The Palestine Chronology

In Vienna, Arafat meets Austrian chancellor Victor Klima. (Oesterreich Eins Radio Network 3/21 in WNC 3/22)

First lady Hillary Clinton, daughter Chelsea arrive in Egypt for 5 day visit on 1st leg of N. African tour. (MENA 3/21 in WNC 3/22)

PM Netanyahu arrives in Kiev for brief talks with Ukrainian pres. Leonid Kuchma on bilateral economic relations, preventing flow of nuclear know-how to Iran. He then heads to Moscow for 2 days of similar talks with Russian officials. (ITAR-TASS 3/21 in WNC 3/22; MM 3/22, 3/25; MEI 3/26; Zerkalo Nedeli [Kiev] 3/27 in WNC 4/7)

Israel's High Court rules that the more than 600 bedouin who entered Israel fr. Egypt and requested asylum face no danger fr. the Egyptian government, clearing the way for their deportation. (WP 3/22; CSM, NYT 3/23; PR 3/26) (see 3/15)

King Abdallah of Jordan issues royal decree naming his wife, Rania, queen. Queen Nur, wife of the late King Hussein, will be known as "queen mother." (NYT, WP 3/22)

Israeli judge quashes atty. gen.'s request to review the High Court's decision not to extradite Sheinbein to the U.S., allowing Sheinbein to be formally indicted on murder charges on 3/22. Even if convicted in Israel, Sheinbein would face prosecution if he returned to the U.S. (WP 3/22, 3/23; WJW 3/25; WP 3/28; JP 4/2)

Saudi Arabia acknowledges that it refuses to allow U.S. planes based in the kingdom to take part in raids on Iraq, that it objects to loosened rules of engagement. (NYT 3/22)

Protest by Palestinian political prisoners against their detention in Israel's Megiddo jail turns into riot, injuring 3 Israeli policemen. Meanwhile, 44 Palestinians held in PA jails without charge end mo.-long hunger strike (see 2/12), claiming that they have reached an agmt. with the PA to resolve their case. (AFP [Internet] 3/1; PR 3/5)

A Palestinian is shot, wounded by IDF when he tries to avoid a road block nr. Ramallah. (PR 3/5)

Jordanian, Israeli water officials meet in Amman to prepare funding proposals to the EU for joint water projects in the Jordan Valley. (JT 3/2 in WNC 3/4; al-Ayyam 3/3 in WNC 3/5)

Jordanian FM `Abdallah Khatib makes 1st high-level Jordanian visit to Kuwait since the 1990+n91 Gulf conflict. Kuwait says that bilateral relations have returned to normal. (Petra-JNA, Radio Kuwait 3/2, JT 3/3 in WNC 3/4; MM, WP 3/3; Xinhua 3/3 in WNC 3/5)

Pentagon confirms that the U.S., Britain, Turkey have signed their 1st agmt. on technical rules of engagement for air operations in n. Iraq, broadening rules of engagement for pilots for 2d time since 1/25. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/2)

Israel's atty. gen. files formal request for a larger group of High Court justices to reconsider the 2/25 decision not to extradite Sheinbein. (WP 3/2; WJW 3/4, 3/11)

Results of Iran's 2/26 local elections show that reform candidates allied with moderate Pres. Mohamed Khatami won a sweeping victory, taking all seats in Tehran, most seats nationwide. (WP, WT 3/2; NYT, WP, WT 3/3; MM, NYT, WP 3/8)

Lebanese brace for escalation in Israeli attacks following 2/28 incident. Israel's security cabinet threatens future strikes, but under strong international pressure, the IDF stages no attacks. (RL 3/1 in WNC 3/2; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 3/2; ITAR-TASS, MA 3/2 in WNC 3/4)