The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Military court in Lydda sentences Haifa resident Ziad Tawfiq Ba'alul to 15-year sentence, father Tawfiq Mahmoud Ba'alul for 5-years, for smuggling arms from Lebanon to W. Bank in 1982 [JP 2/12].

Arab World: Meeting in Amman, Chrmn. Arafat, King Hussein reach "framework for common action" on Palestinian question; accord establishes joint delegation to intl. conference including all permanent mbrs. of UN Sec. Council; calls for "confederated states of Jordan and Palestine," total Israeli withdrawal (including E. Jerusalem); affirms previous UN resolutions on Palestinian issue; does not explicitly mention Res. 242 [WP 2/12, NYT 2/13, 2/15, JP 2/14].

Other Countries: King Fahd, on visit to Washington, urges Pres. Reagan to become "more vigorously" involved in search for Middle Eastern peace [NYT 2/12].

Military Action

Arab World: IDF jets attack HQ post of Abu Musa fighters near Ta'lbaya, S. Lebanon; at least 4 injured [WP 2/12]. IDF soldier wounded by grenade attack on SLA post in Sidon, S. Lebanon. Katyusha fired at IDF post near Burj al-Shemali, S.Lebanon; no injuries [JP 2/12].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Lydd military court convicts Palestinian Amjad Rabi'a & Lebanese Wafiq Tsalaha of entering Israel from Lebanon & staging attack on Jerusalem market (4/2/84), killing 1, wounding 47; sentencing postponed.

Other Countries: Though not mentioning Israel by name, US Sec. of State Shultz tells New York audience of need to ease Middle East tensions to prevent nuclear proliferation there.

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: After closure of Bethlehem U., stone-throwing atIsraeli cars resumes around Bethlehem and Bir Zeit. 2 petrol bombs thrown at shops in Manger Square, Bethlehem.

Arab World: IDF soldier injured as light arms fire & RPGs hit outpost near Lake Karoun, S. Lebanon.

SociallEconomic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Death sentences of Maher & Karim Yunis [conferred 12/271/84] for killing Jewish hitch-hiker (1980) commuted to life in prison by Lydd court. El Al airline announces $14.3 million loss in fiscal 1984.

Arab World: Christian Lawyer Joseph Hashem announced to replace deceased Pierre Gemayel as Lebanese Health and Communications Minister.

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli authorities demolish power station and grid belonging to Jerusalem Electric Co. at Ain al-Sultan camp claiming that construction was not licensed. About 50 armed Israeli squatters storm and take possession of Palestinian home near Herod's Gate, Old Jerusalem. 3 Dheisheh camp nationalists injured in stabbing by anti-nationalist group members after week of confrontations; nationalist supporters respond by demolishing Young Men's Muslim Assoc. headquarters.

Arab World: IDF engineer corps commander Cohen says IDF spending $17 million to fortify eastern front in Lebanon for winter. IDF release 45 detainees from Ansar concentration camp in S. Lebanon, where about 800 remain.

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Lydd court sentences 'Abd al-Rahman Tum to 25 yrs. and Nabil Nufal to 15 yrs. for attempted bombing at Kfar Sava. Confession of al-Fara'a detainee Nidal Hussein disqualified after petition filed verifying confession extracted by torture, US & Israel hold joint military medical exercises for eventual rescue of US personnel from 6th Fleet to Israel. After Bidya residents petition, High Court refuses to endorse Nablus district court order permitting Israeli construction co. Yakir to destroy village land and property.

Other Countries: Rev. Jackson's proposal for US Democratic Party to adopt policy favoring "independent state for Palestinians" defeated (13-2) in platform committee.

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Some 500 Yesh Gvul-ers demonstrate in Tel Aviv on 2nd anniversary of invasion of Lebanon. Jerusalem district judge suspends 18-mo. sentence of Golan Heights settler for transporting explosives in Arab bus bombing attempt (4/26/84). IDF CoS Levy tells Tel Aviv press conference press exaggerates Arab military threat to Israel. Former Nablus hospital opens as new 1,000-inmate central prison. Technion U. Arab Student Com. appeals to Technion U. senate to reconsider discriminatory decision to grant 6-point bonus to applicants who served in IDF. Lydd military court sentences 3 Palestinian construction unionists to 9-18 mo. prison on charges of contact with PLO. Kfar Shibli village resident given 1-yr. prison term for slapping and insulting Jewish boy for trespassing; defendant appeals.

Other Countries: Referendum in Berkeley, CA to limit US aid to Israel commensurate with annual amount spent on Israeli settlements in occupied territories defeated 3-1. Int'l. Labor Org. (ILO) conf. in Geneva discusses status of Palestinian workers under occupation.

Social/Economic/Political:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Ahmed Salem sentenced to 6 yrs. by Lydd military court for membership in illegal organization. Ministerial economic Com. approves 18% wage hike for regular army soldiers. High Court issues order nisi against Interior Minister's ban on Fr. Fawzi Khouri's travel (3/30/84).

Arab World: Israeli water company Mekorot announces to interrupt water supply to Golan settlements, retaliating for independent water collective set up by settlers. Archaeology Dep't. fences off Tal Balata land area east of Nablus for confiscation, including Haj Ma'zouz alMasri and Qadri Toukan schools with 1500 students each.

Military Action:

Occupied Palestinle/Israel: Over 22 dunums belonging to residents of Hableh, Tulkarm district set ablaze by unidentified arsonists. Secondary students from Raineh beaten by Israeli soldiers near Tel Aviv central bus station.

Arab World: 3 Israeli troops killed, 3 wounded in ambush at IDF patrol near Syrian-controlled area of Beqaa.

Military Action:

Phalange forces, backed by IDF, have artillery duels with Syrian-supported Lebanese leftist militia; Phalange-Druze conflicts reported (nephew of Gemayel reportedly killed); Muslim/Christian conflicts around Tripoli; 2 Israeli generals visit Jumblatt's center, demand that his forces surrender artillery and mortars; Phalange moves into Chouf and Sidon, replacing Lebanese gendarmerie; Israeli jets hold mock battles over Beirut, dropping flares over Palestinian refugee camps; PLO bolsters positions inside W. Beirut; Phalange shoot from behind IDF lines.

Casualties:

Israeli government developing plans for security of southern Lebanon not involving international help (arms and uniforms given to villagers); observers report more physical damage in Tyre than Sidon (where casualties higher); Lebanese bankers protest IDF attempt to violate bank secrecy in Sidon; IDF asks Druze/Phalange leaders to stop fighting between followers (Phalange reportedly using arms against Druze; IDF caught in cross-fire); villages of Jumblatt refuse to be disarmed (Druze Likud Knesset member asks Sharon to restrain Phalangists "who draw their strength from the Defense Minister").

UNRWA reports that 50 percent of houses in 6 Palestinian refugee camps near Sidon/Tyre are destroyed, 40 percent of refugees have fled, UNRWA convoy scheduled to leave Jerusalem for Tyre today (draws on stocks in Gaza and West Bank); two-thirds of two camps near Tyre destroyed (no clear report on third camp); Ain el-Hilweh reportedly "virtually wiped out," Rashidiyeh suffers less damage; 200,000 tons of aid from France, West Germany, Denmark waiting in Cyprus for IDF permission to ship; Canadian physician who worked in Sidon says 50 percent of 10,000 killed by IDF invasion were children under 13 (his hospital was bombed 4 times, he saw pellet bombs dropped on refugee camps, and saw Palestinian prisoners beaten with clubs and metal-tipped whips).

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin disagrees with message from Haig that PLO should be allowed token political presence in Lebanon if Lebanon agrees (says that despite his statement in the US that Israel had no intention of entering Beirut, with IDF on Beirut's periphery "it was another matter," and urges Beirut residents to "flee for your lives"); Israeli Cabinet agrees to give negotiations more time, extends "deadline"; officials indicate Saudi plans for airlift might be acceptable; Foreign Ministry condemns EEC call for involvement of PLO in negotiations; Labor Alignment resolution opposing military action in Beirut gets 47 votes (Likud resolution gets 60, reference to multinational policing of 28-mile zone conspicuously absent); cost of war put at $2.5 billion for Israel ($1 b. in direct costs, $1.5 b. in indirect costs from resultant economic slowdown; equals 10-15 percent of GNP); IDF service extension for those essential for war effort being discussed; officials claim PLO takes advantage of peace negotiations; 200 protest Israeli invasion near Prime Minister's office (including 15 reservists back from Lebanon, who say they have signatures of 200 soldiers opposed to the war); trial of 20 Palestinian youths for guerrilla actions begins in Lydda and Ramal-lah; Israeli Druze leader asks Begin to restrain Phalange attacks on Lebanese Druze.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Phalange party plans to nominate Bashir Gemayel for Lebanese President; negotiations stall as no Arab countries indicate willingness to accept all PLO fighters; Lebanese continue to flee Beirut, leaving streets deserted; Wazzan puts civilian deaths at 15,000 (IDF Colonel Kadar says deaths number only a few thousand-in excess of 440 civilian deaths cited by Begin last week); Wazzan, after meeting with Habib, rejects Israeli conditions; PLO forces in Tripoli vow to fight on regardless of any settlement in-volving PLO forces in Beirut; PLO privately reiterates willingness to leave Lebanon (form of evacuation and surrender of arms left un-resolved); PLO meets with Salam.

Arab Govemments: Saudis reported active diplomatically; Arab League representatives meet in Taif to continue discussion of common approach to IDF invasion (includes Syrian, Saudi, Lebanese, PLO, Algerian and Kuwaiti envoys).

US and Other Countries: Reagand enies giving Israel "green light" for invasion, says it resulted from PLO rocket attacks on Israel; Senator Percy says IDF invasion of W. Beirut would be "unacceptable" because of civilian casualties; State Department official warns of risk of renewed fighting if PLO and Lebanon do not come to terms soon; Haig sends message saying PLO should be allowed some political presence in Lebanon if Lebanese authorities agree; French Foreign Minister Cheysson, after meeting with Egyptian envoy Ghali, speaks of PLO as representing Palestinian people; Greek Ministry of Culture supervises huge concert in Athens to aid Palestinian children; Nigerian parliament passes resolution condemning Israel; protests held in cities in USSR; USSR accuses Israelis of using chemical weapons in Lebanon supplied by US.