The Palestine Chronology

SLA shells a village in s. Lebanon, killing 1 Lebanese civilian. In response, Hizballah fires 12 rockets into n. Israel, causing no injuries. In retaliation, outgoing PM Netanyahu orders the IDF to strike bridges along Lebanon's coastal highway, main power station in Beirut, power substation in Baalbeck, in total killing 8 civilians, wounding 62, causing a blackout in Beirut. 5 of the dead are fire fighters killed during a 2d IDF raid on the Beirut power plant, where they were trying to contain a blaze started by the 1st attack. (Netanyahu informs PM-elect Barak of the operation after it has begun.) Hizballah strikes back, firing 36 rockets into n. Israel, killing 2 Israeli civilians, injuring 5--the 1st civilian deaths in n. Israel related to the Lebanon conflict in 4 yrs. (AFP, RL, VOL 6/24 in WNC 6/25; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/25; AFP, IDF Radio, IRIB Television, IRNA, JTV, KSC Television [Kuwait], MENA, RJ, RL, RMC, Saudi Arabia Kingdom Radio, VIRI, VOL 6/25, AFP, Iran News, IRNA, MBC, Petra-JNA, RL, RMC 6/26, IRNA, AFP 6/27 in WNC 6/28; NYT, WP, WT 6/26; al-Quds 6/27, ATL, IRA, IRNA, QA, RMC 6/28 in WNC 6/29; AYM 6/27 in WNC 7/1; WP 6/28; WT 6/30; WJW 7/1; JP, MEI 7/2; MEI 7/16) (see 6/23)

Israeli, PA teams hold mtg. on civil issues, including advancing tourism in the framework of Bethlehem 2000. (YA 6/25 in WNC 6/28)

The Israeli daily Ma'ariv reports that the IDF is renovating, fortifying positions along the n. border with Lebanon, suggesting that the IDF mat be making plans for a withdrawal fr. s. Lebanon. (MA 6/24 in WNC 6/25)

PM Netanyahu, FM Ariel Sharon go to Amman to hold 1st mtg. with King Abdallah. (WT 2/28; RJ 2/28 in WNC 3/1; MA 2/28, JT, MA 3/1 in WNC 3/2; NYT, WP 3/1; JP, PR 3/5; MEI 3/12)

Hizballah detonates 2 roadside bombs in s. Lebanon, killing 4 IDF soldiers, including a brig. gen., the highest-ranking Israeli soldier to be killed in Lebanon since the 1982 Israeli invasion. IDF retaliates by striking 4 Hizballah bases n. of the self-declared security zone, including Hizballah headquarters in the center of Baalbeck. Israeli DM Moshe Arens warns that Israel may disavow the 1996 April understanding to avoid civilian targets if Hizballah continues attacks. (AFP, IDF Radio, RL 2/28 in WNC 3/1; MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/1; Interfax, IRNA, JT, Kyodo, RE, SAPA [Johannesburg], SATN 3/1 in WNC 3/2; al-Quds al-Arabi 3/1, al-Akhbar 3/2 in WNC 3/4; WJW 3/4; JP, PR 3/5; MEI 3/12; WT 4/14; MM 4/21) (see 2/23)

100s of Lebanese students use government bulldozers to reopen the road to Arnun, remove IDF earthworks around the village. Lebanese government says it will pave the road to symbolically link Arnun to areas n. of the Israeli-occupied zone. (WT 2/28; al-Ittihad, RMC 2/28 in WNC 3/1; Tehran Times 3/1 in WNC 3/8; MEI 3/12) (see 2/26)

U.S attack on an Iraqi communications station nr. Mosul disrupts oil flow fr. Iraq to Turkey. UN warns that U.S. strikes could frustrate international efforts to supply food, medicine, other necessities to the Iraqi people under the UN Oil-for-Food program. (NYT, WT 3/3; AFP 3/4 in WNC 3/5; MIL 3/6 in WNC 3/16; MEI 3/12)