The Palestine Chronology

Military Action:

Lebanese National Resistance Front explodes booby trapped car near IDF checkpoint outside Nabatiyeh, some injuries; unidentified gunmen in car fire at and wound PLO official in Beirut.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Youths stone Israeli vehicles in Nablus, injure 1 soldier, 3 boys arrested; 3 men arrested in Nablus for telling school girls to leave classes for demonstration; boys and girls secondary schools in Ramallah closed for 30 days; stones thrown near Jalazon and al-Amari camps; hand grenade thrown at Israeli car on Jenin-Nablus road, no damage or injuries; border policeman disciplined for having used unreasonable force against Peace Now demonstrator on February 10; Deputy Agriculture Minister says between 20 and 30 private companies building settlements on West Bank, demand for houses is high, there should be 100,000 Israelis living there by 1985; Foreign Minister Shamir says Israel liberated 1967 territories from the countries that conquered them in 1948, these areas are parts of Eretz Yisrael and what is part of your country you do not annex; Finance Minister Aridor arrives in Johannesburg to discuss with senior South African officals investment, trade and arms deals.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO Chairman Arafat, visiting Sudan, says he will visit Egypt in near future but will only normalize relations if Egypt disentangles itself from the Camp David accord; Lebanese government announces sweeping measures against illegal trade, asks for MNF assistance to take over "illegitimate" ports of Pier 5 in Beirut and Dbayeh harbor in north Beirut, both controlled by Phalange militia since 1975-76 civil war; PM Wazzan reported to have told four Italian senators recently that Lebanon intends to expel all Palestinians in Lebanon, mentioning a figure of 500,000; Lebanese government cancels invitation to NY Mayor Koch after he enters the country from Israel via IDF helicopter.

Arab Governments: Egyptian-Israeli talks begin on Taba border dispute.

US and Other Countries: Former President Carter meets Mubarak and Habib in Cairo.

Military Action:

Pre-dawn gunbattle erupts between rival militias in Tripoli.

Casualties:

Estimated cost of infrastructural re-building in Lebanon placed at $10 billion; dozens of Palestinian families from South Lebanon reported to have asked for political asylum in Israel to escape Phalangist persecution.

Political Responses:

Israel / Occupied Territories: Cabinet votes 16 to 1 (Sharon) to accept Commission of Inquiry recommendations; Peace Now member killed, 10 others injured by hand grenade at anti-government demonstration; police protection given to 3 Commission members after threats; Ambassador Arens in Washington says he doubts Israeli policy on troop withdrawal or settlement of Palestinian issue will change as a result of Sharon's departure from Cabinet; Justice Minister Nissim says Sharon could take another ministerial position; deputy editor of Israeli Communist party newspaper al-Ittihad tells meeting in Haifa that Israeli Arabs are eager to take part in all matters of Israeli society but that lack of equality is turning them into a time bomb liable to explode in a few years.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Executive Committee of PLO meets in Algiers prior to opening of PNC; Lebanese and Israeli negotiating teams meet in Kiryat Shemona for 14th round of talks, said to be constructive; Foreign Minister Salem says US has new proposals on withdrawal of foreign forces, and that Israel has dropped its demand for Israeli-manned watchposts.

US and Other Countries: Wall Street journal reports that Ali Hassan Salameh, head of Fateh's security and intellgience unit assassinated in Beirut in January 1979, had acted with Arafat's consent as information channel between PLO and CIA; State Department refuses to meet village League Chairman Dudeen.