The Palestine Chronology

In Cairo, Egyptian FM Musa, Jordan's Chief of the Royal Court Kabariti confer on the peace process. Kabariti brings a message fr. King Abdallah to Pres. Mubarak. (MENA 7/21 in WNC 7/22; JT 7/24 in WNC 7/26)

Spanish PM Aznar holds talks on the peace process with Lebanese pres. Lahoud, PM Huss in Beirut. Aznar, Huss also sign a $100-m. trade agmt. (al-Nahar 7/21 in WNC 7/22)

In Ankara, Israeli, Turkish air force cmdrs. hold talks on military training cooperation. (ATL 7/21 in WNC 7/22)

In Amman, Arafat aide Tayyib `Abd al-Rahim meets with PFLP Dep. Secy. Gen. Abu Ali Mustafa to discuss a possible reconciliation mtg. btwn. Fatah, the PFLP (ideally btwn. Arafat, as head of Fatah, and PFLP head George Habash). (RMC 7/21 in WNC 7/22; al-Ayyam 7/22 in WNC 7/27; JP, MEI 7/30; IDF Radio 8/5 in WNC 8/6) (see 6/16, 7/19)

IDF reports that in the past 3 wks., attacks on IDF, SLA troops in s. Lebanon have dropped to their lowest level in several yrs. (QA 7/21 in WNC 7/22; WP 7/22; WT 7/28; JP 7/30)

On the 1st stop of his regional tour, Turkish pres. Suleyman Demirel meets with Israeli pres. Ezer Weizman, PM Barak in Jerusalem; says that resumption of Syrian-Israeli negotiations would not affect Turkish-Israeli ties, despite tensions btwn. Ankara, Damascus. (MM 7/14; ATL 7/14 in WNC 7/15; MA 7/14 in WNC 7/16; NYT 7/15; WA 7/23 in WNC 7/26)

Arafat discusses peace process with Egyptian pres. Mubarak on the sidelines of the Organization of African Unity mtg. in Algiers. Arafat then departs for brief visit to Lithuania. (BNS [Tallinn], MENA 7/15 in WNC 7/16)

After 6 days of proreform student protests in Iran, crowds across the country (including 100,000 people in Tehran alone) turn out for counterdemonstrations organized by conservative officials. (CSM, NYT, WP 7/15; CSM, MEI, MM 7/16; MM 7/19; WJW 7/22)

Jordan holds local municipal elections. Islamic Action Front, the main Islamist opposition, wins majority of seats in Irbid, Russayfa, Zarqa; takes 5 of 20 elected seats in Amman. (Petra-JNA, RJ 7/14 in WNC 7/15; MM 7/16; NYT 7/17; MEI 7/30; MM 8/5)

Syrian pres. Asad grants amnesty to 150,000 prisoners jailed for cheating on food rations, dodging military service, smuggling, economic offenses. 100s of Palestinians, Jordanian nationals are among those freed. A number of Jordanians held as political prisoners will not be released. (MM 7/14; NYT 7/15; JT 8/3 in WNC 8/5)

Iran wins $50 m. contract to construct a power plant, repair several existing plants in Syria. (Iran News 7/15 in WNC 7/19)

IDF dismantles, confiscates a telephone communications network serving 10s of residents in the Palestinian neighborhood of al-Ram in East Jerusalem. The network was set up 18 mos. ago by the Palestinian Communications Company. (al-Ayyam 7/15 in WNC 7/19)

For the 1st time since the Barak government was sworn in, the IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in the West Bank. (INFOPAL [Internet] 7/30)

EU special envoy Moratinos meets separately with Arafat, Netanyahu. Arafat then heads to Jordan for talks with King Hussein. King Hussein telephones U.S. Secy. of State Albright, Egypt's Pres. Mubarak, PM Netanyahu to discuss mediation btwn. the PA, Israel.  (MM 8/4; AFP 8/4 in WNC 8/5; RJ 8/4, 8/5 in WNC 8/6; MM, WT 8/5; MM 8/8)

Despite warnings fr. the U.S. that the decision could exacerbate the present situation, Israeli cabinet approves list of retributive measures against the PA drawn up by the inner cabinet 7/31, blocks transfer of $15 m. in tax payments owed the PA. Netanyahu says he will use a "sliding scale," relaxing some of the economic measures as the PA takes steps against Islamists. (MM, NYT 8/5; al-Ayyam [Ramallah], YA 8/5 in WNC 8/6; CSM 8/6; al-Hayat al-Jadida 8/10 in WNC 8/12; WP 8/14)

Israel arrest 29 Palestinians suspected of "terrorist activity," demolishes 5 Palestinian homes allegedly built without permits in East Jerusalem. Since the bombing, Israel has arrested 145 Palestinians. Arafat calls the actions collective punishment meant to humiliate the Palestinians. (IDF Radio, ITV 8/4 in WNC 8/5; LAW, NYT, WP, WT 8/5; MM 8/8)

Iran's Khatami is sworn in as pres. (CSM 8/5)

An elite Israeli Egoz unit is flown n. of Israel's self-declare security zone in s. Lebanon; plants explosives nr. the home of 2 Hizballah cmdrs.; later detonates them by remote control, killing 5 Hizballah mbrs., wounding 2 Hizballah mbrs. and 3 civilians. (MM 8/4; AFP, ITV, RL, RMC 8/4 in WNC 8/5; MM, NYT 8/5; NYT, WT 8/6; Independent [London] 8/6 in WNC 8/7; WJW 8/7; JP 8/16)

PM Netanyahu says that he would not rule out a "cosmetic withdrawal" on the Golan Heights. (IDF Radio 2/15 in WNC 2/19)

Syrian VP Khaddam, FM Shara` make brief visit to Cairo to deliver Pres. Mubarak a message fr. Pres. Asad. (RE, SANA 2/15 in WNC 2/19; MM 2/18)

Mufti of Jerusalem Ikrama Sabri says that a technical comm. of Palestinian archaeologists, engineers has been set up to scientifically monitor Israeli excavations and their effects on the al-Aqsa Mosque, nearby waqf properties. (al-Ayyam 2/15 in WNC 2/19)