The Palestine Chronology

Israeli cabinet approves PM Shamir's recommendation to attend peace conference by vote of 16 in favor to 3 opposed. Tehiya party announces it will leave the government on 10/30. Tehiya Chmn. Yuval Ne'eman decides to support the Likud-led coalition, however, and resigns as party chair [party later reversed its decision]. (MEM 10/21, 10/31)

Chmn. Arafat arrives in Jordan for talks with King Hussein, who along with Arafat co-chairs a joint Palestinian-Jordanian committee overseeing participation of the joint delegation at peace conference. The two agree to give PLO a major but behind-the-scenes role in conference process. (MEM 10/21, 10/23)

U.S., Jordan sign $22 million military assistance pact. In March 1991, U.S. Congress had blocked a request from Bush administration for $55 million in military aid to Jordan to punish Jordan for its stance in the Gulf war. Bush allowed resumption of economic aid to Jordan in July. (NYT 10/31)

Roadside bomb near Kufr Rummana, in the Israeli "security zone" in S. Lebanon, kills three Israeli soldiers, wounds two others. (MEM 10/21)

Secy. of State Baker travels to Syria for talks with Pres. al-Asad. Israeli FM Leyy states U.S., Israel have agreed on terms for holding peace conference, which include the fact that the conference will not have any power to vote, make decisions, or enforce sanctions and U.S. pledge not to prompt Israel to negotiate with the PLO. (WP 10/16)

Palestinian negotiators Faisal Husseini, Hanan Ashrawi, Zakariyal-Agha travel to Amman to join PLO officials [arrived 10/14] and Jordanian officials for discussions concerning joint delegation. (MEM 10/15)

Knesset no-confidence motion entered by Labor party fails, but Tehiya parliamentarians, part of the governing Likud government, abstain from voting. (MEM 10/15)

Lebanese VP Hasan Habib denies recent press reports that Iranian FM 'Ali Akbar Velayati and Lebanese Pres. Ilyas al-Hirawi agreed last month in New York to a withdrawal of Iranian Revolutionary Guards from Lebanon. (NYT 10/16)

Sec. of State Baker, in testimony before U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs subcommittee, calls continued building of Israeli settlements "largest obstacle" to convening proposed Middle East peace conference. Remarks come in wake of four new settlements established in occupied territories since Baker began his recent peace initiative. (See JPS 80, doc. D2)

More than 200,000 Israelis now live in occupied territories. (NYT, WP, LAT 5/23)

Pres. al-Asad and Lebanese Pres. Ilyas al-Hirawi sign a "Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination" in Damascus. (See JPS 80, doc. B9). Treaty establishes joint Syrian-Lebanese institutions for coordinating defense, security, foreign and economy policy, under authority of higher council comprising the two country's presidents, prime ministers and parliamentary speakers. Treaty transforms Syrian influence in Lebanon into formal role.

Treaty calls for Syria to redeploy its 40,000 troops in Lebanon in Biqa' valley. Syrian troops currently effectively control two-thirds of Lebanon.

Lebanese Maronite Catholic Patriarch Nasr Allah Sufayr opposes accord, stating that it would lead to Syrian domination of Lebanon. Israel voiced opposition to the accord as well. (NYT, WP, LAT 5/23)

Israeli def. ministry confirms that Polish Pres. Walesa promised Def. Min. Moshe Arens that Poland will not sell tanks to Syria out of deference to Israel. (LAT 5/22)

Knesset erupts into shouting match when Knesset Speaker Dov Shilansky (Likud) calls on Israeli peace activist Abie Nathan to halt his 25-day fast. Nathan began fast 3/25 to protest Israeli law forbidding Israelis to meet with members of PLO. Shilansky's statement came in wake of failed motion to abolish law. Nathan has publicly met Yasir Arafat several times since law was passed, serving 122 days in prison in 1990 as result. (NYT 5/23; MEM 7/15)

Los Angeles Times reports that Coca-Cola Company was removed last month from list of companies boycotted by Arab League for their dealings with Israel. Japanese car manufacturer Toyota also reported last month that it will begin selling cars in Israel in 1992, a departure from its policy of dealing solely with Arab countries. (LAT 5/22) 

Arab members of coalition end 2-day meeting in Cairo, find Baghdad's conditions for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait unacceptable, call on Saddam to leave "without conditions or strings" [MENA 2/16 in FBIS 2/19; NYT 2/17]; countries also propose economic and defense arrangements to improve Middle East postwar security [WP 2/17], and reaffirm support for Palestinian state, without mention of PLO [MEM 2/18].

Soviet Union concludes conditions set by Baghdad for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait would render its 2/15 proposal meaningless [NYT, WP 2/17].

2 U.S. A-10 fighter-bombers are short down over Kuwait: Iraq says 130 civilians killed on 2/14 when British bombs hit marketplace in Falluja [AFP 2/16 in FBIS 2/19; NYT 2/17]. Iraq launches 2 SCUD missiles at southern Israel; no damage [JAA 2/16 in FBIS 2/19; NYT, MEM 2/18].

Likud supporters criticize MKs Dedi Zucker and Chaim Oron for their 2/13 report on settlement construction (see JPS 79), saying report led U.S. admin. to delay granting $400 million in housing loan guarantees [IDF 2/16 in FBIS 2/19].

As Israeli authorities continue selectively to release Palestinian workers from war-induced curfew, many Palestinians are finding Soviet Jewish immigrants have taken over their jobs, according to New York Times [NYT 2/17].

PLO revolutionary courts condemn to death, then execute, 20 Fateh members who had rebelled againstheir commander earlier in the week [NYT 2/17].

Yasir Arafat arrives in Amman from Iraq to meet King Hussein [NYT 2/17].