The Palestine Chronology

U.S. Defense Secy. William Cohen receives official Israeli delegation. (NYT 10/10)

In Damascus, Iran, Syria hold talks on agricultural, research cooperation. (IRNA 10/9 in WNC 10/14)

In Halhul, IDF arrests 10s of Palestinians after clash, which began when IDF troops demolished 10s of "illegal" vegetable stands along the main roads. (PR 10/17)

 U.S. Amb. to Tel Aviv Martin Indyk is confirmed as asst. secy. of state for Near Eastern affairs. He will be replaced by Amb. to Cairo Edward Walker Jr., who will be replaced by Daniel Kurtzer. (Near East Report 10/20)

Results of the vote by American Jews for U.S. delegates to the World Zionist Congress are released: Reform and Conservative slate pulls 72.7%, Orthodox 10.8%, Labor 3.4%, Likud 1.9%. (NYT 10/10)

U.S. special envoy Ross continues shuttling btwn. Netanyahu, Arafat; says that as the 1st step toward salvaging the peace talks, Israel, the PA must work together to determine the identity of the 2 men responsible for the 7/30 bombings; says some progress has been made toward this end. In the evening, U.S., PA, Israeli security officials meet. (MM 8/11; ITV 8/11 in WNC 8/12; CSM, NYT, WP 8/12; MA 8/12 in WNC 8/12; JP 8/16)

During a brief confrontation, Palestinian youths angry over the closure clash with IDF troops at a checkpoint in Ramallah. (NYT 8/12)

1 Israeli injured in the 7/30 bombing dies, bringing death toll to 16, including the 2 bombers. (WP 8/12)

In Jerusalem, 150 Conservative, Reform Jewish men, women attempt to pray together at the Western Wall. They are jeered by Orthodox Jews, who call them "terrorists," "Hamas," "Christians"; are forcibly removed fr. the wall by Israeli police. (NYT 8/12)

Israel encourages Germany to take action against Hamas supporters suspected of operating in Berlin, Aachen. Israel charges that some 70 Hamas supporters have been fundraising in Germany since 1994. (Der Spiegel 8/11 in WNC 8/12)

Fmr. Jordanian FMin. official Muhammad al-Khalili announces the founding of Voice of Peace, a new newspaper to be published in Arabic, English, Hebrew. Israeli authors will be among the contributors. (al-Quds 8/11 in WNC 8/14)

IDF prevents an Amnesty International team fr. visiting al-Khiyam prison in s. Lebanon. (RL, VOL 8/11 in WNC 8/12)

After 40 hrs. of talks, ILMG recesses without taking a decision, plans to resume discussions 8/12. (RL 8/12 in WNC 8/13)

In Amsterdam, a 2-day mtg. of EU leaders closes. Attendees issue statement for the 1st time urging Israel not to rule out the possibility of a Palestinian state. (MM 6/18)

In Washington, U.S. secy. of state Albright informs visiting Crown Prince Hassan of U.S. plans to give Jordan $100 m./yr. in aid for the next 5 yrs. (al-Aswaq, al-Dustur, JT 6/17, RJ 6/18 in WNC 6/19; MM, WT 6/18; WJW 6/19; JT 6/19 in WNC 6/20; al-Dustur 6/20 in WNC 6/23; MEI 6/27)

The Senate passes a version of House Res. 1757 that contains a section prohibiting most financial transactions with "state sponsors of terrorism," including Syria. A conference comm. must now work out the differences btwn. the bills. (WJW 7/24; MEI 7/25) (see 6/11)

6 wks. after the IDF forcibly evacuated settlers fr. their outpost nr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus (5/6), several settler families are living on the disputed site, guarded by IDF reservists, while IDF bulldozers break ground to expand the settlement and build a permanent IDF lookout. (YA 6/17 in WNC 6/19) (see 5/7)

Hani `Abd al-Rahim Sayigh, the Saudi accused of participating in the 6/25/96 al-Khobar barracks bombing, is extradited to the U.S. from Canada to provide testimony that could link Iran, Syria to the attack. Under his deal with the FBI, Sayigh will plead guilty to plotting a different attack that never took place in exchange for telling all he knows about the al-Khobar incident. (WP, WT 6/18; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/19; MM 6/24) (see 3/30)

Iraq announces that it will begin rebuilding, expanding the al-Tanf border post with Syria in the next wk. (MEI 6/13; WT 6/18; MM 6/30) (see 6/2, 6/4, 6/14)

In Hebron, IDF troops clash with Palestinian demonstrators for the 4th day, wounding 17 Palestinian. An AP photographer is attacked, kicked in the head by a Jewish settler; IDF soldiers do not intervene. (WP, WT 6/18; MEI 6/27)

Visiting delegation of American Reform and Conservative Jewish leaders convinces PM Netanyahu to shelve the legislation that would give Orthodox rabbinical courts exclusive jurisdiction over government recognition of conversions to Judaism (see 4/1), form 7-mbr. comm. (comprising 5 Orthodox, 1 Reform, 1 Conservative) to investigate the issue. (WT 6/20)

In Washington, Pres. Clinton urges Qatar's emir Shaykh Hamad to move ahead with plans to host the Middle East-North Africa economic summit in 11/97. The emir criticizes the 6/10 House decision, calls on the U.S. to review its dual containment policy. (MM 6/11; al-Rayah [Doha] 6/17 in WNC 6/19; al-Ahram 6/18 in WNC 6/24; Intelligence Newsletter 6/26)

House passes Res. 1757, a version of the State Dept. Authorization Bill that earmarks $100 m. for the transfer of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. (Near East Report 6/12)

At the close of a 2-day mtg., donor, host governments pledge $4.1 m. to the UNRWA general fund for 1997. (UNRWA press release 6/12, 6/19) (see 5/26)

Jordan, Saudi Arabia open new border post at Aqaba+nal-Dirri+nHaql area. (RJ 6/10 in WNC 6/11)

At the Western Wall, Orthodox Jews, angered by men and women praying together, attack Conservative Jews, then attack Palestinians nr. the Old City, spray tear gas at Israeli police who try to stop them. (NYT 6/13; WT 6/16; JP 6/21)

In Washington, Pres. Clinton, Jordan's King Hussein discuss ideas for restarting Israeli-PA talks, policy toward Iraq. (NYT, WP, WT 4/2; al-Dustur, al-Ra'i, RJ 4/2 in WNC 4/3; NYT, WP 4/3; WT 4/8; RJ 4/12 in WNC 4/15; MEI 4/18) (see 3/19)

2 bombs explode nr. Jewish settlements in Gaza, killing 2, wounding 7 Palestinians. A wing of Islamic Jihad claims responsibility. (WP 4/1; AFP 4/1 in WNC 4/2; NYT, WP, WT 4/2; RMC 4/2 in WNC 4/3; PR 4/4; JP 4/12)

IDF troops shoot, kill 2 Palestinians in separate incidents: 1 during a demonstration; the other, an undercover PA policeman, as he approached an IDF checkpoint in an attempt to block other Palestinian protesters fr. advancing on the roadblock. (NYT, WP, WT 4/1; IDF Radio 4/1 in WNC 4/2)

The Knesset approves 1st reading of a bill that would grant the Orthodox rabbinical courts exclusive jurisdiction over those seeking to convert to Judaism, meaning that Jews converted by Reform or Conservative Jewish denominations would not be officially recognized as Jewish. Senior leaders of the Reform and Conservative movements in the U.S. (which represent 3 m. of the 3.5 m. U.S. Jews) threaten to withhold lobbying support, divert contributions to Israel away fr. the government if the bill is made law. (NYT, WP, WT 4/2; WP 4/3; WJW 4/10; NYT 4/17; Globes [Internet] 4/21 in WNC 4/24)

Hizballah attacks an SLA patrol in s. Lebanon, killing 1 SLA mbr., wounding 5. (RL 4/1 in WNC 4/2; WT 4/2)

Israel approaches the U.S. administration to inquire if it would veto a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Har Homa if the issue is brought to a vote. (MM 2/26)

In Jerusalem, an EU delegation submits formal protest to Israel over the decision to build at Har Homa. (AFP 2/25 in WNC 2/27)

Turkish Army chief of staff Gen. Ismail Karadayi arrives in Israel for meetings with DM Yitzhak Mordechai. (MM 2/26; WJW 2/27; JP 3/8)

3 undercover IDF soldiers shoot, beat Palestinians in the village of Hizma in the West Bank, which is under joint PA-Israeli control, killing 1, wounding 3. Troops use teargas to quell ensuing clashes with Palestinians. (ITV 2/25 in WNC 2/27; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/26; PR 2/28; JP 3/8; PR 3/14)

In Florida, an Orthodox Jew, Harry Shapiro, is charged with placing a pipe bomb in a synagogue before a speech by fmr. Israeli PM Shimon Peres in a bid to assassinate Peres, blame the act on an Islamist group. (NYT 2/26; NYT, WT 2/27)