The Palestine Chronology

The IDF shells the home of PSF West Bank head Jibril Rajub, injuring 6 bodyguards; Rajub, his family are home but are not injured. The IDF also directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at al-Arub refugee camp, Bayt Jala, al-Bireh, Hebron, al-Khadir, Ramallah. Jewish settlers establish a new settlement enclave in Nabi Salih, nr. Ramallah; occupy 2 Palestinian shops in Jerusalem's Old City; set Palestinian wheat fields on fire nr. Hebron. Israel's Peace Now reports that at least 15 new Jewish settlement sites have been established since Sharon was elected in 2/01. (HP, Peace Now press release 5/20; NYT, PMC, WT 5/21; HA, WP 5/22; HA, MM, NYT 5/23; PCHR 5/24; LAW 5/25; MEI 6/1)

The Mitchell Comm. gives Israel, the PA its final report, which is identical to its preliminary report (see 5/16). Comm. heads Mitchell and fmr. sen. Warren Rudman send a letter to the Anti-Defamation League stressing that the report makes no direct linkage between halting violence, halting settlements. (MENA 5/21 in WNC 5/22; ITAR-TASS 5/21, AYM, HJ, MENA 5/22 in WNC 5/23; MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/22; MM, WP 5/23; AYM, HA, JT, MA, MENA, QA, al-Ra'i 5/23 in WNC 5/24; WJW 5/24; QA 5/25 in WNC 5/29; MEI 6/1; NYT 6/2)

Angry over Sharon's decision to use F-16s on 5/18 without consulting the full cabinet or security cabinet, the full Israeli cabinet limits the "kitchenette" (Sharon, Peres, Ben-Eliezer) to ordering strikes against 3 types of Palestinian targets without prior approval. (HA 5/21; MA 5/21 in WNC 5/22)

U.S. VP Dick Cheney states that the Israel should stop using American-supplied F-16s against Palestinian targets. Sharon says Israel will use as much military force against the Palestinians as it deems necessary. (MM, NYT, WT 5/21; al-Quds 5/21 in WNC 5/22; QA 5/21 in WNC 5/23; WJW 5/24; MEI 6/1)