The Palestine Chronology

IDF rebuts 5/27 Amnesty International report, calls human rights org.'s conclusions "hasty." (MM 6/1)

Libyan pilgrims call on Muslims to "topple the Zionist leadership" and establish Jerusalem as capital of democratic Palestinian state. (WT 6/2)

King Fahd tells heads of pilgrimage delegations Saudi Arabia "will spare no effort in helping to achieve all-out peace" between Arabs and Israel. (SPA 6/1 in FBIS 6/2, MM 6/2)

Lebanese Pres. Ilyas al-Hirawi visits Msaileh, 1st visit to southern Lebanon since 11/89 election; visit coincides with tour of "security zone" by Israeli Lebanon coordinator Uri Lubrani. (MM 6/2)

Israel expels 415 suspected Muslim activists, 251 from the West Bank, 164 from the Gaza Strip to Lebanon. High Court of Justice temporarily blocks the expulsions, then votes 5 to 2 to permit them. UNIFIL forces try to block buses carrying deportees from traveling through their territory. Lebanese army blocks the deportees from entering govt.- controlled territory, leaving them stranded between Israeli and Lebanese checkpoints. (WP 12/17, 12/18; Qol Yisra'el, Radio Lebanon, VOL 12/17, 12/18 in FBIS 12/18; NYT 12/18)

Eighth round of Arab-Israeli peace talks ends. Arab parties boycott 12/17 meetings to protest deportations. PLO announces talks suspended until deportees allowed back. (Tunisian Republic Radio 12/17 in FBIS 12/18; NYT, WP 12/18)

Pres. Bush meets separately with all delegations involved in peace talks for 20-25 minutes each; he meets with Palestinians and Jordanians together, then with Jordanians alone for 15 minutes. (Radio Jordan 12/17 in FBIS 12/18)

Hamas denounces the expulsions as "total war"; their legitimate targets, previously limited to soldiers, now include "every Zionist in Palestine." Arab MKs condemn deportation ruling, threaten to withdraw support of governing coalition. UNLU issues supplement to call no. 90 condemning the deportations. (IDF Radio 12/17 in FBIS 12/18; AFP 12/17, Sanaa VOP 12/18 in FBIS 12/21)

U.S. State Department "strongly condemns the action of deportation". Pres.-elect Bill Clinton is critical, though not condemnatory of the expulsion. UN Secy.-Gen. Butrus-Ghali asks Israel to "rescind the expulsion order." (NYT 12/18

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Police find the bodies of 2 Afula schoolteachers missing since 7/21-Yosef Eliahu, 35, and Lea Elmakais, 19-in a cave in northern Israel; Eliahu had been shot. Police say deaths do not appear to be politically motivated. An anti-Arab rampage breaks out in Afula. A number of Palestinians are hospitalized. Cars are stoned and property is damaged. Twenty rioters are arrested [NYT 7/27]. Hakawati Theater in East Jerusalem is closed for 3 days. Authorities state women's group which rented the theater is connected,to a PLO faction. Fifty women hold sit-in strike outside the theater [JP 7/28, FJ 8/2]. Al-Fajr English weekly reports many would-be pilgrims to Mecca were prevented from leaving by new Israeli restrictions. Muslims under 35 were not allowed to make the pilgrimage; 150 applicants were tumed down. [FJ 7/26].

Arab World: King Hussein calls on Arab governments to form working group to address critical problems confronting the region; stresses Jordan and the PLO will not submit additional names of Palestinian delegates if U.S. rejects first list. U.S. administration officialsay 3 names are acceptable, do not specify which ones [NYT 7/27].

Other Countries: After 5 hours of negotiations, compromise isreached on the wording of the final document of the UN Decade for Women Conference; "Zionism" is replaced by "and all other forms of racism." The nonbinding document will be referred to UN General Assembly for approval [NYT, WP 7/27]. House-Senate committee passes worldwide U.S. foreign aid bill, including amendment requiring President Reagan, in proposing any sale of advanced arms to Jordan, to certify Jordan has made "a public commitment to the recognition of Israel" [JP 7/28].

Military Action

Arab World: Four Palestinians loyal to Arafat are found murdered outside Mieh Mieh refugee camp near Sidon. Bodies show signs of torture. Notes pinned to them call them Israeli collaborators. Patrols are stepped up around camps following the murders [PI 7/27, WP 7/28]. 

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Knesset passes 8th Basic Law (Justice System); Justice Minister Nissim speculates Israel will have a constitution of 11 Basic Laws within next 10 years.

Other Countries: 7 Canadian MPs meet Arafat in Amman while on Middle East tour sponsored by Arab League. Reagan admin. turns down appeal from Gemayel for increased use of US air and naval power in direct support of Beirut government.

MILITARY ACTION:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 2 grenades explode in West Jerusalem, injuring 21; in Damascus, PFLP claims responsibility as retaliation for recent raids by Zionist settlers on Muslim shrines.

Military Action:

Bashir Gemayel's election as Lebanon's President sets off jubilant celebrations in East Beirut, angry protests in West Beirut; houses of 3 West Beirut deputies, including Speaker Kamal Assad, who participated in election, are burned or blown up; explosions heard throughout city; 1,000 PLO members sail for South Yemen (transport to port held up by car bomb 1 mile away); IDF reinforces Central Lebanon forces with 220 tanks; Syrians reinforce men and ammuntion, send in an estimated 400 tanks.

Casualties:

IDF says 3 Palestinians killed while trying to infiltrate IDF lines near Aimmiq; IDF soldier dies from wounds received yesterday; 5 IDF soldiers wounded in ambush near Tyre.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin's congratulation to Gemayel on election is addressed to "my dear friend"; Sharon indicates he had several clandestine visits to East Beirut to prepare for invasion months in advance.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: 34-year old Bashir Gemayel, leader of Phalange militia, elected to 6-year term as Lebanon's president on second Parliamentary ballot (one-third of deputies do not vote, voting delayed 2 hours until Bashir's brother Amin rounds up 6 missing delegates for legal quorum); Jumblatt denounces Gemayel as "stooge of Israel"; Jumblatt and Muslim leaders meet at Salam's house in West Beirut to consider rejecting election, later issue statement demanding "ironclad guarantees" to preserve consensus politics; Salam and others agree to seek meeting with Phalange leaders; Pierre Gemayel calls election a victory for Lebanon and a "commando operation" because of risks getting to it; Bashir Gemayel, on radio, calls election a "big achievement for our democracy"; Murabitun radio calls election "day of shame" and "nomination of military governor for Lebanon by Zionist decree thanks to Israeli tanks"; PLO officials in Syria express concern for future of Palestinian civilians in Lebanon.

Arab Governments: Syria reacts with anger to election, fears new strife.

US and Other Countries: Reagan Administration officials view election as "positive development" that could facilitate withdrawal of all foreign troops; Reagan sends congratulations to Gemayel and to Parliament; Harris poll finds support for Israel in US still high, but criticism of casualty levels growing; USSR parliamentary delegation arrives in Syria for "working visit." President Spadolini of Italy, addressing troops, says peace will rest on "reciprocal recognition between Israel and the PLO."