Yasir Arafat for the murders of 2 U.S. diplomats on 5/2/73 [WP, BG 4/22]. U.S. State Dept. has appealed ruling by U.S. district judge allowing PLO Permanent Observer to the UN Zuhdi Tarzi to travel to Cambridge, Mass. for a debate despite State's travel ban on Tarzi, on grounds it would lend legitimacy to the PLO [BG 4/22].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Over 700 Israeli border police and security forces gather in 4 Druze villages in the Golan Heights to prevent rallies and demonstrations the 40th anniversary of Syria's independence; busloads of sympathizers from the occupied territories areturned back at roadblocks [JP 4/18].

Other Countries: Ecuador, a member of OPEC, recently repaid a $5 million debt to Israel in oil despite an embargo by OPEC on sales to Israel, according to a report in Ha'Aretz [JC 4/17].

Military Action

Arab World: Bodies of 1 kidnaped American, Peter Kilburn, and 2 kidnaped Britons, Philip Padfield and John Leigh Douglas, are found near Beirut with note stating they were killed in retaliation for Britain's role in the U.S. bombing raids on Libya; note is signed by "Arab Fida'iyyin Cells" [NYT, WP, FT 4/18; LT. 4/19].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: The Reagan administration is reportedly quietly encouraging Israel to sell arms to Iraq, according to an unnamed report published in London [JP 3/21]. Several thousand Golan Heights Druze converge on Majd al-Shams to protest police confiscation of 2 tons of apples belonging to Druze growers who allegedly failed to submit income tax returns UTA, JP 3/24].

Arab World: Yasir Arafat is quoted as saying the United Arab Emirates has resumed financial aid to the PLO [BG 3/22].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Galilee district police report huge quantities of arms and ammunition were seized last year in Palestinian villages in the Galilee and Druze villages in the Golan, most stolen from the Israeli army [JP 3/12].

Arab World: King Hussein states Jordan will continue to abide by Rabat summit conference decisions, will not replace PLO as representative of Palestinian people, gives guarded pledge of assistance to Palestinians in occupied territories [JP 3/12].

Other Countries: U.S. Asst. Sec. of State Richard Murphy states U.S. will unfreeze $150 million of the $1.3 billion civilian aid program for Egypt in wake of police rioting 2 weeks ago. (U.S. had been withholding the aid to express displeasure at Egypt's failure to implement economic reforms) [WP, FT 3/12]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Some 50 Palestinians held in detention for suspected antiIsrael activities have been released because of overcrowding; some 200 Palestinians were arrested following assassination of Zafir al-Masri; 20 are still being held on suspicion of links with the PFLP. Over 60 Golan Heights Druze have been arrested following P.M. Peres' visit to the area [LT 3/10]. Five leading black American university officials visit Israel in pilot project aimed at creating an academic bond between their institutions in the American south and Hebrew University in Jerusalem [JTA 3/11]. Violence breaks out between participants at Herut party convention over struggle for chairmanship of the party [BG 3/11].

Arab World: An Iraqi deputy foreign minister reportedly recently met with Israeli Ambassador to the UN Binyamin Netanyahu, on Iraq's initiative, to seek advice on Iranian army's capabilities and intentions; Israeli Foreign Ministry officials deny the reports [JP 3/10].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Palestinian resident of Balata refugee camp is shot and killed after he refused to stop and identify himself, military spokesman says [LAT 3/11; LT 3/12].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: An Israeli army intelligence report dated 6/30/48 has recently surfaced which states more than 70 percent of the Palestinian exodus from Palestine by June 1948 was caused by Jewish military attacks [JP 3/2]. In last 3 days, Israeli security forces have freed 32 Palestinians held under administrative detention orders because 6-month detention period had ended; freed detainees were asked to sign document sating they would not commit future offenses; some refused to sign [JP 3/3]. Israel has agreed to allow Golan Heights Druze to export apples to Syria, possibly through Jordan or directly; P.M. Peres also favors renewing family reunions between Golan and Syrian Druze, which were stopped by Syrians several years ago [JP 3/2].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli-appointed Palestinian mayor of Nablus, Zafir alMasri, is shot dead by a single, unidentified assailant. In Damascus, the PFLP claims responsibility; in Beirut, a telephone caller claims responsibility on behalf of Fateh Revolutionary Council (Abu Nidal group) [NYT, PI, CT 3/3]. Nablus city council appoints Deputy Mayor Hafiz Tuqan mayor [CSM 3/3].

Arab World: Israeli army patrol north of the S. Lebanon "security zone" intercepts guerrilla squad, kills 1 [JP, JTA 3/3].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin meets with 20 West Bank personalities, outlines Israel's policy of encouraging talks with a Jordanian-Palestinian delegation as long as none are PLO members [FJ 2/28]. Rashid al-Ja'bari, head of Hebron Chamber of Commerce and son of late Mayor Shaykh Muhammad 'Ali Ja'bari, has submitted candidacy for mayor to the civil administration [JP 2/25]. P.M. Peres makes surprise visit to Golan Heights, sparking violent demonstrations by about 5,000 Druze; five Israeli policemen are wounded [JP 2/26; FJ 2/28]. Golan figures who meet with Peres are also attacked [FJ 2/28]. Israel is now largest supplier of arms to China, selling 100 times as much as Britain last year [DT 2/25].