The Palestine Chronology

Responding to 9/14 Iraqi move against French embassy in Kuwait, Pres. Mitterrand orders additional 4,000 soldiers and dozens of helicopters and tanks to Saudi Arabia [NYT, WP 9/16; CMS 9/17].

Pres. Gorbachev tells Italian F.M. De Michelis that Moscow would be willing to discuss Iraqi grievances against Kuwait, but only after Saddam withdraws [WP 9/16].

American officials say U.S. will postpone plans to seek repeal of UN resolution equat- ing Zionism with racism at this year's Gen. Assembly so as not to imperil Arab support for embargo against Iraq and U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia [NYT 9/16].

Three-day "Conference on Arab Popular Movements" opens in Amman; attended by about 3,000 including 120 representatives of political organizations from 9 Arab countries (Egyptian and Syrian delegations reportedly prevented by their gov'ts from attending) (cf. 9/16, 9/17, 9/18) [MEM 9/13, 9/17; JTE 9/15 in FBIS 9/17, 9/18; CSM 9/17].

Meanwhile 5-day conference ends in Amman of Islamist leaders from Jordan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Tunisia, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Algeria, and Turkey; Egypt reportedly prevented 7 top-level Islamist leaders from attending. Conference decides to send mediation team to Saudi Arabia and Iraq [MEM 9/17].

W. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl announces $2 billion aid package to support multinational forces in Gulf; says German constitution prevents him from sending troops [WP 9/16].

U.S. Air Force chief of staff Gen. Michael Dugan says in event of hostilities, American forces would employ massive bombing raids against Baghdad that specifically target Saddam Hussein and family, military centers, and power systems (cf. 9/17) [WP 9/16; FJ 9/24].

Iraqi occupation authorities order 6,500 American and British citizens in Kuwait to assemble at 2 hotels in Kuwait City [NYT, WP 8/17].

Pentagon announces U.S. naval forces will begin "intercepting" commercial shipping to or from Iraq and Kuwait to enforce UN sanctions [WP 8/17].

King Hussein of Jordan meets with Pres. Bush in Kennebunkport, Maine to discuss Gulf crisis [MEM 8/16; ADS 8/17 in FBIS 8/17; NYT, WP 8/17].

"Troika" foreign ministers from Italy, Luxembourg, and Ireland arrive in Amman and meet with Crown Prince Hasan to discuss crisis [ADS 8/16 in FBIS 8/17].

2d contingent of Egyptian military forces leaves Cairo for Saudi Arabia [MENA 8/16 in FBIS 8/16].

Special UNLU "Leaflet No. 1-the U.S. Invasion of Arab Lands" is distributed; it expresses unequivocal support for Iraq and attacks Pres. Mubarak [YA 8/17 in FBIS 8/17].

Hundreds of Palestinians hold pro-Iraq demonstration in Nablus; police disperse crowd with tear gas and rubber bullets [MEM 8/16; JDS 8/16 in FBIS 8/17]; fearing political repercussions, PLO leadership is seen as trying to distance itself from Iraq, but has been unable to ignore growing grassroots support of Palestinians for Saddam Hussein [WP 8/17].

Contradicting earlier Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood statement, group's leader Muhammad Hamid Abunnasar issues communique denouncing Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and calling for return of Kuwait's "legitimate gov't." [MEM 8/17]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Speaking to Likud members, P.M. Shamir responds to comments about increasing Soviet Jewish immigration, saying "big immigration requires Israel to be big as well" [FBIS 1/22, 1/30].

Maj. Shay Talmon, commander of IDF battalion in W. Bank, tells Jerusalem judge that some soldiers insert live bullets into magazines for plastic bullets. IDF spokesperson reports that between 20 July 1988 and 8 July 1990, 125 Palestinians were killed "by plastic bullets." [FBIS 1/26].

Arab World: Arafat returns to Cairo for second visit in less than a week to meet with Pres. Mubarak [FBIS 1/16].

Other Countries: Italy's ambassador to Israel, Alberto Bartoli, files protest on behalf of the European Community with Israeli Foreign Ministry over police handling of 12/30 Peace Now rally. [LAT 1/15].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 2 Israeli border policemen are suspended and ordered to stand trial for fatally shooting 18-year-old Palestinian on 12/28 after military authorities viewed ABC News videotape of shooting [LAT 1/15].

Israeli military demotes Lt. David Lior to sergeant and sentences him to 45 days in prison for mistreating a Palestinian prisoner [LAT 1/15].

IDF closes Jericho-area al-Buhturi secondary school on grounds that students threw rocks at soldiers; all UNRWA schools in Jalazun camp are closed for the same reason [FJ 1/22].