The Palestine Chronology

IDF demolishes 23d Palestinian home this mo., bringing to 81 the number of Palestinian homes demolished since the beginning of the year. By comparison, 171 Palestinian homes were demolished in 1997. (NYT, WT 6/23) (see 6/18)

Mbrs. of Elad settler group raid a Palestinian bakery in East Jerusalem, claim that it is located on land which is to be confiscated by Israel. (PR 6/26)

Egypt, Turkey sign memorandum of understanding on construction of pipeline which would transport natural gas fr. Egypt to Turkey via the Mediterranean. (Anatolia 6/22 in WNC 6/23)

UNSCOM claims to have proof, based on evidence obtained in confidential U.S. army laboratory analysis, that Iraq put VX nerve gas in missile warheads before the 1991 Gulf War. (WP 6/23; MM 6/24, 6/25) (see 6/18)

Hamas's Shaykh Yasin arrives in Egypt fr. the Sudan on his way home to Gaza. (MENA 6/22 in WNC 6/23) (see 6/8)

Lebanese authorities arrest 10 suspects in connection with grenade attack nr. U.S. embassy 6/21. (RL 6/22 in WNC 6/23)

Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara` arrives in Washington for 2-day official visit. (YA 5/21 in WNC 5/23; MM 5/22)

In Moscow, Israel's Trade M Natan Sharanksy gives Russian officials list of Russian firms that are allegedly providing military technology to Iran. Russia says it is doing its best to block illegal transfers, asks Israel to stop pressuring U.S. to impose sanctions on Russian firms trading with Iran. (Interfax [Moscow], MA, QY 5/21 in WNC 5/23; WT 5/22; HA, MA 5/22 in WNC 5/27) (see 5/18)

Iran agrees to sell Turkey 3 b. cu. m. of natural gas beginning in 1999. (Anatolia, Milliyet 5/22 in WNC 5/27)

Pres. Clinton gives order to reduce the number of military personnel in the Gulf by roughly half now that the crisis with Iraq, which flared in 2/98, seems to have passed. (NYT, WP 5/27; WP 6/7)

In s. Lebanon, 3 civilians, 2 Hizballah mbrs. are killed during clash btwn. Hizballah, IDF. (RL 5/21 in WNC 5/23)

Miami developer Moskowitz postpones plans to build Jewish housing at Ras al-Amud, saying he wants to construct more units than the Interior Min. permit allows. (NYT, WP, WT 7/27; YA 7/27, ITV 7/28 in WNC 7/29; MM, WT 7/28; al-Dustur 7/28 in WNC 7/29) (see 7/25)

The U.S. decides not to oppose a $1.6 b. pipeline that would carry huge quantities of natural gas fr. Turkmenistan across Iran to Turkey and Europe, marking the 1st significant easing of Iran's economic isolation since 1979. Though the U.S. will not endorse the project, it says the plan is not in violation of the 1996 Iran-Libya Sanctions Act, which bars U.S., foreign investments of more than $40 m. in the development of Iran's energy. (NYT, WP 7/27; MM 7/29; WT 7/30; MEI 8/8)

IAF Secy. Gen. Ishaq al-Farhan, 4 other mbrs. resign fr. the party over the 7/24 decision to boycott Jordan's 11/97 elections. (RMC 7/25 in WNC 7/28; al-Dustur 7/26, JT 7/27 in WNC 7/29; al-Sabil 7/29 in WNC 8/4) (see 7/25)

1 Lebanese civilian is wounded when an Israeli shell explodes close to her home in Suhmur in s. Lebanon. (RL 7/26 in WNC 7/29)