The Palestine Chronology

The Arab League ends 2 days of talks in Libya to debate whether to re-endorse proximity talks without reaching an agreement, though members renew support for the 2002 Arab League initiative offering full normalization for full peace. (WP 3/29; WJW 4/1)

The IDF makes a brief incursion into s. Gaza e. of Abasan to level land along the border fence to clear lines of sight. In the West Bank, 10s of Palestinians, Christian clerics, and international activists take part in a nonviolent march from Bethlehem to the main IDF checkpoint to Jerusalem to protest Israeli restrictions on Christians entering Jerusalem today, Palm Sunday; IDF troops beat marchers, arrest 12 Palestinians (including Fatah Central Comm. mbr. Abbas Zaki; all are released on 4/1) and 4 internationals (releasing them later in the day), and seal the Gilo crossing to Jerusalem (including to medical cases and tourists) through 3/31. (OCHA, PCHR 4/1)

Israel rejects PA proposal for Israel to hand over Tubas area to create geographic link with Jericho, joint patrol of Jericho-Tubas road as part of redeployment. (QY 6/2 in FBIS 6/5)

PLO Exec. Comm. closes 2-day meeting in Tunis, vows to fight Israeli land seizures, calls on international community to pressure Israel to meet 7/1 deadline on extending self-rule, gives Arafat mandate to continue negotiations. (VOP 6/3 in FBIS 6/5; WP, WT 6/4) (see 3/17)

Arafat announces that 3 senior PLO mbrs. will be returning to self-rule areas fr. Jordan in the next few wks to take over security operations: `Atallah `Atallah to head West Bank security; Mahmud al-Natur to head Force 17; 'Abbas Zaki to oversee Fatah operations. (MA 6/9 in FBIS 6/14)

IDF shells house in Hebron, killing Palestinian suspected of being a Hamas mbr. who killed several Israelis in West Bank. (QY 6/2 in FBIS 6/2; QY, VOP 6/2, QY 6/3 in FBIS 6/5; NYT 6/6; MEI 7/21)