The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israel rejects recent USSR peace proposal based on Brezhnev plan. Jerusalem mayor Kollek tells news conference of drive against Kach and Meir Kahane with appeal to support anti-racism bill. Defendents Amjad Rabaya and Wafiq Sawalha tried for armed attack on W. Jerusalem street (4/2/84) admit charges, insisting on POW status. Najah student sentenced to 10 mos. charged with membership in Palestinian organization. Police summon head of Gaza Citrus Producers' Union, warning of legal retaliation against Union for assisting farmers to obtain financialid.

Other Countries: USSR calls for renewal of Geneva Middle East peace talks including USSR, US, Israel, PLO & Arab states.

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli-made bomb thrown at Shefa 'Amr home; no injuries. Kach members beat up 2 Palestinian laborers; victims hospitalized in serious condition.

Arab World: IDF units attacked by rocket fire near Jezzine and S. of Tyre.

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.

Military Action:

Rival militias exchange RPG and machine gun fire in Tripoli.

Casualties:

2 killed, 1 wounded in Tripoli.

Political Responses:

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Heavy fighting resumes between PLO factions around Taanayel, Saidnayel, and Fateh training camp near Baalbek.

Arab Governments: Celebrating Syria's Armed Forces Day, Assad says US cannot be fair mediator between any Arab party and Israel when it has been backing Israel's continuous aggression against the Arabs.

US and Other Countries: State Dept. acknowledges reports that Reagan is considering increasing US aid to Israel.

UN: 2nd UN Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination opens in Geneva, US and Israel boycott.

Military Action:

Syrians shell IDF in Bekaa; Lebanese Army raids Murabitun Cultural Center in Beirut, seizes 14,000 religious books and legal documents, Wazzan orders books returned, Lebanese Grand Mufti issues protest.

Casualties:

Israeli official says Israeli exports to Lebanon totalled $9.3 m. in October, total trade exchange for year will total $100 m. by December.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: High Court orders Sharon to explain legal basis for detentions at Ansar camp, in suit brought by Leah Tsemel, demanding camps be open to lawyers and family visits; Israeli sources indicate 11 So- viet citizens killed when Israelis destroyed downed lAF aircraft in an effort to prevent its secret equipment from falling into enemy hands; El Al workers fight riot police in Tel Aviv after failing to win injunction against dissolution of airline; Industry and Trade Minister Gideon Pratt meets with delegates of four Black African countries during GATT conference in Geneva (countries have no diplomatic relations with Israel but seek more commercial ties); Israeli official says Israeli debt repayments to US now larger than incoming loans from US.

Palestininas/ Lebanese: Arafat authorizes PLO participation in 14-member commission with Jordan to draw up proposals for peace negotiations; Arafat attends first meeting of Commission, headed by PLO leader Dajani and Jordanian Prime Minister Badran; Arafat leaves for South Yemen; PLO spokesman in Paris says PLO will never recognize Israel, says Reagan initiative "Zionist."

Arab Governments: Saudi King Fahd meets Habib in Morocco to receive report on status of withdrawal negotiations.

US and Other Countries: Republican-controlled Senate Appropriations Committee approves $11.5 billion foreign aid bill, including $2.6 b. for Israel ($125 million in economic and $350 million in military loans/grants more than Administration requested); Reagan later urges House Appropriations Committee to reject the additional aid to Israel.

Military Action:

Attack on IDF in Sidon, second in 3 days, 20 people detained by IDF for questioning later released.

Casualties:

One IDF soldier wounded in Sidon; IDF announces release of 339 more Palestinians detained at Ansar (3,000 released so far, 6,000 still held).

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Demonstrations continue for third day near Bethlehem and Nablus; Israeli military intelligence chief, on Israeli TV, claims Egypt is allowing smugglers and PLO terrorists to infiltrate Israel; Begin, speaking to Herut Central Committee, says US agrees that IDF and Syrian forces will withdraw simultaneously from Lebanon; IDF Air Force General Ivri visits Chile; homes of 12 Palestinian families demolished by settlers near Hebron's old Jewish quarter, Peace Now threatens action against settlers if demolitions not stopped.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanon asks World Bank for $500 million over 2-3 years to finance reconstruction, part of Lebanese efforts to raise $12 billion in aid from public sector sources; Gemayel and Wazzan meet with Draper concerning withdrawal.

Arab Governments: Egypt formally asks Israel to resume negotiations over Taba coastal strip, asks other countries not to book hotel rooms in Israeli luxury hotel there.

UN: UNCTAD, meeting in Geneva, passes resolution barring Israel from taking part in UN-funded projects to aid economic cooperation among developing countries (63-22 vote takes place over US protests).

Military Action:

Beirut truce holds as Habib works intensively to break deadlock (only a few PLO mortar rounds fired near airport, in response to IDF attempted advances); IDF reports "terrorists" infiltrated lines near Hamia in eastern Lebanon.

Casualties:

Lebanese Red Cross appeals to UNICEF to get water, electricity restored; PLO blocks UNRWA from taking food warehoused in Beirut for distribution in IDF-occupied southern Lebanon; heavy damage from IDF raids, including increasing numbers of phosphorus victims.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Ben-Elissar says IDF responses to PLO/Syrian cease-fire violations won't necessarily be "proportionate"; Labor Party condemns continued bombing, shelling of Beirut; Health Minister Shostak charges ICRC with inflating casualty figures; Israeli Ambassador Soffer, in Geneva, attacks World Council of Churches resolution condemning Israeli invasion as "libelous"; Israel will seek to boost tourism by encouraging tours of Israel by Lebanese and Lebanese-Americans; Colonel Eli Geva, 14- year veteran who resigned his command, is dismissed from the IDF.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat outlines withdrawal plan to Wazzan; Arafat, Salam meet; Habib reportedly tells Sarkis he has secured agreements to meet PLO conditions.

Arab Governments: Arab League endorses PLO withdrawal once PLO is guaranteed safe passage out of Beirut and once future security of Palestinians remaining in Lebanon is assured.

US and Other Countries: US Administration says major hurdles remain, stepped-up IDF actions counterproductive to negotiations; Canada protests harassment of its Beirut Ambassador by IDF; ultra-orthodox rabbis in Britain protest several Israeli government actions, including invasion.

UN: Security Council debate opens on Egyptian/ French draft resolution (which links Beirut crisis to overall settlement of Palestinian problem); SC passes, 14-0, Spanish resolution demanding that IDF lift the blockade of Beirut (is first time in history that US does not participate in Security Council vote; Kirkpatrick claims insufficient time to consult with Washington, says resolution lacks balance).

Military Action:

IDF Deputy Chief of Staff says IDF is preparing to stay through the winter "if neces-sary" as IDF builds paved roads, moves bases to flat areas, installs water pumps for IDF; intermittent bombardment of W. Beirut by IDF continues as blockade maintained on food, bottled water (except for medicines).

Casualties:

President of American University of Beirut, Malcolm Kerr, launches $5 million fundraising drive to save AU Hospital from financial disaster as a result of the war (says 95 percent of wounded treated at hospital were civilians, 70-80 percent of them Lebanese; nursing staff now down to 50 percent of normal); ICRC for first time allowed to bring ambulances, medicines, blood, hospital equipment into W. Beirut; some food trucks let in; Catholic Relief Services said they were allowed to bring food into W. Beirut for first time in 4-5 days; ICRC supplies in Jounieh still being held up by IDF; four IDF soldiers killed when armored car hits mine in southern Lebanon.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Doubts reportedly emerging among IDF soldiers about how "defensive" this war is; Sharon meets with Habib; government reportedly opposes wide-spread expulsions of Palestinian refugees advocated by Bashir Gemayel; Bir Zeit University closed for 3 months by order of Sharon (400 students protest in Ramallah-30 arrested); 2 lecturers, 30 students arrested in Nablus at Al Najah College.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Habib expects agreement by end of the week; Salam reports PLO dropped insistence on UN approval of multinational force; Wazzan still refuses to go to E Beirut; Pierre and Bashir Gemayel advocate complete expulsion of all Palestinians from Lebanon, civilian and PLO alike; negotiations snagged on role of foreign troops in PLO withdrawal (Salam says what good are troops after the PLO leaves; Sarkis reported-ly wants foreign troops deployed throughout Lebanon, fears PLO and Syrians will otherwise stay in Bekaa); Arafat invites ICRC to visit W. Beirut to see IDF violations of Geneva Conventions.

Arab Governments: In formation Minister says Syria hasn't been consulted on any plan for PLO fighters to go to Syria or for Syrian troop withdrawal (raises fears that Syria will not be willing to take PLO fighters); Syria estimated to have 60,000 troops in Lebanon (30,000 more than before invasion-sent to defend approaches to Damascus); Indian Foreign Ministry asks Israeli consul in Bombay to leave in 48 hours because of "interference in internal affairs."

US and Other Countries: US Sixth Fleet 40 miles off Lebanese coast; Habib instructed to offer US troops only after PLO evacuation; 2 US Senators (Dodd and Levin), after meeting with Begin, claim he set no deadline for evacuation.

Military Action:

IDF enters Phalange-held areas of Beirut; Israeli jets make reconnaissance flights over city for first time in 3 days; sporadic fighting around Sidon; Israeli Cabinet agrees to extend 48-hour cease-fire requested by Habib; Syrians/PLO abandon airport terminal to shorten lines; PLO takes journalists on tour of defenses near airport; tension high in Beirut; Syrians reposition artillery near Lake Karoun.

Casualties:

In Sidon, main shopping district was oblit-erated and one quarter of city totally destroyed; bodies remain buried under rubble; still no electricity; water only 1 hour per day; Lebanese government says 1,100 killed in Sidon; IDF use Sidon informants to identify potential PLO suspects (suspicious Lebanese marked with black X on back, suspected PLO members with white, some Lebanese charge old grudges being settled by informants); many Palestinian refugees remain on Sidon beaches as they have nowhere to go; Tyre reported two-thirds destroyed, with port damage heavy.

Israel explores reviving bank, rail links in Lebanon; Israeli Trade Minister says 3 proposed banking and customs centers would aid Israeli exports to Lebanon; 4 Norwegians, 1 Canadian doctor released by Israel; Israel offers to help repair Sidon refinery.

Political Responses:

Israel/Occupied Territories: 4 Israeli professors attack invasion, ask Israeli soldiers to refuse to serve beyond Green Line in Beirut; Israel says invasion is open-ended and excludes negotiations with the PLO; Begin calls for international peacekeeping force in Lebanon with US troops; Sharon says Israeli aims will not be met until PLO headquarters in Beirut are eliminated; Begin says participants in multilateral force would have to make detailed, individual agreements with Israeli, Lebanese governments.

Palestinians/Lebanese: Lebanon's National Salvation Council, in first meeting, makes no progress-Gemayel, Sarkis, Wazzan, Butros reportedly demand PLO surrender, Jumblatt rejects; PLO asks for IDF pull-back, guarantees of PLO safety in return for allowing Lebanese Army to enter West Beirut.

Arab Governments: Syria rejects Sarkis' request for troop withdrawal, saying it is made under duress, instead suggests joint US/USSR peacekeeping force under UN auspices to get Israelis out; Iraq announces unilateral withdrawal from Iranian territory, following June 10 unilateral cease-fire; South Yemen demands strong Arab stand against US support for Israel; Mubarak supports idea of PLO government in exile, would allow it temporary home in Egypt, if it restricted itself to political activities; Kaddoumi in Geneva, says Egyptian offer not being considered now.

US and Other Countries: Weinberger says US investigating possible violations of US law by Israelis using US arms in Lebanon; Greeks show support for Palestinians with strike, protests, blood donations; Greece is the only EEC member to offer diplomatic recognition to the PLO.