The Palestine Chronology

In Gaza, Palestinian Authority (PA) head Yasir Arafat meets with Yitzhak Molho, personal atty. and adviser to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyhau. No details about the mtg. are released. (WT 8/18)

The PA says it will match Israel's freeze (imposed since the 7/30 bombings) on transfers of monies owed the PA with a selective boycott of Israeli goods, calls for national unity talks with Palestinian groups opposed to the Oslo process. (NYT, WT 8/17; CSM, NYT 8/18; PR 8/22)

Jordanian Amb. to Israel Umar al-Rifa`i submits offical complaint to Israel, stating that he, Jordanian writer Nasir al-Din al-Nashashibi were harassed at an Israel checkpoint into Israel. (al-Dustur 8/17 in WNC 8/20)

PA police arrest 3 Palestinian car thieves who murdered an Israeli taxi driver in Jericho 8/14. Within hrs. the 3 men are tried, convicted to long prison terms. Israeli police praise the move, but government says cooperation in criminal matters does not prove that the PA is cracking down on "terrorism." (WT 8/17; NYT 8/18; CSM, WP 8/19; IGPO 8/28 in WNC 9/4)

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attack Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) bases in s. Lebanon, drawing fire fr. the Lebanese army. No injuries are reported. (RL 8/16, 8/17 in WNC 8/20)

Fmr. IDF Chief of Staff Ehud Barak wins Labor party elections for party leader, defeating MKs Yossi Beilin, Shlomo Ben-Ami, Ephrahim Sneh; says he would not join a unity government with Likud. Fmr. PM Shimon Peres did not run or endorse any of the candidates, though he is considered Beilin's mentor. (MM, WT 6/3; MM, WP, WT 6/4; ITV 6/4 in WNC 6/9; IDF Radio, YA 6/4 in WNC 6/5; MEI 6/13) (see 5/13)

Unnamed Palestinian sources say that the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) have not received any money fr. Libya since 1982; Fatah Uprising, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), Popular Struggle Front still receive approximately $50 m./yr., which is less than what they received in the 1980s. (al-Dustur 6/3 in WNC 6/5)

PC holds the 1st mtg. of its 2d session. Mbrs. reelect (62-20) Ahmad Qurai` as PC speaker. (PR 3/28)

In Cairo, Pres. Mubarak holds separate mtgs. with Arafat, Israeli PM Netanyahu's adviser Dore Gold, Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri, Syrian FM Shara` on the Har Homa situation and Netanyahu's 3/19 proposal for skipping the interim negotiations. (MM 3/20; RE, RL 3/20 in WNC 3/21; SATN 3/20 in WNC 3/21; WP 3/21; RE 3/21 in WNC 3/24)

In Bethlehem and Bayt Omar, 100s of stone throwing Palestinians protesting the Har Homa construction clash with IDF troops, who respond with rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannons, sound grenades. PA security forces sporadically attempt to hold back demonstrators, beating them with batons. (WP, WT 3/21; NYT 3/22)

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) holds a large rally in al-Yarmuk r.c. in Damascus to protest Israeli construction in East Jerusalem. (QPAR 3/20 in WNC 3/21)

5 Jewish families seize, move into a Palestinian building in Silwan under the protection of heavily-armed private security guards. The Israeli government says it is legal for settlers to "acquire" home in the area. 9 Palestinian homes have been taken by settlers over the past 6 yrs. (PR 3/28)