The Palestine Chronology

The IDF attempts to assassinate senior Islamic Jihad mbr. Muhammad Sidir by firing missiles at his car in Hebron; Sidir is injured, 2 Palestinian children are killed, 6 others are injured. (1 of the dead, 5 of the injured are bystanders.) A 3d Palestinian is killed in al-Bireh by an IDF tank shell. The IDF also shells, destroys a PSF headquarters in n. Gaza; enters Rafah to bulldoze 3 Palestinian homes; uproots 200 olive trees in Sinjil. Palestinians fire a mortar at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, lightly injuring 1 Jewish settler. Jewish settlers in Hebron severely beat 2 Palestinian girls. Palestinians, Israeli peace activists stage a nonviolent protest at an IDF roadblock in Qalandia. (HP, LAW, MM 12/10; AP, MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/11; WT 12/12; AYM 12/12 in WNC 12/13; HA, LAW 12/13)

Arafat, Sharon meet separately with Zinni, urge him not to cut his trip short. Powell says that Zinni will indeed stay, that he never really intended to leave but just wanted to pressure the sides to act. (AP, MM, NYT, WT 12/11) (see 12/9)

In Washington, Bush hosts the White House's 1st menorah-lighting and Hanukkah party. Speaking privately with American Jewish leaders, Bush reportedly assails Arafat and the State Dept., identifies with Sharon, says that winning the war on terror means getting rid of groups like Hamas, Hizballah. (MM 12/12; MM, WJW 12/13; NYT 12/14; AYM 12/14 in WNC 12/17; WP 12/15; JT [Internet] 12/19; JP 2/1)

In Brussels, EU FMs call on Arafat to dismantle the "terrorist networks" of Hamas and Islamic Jihad; to declare, in Arabic, the end to the "armed intifada." Also call on Israel to halt assassinations, settlement expansion, attacks on the Palestinian infrastructure. (AFP 12/10; NYT, WT 12/11; IRNA, MA, SA 12/11 in WNC 12/12; AFP, MM, WT 12/12; Le Monde 12/12 in WNC 12/13; DUS 12/12 in WNC 12/14; MEI 12/21)

Palestinians across the West Bank, Gaza continue demonstrations to mark the 1st anniversary of the al-Aqsa intifada. The IDF clashes with protesters, killing 3 Palestinians, wounding more than 100. A 4th Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. The main hot spots are Hebron, Qarni crossing, Rafah. Inside Israel, 1,000s of Israeli Arabs hold rallies in Arraba, Haifa, Jit, Kafr Manda, Kafr Qana, Nazareth, Sakhnin, Umm al-Fahm; demonstrations in Nazareth, Umm al-Fahm turn violent with protesters clashing with police, vandalizing stores, but no injuries are reported. The IDF directs shell, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of al-Bireh, Brazil camp, Hebron, Khan Yunis, Yibna; sets fire to a Palestinian orchard nr. a bypass road outside Nablus; conducts arrest raids in Nablus, Ramallah. Jewish settlers install a tower, water reserve, electricity hook-up to a new settlement enclave btwn. Suisa, Ma'on settlements. (HP 9/29; NYT, WP, WT 9/30; al-Quds 9/30 in WNC 10/9; MM, WT 10/1; Independent, NYT 10/2; WJW 10/4; LAW 10/10)

Israel, the PA each complain that the other has not undertaken the steps required in the initial 48 hr. stage of the Tenet plan. Sharon meets with his inner cabinet, which agrees to allow Peres to continue truce talks with PA officials, but says it will resume "initiated actions" in 48 hrs. if violence continues. (HP 9/29; NYT, WP, WT 9/30; al-Quds 9/30 in WNC 10/9; MM, WT 10/1; Independent, NYT 10/2; WJW 10/4; LAW 10/10)

Although the IDF says today has been the quietest day since the al-Aqsa intifada began a yr. ago, Sharon again blocks plans for an Arafat-Peres mtg., saying the PA has not provided 48 hrs. of "absolute quiet" and again calling Arafat a "terrorist" on the level of Bin Laden. Peres threatens to "disappear on vacation" if Sharon does not allow the mtg., whereas right-wing MKs threaten to leave the governing coalition if Sharon allows it. Peres boycotts today's cabinet mtg.; holds preparatory talks for an Arafat mtg. with PA officials. Powell phones Sharon again to urge him to allow the mtg. (HA, JP [Internet], REU 9/23; HP, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/24; al-Quds 9/24 in WNC 9/26; NYT 9/25; MEI 9/28; WJW 10/4)

IDF troops in Qalandia fire tear gas at Palestinians attempting to sneak around their checkpoint on foot; 1 Palestinian dies of complications fr. inhaling the tear gas. A 2d Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. The IDF directs shells/heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Dayr al-Balah, Hebron, Khan Yunis, Salfit, Ziwata; razes agricultural land in the Hebron area; conducts arrest raids in Batayr. The PSF temporarily detains 5 Palestinians for instigating clashes with the IDF nr. Rafah on 9/20. (HP, PMC, REU 9/24)

Palestinians mark Nakba commemoration day by observing 3 minutes of silence. Large rallies are held in every major Palestinian city in the West Bank and Gaza, after which a recorded message by Arafat is read over loudspeakers. Israeli Arabs hold marches to the sites of their destroyed villages. Marches, rallies are also held in Amman (where 1,000s demonstrate), Cairo, Tehran, Washington. (MM 5/15; IRNA, MENA 5/15 in WNC 5/16; SA 5/15, HJ, JT, al-Quds 5/16 in WNC 5/17; NYT, WP, WT 5/16; WJW 5/17; HA, WP 5/18)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate due to the Nakba anniversary, leaving 5 Palestinians, 1 Israeli settler dead, some 250 Palestinians wounded. In an apparent assassination in Gaza, the IDF fires a tank shell at the car driven by `Abd al-Hakim al-Manama, bodyguard of Hamas spiritual leader Shaykh Yasin, killing him and a passenger. In Ramallah, an IDF soldier shoots French TV reporter Bertrand Aguirre, who captures his targeted shooting on video; Aguirre escapes fatal injury because he is wearing a bulletproof vest. A Palestinian woman gives birth at an IDF checkpoint when soldiers refuse to let her pass to reach a hospital. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Rafah, Tulkarm. (AP, LAW 5/15; HP, NYT, WP, WT 5/16; PCHR 5/17; CSM 5/18; JP 5/25)

The Higher Follow-Up Comm. for the Arab Community (HFCAC), composed of Israeli Arab political and community leaders, reports that Israel is restricting the freedoms of Israel Arabs in light of the al-Aqsa intifada. Israeli Arab journalists, poets have been detained for questioning, warned against "incitement" for writing on the intifada; community activists have received threatening telephone calls fr. police, intelligence officials; Israel police have opened investigations against 4 Israeli Arab MKs; 1 Israeli Arab has been placed under administrative detention; several Israeli Arabs have had their passports confiscated for taking part in a trip to Syria. (HFCAC press release 5/15)

In Washington, PA senior negotiator Abbas holds talks with Secy. of State Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice on halting violence, Arafat visiting the U.S. (WP, WT 5/16; MENA 5/16 in WNC 5/17; NYT 5/17, 5/21)

Israel, the PA submit their official responses to the Mitchell Comm. report, generally welcoming the report as a basis for a cease-fire. (MM 5/15; NYT 5/16; AYM 5/16 in WNC 5/18; NYT 5/17)

Israel reinforces troops in Shaba` Farms, directs machine gun fire across the border into Lebanon, flies helicopters along the border area. (RL 5/15 in WNC 5/16)