The Palestine Chronology

In response to a letter fr. Arafat asking him to "save the peace process," Israeli Pres. Ezer Weizman invites Arafat to meet him in Israel, says he would postpone mtg. if PM Netanyahu agreed to meet Arafat himself within 10 days. PM Netanyahu reluctantly endorses Weizman-Arafat mtg., says he will meet with Arafat soon. (CSM, NYT, WP 8/26; WT 8/28; WJW 8/29; MM, PR 8/30; JP 8/31; MM 9/2; MEI 9/6; JP 9/7)

In Amman, Japanese FM Ikeda signs memorandum of understanding with Jordan under which Japan will grant Jordan $7 m. to finance building new King Hussein bridge, travelers terminal once the sovereignty/legal status of West Bank has been determined. Japan has given Jordan $340 m. in aid, loans in the past yr. (RJ 8/25 in WNC 8/29; JT 9/14 in WNC 9/19)

Israel moves first 11 of 298 mobile homes into 2 West Bank settlements. (WP 8/26; PR 8/30)

2d round of Lebanese voting is held in n. Lebanon. Observers report sharp drop in electoral abuses after opposition charged widespread fraud in 1st round 8/18. Hizballah does not run a slate; all 4 al-Jama` al-Islamiyya candidates are defeated. Most of the 28 elected are progovernment, although the 1 Syrian Ba'th party candidate loses. (CSM 8/26; MM 8/28; RL 8/28 in WNC 8/30; MEI 9/6)

As Kurdish fighting in n. Iraq enters its 9th day, Baghdad comes out in support of KDP, accuses Iran of manipulating the PUK to destabilize the north. (MM 8/27) (see 8/22)

Secy. of State Christopher meets with Netanyahu. Then discusses with FM Levy a CIA report that says N. Korea recently has supplied Egypt with military equipment that could be used to build Scud-C surface-to-surface missiles. Egypt says it has only bought spare parts for earlier make of Scud. PA, Arab states are "not encouraged" by mtg., see Christopher as parroting Netanyahu, criticize him for not mentioning UN Res. 242. (QY, YA 6/25, JP 6/26 in FBIS 6/26; CSM, MM, WP, WT 6/26; SARR 6/26 in FBIS 6/27; Syria Times 6/26 in FBIS 7/1; MM 6/27; MEI 7/5; JP 7/6; WT 7/31)

PC mbr. `Abbas Zaki (F-Hebron) is detained at the Allenby Bridge crossing for 6 hrs.; IDF temporarily confiscates his passport, VIP card before allowing him to leave to attend a mtg. in Vietnam. (ITV 6/25 in FBIS 6/26; PR 7/5; NYT 8/15)

2-day PA-EU partnership and cooperation mtg. begins in Brussels. (Le Soir [Brussels] 6/26 in FBIS 6/28)

Outside the al-Khobar U.S. military barracks nr. Dahran, Saudi Arabia, truck bomb detonates, killing 23 Americans, wounding more than 100. No one claims responsibility. (MM 6/25; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/26, 6/27)

At Erez crossing point, Palestinians pelt IDF soldiers with rotting potatoes, flowers, spoiled because they could not be moved to marketplaces in Israel because of the closure. (WT 3/17)

Allenby Bridge crossing is opened for 7 hrs.; Gaza residents are not allowed to cross. (RJ 3/15 in FBIS 3/18)

PA security forces arrest 35 Islamic Jihad mbrs., inc. spokesman `Abdallah al-Shami and top mbr. Muhammad al-Hindi, in continuing crackdown on Islamists. (JTV 3/16 in FBIS 3/18; WT 3/17)

In Rafah, PA police arrest Hamas leader Sayyid Abu-Musamih. (QY 3/11 in FBIS 3/12; WT 3/12) (see 12/12/95)

Overnight and early morning, IDF raids several villages in the Bethlehem, Nablus, Tulkarm areas; arrests 29 alleged Hamas mbrs. (QY 3/11 in FBIS 3/12)

IDF lifts curfew btwn. Palestinian villages, cities for 12 hrs. to allow Palestinians to stock up on food, supplies; opens Allenby bridge crossing to tourists, those with visas. (PBC 3/10, QY, VOP 3/11 in FBIS 3/11; VOP 3/11 in FBIS 3/12)